Bangkok – 38 km
I’m constantly hoping to find unusual things, so I set out to an
abandoned building. Known as the Sathorn Unique, this 50-storey
building was left unfinished in 1997 during the world economic crisis.
It was rumoured to become one of Bangkok's most luxurious
residential buildings.
I encountered a young couple from Australia who, like me, were
aimlessly walking around. We came across a building that was
cordoned off. Adjacent to it, there was a small restaurant with a
garage-style roll-up door that led to the enclosed area. The Australian
girl and I ventured into the yard, but the restaurant owner abruptly
shut the door and threatened to call the police. Despite her
boyfriend's pleas from inside the restaurant, she refused to open the
door. Seeing an opportunity, I tried to take some photos, but the
resident caretaker was not at all pleased with the idea.
To my surprise, the young Australian woman switched to speaking in
Thai and explained our situation. It turned out that her mother was
Thai. Eventually, the caretaker unlocked a side gate, allowing us to
leave. Meanwhile, the boyfriend was still attempting to persuade the
owner to open the door from inside the restaurant. They were quite
taken aback when they saw us again.
The following morning, I emerged to a drizzle that continued all
morning, but the rain abated around midday. With lightning speed, I
loaded my bike and set out of Bangkok, even though I had paid for
an extra night. Halfway out of the city, I decided to hop on a bus to
Mae Sot, the border town between Thailand and Myanmar. Having
cycled this route twice before, I felt there was no need to pedal the
same path for a third time. Covered in mud, I arrived at the bus
station, drawing curious gazes from onlookers.