My usual teaching duties were surprisingly and pleasantly interrupted on a rather chilly and overcast Friday in January for what I had been told would be a "short trip". As is typical in Thailand, what you think you understand and what is thought to be communicated, are usually radically different concepts. This time was no different and the 'short trip' turned into an over 3 hour bus ride south from Sapphaya to the outskirts of Bangkok and a Disneyland style amusement park known as 'Dream World'.
Things started early this particular Friday as I was told to be at the elementary school at 6AM with a scheduled departure of 06:30AM. Having gotten a late night phone call from a friend in Pattaya, I was unable to fall back to sleep and after getting up at 4:30AM, made my way to school, arriving at 5:30AM. Although this seemed pretty early to me, I discovered others already waiting in the early morning darkness with an assembling group of students, teachers and parents, all heading out on this morning's expedition.
oe, Took and Jan having lunch at Dream World in Bangkok.
With it still very dark, the first of what turned out to be 4 buses pulled into the school and parked next to the ball court. Three more soon appeared and it was obvious from the size of these buses and the food and water preparations being made that possibly this wasn't as simple as I was lead to believe. Still not really knowing where we were heading, (as I have learned over the years here in Thailand), just go with the flow and see what turns up as it will always be more than what you were expecting!
I was informed by the school's principal that I was to be on the same bus as him and some of the other government officials that were accompanying the convoy of buses and students. It seems here in Chai Nat Province that the schools and their activities are important events watched and monitored by officials in various capacities throughout the province. As it turned out, this trip was no exception and it wasn't long before 'Mr. Joe', a young official from the Lord Mayor's office was greeting me and we were stumbling to communicate with each other as his English is almost non-existent and my Thai not good enough to carry on a conversation.
I had met 'Joe' when I first moved to Sapphaya from Cambodia in late 2004 and he was always extremely helpful and giving. It seemed wherever I went around Sapphaya he somehow showed up and was offering a drink or food, always along with an ever present boyish grin that you just know made him a trouble maker for his teachers and parents when he was younger and in school. Today however, he was always playing the role of a gracious host and he does this extremely well. I have a feeling his real job with the government here is what I would call a 'facilitator'...or a person they turn to to get things done.
The sun was just coming up as we boarded the buses heading south, eventually pulling out of the grounds at 06:50, 20 minutes later than the stated 06:30 departure time.
As the buses started heading for Sing Buri and eventually the highway south to Bangkok, the bus took on a festive mood and along with the Thai music/karaoke videos (which at times were somewhat ear shattering), it seemed everyone was excited about what was ahead. For me however, not yet knowing what we were really doing or going, I was just content to watch the carnival around me and the passing fields and villages of Chai Nat Province.
Obviously originally thinking we were on a 'short trip', at the second stop for fuel at a Q8 gas station where I watched the bus take on 102 liters of gas for 1,500 baht, I begin to suspect that we were going a bit farther than what I had been thinking. After passing the mega-huge shopping complex of Rangsit Future Park at 9AM I was beginning to think I might just as well stay the night in Bangkok (if I didn't have to teach the following day) as by all definitions we were in Bangkok!
Still watching the places go by and knowing most of the roads, I observed we turned away from Bangkok soon after passing the Rangsit Shopping Complex and were now following the klong (canal) that headed past many famous sea food restaurants that now sit on the decks of old canal barges.
Knowing 'Dream World' was in this direction, I wondered if this was really our destination and after passing the huge Siam International School just before Dream World, the buses entered the right lane to make a u-turn and than I knew this might be something different indeed!
As we entered the complex I observed everything was deserted where the rides were located and I couldn't see any people. Still wondering if this was our final destination, we did pull into the large parking lot at the back of the park and lined our buses next to each other along a very tall line of pine trees sheltering the lot from the large and very green rice fields next to it.
Sapphaya Elementary School teachers at 'Dream World'. Ajarn Pannalai, English Department Head is in the first row, second from the right.
As we exited the buses, we were met by a young man who was wearing a colorful blue shirt identifying his alliance with 'Dream World'. He herded the 300 or so in the group towards a long, canopied area where the students were told to line up and were shortly counting off.
As I was watching all the events around, especially the adults, it seemed that there was some 'negotiating' going on with the man from the park. My observations turned out to be correct as shortly after this, money started to materialize out of envelopes from both the principal and the head English teacher. As I watched them count out the 1,000 baht notes, 20,000 baht exchanged hands and shortly thereafter at 09:45AM, approximately 300 students, teachers and parents were being handed tickets for the park.
As the group made its way for the park's entrance turn stiles, I noticed other brightly colored clothed groups who were obviously from other schools as well as several groups of foreign couples with no children who I guess wanted to be kids again!
The brochure I got handed describing the park was entirely in Thai so it wasn't much help in figuring out what activities were ahead. The ticket however was somewhat more helpful as each ride had both a Thai and English name located in the area where it was torn as you rode each ride. The small, animated pictures of each ride somewhat described what was available and had names such as Bouncer, Octopus, Bump Car, Vikings, Raptor and Super Splash.
What was interesting to me however was the mad dash to a 'ride' at the opposite end of the entrance to the park. Not nothing where everyone was almost running to, I was intrigued to find it was something called 'Snow Mountain', which as it turned out was a building housing a Thai stylized replica of a 'winter wonderland' including a small hill where you could go to the top and ride a small, rubber type raft down.
Everyone was issued 'snow boots' and a parka for the cold, winter-time adventure with yours truly forgoing these comforts and keeping my boat shoes as I took photos of the the students with their parents. I also went to the top of the hill and slid down spinning sideways as I tried to snap a picture and almost falling out of the 'Dream World' provided 'sled'. Not that would have been embarrassing...
After exiting Snow Town I quickly discovered my camera lens and display were all clouded up and it was nearly 30 minutes before I was able to clearly take pictures again. As I was a bit hungry, I made my way back to the KFC for some chicken and discovered a half dozen students already there. I joined them and even after finishing my meal, the young men were offering me parts of their meals. I trait of Thai society I have always found so endearing.
After our meals, the boys and me headed off to find some real adventure and it wasn't long before they were dragging me to the most 'dangerous' rides in the park. Of course, no amusement park would be complete without a roller coaster and 'Dream World' has its own version called 'Hanging Coaster'.
After lining up with my young friends, we got into the cars and after the bar was locked in place, off we went on what turned out to be a decent roller coaster ride. Lots of screaming and lots of laughter with all appearances of a really fun time.
We than had to rush over to another ride know as the 'Vikings' which is nothing more than a huge half moon suspended from a very long pendulum. The ride builds in its swinging motion as it increases in speed. It was here that faces started to turn green and I have to admit, after a couple of minutes of this, I was ready to get off. Three of the boys with me who had just eaten at KFC were quick to exit the ride and proceeded to quickly loose some of the early lunch that they had just consumed.
After this there was a little less enthusiasm from some of the young lads but a couple of us continued onward, next heading for the bumper cars where we lost a couple as they weren't tall enough for the ride.
Onward and upward we charged, heading next to the something called the 'Raptor' where I once again watched the assembled group start to turn green as we spun our way around and around and around....
As time was growing short as we needed to reassemble at 12:30, there was time for one last ride and although I had no interest in getting soaking wet on this particular chilly January day, I succumbed to the enthusiasm of my young friends and queued up for what was obviously going to be a soaking experience from the looks of everyone coming back into the ride's station. Noticing one foreigner taking off shirt shirt, I though this was a reasonable idea and having secured a seat in the back, hoped I wouldn't get too soaked.
This little trick seemed to have worked reasonably well and even though the plunge and subsequent wall of water soaked everyone, damage was minimal and I was able to put a reasonably dry shirt back on although the front of my pants were soaked. Next time I'll be prepared and have swimming trunks under my clothes like the other smart children did in the cars before and after me.
After this ride we started to rush back towards the entrance only to find others slowly making their way back to the buses. Of course, it was here along the many settings made specifically for taking photos that we stopped and took bunches of group photos. I also managed to grab a few photos of the children as well.
Teachers from Sapphaya Elementary School at Dream World in Bangkok.
Getting back to the buses everyone was given a boxed lunch of pork and rice and along with water. As I am always made to feel a bit special, someone handed me a couple of cans of Pepsi which were greatly appreciated as I was pretty thirsty by this time. Finding a place under one of the tall pines, I leaned back against the tree and enjoyed the gentle cool breeze of a Thai January day.
After taking some photos of the buses as they were lined up under the trees I couldn't help with be impressed with the phenomenal art work that had been accomplished using the metal of the back and sides of the buses as their canvas. As I have observed from the beginning of many years in Thailand, it needs to be pretty whatever it is, from the cars of the skytrain in Bangkok to the sides of buses carrying 50 students to an amusement park. I was thinking to myself as I was taking the photos that collecting bus art from around Thailand would make an interesting 'coffee table' book to publish some day in my 'spare time' ...
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