The Heat

Amidst the bustling city, its constant sound of traffic and its decaying hovels there is a room of heat and green curtains and small spiders. This is the Suksawad Hotel in Bangkok. This, now, is my sanctuary.

Though it does little to shelter me from the sounds and the ever-present heat, it is large and private enough with its own bathroom. Sadly, the bathroom is infested with little spiders. They are very busy knitting their nets at an incredible pace. I'm glad it's spiders and not something else, though there are also little ants by the door of the room, too. They haven't bothered me so far and I hope the spiders keep them away from the bathroom, at least. My room is numbered 472, on the 4th floor, though on the door it only says "42". Out the door there is a little hangout terrace with some plants and a few wooden benches I'm growing a little fond of.

Located in Banglamphou, I am a walking distance away from the tourist ghetto of Khao San Road. On Khao San Road (or Thanon Khao San) there are always many western tourists, which would normally be a bad thing (like in Playa de Las Americas, Tenerife, ewgh!), but here on the very foreign streets of Bangkok it seems like a welcome change - a piece of home in a far-away land. If it gets too touristy, all you have to do is walk away a couple of blocks and you'll see very few.

So, then, I am not bothered by the spiders or the ants or the vendors and the tuk-tuk drivers that hastle you a plenty to get their share of your fare. No, it is the heat that is the first thing to greet you when you step off the plane. Without aircon (which I don't have) it never lets go. It is constant and sweltering, making you a tacky being of sweat and smells in a matter of minutes.

This is what it can do to a protein bar.

And the fan on the ceiling hums as it shuffles hot air about.