Life Lens

On Friday afternoon Saleem and I headed to the bus station.  We were going in the same direction as the week before so we pretty much knew the travel routine: buy van tickets to the southern bus station in Bangkok, known as Sai Tai, and then catch another van to Phetchaburi.  We got to the station and purchased two tickets for a 4:30 van or so we thought.  As the minutes rolled by we were getting restless.  It was already 4:50.  Last week our van left only ten minutes late so we were wondering what was up.  We started discussing optimal seats in the van.  It’s important to be on your game right when the van comes or you’ll be stuck in the back with little leg room and even less seat space.  I looked down at our tickets and said, “Well we’re 8a and 8b, whatever that means.”  Saleem wondered allowed, “Maybe we’re taking a bus this week?”  We both looked at each other and agreed that we probably weren’t because we asked for the same exact thing as last week and it was the same price and time.  A couple minutes later the bus that had been parked next to us for the last twenty minutes pulled out.  I looked at the number on the back and it seemed familiar, 128. “128!!” I yelled, as I looked down at our tickets.  I don’t even remember comprehending that number, but it was in my brain and there it was on the ticket.  We yelled to the parking attendant, “Sai, Tai? Sai Tai?” “Chai, chai, Sai, Tai!” He called back.  Saleem and I looked at each other and then booked it to the bus, which was about to pull out onto Sukhumvit, the major highway leading to Bangkok.  Thankfully there was traffic, so we made it to the bus and knocked on the window.  The driver opened the door and checked out tickets.  I had the most enormous smile on my face all the way back to seat 8a partially because I knew all the Thai people were thinking something along the lines of, “Damn Farang” and also because I was so relieved that again, somehow, it all worked out.  We made it to Sai Tai and then to Phetchaburi where we had the opportunity to explore Khao Luang cave.