So last night, roughly 20.30, I arrived at my destination on Sukhumwit 62 safely–albeit soaked and wet. The first spill came only 15 minutes after departing, just after filling up my tank at a Shell petrol station outside of Samut Songkhram along the Rama II expressway.

As soon as the rains suddenly came pouring out of nowhere, I had to find shelter quick, as it was coming down hard and fast. The only liable option was to park my bike under a pedestrian crossing which provided semi-shelter and an opportunity to put on my rain coat and store my mobile phone away in a plastic bag underneath my bike seat. After 10 minutes of waiting, seeing that the rains weren’t letting up, I made the decision to slowly continue as I didn’t want to burn too much daylight. It was a lose-lose situation. Stay in that spot, gradually getting soaked while the sunlight expired, or continue on in the monsoon fury in dangerous conditions. I made the latter decision and it was one of the scariest and stupidest things I done in a long time.

At that particular section of the expressway, massive road maintenance and construction had been going on as the left lane (slow lane in Thailand) was complete red mud and dirt washing and draining about every which way blurring up things. I didn’t know what I was driving on, I appeared that the road was flooding, and the worst part was all the huge 10 wheeler trucks and busses and other such cars tailing right behind me. Even though I was only going 30 to 40 kilometers per hour during those moments, I was only thinking about my life and how I must survive at all costs.

After about 10 minutes, what seemed like hours, the rains let up and I was able to coast on what seemed to be completely dry roads (This is Thailand) at 70 to 80 kph for most rest of the way. After crossing the Tah Jeen river at Mahachai in Samut Sakorn (halfway between Bangkok and Samut Songkhram) the sky suddenly became dark and street lights came on. Not exactly good news considering I still had atleast 20 to 30 kilometers of Bangkok driving to go before I was safe.

For the most part, I stuck to my plan which was mapped out in my mind looking at google earth and another Bangkok road map I’ve had for 5 years. So basically, I took Rama II past Bang Kae and Bang Khun Thian towards Dao Kanong, where Rama II comes to an end at Suk Sawat road, where I turned right and followed it down towards Pra pra Daeng’s administrative and commercial center just south of the unnamed Mega bridge. There I boarded a 10 baht vehicle ferry crossing, which was slightly delayed as we had to wait out a massive freighter heading upstream pass by. On docking on Bangkok side of the Jao Phraya river at the beginning of Poo-Jao-Saming-Prai road, it was almost home free from there– just about 10 kilometers through one of Bangkok’s prime industrial arteries–stretching from Klong Toey port through Samrong neighborhood towards Bak Nam (Samut Prakarn or the mouth of the Water-River)–reaping the black puff end of industrial trucks’ exhaust fumes on a narrow industrial road too dangerous to make speedy passes.

Once I finally reached Sukhumwit 62, decided to fill up on some food. I sure was hungry as I hadn’t eat anything all day. The central Thai made-to-order joint was busy and I ended up waiting 30 minutes before my order of Pud Gra Pao Neua (Basil, Chilli, Garlic stirfry with beef) was ready. Before my food was ready, a monsoon shower came back in full fury. By the time they finished cooking the 3 orders (two for me and one for my friend J) I had no choice but to continue the other 50 meters to my friend’s apartment in the pouring rain. 3 minutes later, soaked and wet, I realized that I was without my rain coat which I had put over my bike at the restaurant. Either it blew off and I didn’t realize it or someone took it. Have to get a new one soon.

Bangkok driving, particularly on a motorcycle requires 101 percent concentration, awareness, and consciousness. Though congested Bangkok traffic is a common scene for ‘accidents’, I’m more referring to the fast lane expressways and motorways where a motorcyclist shares the road with semi trucks, buses, and other rushing-speeding motorists. A majority of the Bangkokian motorcyclists tend to up their momentum on 100, 115, and 125 cc bikes to keep up with the traffic, easily averaging 100 kph +. I’m a pussy, however, and would rather take my chances in the far left at 70 to 80 kph.

Every motorcycle death I’ve been aware of, had been in high speed conditions, and no matter how annoying a semi bus or truck tailing you is, I’m not gonna speed up just for that–let the fud nucker go around and make a legal pass! That said, it’s easy to get irratated and distracted on the roads, and one other necessity of driving in Thailand is to let small things go and keep absolute concentration.