Trying to follow step 1 from website seat61.com, catch the 6:20 train that pass by Masakan Train station. As this station is the closest to where I’m staying. Estimate 10mins taxi max.

5:15am
-check out of the hotel
-got hustle by the cab driver right off the street, asking flat rate 100 baht for the trip
-walk 5 steps away from him and wave down the approaching taxi that will use the meter. Guessing it will cost 50 baht

5:2?am
– taxi made a right instead of the expected left turn
-try telling him it is behind us, but he seems sure it right ahead. He didn’t say a word, got all this from his body gestures
-showed him my phone with the Masakan station on the map
-funny that the more I try telling him, the faster he drives as he is eagerly trying to prove himself

530
– arrived at destination, somehow Makasan means hospital to him
– showed him the map again, he puts on his reading glasses!

5:43 am
– we are heading in the right direction, but he seems a little lost, as we keep running into one way street. I tried giving him direction, pointing him left and right
-I ask if I can drive instead, doubt he understood. I would drive if he let’s me…
-reconfirm using Google translate that I’m going to Cambodia, not airport. Kept it simple, “train to Cambodia”, “you understand I’m taking train? “
-he facial expressions shows he understood, his eyes glow wide open, and a nice confirmation smile
-somehow there is traffic at this hour??

5:55 am
-made it to the Masakan station, but it’s the airport express. Although I have said to him many times I am taking the train to Cambodia.
-found someone that spoke English, ask if this is the station for the train ” to Cambodia “.  They confirm it is.
-walked up to the ticket booth, looks like airport express only. Ask the attendant, they have no clue what Masakan station to Cambodia I’m talking about

7:05 am
-rely on experience. Walk and follow Google map instead, it shows the station just west of the airport Masakan station.
-Google map GPS blur dot isn’t too accurate as there is a huge overpass overhead.
-Sun hasn’t rise yet. Walking in pitch black towards the station
-wave down a taxi using phone flashlight, as I think I might still be able to make it.
-took my time to show him the station in Thai. He seems to understood.
-time is getting tight, still have hope

6:15 am
-pass by some old trains on the way, odds are looking good
-arrived at the station, he pointed me to go up to the platform
-I have a feeling this isn’t the right one. Can this taxi driver be wrong too?
-GPS still isn’t accurate, concrete overpass, hope this is the right one
-cost 47 baht for this ride

6:18am
-Walked up to the station
-found a block stairway and the station name on a dot
-I’m at the airline express station prior to Makasan! Argh

6:29 am
-determined to find this station, hoping train might be late. It can happen, it’s an old rail train system. Reminds me of the train of Romania, being 2 hrs late.
-found the train tracks and follow it to the station

6:32 am
-Made it to the ticket booth. Asked if the train left already…. Was hoping it hasn’t.
-Epic failed, train left on time
-12 mins too late

6:49 am
-took a taxi and made it back to the hotel
-cost 39 baht, meter barely jumped
-lucky they haven’t clean my room yet. Was allow to go back and collect my thoughts.
-Phone is almost completely drained. Time to recharge and look for alternatives.
-too worked up to just stay and try this again tomorrow morning. Will see if I can catch a bus instead.

*this is how a typical jaunt will go. We do our best given the opportunity, although it’s an epic fail, we move on with no regrets as we know we try our very best. If things hasn’t work out yet, we will find another way