Getting to Work (June 29, 2010)

My apartment is close enough to the office that I can walk. Or at least theoretically I can walk. Given the heat and the humidity, it may not always be a realistic option. But today I did.

First, I took the tuk-tuk (like a golf cart) from the apartment lobby to the corner of Soi 10 and Sukhumvit Road. It’s only about half a mile and in cool, dry weather would be a nice stroll, but…

Chumvit Park is at the corner. A nice bit of greenery in the city. Local Thais were out exercising before the heat of the day.

The Liberty Mutual Group office is about half a mile to the right on Sukhumvit Road. From the corner, I can either turn left and walk toward the Nana skytrain station, or turn right and walk toward the office.

Getting to the Nana station actually means walking away from the office, but it’s close and… since I only need to go one stop anyway (to the Asoke station), if I don’t get on at Nana, there’s no point in getting on at all.

Either way, I end up at the busy intersection with Soi Asoke. It’s possible to cross above ground but there is a lot of traffic and the lights are long.

Instead, there is an underpass that connects with the Citibank building across the street. That way, I’m also in the all-important air-conditioning. The underpass links to an underground shopping area – including a “True Coffee” shop – that eventually puts me on Soi 23, directly opposite the entrance to LMG Thailand.

On the street, there are lots of guys on motorcycles, waiting. If they are wearing an orange vest, that means they are “official taxi drivers.” You get on the back and they take you wherever. Much cheaper and faster than a standard taxi, but definitely not for the nervous.

Then, it’s a quick elevator ride to the 15th floor and then down the hall to my desk. Where I log on using a keyboard that looks like this –