A Bath in Bangkok

New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 125, 14 November 1941, Page 5

A Bath in Bangkok

N disembarking, I went to what I was told was the best hotel of the town, a fine long two-storied European building with lovely lawns leading right down to the river. Inside, it was roomy, the fans were whirling, the cool darkness was comforting. It was too late and too hot te go anywhere that morning, so I decided to have a much needed bath as bathing facilities on board had been rather scanty. I hurried to the bathroom attached to my room. It was large, at least 15 feet square, and monumentally in the centre was a large bath complete with shower, and a dozen gleaming taps. I turned the taps on with glee. Nothing happened! I tried again, Still nothing. I rang my bell, no one came. I rang again-still no one. Finally I sallied out of my room and at the end of the passage found my room boy. I told him I wanted a bath, a hot bath. * Wait two minutes, Missie, and I will go get. it." I went back, slipped off my things and lay down in my kimono, Twenty minutes passed, half-an-hour, still nothing. I tried my bell again. No answer. Off I went again to find the boy. " Just coming, Missie." He seemed pained that I should be so unreasonable as to want to wash in that heat. Suddenly I heard the familiar " Hey-ho" of coolies carrying burdens, and into my room burst a stream of bare-footed coolies, each one with a bamboo pole on his shoulder on each end of which was hung a wooden pail of boiling water, Six coolies came in, the boy heading the procession, and with much noise and talk and clatter the steaming bath was filled; and when once I had my room to myself again I had the only hot bath I had the courage to ask for in that town!- (" A Week-end in Bangkok." Barbara J. Collins, 2Y A, November 5.)