Bangkok Hotels
|
  | |  |
Bangkok again. Back to civilisation!
Entry 18 of 48 | show all | print this entry |
Hi All
We had a good night in Trat at our very cheap guest house, and got up and breakfasted leisurely the next morning (30th Nov). We then got taxis to the bus station which yet again involved getting on the back of motorbikes (scooters) with our large rucksacks on our backs, our day sacks on our fronts and I was also holding a carrier bag containing a wood sculpture we had bought in Siem Reap and our all-important mosquito killing tennis racket. Its not easy balancing on the back of a motorbike with 19kg of rucksack on your back while the driver is weaving through the traffic, but we made it in one piece. We bought tickets for our bus to Bangkok at the bus station (246Bt each = around 3 pound 50) and then boarded our bus. Compared to the previous day it was luxury!! We had legroom, seats that reclined and working air conditioning, and even better a toilet on board and a TV playing some kung fu film in Thai! Our 6 hour, 400km journey to Bangkok which passed without incident and arrived in Bangkok at the Eastern bus station at around 5pm. Bad planning on our part as we had to get right across Bangkok to our guest house near the Khao San Road and it was rush hour!
After eventually persuading a taxi driver to take us (on the meter and not just charging a random amount) we set off and the first 1km was fine, but then we stopped dead, and it took us over an hour and a half to do the next mile or so. We amused ourselves by playing eye spy (well I did - and Q reluctantly joined in when he got fed up of me kicking the back of his seat), practising our Thai by telling the driver to 'slow down' (but apparently sarcastic humour delivered in a really bad thai accent doesn't work!!) and window shopping (as we were stuck in traffic by a couple of the 'posh' shopping malls off the Sukhamvit road next to shops such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton). We eventually got to the Sawasdee Krungthep Inn at about 7pm. We had pre booked it as we had decided to go a bit cheaper than our previous stays at the ViengTai hotel. It was 450Bt a night (about 6 pounds 50p), just behind the temple next to the Khao San Road and had a private bathroom and air con and we were surprised to find it was actually quite nice, pretty quiet and clean, bit of a bargain for Bangkok really.
We spent our evening on the Khao San Road. Then on Friday we went off by express boat to Sathorn and then took the Sky Train back to the posh shopping centres we had seen the night before. We window shopped and managed to find a few cheaper shops to spend some money in. Q really fancied a burger so dragged me to the Burger King on Sukhamvit Rd. We found the whole shopping experience quite surreal as all the shops and shopping centres had huge Christmas decorations up with christmas carols playing, and when you're wandering around in shorts and t-shirts and dripping with sweat fromn the outside temps of 34 degrees it just doesnt feel right to listen to Good King Wenceslas! We made our way back to the Khao San Road for the evening and packed up our stuff again ready for transit to Brunei tomorrow. Another early start with a pickup from the SK Inn at 4.30am!
We feel like 'proper' travellers now when sitting on the KS Rd as we have good tans and clothing that looks a bit grubby and worn so we fit right in.
And now - back by popular demand I'll update the scores on the doors Q started 4 weeks ago:
Bites/stings B30/Q15, Dia B6/Q4.5, Vom B2/Q0, mouth ulcers B3/Q5, rashes/galloping foot rot B2/Q1 (but my foot is worse and our foot issues have now lasted over 5 weeks!), cuts/grazes/blisters B0/Q3, sore throats B4/Q3, colds B1/Q1, acts of utter rank incompetence B1/Q1 (I caught up with Q by trying to manhandle a marble table towards the wall so we could put our rucksack on it and then, when it slid across ,trapped my hand between the table and the wall causing a massive bruise to the back of my right hand).
Anyway will sign in again from cousin Jill's in Brunei.
Hope you're all Ok.
Love to you all.
Bex & Q
xx
|
|
If you like this entry, search for other entries from Thailand or try a new search. |
| |
Back to Entry - Back to Home
|
