Aug 29, 2010 - Bangkok - Take 2

Happily the bus ride up to Bangkok was better than the one down. ... Conveniently, the bus arrived in Bangkok about 30 minutes before sunrise. ... We were ousted onto the street without a place to go.Happily the bus ride up to Bangkok was better than the one down. ... Conveniently, the bus arrived in Bangkok about 30 minutes before sunrise. ... We were ousted onto the street without a place to go....

Aug 27, 2010 - From the sublime to the ridiculous

After seeing elephants in their natural habitat, I was amazed to see one on the streets of Chiang Mi on a night out the other day. Back in Bangkok waiting for a new room in the hotel now after the night train from Chiang Mi. ... We are off to the National Park by night train tomorrow night.After seeing elephants in their natural habitat, I was amazed to see one on the streets of Chiang Mi on a night out the other day. Back in Bangkok waiting for a new room in the hotel now after the night train from Chiang Mi. ... We are off to the National Park by night train tomorrow night....

Aug 17, 2010 - Bangkok

I think Sammy the only one who did sleep! Breakfast at 4:30am and arrive in Bangkok 5:45am. ... Day2 Bangkok: Wow what a busy place! Long 45 min cab drive from Bangkok airport to Indra Regent Hotel. ... Rain non-stop at airport, but not much in Bangkok. ...

Aug 17, 2010 - An Unparalleled Diversity and Standard of Nightlife

The once famous term ‘One Night in Bangkok’ has now become redundant as visitors to Thailand have realized that there is laughter and enjoyment to be had at plentiful places, and that one night out is only an appetizer for much more to come. ... Bangkok’s party-vibe was, has and still is legendary. ... The capital now ranks right up there among the world’s top capitals for attracting internationally renowned DJs to spin their discs to literally thousands at a time at one of Bangkok’s mega nightclubs. ... Bangkok’s sizzling and snazzy late nightlife is located in abundance at places such as RCA, Ratchadaphisek, Thonglor, Ekamai, Sukhumvit, Silom, Chidlom & Ploenchit, Siam Square and Khao Sarn. ... At first a sleepy fishing village, next a rendezvous for servicemen and singles, nowadays the seaside resort of Pattaya can proudly boast perhaps the best nightlife outside of Bangkok. ...

Aug 15, 2010 - Bangkok - Take 1

From the first few glances of Bangkok we knew that we had entered a modern city. ... This was to be the first of 3 visits to Bangkok, it being the central hub of Thailand. ... Indeed all we sought to do was get out of Bangkok. ... As any visitor to Bangkok will know, it is a shopper's paradise. ... We left Bangkok in an orderly manner at 7pm on the 3rd day. ...

Aug 14, 2010 - Arrival in Thailand - Bangkok

I've postdated it to the date (14 August) on which we left Bangkok. ... We'd actually arrived in Bangkok four days earlier (10 August), having flown in on the very nice Thai Airways (free wine!) from Bali. ... Getting off the plane in Bangkok was, for Amy & I, like arriving home. ... This year, we spent 4 days and nights in Bangkok, re-acquainting ourselves with the city, riding the river taxi and Skytrain, and getting some minor medical consultations out of the way at Bangkok Hospital. ... We'll be in and out of Bangkok the next 3 months or so; and therefore felt no pressure to do everything on this initial visit. ...

Aug 4, 2010 - Bangkok

Caught a taxi from the hotel to the skytrain station, the driver asked where we were going so we explained we were going to get the skytrain to the river ferry then go down by the ferry to the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) he said we would take us to the ferry station for 100 baht, we agreed, on the way he offered to be our taxi for the day and to take us where we wanted to go for 400 baht, we agreed to this too. The next port of call was to be Khoa San Road, the notorious backpackers area of Bangkok which we had been advised to visit, if not to stay in. ... We then managed to get a taxi who agreed to take us back to or hotel, unfortunately we were in the middle of the notorious Bangkok rush hour again. ... We were less than 4 miles away from our hotel and it took us an hour to get there.Caught a taxi from the hotel to the skytrain station, the driver asked where we were going so we explained we were going to get the skytrain to the river ferry then go down by the ferry to the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) he said we would take us to the ferry station for 100 baht, we agreed, on the way he offered to be our taxi for the day and to take us where we wanted to go for 400 baht, we agreed to this too. The next port of call was to be Khoa San Road, the notorious backpackers area of Bangkok which we had been advised to visit, if not to stay in. ... We then managed to get a taxi who agreed to take us back to or hotel, unfortunately we were in the middle of the notorious Bangkok rush hour again. ... We were less than 4 miles away from our hotel and it took us an hour to get there....

Aug 3, 2010 - Bangkok

It was very calm and peaceful, despite being in the centre of Bangkok and backed onto a canal. ... We walked from there, down through Siam Square and on the Bangkoks main railway station. ... As we walked back the Bangkok traffic jam, ooops I mean rush hour was in full flow so as we were walking fater than the traffic was moving we strolled all the way back to the hotel, where I did some more work on this journal and we drank the beer and ate the snacks. ...

Aug 3, 2010 - THE Engagement ring!

For those of you who are not in the know – sapphires are a lot cheaper in Thailand than the UK, because they (along with a few other precious stones) are farmed here and therefore you are not paying for all of that export stuff.For those of you who are not in the know – sapphires are a lot cheaper in Thailand than the UK, because they (along with a few other precious stones) are farmed here and therefore you are not paying for all of that export stuff....

Aug 2, 2010 - Siem Reap to Bangkok

Whooah we're half way there, livin on a prayer. At just after 2pm, some three hours after we had arrived at the border, we were ready to get on the bus to Bangkok, again a pretty uneventful journey, we arrived on the edge of Bangkok at 5. ... 15, drove through the worst rush hour traffic I have ever seen and were dropped off on the other side of Bangkok at 7. ... 40pm, what a nightmare.Whooah we're half way there, livin on a prayer. At just after 2pm, some three hours after we had arrived at the border, we were ready to get on the bus to Bangkok, again a pretty uneventful journey, we arrived on the edge of Bangkok at 5. ... 15, drove through the worst rush hour traffic I have ever seen and were dropped off on the other side of Bangkok at 7. ... 40pm, what a nightmare....

Jul 31, 2010 - Banging the Kok

We are currently on a small Thai island in the middle of a monsoon. Bangkok was hot and busy but we’re heading back there after the islands to get some more temple action and some knock off designer goodies from Patpong market! Rip offs in Thailand are particularly prevalent – such as getting a seat on an overnight bus and turning up and finding that the recling seat you paid to get (in the wishful thinking you might at least get some kip) isn’t there and they want you to sit on the floor for 16 hours – the silly thing is it tells you all this in the guidebook so you go to the official ticket offices not the touts on the street think you’re okay and when you turn up in the evening and they screw you, you have 2 options; refuse to get on in which case you need to find some accommodation asap and bugger your itinerary and further bookings up, or swear at them and get on – this is what we and most people do because it’s still better then getting stranded somewhere for a day or more (note; for most things in life, while taking the moral high ground is virtuous and right it seldom leads to happiness or justice) until a decent bus turns up – the companies seem to know this and continue to do it and it is very annoying. ... Still, apart from that we are both just about done with long distance bus travel in the third world.We are currently on a small Thai island in the middle of a monsoon. Bangkok was hot and busy but we’re heading back there after the islands to get some more temple action and some knock off designer goodies from Patpong market! Rip offs in Thailand are particularly prevalent – such as getting a seat on an overnight bus and turning up and finding that the recling seat you paid to get (in the wishful thinking you might at least get some kip) isn’t there and they want you to sit on the floor for 16 hours – the silly thing is it tells you all this in the guidebook so you go to the official ticket offices not the touts on the street think you’re okay and when you turn up in the evening and they screw you, you have 2 options; refuse to get on in which case you need to find some accommodation asap and bugger your itinerary and further bookings up, or swear at them and get on – this is what we and most people do because it’s still better then getting stranded somewhere for a day or more (note; for most things in life, while taking the moral high ground is virtuous and right it seldom leads to happiness or justice) until a decent bus turns up – the companies seem to know this and continue to do it and it is very annoying. ... Still, apart from that we are both just about done with long distance bus travel in the third world....

Jul 29, 2010 - Bangkok

Salutations!! Departed Brisbane on Wed 28 July (Bne 14:00, Bkk 11:00, UK 05:00) with Thai Airways, en route to London via Bangkok. ... Arrived in Bangkok about 20:00 Bangkok time (Bne 23:00, UK 14:00) to an electrical storm with some decent lightning and loud thunder. ... Turns out our expected departure from Bangkok at 1:10 (Bne 4:10, UK 19:10 Wednesday) was delayed. ... that would explain the delay methinks! We did however start taxiing away from the terminal at 02:30 Bangkok (05:30 Bne, 20:30 Wednesday UK). ...