Bangkok - The First time

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The 10 and a 1/2 hour flight to Bangkok seemed very long. When I boarded the plane, my seat number put me in a window seat where I immediately felt claustrophobic. The Asian couple next to me asked if I would swap seat with their friend, who was in an isle seat in the opposite row. I snapped their hands off at this offer and changed seats. As the journey progressed I dozed off to sleep several times, each time to be woken by something. At one point I listened to my MP3 player but needed the volume up high to drowned the sound of the aeroplane's engines out. It was at this point when I was listening to 'The Who's, My Generation' when I heard a loud, heavy thud and turned back to see a young lady laid out on the floor behind me. No one seemed to do anything so I left my seat to help. She had been asleep then suddenly got up for the toilet then fainted. Initially I got no response from her, but I did still have the MP3 player blasting away in my ear, when I pinched her ear, she responded and I calmed her down until the cabin crew came to assist. Later she came and thanked me. The remainder of the journey was uneventful and I finally dropped off to sleep during the descent into Bangkok only to be woken by the wheels touching down on the runway at Bangkok airport.

I was absolutely tired out once I finally got past passport control and immigration. I must have misunderstood the instructions about filling in the immigration form on the plane and queued at passport control just to be given a form to fill in and been sent away to join the back of the queue again just after another plane had come in and the queue had just doubled in length, I finally got past passport control and immigration and to the arrivals hall. I was so tired at this point, I didn't really know what I was doing. I couldn't see my transfer rep so I tried to find an ATM to draw some cash. A guy helped me out, hoping I would put some business his way he got in touch with my hotel and told me where to find my transfer bus. I met a young lady from my hotel who escorted me to my transfer bus then to my hotel. Once in my hotel room I took a long shower and changed into fresh clothes before making my way to the restaurant and bar for a cool drink and my first Thai meal. Before turning in for the night, I arranged for my early morning transfer to the airport to catch my flight to Singapore.

The next morning I was off to the airport and straight through the Thai airline first class check in then to the Royal Silk lounge for a light breakfast, which proved to be a mistake because of what was to come. Travelling Thai airline's, Royal Silk (Business class) has so many perks such as faster check ins, privilege lounges spacious leg room, fast track luggage collections, choice of seating and the 3 course breakfast are just some of the benefits made the journey to Singapore a pleasure. The only reason I’d done this leg of my journey in business class was the cost. Had I traveled economy class and paid for the extra weight, I would have only saved around £15 on the business class rate, which included the extra weight allowance, so why not.

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