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Published: July 16th 2017
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Geo: 13.7308, 100.521
Up and about by 04:30 for a cuppas and then breakfast.
Walk to chauffeuse house but find that all is in order there. She arrives on the dot of 06:45 as promised. We stop off at the school in Phon Thong where chauffeuse Jiap teaches in order that she can clock on to show she was at work even though she is going to be spending the next 1 1/2 hours driving me to the airport and coming back ?
Arrive at Roi Et airport at 07:45 to find it quite busy with a Nok Air flight readying for departure. This is the flight that I have caught the last couple of times but today the slightly later Air Asia flight was quite a bit cheaper. I eventually get checked-in. There was a problem with the Air Asia computer being down, they were doing things manually and couldn't find my name on the lists. Suitcase only weighs 7kg which has to be a record in itself. Say our goodbyes which is becoming a far too regular bad habit. Watch the car drive off then take a seat to wait. I'm not sure what is happening as the flight I am booked
on isn't listed on the screens but there is another Air Asia flight to Bangkok leaving slightly earlier. I guess there has been a change that I wasn't aware of. As we are about to pas through into the departure lounge all becomes clear. The departures board is actually showing flight arrivals and the flight number and time for the Air Asia flight is actually for the incoming flight from Bangkok. Now flight has landed number and time change to that which I was expecting. Leave about 09:00 and land at Bangkok's Don Muang airport just before 10:00. The flight is always scheduled for 1 hour 15 mins and they take great pleasure, every time, in announcing that they have arrived ahead of schedule.
I collect my suitcase and then join an endless queue of people waiting for taxis. In fact I spend almost as long waiting for a taxi as spent on the plane then almost as long again driving through Bangkok traffic to the guest house in Banglamphu. Arrive about 11:40 which just about gives me time to drop my bags in a room before making my way to the internet to check-in for my flight tomorrow. Internet check-in
commences at 11:50, 24hours before departure, but I can't get my normal seat having to move back one row to 20D.
Eat lunch at the New Siam then walk to the exchange booth that I normally use on Khao San road to change some money. There was a really good rate on offer when I arrived a few weeks back but as I didn't come into town that day I didn't get to take up on it. Today is has dropped back down again and I have to settle for 50.8 whereas it was nearly 53Bht to 1GBP just those few weeks ago. I blame the Greeks and their problems dragging the rest of Europe down, even the GBP which isn't of course directly connected with Euro, still ... I return to guest house stopping at 7/11 for a snack, coffee and a bottle of water to take back to the room where a cooling shower and the aircon awaits. Apparently it was 37 degrees when we landed in Bangkok this morning, it is probably a little hotter than that now but is still feels cooler walking around here than it did in Khamnadie. Think its just that there is some
air here, albeit heavily polluted.
Stretch out on the bed for a couple of hours and watch a pretty poor movie although at least it was in English.
Walk to the park by the river where I usually spend an evening hour or so when we are here. Sun is still strong but its not too uncomfortable.
I return to room briefly to shower and cool off then walk to Gecko Bar just a few yards along the road for a beer. Cross the road to eat my last street food for a while then go for a walk around the Khao San area before stopping at Gecko on my way back for another beer. it chatting to an Aussie guy at the next table and am sorely tempted to have another beer or three but know how much I would regret it tomorrow so call it a night.
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