LAEM CHABANG, BANGKOK, THAILAND

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The ship left at 5.00 p.m. and the following day (Wed, 11 Jan) we were into Laem Chabang, a port off Bangkok, where we were overnighting and wouldn’t be leaving until 4.00 p.m. the following day. I was looking forward to Bangkok as I’d never been there.

A private van was booked to drive a group of us the 2 hour trip to Bangkok along the filthiest highway with tin shacks everywhere. We stopped for a bathroom break along the way and of course came across the usual Asian loos - just a hole in the ground. After experiencing these a common question became, is it western?

In Bangkok we visited the Grand Palace where the King & Queen still resides. The Grand Palace is a real WOW factor, i.e. you walk in and the first thing out of your mouth is WOW! I have never seen so many mirrored tiles, gold leafed domes and bling in my life, and it was spectacular. I loved it and it's a photographers dream.

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