Arrival

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Well! I am finally in Thailand! Slightly more than a week later, but I've made it! I was delayed by the time it takes to get visas combined with a Jain holiday that closed the Indian embassy, a Thai holiday that closed the Thai embassy and the Easter holidays that closed everything.

My flight here was very smooth. I was able to check in electronically at Heathrow on a machine that read my passport and then just leave my backpack to go to the hold while I looked around the shops. The flight was 11 hours! I dozed for a bit but didn't really get much sleep. I arrived in Bangkok at 3pm local time and took a taxi to my hotel in Khao San road, getting there about 4.30 pm.

The taxi driver wouldn't take me down the road, which is partially closed to traffic, but it was an enjoyable walk along the frantically busy market street with my backpack and day pack. My hotel was almost at the other end of the street and is a proper hotel, not a hostel - it even has a swimming pool and a gym (I haven't seen them yet).

My room is very nice and was airconditioned which was good considering it was 96 degrees here today. I was sweating like anything from the taxi ride and the walk up the road, so I took a quick shower and got changed. There's a mini bar in my rom which had two free complimetary bottles of water. That was very nice on a day like today - 96 degrees here, though it's getting a bit coller now the sun has set. I don't know if it's an every day thing or an arrival at the hotel thing, but anyway, it's very nice.

I went out for a bit of a walk and have ended up here at an internet cafe, sending this. Khao San road is quite touristy and very busy and many of the business are blatantly unlawful. I worked hard to get my TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) qualification, but there are half a dozen stall along the road where you can buy them. You can also get English or International driving licences, degree certificates, students and press cards and much else. More qualifiction than qualification.

A few bars were advertising themselves, claiming " We do NOT check ID" while offering buckets of Scotch whisky for sale.

Despite the warnings I was given, I have not yet been approached by any Thai ladies (or even lady boys) offering their favours. My main trouble has been the tailors. If you so much as glance in a tailor's shop window, someone will dash out and follow you for at least 50 yards, trying to get you to buy a made to measure suit. They are cheap, but I can't see how I'd fit one in my back pack.

I walked down to the river, after exploring Khao San and the shop-filed streets and alleyways leading off from it. I passed the National Gallery and also the Thai Iland Revenue Offices, which brought back some memories. By the river I met a tourist policeman, who worked for the Tourist Authority of Thailand, which goes by the unfortunate acronym of "TAT". I can't see why they couldn't have called it the Thai Torist Authority so it could be TTA instead. They could even have gone for Thai National Torism which would have given them a really explosive acronym. If only they'd asked me, but it's too late now.

After that I walked back to Khao San and found an internet cafe and my plan now is to have something to eat and go to bed and have a good sleep and decide on my next move.

I have already eaten some Thai food - I bought some mango from a vendor in Khao San. It was sliced and covered in coconut milk on a bed of rice - very nice and refreshing.

More tomorow, I hope. Keep in touch and leave comments for me. Bye for now

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Comments

[jamie]

great to hear from you.
keep us informed. Jamie

[Michelle]

Helloooooo!!
Glad to hear you arrived safely x

[Bindhu]

Woo! you made it
I've only just got around to reading your blog today, so i'll read on and then do my 50 question session lol. hope your having a brill time out there still. TC xxx