The Dude abides

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Alright, last day in Bangkok, let's get this over with. It starts with a boat ride down the river, followed by a long walk through Chinatown, where there is even madder traffic than the rest of Bangkok. This is where I send my most treasured possesion, constant travel companion and personal bible, my Lonely Planet, along with the first dvd of photos back to Oz. I feel naked. Luckily I've written down the directions of all the places I want to visit for the rest of the day. For starters I'm once again looking for an art gallery, which turns out to have closed down. So off I go to another one, which is still open and turns out to be excellent, displaying the works of graduating students. After that I head over to a snazzy hotel, where I walk straight into the toilets and change from shorts and t-shirt into pants and shirt. I'm still wearing my sandals, but I put on socks! (That's right Steve, socks and sandals.) Remember that I've only got hiking boots with me, which are far too heavy to lug around the city. The pants cover most of the sandals, so it doesn't actually look too bad. (I'll have to put up a picture for proof I guess.) Spray on some deodorant and I actually look and smell not too unpleasant. In any case, I travel upwards in the elevator 61 floors, where I am allowed entry into an equally snazzy rooftop restaurant/bar and I ascend another two sets of stairs, bringing me onto the 63rd floor! I arrive just in time for sunset and an incredible view over Bangkok, which stretches to the horizon in every direction. Now this is a sight to behold. To think that most of the people that live here have never had the chance to see their city from this point of view. I stay for a while, enjoying the night lights, some drinks and all the free bar snacks I can shove into my face until I'm full. Back down the elevator, I head to another part of town and into the jazz lounge of the infamous Oriental Hotel, where notable personalities, such as Somerset Maugham and Noel Coward have spent the night. A relaxed beer and some cool tunes later, it's into the last tuk tuk of the trip and back to Khao San road for one last Thai massage and on the way home I even find a cool new t-shirt, "The Dude abides". He does indeed.

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Photos

Exhibit A
What can I say? They let me in with these.