Arrival in Bangkok

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I had been pretty relaxed in Singapore and once i had recovered from all the tiredness i felt that maybe i was starting to get a bit too relaxed there. For that reason i decided it was time to head for Bangkok, something that i could have waited longer to do but i started to feel i would stagnate if i stayed in Singapore doing very little for any longer.

One thing that i still don't do (and boy do i need to learn this) is that i show up in new places without any accommodation booked and this was the same with Bangkok. I had looked on the internet and noted that a number of hostels had phone numbers available so i figured i would call then from Bangkok airport and secure somewhere to stay.

Anyway, i went to the airport for my flight which proved to be a very pleasant flight and when i touched down in Bangkok i started to feel very nervous, i realised that i didn't really know what to expect from Bangkok, as you hear stories about it and with me arriving there alone i did get a bit scared for the first time. Even going through the baggage check was nerve wracking (i could not help wondering if someone had slipped drugs into my bag), anyway it all went fairly smoothly and once through that bit i got online and noted down some phone numbers of places to stay in Bangkok, phoning them proved to be a hassle in itself because i couldn't get through to most of them.

I did however get through to two of them both of which had space for me and after soem deliberation i opted for a guesthouse called Shanti Lodge (only 100 Baht - about 1 pound 25 pence - for the night), the internet reviews had been very positive about the place except for the fact that the staff are not that friendly. I took a taxi from the airport and the taxi took a long time to get there, mainly because there is so much traffic in Bangkok, i was still nervous during the taxi journey as i really didn't know anything abouty the standards of accommodation in Bangkok.

I did eventually arrive and i went into the dorm where i met a British giuyt called Dan, he was back in BAngkok after spending 3 months travelling around Thailand. This was his last night there and he was flying to Vietnam the following day. He gave me some advice on what to see in Bangkok and in Thailand as a whole so that was nice. I also met a girl called Tasha who was on her way to Chiang Mai (my next destination) on the overnight train that night and she was fun to talk to as well.

The hostel is clean and the food they serve seems good, so i think i chose a pretty good place to stay. And within an hour of being there i was pretty chilled and the nerves seemed to have gone.

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