Bangkok. Start of my 7 week trip

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It's been 14 years since I was last in Bangkok (BKK), I was only 15 and I remember I didn't like it then, and to be honest my opinion hasn't really changed. OK, I admit the experience is now totally different, last time the 11 hour flight from London to Bangkok flew by, literally, as I was sitting in the comfort of Business Class with my sisters and my Granny. We were whisked from the airport to the luxrious 5 star Oriental Bangkok, which at the time was one of the top Hotels in the World. I remember the service was really out of this world. This time round my economy seat was fine, although sleep was none existent and watching the movie on a big communal screen wasn’t exactly the same as a personal TV. My hotel is a basic 2 star; it has a comfortable bed which really is all I want. It does have wireless, at a cost, but still a great bonus. I bought myself a nifty 10” Samsung laptop in London so I can continue to write my blog as I travel.

So Bangkok. Well I arrived in yesterday, but most of it was spent in bed catching up on me sleep. Last night I left my comfy bed to venture out. I headed to the Siam Square region, as I wanted to go to Hard Rock Café for diner. I know it’s not exactly a very Thai experience, but definitely it was a safe bet as I didn’t want to get dodgy stomach before my trip even started. In traffic is took a whole hour to get there, as the traffic in BKK really moves very slowly. The Siam Square area is a bustling area in the centre of BKK it is surrounded my 3 modern shopping centers that sell everything from Starbucks coffee to Mc Donald’s to Calvin Klein Jeans ( yes real ones, although you can walk 2 blocks away to get fake ones !). The Shopping Centers themselves are clean, bright and modern. While outside the streets are loud, busy, smelly and are lined with colourfull stalls where you can buy everything including the kitchen sink. The roads are a few lanes wide and are filled with crowded buses, tuck-tucks (an open 2 wheeler taxi), cars, and motorbikes than carry a few people on them and I even saw a bicycle although that’s a rare sight really. The traffic is surpriselingly organised and obedient and they even have a timer on the traffic lights so you know how long the light is green/red.

I’m in South East Asia for 30days in total; I’ll be doing a group tour with Intrepid. The trip is called the Indo China Loop, as is actually there most popular trip they have. I met my group tonight and was happy to hear that the tour leader has leaded the loop tour 14 times already, so I recon he knows what he’s talking about and will hopefully show us some interesting sights and unique experiences. The group itself is nice and small with only 4 plus the group leader. There are two English girls in their late 20’s, an young Irish guy aged 18, an Australian guy in his late 30’s, the group leader is English and in his late 30s and then me . I get my own room for the trip, which is an extra bonus!
We’re off out tonight for a group dinner.
Till next time ……

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