OK well, to be fair my first flight from Heathrow to Abu Dabi was actually pretty sweet! I had 3 seats to myself and Twilight was on the little TV Screen and you could have as much free Vodka and Orange/Pineapple as you wanted(No Homo x2). It was only when i was stood in the middle of Abu Dabi Airport trying to find Gate 28 that i started to get a little bit "moaney".
Luckily a guy came up to me saying "Bangkok!?" and i nodded over enthusiastically and we both shrugged out shoulders...good going so far. Myself and Peewee then decided to look around for other people who might know. This is when we met Spinks, who also didn't exactly know. Eventually though, blind walking through duty free and guessing that if Gates 10-20 were left and 30-45 were right then Gate 28 must be somewhere straight ahead! GO TEAM.
On the flight from Abu Dabi was when the body clock started to not like what was going on. The Captain suggested everyone to get some sleep, at which time it was only 6pm UK Time. So no, that didn't quite happen. Instead i watched a lot of How I Met Your Mother and even branched into "Hindi Cine" as it was recommended. Actually on a note I highly recommend Etihad to anyone!
Especailly if you have a clearly gay scottish steward from Glasgow who gives you extra drinks because you say that Celtic are better than Rangers anyday in an Ireland T-Shirt.....
"Ladies and Gentlemen, it's a cool 26 Celsius in Bangkok this morning.."
I didn't believe the overly American Captain that anywhere could be that hot at 7 in the morning, strangely enough, yes. Yes they can be. After being on an overly air-conditioned flight for however many total hours as well makes it an even bigger shock to the system.
After a nervous trip through passport control, not being entirely sure if i actually needed a Visa or not, after most people had been adamant on the flight that i did.....luckily in the end i was just waved through..for 30 days...
Waited for my bag with PeeWee and Spinks, turned out that PeeWee was on my coach into Bangkok as well s we went off after we had got our stuff, Spinks decided she was going to get the public bus, haven't heard from her since....hmmm....no I'm sure she is fine! An aussie girl, Bek, was he only other person in our coach so we just went straight off.
It was weird driving toward Bangkok, to begin with all you could see was tall skyscrapers of shining stainless steel and glass, but the closer you got the more of the lower levels you could see. Even that early in the morning i was so hectic. Cars ignoring lanes with Mopeds and Tuk Tuks darting in between the bustling traffic.
I got dropped off at Lub D first. It's a really nice little place, just of the Silom Road. Definitely a good place to crash if ever you need one in Bangkok as it is very cheap and really should be a lot more than it is! When i arrived it was still a few hours ill i could check in so i left off my main pack and decided i'd go d some of the standard things. I jumped into a Taxi just outside Lub D and after being very upset that i wanted the meter rather than a fixed price off i went in search of the Grand Palace. (The Meters make journeys very cheap here, almost the opposite to back home. the Taxi driver originally wanted 100 THB, but on the meter it ended up being only 50 THB!)
It does look truly beautiful when you arrive outside the gates. Intricate domes and bejeweled roofs peaking out from behind high white walls. Once you get inside, for a pretty cheap price of 350 THB, you can see just how truly beautiful it is. Whether it is the Muriel on the surrounding walls or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha where the entire inside bar the floor is covered in Gold, Rubies, more Emeralds, more jewels, more gold. It's a cash for gold'ers paradise!
The whole area is very sacred to the Thai people though, you are not allowed to wear shorts, or ripped jeans and must have at least short sleeves on. If you don't they provide a nice selection of tye dyed shirts and trousers...noooice.
After spending a few hours walking around the grounds and attempting to eaves drop on some tour guides I left to go back and check in. I thought i'd try and walk back as I'd looked at a map and was pretty sure i knew the way. I didn't. However i did know that there had been some problems with Protestors in Bangkok as the nice Airline Steward from Glasgow said the protests reminded him of home. They were wearing Red in support of the ousted Prime Minister Thaksin, i think that is his name anyway. He was chucked out last year by the Yellow Shirts and there has been a little unrest building since then. They poured a collection of blood in front of the main Government Buildings, as you do...Anyway, after trying to not be too out of place in the middle of this rally i walked a little bit further until i realised that i was so hopelessly lost and tired and all i wanted to do was sleep. So i jumped in a taxi, the driver had no idea where my hostel was so i just said the only road name i remembered and jumped out as soon as i saw something i recognised!
Pretty much slept from when i got back till 10pmish, which technically was 1pm at home so i was pretty hungry, i hope/better get used the time change soon or I'm gonna go nuts....i tell no lie. Met some more people in the hostel, Dan from Newcastle and Jess from Cardiff and we managed to find an Irish Pub of the Silom Road. I was most definitely the most Irish thing in there, but the Photocopied versions of the Daily Mail and Mirror stapled together were quite interesting.
Anyway, it has stopped raining now so i'm going to go find a bank and have another look round the market, did see an amazing stall yesterday where you cold buy Locks, Tazers, Knuckldusters, Dildos and toy helicopters.
Meeting Muriel Hello Lovely, very good to read about your travels! And about meeting Muriel at the Grand Palace... your malapropisms do make me laugh. Happy St Patricks Day to you and keep safe, lots of love Mummy xxx
Interesting Mate,
I can see these updates becoming a ritual of mine in lectures and when i finally get a job to keep my day somewhat manageable, and they've got your wit and sarcasm all over them. They also make me want to be out there!
I want another night out in Wimbledon already :( but, went to rugger training yesterday... so and so, some of them are a little childish to say the least but there's plenty of banter going on about your travels! I think wee man said you were more likely to export more deadly diseases than bring any back!
xx
Granty
Mummy
non-member comment
Meeting Muriel
Hello Lovely, very good to read about your travels! And about meeting Muriel at the Grand Palace... your malapropisms do make me laugh. Happy St Patricks Day to you and keep safe, lots of love Mummy xxx