Blogs from Thailand, Asia - page 2904

After having checked out from the hotel at noon and having a rice dish for brunch at a nearby Thai restaurant we start to think about today's agenda. The plan is to arrive in Khao Lak a bit up the coast north of Phuket island and before we've really given it a lot of thought the answer appears in front of us in the shape of an old little man who offers to drive us around Phuket for the day, and drop us off in Khao Lak for the evening. Perfect! I would like to go down to the Phuket Aquarium by the pier southeast of town, but he tells us the aquarium is currently closed for repairs and offers to take us to the Phuket viewpoint instead. This being a tourist area in Southeast Asia ... read more

Another sunny day and it is time to inspect one of the famous Phuket beaches. Since neither of us has any idea where would be most interesting to go we decide more or less on random to choose Patong Beach and find a songthaew to take us there. The countryside road continues out of Phuket town into the hills and starts to slither up a hillside overlooking a valley below, and it reminds me that Phuket island is more than just a conglomerate of beach resorts. The tranquil midday heat is soon overcome by the noise and chaos of traffic and crowds of tourists along the Patong beach road, we've arrived in the middle of it alright. The place is like a gigantic ant colony, the streets lined with shops stacked on top of each other, ... read more

So, I have finally arrived in Krung Thep Maha Nakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udom Ratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Phiman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanu Kamprasit, the city which so many of my fellow Swedes have already discovered. The flight lands in the early afternoon and the heat can be felt through the airport walls, and what is that strange smell? (The Don Muang air has a very special character that I've since come to appreciate more and more). After passing through immigration my friend Kay picks me up on her way back from the office, which is nearby. She's suggested and reserved a room for me at the Karnmanee Palace (a nice hotel which has since become a favourite stay of mine) where I can dump my bags and take a much ... read more

time in Thailand (1) 16 Dec 2003 clash into Yamamoto san place after I arrived in Bangkok. he took real care of me. took me to the India embassy the next day and travel agent, here and there, which bus to China town, which bus to KaoShan road...great! thing dosen't went smoothly I guess...! first the visa fee went up to B2100 from B1700, when the embassy man told me the price...I said what...!?!? and he point to the wall next to me where an A4 paper stick there said...B400 more for non Thai resident...!!!...in a small size printing! ok...you got me and I hand in my bhat and been told to come back after 4 days with a little piece of paper which said 19th Dec at 09:30am! and about the plane ticket...which gone up ... read more

From Kanchanaburi I travelled to Ayuthaya, a small city just north of Bangkok. Ayuthaya was once the capital of the Siam Empire - ( which I never got the dates written down so will add in later. Damn!! This is why I should write these at the time) Littered all around the city there were ageless ruins and Wats (temples) from this time, many destroyed by the Burmese before the fall of the Siam empire. It was strange to walk out of the traffic straight into the relative silence of a semi destroyed temple, and be faced by rows upon rows of Buddha statues built into the walls. Silent sentinals watching all. I say this - many had actually had their heads stolen or removed and put into museums to prevent this - it still felt ... read more