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Well Im here, had some fun and games getting released into the country. After getting off the plane I walked out into the airport and the first thing i noticed was a sign that said 'Visas on Arrival', so instantly I approached the desk & was issued with a form to fill in. I took this away and spent about 10 minutes filling it in, whilst this was going on I was surrounded by Chinese folk also seemingly applying for their visas. One of whom asked me in a question .... In Chinese, however due to my lack of fluency in Chinese I was naturally deemed incapable of answering.
After I had filled my application form in I was informed at the reception desk that I was not Chinese so didn't need to fill this form in & that I should proceed to another desk around the corner....erm....why not tell me that the first time around?
So around the corner I went where I was issued with another form to fill in. One question that kept me entertained was 'What address will you be staying at?' I had no idea of my mates address and Bangkok would seem a bit vague so I just put n/a & proceeding to a rather fierce looking Thai lady at the desk. I handed to her the necessary paperwork & she picked up on mz botch up job address part. I said I wasnt to sure where I would be staying to which she replied with a rather prompt 'Sorry' and pointed into nowhere in particular away from the counter, so I went & stood in nowhere in particular for a few moments and this didn't appear to solve the problem.
I then noticed a payphone & went to give John a call on that, but the phone was more dead than Kurt Cobain. I turned away from the phone and directly in front of me was an 'INFORMATION DESK' being tended by one man, one woman & one ladyboy! I asked them and they just said to put down Khao San Road, which did the trick as I then breezed through customs!
From that point on though everything has been a doddle, I met with John after picking up my bag and we headed out of the airport, & the first thing I noticed as soon as we had left the airconditioned airport was the heat, it was unreal! That being said though it was just about bearable & hopefully it wont take me to long to adapt to it.
Next stop was to find a hostel, this didn't take to long, I got a place just off Khao San Road. There were no single rooms so I had to settle for a double, but at 400baht (about a fiver) I just got on with it. As well as two beds I also get my own shower, bog, air conditioning & a safe to keep my backpack! Bargain!
I offloaded my gear and & John and I proceeded to his place to meet his girlfriend Abbie & Alex & his girlfriend Amanda. It didn't take me long to notice the sheer awfulness of the Thai roads, they are bloody manic! On first observation it appears that both red & green lights mean the same thing...GO....or.....TAKE NO PRISONERS!!! And the zebra crossings appear to just be and excuse for a bit of hit and run! If I'm to cross these roads I'm definately to have my wits about me.
Once we arrived at Johns appartment we shortly headed out for a rather lush Thai meal. Not only do you get provided with some amazing food but you also get given a selection of crayons in which you are permitted to draw on the tables with & write rude words. We ended up playing a game of pictionary whilst we awaited our meal.
After the meal we went to shoot some pool and what seemed like quite possibly the biggest pool table ever, it may as well have been a football pitch. When our pool session had come to a close I decided to get a taxi back to my hostel & start chucking out some Z's.
My first impressions of Bangkok is that it is quite simply huge! It seems slightly daunting at the moment but I'm sure it wont take me to long to get into the swing of things.
I ended the night in bed watching a film called The Island starring Ewan McGreggor & it was AWFUL! I found the Thai subtitles accompanying the film more interesting. I havent let this minute negative dampen spirits though, for the tomorrow the adventure continues!
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John Duncan
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Bloody farangs
The Line about " why didnt you tell me that in the first place" while in customs was classic Thailand mate. Wait till you get to China they won't even look at you, never mind give you wrong information. Trip of a lifetime mate, very jealous.