Our first full day in Thailand!

We arrived in steamy Bangkok, Saturday 2 February 2008, at about 6.30 am. After clearing immigration and collecting our bags our first task was to "negotiate" transport to our hotel.

I noticed some people, in attractive yellow uniforms, from "AOK Limousine Service" at a counter just across from our baggage collection belt (belt #8) so I approached them and started to discuss the price to get us to the Ibis Siam Hotel.

Before I left home I printed the name and street address of the hotel, in Thai language, on a sheet of paper. I handed this sheet to a staff member and instantly she knew where we wanted to go. No communication difficulties this time!

The price started out at 1500 baht ($54) to get us three big boys and our luggage to the hotel. I suggested quietly, in Thai style of course, that perhaps 500 baht ($18) might be a better price for us. "Oh, cannot!" came the reply. She then explained that their company, unlike some others far less worthy, transports clients in a near new "MU7" all the while pointing to a well placed picture of an immaculate, shiny new MU7. Just in case you don't know, an MU7 is a car like Mitsubishi Pajero. Anyway, I said "Ok - 700 baht", to which she replied, "Oooh 1000 baht!". I then said "800 baht", and we finally settled very happily at 850 baht ($31).

Money then changed hands and we were directed through the customs area out to the waiting AOK Limo Service staff. Our receipt was taken (the Thais are very big on printed receipts) and we were allocated a person to push our luggage trolley and escort us to the vehicle waiting area. Our assistant, who spoke very good English, chatted pleasantly with us for a few minutes until our vehicle arrived.

Shortly he waved to us to follow him on to the roadway as our vehicle approached. But what was this? No MU7! Instead we were ushered into a less than new, but immaculate, Toyota 10 seat van (or "wan" as the Thais call them). We did not receive the promised MU7 because we paid less than 1500 baht!

If you think that sounds a bit unfair you better get over it because that is the "Thai Way"!! The trick is one should never get upset about these odd Thai quirks. It is best to just laugh it off privately as one of the strange and amazing things about Thailand. Oh, by the way, if you think they told us at the time off booking that we would have to go in a "wan" instead of the MU7 because of the reduced price, then think again! As far as we understood we were negotiating transport in a flashy MU7 SUV!

We arrived safely at our hotel, completed check in formalities, which are onerous in Thailand, stored our bags (too early for our rooms to be ready), went into the hotel cafe for a quick coffee, and then headed off on foot to check the early morning sights of Bangkok.

We stopped in at a small 711 supermarket to buy a cold drink. These stores are just so small and crowded inside - westerners can barely fit down the aisles because they are so compact and heavily stocked. We paid for our refreshments and continued on our way.

We passed a barber's shop on the street and the elderly proprietor suggested we all needed haircuts. I can imagine we looked rather dishevelled and weary after flying for 9 hours overnight without any sleep. The cool, air-conditioned interior of the barber shop, looked and felt inviting so we agreed to haircuts for two of our three weary travellers.

John went first for a quick "number 1" over any already shiny melon. John's haircut took place in a quiet "private" section of the salon out of view of waiting patrons. His hairdresser was a lovely male sweetpants who seemed to take a particular shine (no pun intended!) to John. After a rather lengthy 30 minutes, which seemed to us to be an excessive time for a haircut on a bald head, John returned looking refreshed and handsome. Subsequent questions from us about what happened in the private cutting area while we waited were greeted with a firmly raised index finger and some mumbled swear words! Mmmmm!

My haircut passed without incident and took all of 10 minutes for a "number 2" across a well covered head! We have still to receive an explanation from John on his lengthy hair cut experience. Alien abduction perhaps John?

Afterwards we continued on and Ron ordered two pairs of glasses from the local optometrist we had visited on previous expeditions to Bangkok. John and I waited patiently in the air-conditioning for Ron to select his frames and have his eye test.

While this was all going on other staff tried to sell the other two "handsome big Aussie boys" some optical services. Anything we may have wanted they had it seemed!

"Contak len we hab - very chep. Wi one you wan? You wear contak len?", the shop assistant asked me. "Yes I do but I don't need any this time thank you" I replied. Disbelieving stare. "You wan eye glass?" came the next question. I said, "No, remember I wear contact lenses?" "All glass 50% dicownt for you. We hab many stye for you! You want try?", she said. "No thank you, I like contact lenses and I don't need glass (sic) this time." I replied. Not wanting to miss a sale she felt she was very close to closing, she tried one final push. "How bout sun glass? We hab Guti, Ray Bran, Pirate (Pilot); we hab all", she continued. "No thank you, I don't need sun glass today either. Maybe tomorrow." She saw a buying signal! "Oh, you come back?" "Yes, when my friend comes back tomorrow to collect his eye glass we will come back with him." "Oh, maybe you buy sun glass then?" "I don't think so but if you have new one I will have look ok?" "We hab plenty new one now! You want hab a rook now?" "No thank you, I need nothing today." "Ok then." Whew!!

We ate our first evening meal for the trip at a small local cafe restaurant about 100 metres from the hotel. Absolutely first class Thai food for very little money. It is amazing the quality and flavour of the dishes these formally untrained "chefs" can produce. I have no doubt there are thousands of international standard family trained "chefs" everywhere in Thailand.

There were many local people eating in the same restaurant - this is always a sign that the food is very good and well priced. We washed our meal down with famous Singha Beer!

Outside dining is a different experience in Thailand with every form of motorised transport buzzing loudly by...and only meters from your table. The noise and bustle just adds to the atmosphere! No fancy tableware or cutlery here - just great food served on clean melamine plates. Ahhh, nothing better!