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Bangkok 11/07/12
We arrive at the airport in Bangkok delighted to have made it that far! Our flight from Newcastle to London was delayed almost 2 hours, the two hours that we needed exactly to make the connecting flight to Bangkok! So when the flight touched down in Heathrow and we were told we had to wait on the pane for about 30minutes we decided that we were not going to make the flight! I started checking when the next flight was leaving for Bangkok, 2 days later!! So i said to Gareth that either our bags were going to go without us or else we would be going without our bags...little did i know at the time how true that was!
We got off the plane and the two of us sprinted like mad yokes through the airport to try and change terminals, we were pushing people out of our way, there was shouting involved, we felt like we could have taken on any of the Olympic athletes we were running that fast! We arrived at the gate just in time... well just in time for them to tell us that they were waiting to board! We were so delighted that we would not move even to get water or go to the toilet! And we stood there happy out for an hour!! We could have strolled from the first flight! Although then they might have boarded immediately without us! We were ecstatic! And absolutely shattered! We got on the plane and had two lovely seats all to ourselves right at the back of the plane! No one on either side of us i settled in happily thinking of Roisin's favorite plane phrase...planes do not reverse into mountains!! And got ready for a lovely big sleep the whole way to Bangkok!
We arrived into the stifling 30degree heat about 12 hours later and the two of us were very excited! We came through customs no bother and arrived at the baggage reclaim thinking that we had been on the ground in London for so long that our bags would have to have made it...have to! Then we watched a queue of familiar looking people off our flight forming at a nearby desk...no bags! Gareth was all of a sudden delighted that i had gone overboard on the hand luggage! So we filled out a form with where we were staying and hoped for the best! We were supposed to arrive in Bangkok around 3/4pm and had to get to the hotel to check in before 7pm which sounded like we had loads of time! No not at all on this adventure journey that we had embarked on we arrived out from the airport at about 6pm and sat into a taxi for the long journey to khoasan road! We arrived at the d and d inn at about 7.15 and just made it to check in! We settled in and put down our bags and headed out on to the crazy street for the first taste of Bangkok!
Khoasan road really is a taste of Bangkok as well; it is literally the street that never sleeps! You walk up and down it and there are people asking if you want to buy suits or if you want to stay places or if you are looking for the company of a lady! There are beggars, there are stalls selling everything from t shirts and books to ornaments and tapestries, you can get any kind of massage you haggle the price for everything! Gareth is very popular with the men trying to sell suits, much to my amusement as they follow him shouting "You a very handsome man! For you a suit yes! I give you good price! Handsome man need a suit!!" They are relentless every time we step out but it keeps us smiling nonetheless. The street food is amazing! Better than the restaurants! You can eat a deep fried scorpion for about a pound, spring rolls for 50pence or a huge plate of delicious pad thai for about 40p!! There have been some little changes since the last time that i was here! There are now 3 McDonalds on the street and a SUBWAY!! Would you believe!! We haven't ventured into either yet as we are happy out with the street food and the Thai curries for the time being!! We did not last too long on the khoasan road the first night as we were both shattered!! We got some food! Had a sangsom (Thai rum very strong) bucket and watched the world go by for a few hours before getting some much needed beauty sleep!!
The next morning we were up bright and early to suss out Bangkok! The d and d inn where we were staying has a roof top bar and pool so we thought from there we could have a good look about and maybe even a swim a beer and some sun! Although not too much sun as the sun creams were in the lost bags!! We didn't want to go too crazy! Although we did go and have some massages! I had forgotten how lovely the Thai massages are...until they start massaging your legs! Where i think there really is too much bone to be able to enjoy it! It feels good afterwards of course but during...it's just a little bit painful! also the cracking at the end...the Thai lady giving me the massage sat behind me put her arms under my arms and pulled me up until every bone in my back and neck made strange crunching sounds!! It was an experience to say the least!! But the best part was the start! The massages are given by the pool so it is acceptable to be in your swimwear in this case! However the lady giving Gareth his massage was insisting that he took his shorts off! He tried telling her that he had nothing on under his shorts and she was insisting "is ok, is ok!!" I could not hold back I was roaring laughing while Gareth was looking at me for help! She let him keep his shorts on in the end but I think she really was disappointed!!
Finally late that second night our bags arrived and i think we both let out a big breath and finally relaxed! We went out and about on khoasan road again! It's addictive you want to go out into the buzz of it until you start melting and searching for solace in an air conditioned shop for a moment or 2!
The next morning delighted with the arrival of our bags we decided on venturing out past khoasan road into Bangkok...on foot! We headed off early to see the grand palace! We both had prepared for the covering of knees and shoulders and were melting on the walk there! About 5 different people stopped us to tell us that the palace was closed but we just said no no we are going for a walk coz we had heard about these scams where they take you somewhere else after telling you the palace is closed!! When we arrive it was very much open! And packed with tourists!! We headed in looking forward to the shade!! But Gareth was stopped as his shorts were not long enough! Even though they came down past his knee! So back out onto the scorching street we headed! Where you could rent long pants for 2 pounds or buy them for 3!! They were like pajamas!! But they were well prepared for people being turned away so we decided to walk to a very local market close by and see if they had anything! It is funny walking into a market where they sell all kinds of food and you don't have a clue what anything is!! We saw honey in big bowls with wasps and bees swarming in and out of it! Rice with cats up eating from it!! All kinds of unidentified meats! Makes you wonder what happens to your food before you eat it! No wonder stomachs can be so dodgy when you first arrive out here! Getting used to a whole other dimension of germs!!!
We found some very reasonable very funny looking Thai pants for Gareth and headed back to the grand palace! We were taking photos of each other when this crowd of gigging Thai school girls surrounded us and wanted to interview me for their English class! They asked where we were from and if we like Thailand, how long we were staying and if we liked the weather! All read off a copy book! And then at the end they gave me a little present for helping! A handmade keying with an elephant on it! And a little note saying it would bring me luck and keep me safe! I put it in the recovered lost bag to see if it would maybe keep that safe as well!!
After that we decided that we had enough of the heat for one day and went to the cinema to see amazing Spiderman...popcorn and refreshments were greatly enjoyed and then we returned to khoasan road to book our next destination, Phuket...after 4 days in Bangkok we were more than ready to leave the hustle bustle and enjoy some quiet time, maybe even some sunbathing and for the adventure to continue!!
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