One Night In Bangkok

I departed Chingford around 2.30pm English time and made my way to the airport for my 9.30pm flight. Everything went well and I slept most of the way there - after requesting an upgrade I got given the seat next to the wing which has no one in front of it, happy days! Sadly, I missed both the in flight meals. On arrival at Suvarnabhumi airport i was very aware the first things I needed to do were check in to my hotel, find something to eat and then freshen up.

We are all staying at the Somerset hotel - and due to a stroke of good fortune I have been upgraded to a suite - I have 2 bathrooms and 3 bedrooms - nice. I put my valuables in the safe took a quick photo from my 15th floor suite and made my way downstairs to enquire about an Internet cafe. It soon became clear that the staff didn't understand my particular brand of English despite claiming to speak it. Not to worry, after a brief game of charades I was back on track and a very helpful man who insisted on holding doors open for me and calling me sir a lot led me to his tuk tuk (a small 6 seater taxi with open sides and a small engine on it.) Traffic in Bangkok is a nightmare - and the drivers are even scarier - if the traffic moved a little faster, I probably wouldn't have got on it. He took me to a place to buy clothes called the Emporium. After walking around Gucci and Armani shops for a bit I realised that I had not conveyed myself correctly to my tuk tuk man - I was looking for a Bangkok street market. Despite being alone in a strange city I decided to go wandering. It didn't feel like the other side of the world. I had his overwhelming feeling of being safe mainly because I am a giant here - and secondly that every 3rd shop is a 7 eleven or Tescos.

The first lesson I learned was how to cross the road. People here don't respect boundaries like pavements or red lights - anything goes. I'd been to a place like this before - Naples! I wandered for 2 miles following the route of the overhead skytrain - on the assumption that the internet cafe I so desperately required would be near a station. It appeared I was wrong. If every third shop is a 7 eleven then every 1st and 2nd shop is a massage parlour or go go bar. Eventually I found a McDonalds and had myself as much as I could eat for around 1.50 UK money - met some helpful Londoners who pointed me in the right direction and made my way to the cafe. As I walked too it - I was very aware of noises and smells coming from everywhere. The trees seem to make noises like maracas being shook very quickly - Im not sure if its an insect or a bird. The smells, come partially from the myriad of food stalls selling things that I wouldn't even touch - let alone put in my mouth and there is also that sewage smell that seems to plague hot poor places. Bangkok is a place of real contrast, parts are very wealthy and affluent - and could compete with any major western city - but then you look to the right of a 50 storey glass skyscraper and there is a shanty town in its shadow. You wouldn't get that on Manhattan island.

The boys want to hit the town tonight - but I'm not sure if I'm up for it. I do have another night here before travelling to Hua Hin - and probably a couple of nights here before I finally return as I have to depart from the same airport. I'm going back to freshen up now - lets see what happens.