Leaving for Bangkok on the first leg of my Adventure

Well finally the big day had arrived and I was escorted down the M40 to Heathrow full of both fear and excitement at my forthcoming adventures. “Chill out mother”,” I wish I was going”, “safe journey”, “you’re going to have a fabulous time!” Emily and Kerrie were great and we finally said our goodbyes at the departure gate not without some emotion. Yikes, on my own now as I passed through security and on to miles of moving walkways before boarding the Qantas 747 bound for Bangkok.

As I struggled to put my rucksack into the overhead locker, this Welsh voice asked if he could help me and I turned around to see this gorgeous young man, not only tall, dark and handsome but also a perfect gentleman! As I settled into my seat by the window, I couldn’t believe it when he sat down beside me. It turned out that he was a Welsh rugby supporter and was off to New Zealand to support his favourite team in the World Cup. We chatted happily together about our travels until we were fed and the lights were eventually turned off for the long night across northern Europe and Russia. I dozed on and off during the night a bit fidgety as I tried to stretch my legs out under the seat in front while my companion seemed to be sleeping like a baby with his blindfold on. After about 8 hours in the air – I knew this because I kept checking the progress of the flight on the little screen in front of me – I saw that we were flying over Tibet and Nepal , and just skirting around Mount Everest, well we were actually 33,000 feet up but I remembered flying round it in a little Yeti jet with my Dad only a few years before on a visit to Nepal. By now it was light outside – we had followed the sun and caught up with it, or had we? Must’ve done cos we were now 7 hours ahead of what my watch said!

Anyway, my neighbour finally stirred and, with an engaging smile, wished me good morning. We went on to enjoy a good cooked breakfast together of scrambled eggs on toast and bacon, fruit and coffee, oh and a miniature croissant, before eventually going our separate ways. He was flying on to Sydney en route to Christchurch while I was staying on in Bangkok.

It was such a relief to see my name being held up as I emerged from the passport control queue finally allowed into the country. A happy Thai face greeted me and escorted me out into the hot and humid air and then into a comfortably air conditioned vehicle. She gave me a brief tourists’ overview of what I needed to know in the area as we made our way through the busy traffic to The Bel Aire Princess Hotel, which was to be my accommodation for the next 3 nights.

The hotel is all that I expected from Trailfinders… spacious and modern with more luxuries than I would ever need. After dumping my stuff, I called up my friend Dot who was also staying in the same hotel. WHAT?? you may ask…. I’d better fill you in here….. Dot and I met about 5 years ago when we were both on the same Saga holiday (I with my Dad) in Kenya on Safari. The following year we coincidentally shared the same hotel for one night in Kathmandu. (makes me sound like a seasoned traveller I know, but I just went on 3 wonderful Saga holidays with my Dad after my mother died which felt right at the time as he enjoyed travelling to far flung places and I am happy to accompany him. Anyway, Dot just happened to be on a trekking holiday at the same time. We became firm friends and have stayed with each other back in the UK, where we both live in quite desirable parts of the country, I in the Cotswolds and she in the Lake District. Well…. I couldn’t believe it when she called me up after hearing I was flying via Bangkok. Would I mind if we share our few days in Bangkok? She was planning her next trip to Tibet. Perfect! So last night we were out in the hot steamy backstreets around the hotel, taking in the bustle of the colourful stalls where local people were selling their wares. We eventually sat down outside in a street restaurant and enjoyed a delicious Thai green curry, river prawns with chicken fried rice and pineapple and cashew fried rice (beautifully presented in a pineapple cut lengthways) all washed down with a couple of bottles of ice cold Chang beer. This is a great start to my adventures…. I wonder if I’m going to ramble like this throughout? Well you did ask for details on my blog and I think this could be sporadic as my days are going to be filled with adventures…. Tomorrow we are off on a tour of the Grand Palace and the following day a half day out of Bangkok to the Floating Markets…..I also hope to fit in a Thai massage before I leave Bangkok! More later…………………….

Tuesday 6 September
We discovered a good place for breakfast just a stone’s throw from the hotel where you could eat as much as you like for 120 Bahts (just under £2.50). An interesting selection of mainly Thai food was on offer although you could also have eggs, sausages, toast and coffee. I chose a selection including spring roll, pancake and suchi.
We decided on a visit to the Grand Palace in the morning and what a spectacle of intricate design, including mother of pearl, beautifully illustrated wall stories of King Rama, monkeys and demons; and almost everything was touched with gold, I’ve never seen so much gold in one place! I knelt down in the temple and dripped holy water over me with lotus buds. It was good to be out of the sultry heat outside and feel a coolish breeze through the temple.

Just for the experience we took the Skytrain back to our hotel. Quite a feat of engineering and reminded me somewhat of Canary Wharfe only on a much bigger scale as it passed between shiny high rises way above the grid-locked traffic below.

The rest of the day was spent pampering ourselves – a lazy afternoon lounging by the pool with a few beers. Then some reflexology followed by a pedicure and a welcome cup of green tea. While we were inside there was a tropical thunderstorm and the place was suddenly awash but in no time the sun shone and everywhere was bone dry again and it was hotter than ever.

The menu for dinner in the hotel looked very appetising offering a variety of Thai specialties. We decided to try some of everything which, of course was far more than we could eat but was so delicious that we did…. eat it all I mean. So felt exceedingly full and vowed to have just a snack the next day.


Wednesday 7 September
An early start to head off to various interesting markets outside Bangkok so no breakfast but we stopped en route at a bamboo centre where we tasted a by-product of the bamboo which was just like fudge. There was also a beautiful orchid plantation. By this time we were quite hungry and able to get a bowl of Thai food with rice and Guava fruit drink- perfect. We then arrived at a bustling market selling all manner of exotic and colourful vegetables, fruit, meat and fish – very little that I recognised, and some that I did but didn’t expect to see, like frogs and squid and weird spikey fruits and vegetables.

Although we hadn’t yet reached the floating markets, the highlight of the day was next. A market place situated on a railway track! I had seen a clip of this on Facebook and could hardly believe it then. I even made some comment about living on the edge. But seeing is believing, and I took a movie of this incredible sight. At the appointed time, although I think it was a bit late, along came a full size passenger train, on the very track that moments before had been covered with boxes and baskets full of produce for sale and people winding their way in and out of stalls. Awnings were pulled back to allow the train through and, as soon as it had passed the awnings and produce were put back as if nothing had happened – just incredible! And this happened 8 times a day!  Here is a pic of the track.

Anyway our next bit of fun was to travel on high speed but somewhat precarious Thai junk type boats along canal waterways amongst the mangroves to the water markets. Along the way we saw the interesting lifestyle of the Thai people in those parts living in wooden stilted houses.

After an exhausting but exceedingly exciting morning, needless to say we chilled out by the pool in the afternoon and a head and back massage seemed like a good idea. Oh what a life…… actually she nearly killed me – I’ve never had a back massage like It before, oh the pain but I kept telling myself it was all good, she was removing the knots acquired through serious scrabble tension!

This was to be our last night together. Dot was leaving at 3am for Delhi en route to Kathmandu and I would be on an early evening flight the next day to Sydney. So we thought cocktails were in order, well several….. then feeling a bit peckish, we ordered some interesting deep fried chicken wrapped in banana leaf parcels and spring rolls. We said our goodbyes and safe journeys. We both agreed we enjoyed our few days in Bangkok very much. Excellent food, very friendly people, a couple of exciting trips out, and some good body toning for the next stage of the adventure.

Thursday 8 September
Packed my bag ready for check out….. but just one more bit of pampering before I leave Thailand….. a ginger and coconut body scrub! How does that sound? Very good for dry, ageing and sun damaged skin – I think that’s me. I may as well have the works while I’m here, ready to face that hole in the ozone. I have my top factor sunblock at the ready!

Next stop Sydney and hello Melinda and Dennis

… continuation on Thursday

Well I may as well give you an update as we sit here on the tarmac in the middle of a tropical thunderstorm, yes the works, constant violent thunder and lightning, and the airport is flooded. In fact the departure lounge was leaking too!

Anyway, back to earlier today. It was strange without Dot around but took the opportunity to pop in over to the internet outlet to check my mail and just as well because there was a flight detail to put right. Then back for my final bit of treatment, the full body scrub with coconut oil and ginger. It smarted quite a bit but ‘no pain no gain’ as they say. The feeling afterwards was definitely worth it…. Baby soft all over. The next job was to get my new “Rolex” watch fixed. A little pin had dropped out – probably into the pool Dot sad! I had haggled for this watch at one of the markets the previous day because I needed a cheap one for my adventure for local time. It is difficult to change the time on my own watch so at the moment have one on each wrist! My new Rolex is diamond studded however! Am I rambling? Probably, because I’m feeling just a bit more than a little nervous sitting here in this horrendous thunderstorm. I hope they’re gonna bring round the alcohol soon – a strong G&T would go down a treat just now! Back to earlier…. I returned from my simple watch repairer (a helpful little Thai man with a street stall just near the hotel, knew him well by this time as he fitted it with a battery yesterday) I returned… to the hotel for a light lunch and a Chang beer – chicken salad Mexican style – not bad, and the waiters were just impeccable! They always bowed their heads and put their hands together prayerlike. I find myself doing this automatically now.

After lunch a spot of sun by the pool with the Oz handbook. I actually dropped off to sleep briefly and was woken by the intense heat, so went in to the cool aircon of my room to finish packing ready to check out. My transfer driver was waiting for me in the lobby so we got to the airport early – 3pm. IT IS NOW 7pm!!! And we’re still on the tarmac. Sorry Melinda …it’s going to be another wait again!

Hopefully the next update will be from Sydney. Oh I almost forgot, my companions on the flight are a charming. A Thai couple about my age and oh we chatted, such interesting people. They had brought their own bag of fruit all cut up into pieces which they insisted I try…. various exotic fruits as well as something that looked like acorns but tasted like cob nuts which I was assured was extremely nutritious. She is a retired nurse and he an engineer. You might have gathered by now that not only did we finally get off the ground but I got my G&T and we have been wined and dined. I also wanted to share with them an experience of my own. The first time I crossed the equator was when I visited my brother in Indonesia many moons ago, (which incidentally we are just passing now) an amazing trip in itself, but I remember my neighbour on that flight saying I should share a bottle of bubbly with her if it was my first time across the southern hemisphere. So naturally I offered the same gesture to my Thai friends as it was their first time also. We toasted each other on crossing the equator and to happy travels! Yay more friends I hadn’t yet met! Now settling down to sleep and when I wake we shall be over Oz….Hey Kylie, I think we pass over Warwick, look up around 4am (just after the witchy hour) for a 707 with a roo on the tail! Trouble is I won’t get this update posted in time. No worries mate…… I’m soooooooooooo excited!!

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