This is my first time blogging, I'm not sure if that's even a word, blogging, but I'm going to give it a try. I want to make an attempt to put into words and pictures my experience about Thailand .
I've become obsessed with Thailand to the point my friends and peers at work are tired of hearing my stories and the constant attempts to get them to come on one of my trips. I try to take at least one trip a year, lately it's been two, and have since 2002. Even though I did what I thought was a lot of research prior to my first trip, that trip was a comedy of errors and oh shits as I like to call them. I've found that Thailand seems to make many of my plans go astray, so I've tried to keep the planning to a minimum. Of course one has to have a basic outline of how the trip will proceed but, mine have become very simple. As I write that I seem to remember this years plan which is by no means simple. Oh well, we'll have to see if it really comes to pass.
Ok, I'm rambling, I'll get back to my first trip.
On the first trip I flew on Philippines airlines. I enjoyed the flight but, did not like the 5 hours layover in Manila. I also thought the airlines did a poor job explaining what a passenger that was continuing on was to do, consequently I went the wrong way and had troubles when I went to try and board for the next leg to Bangkok. What I assume happened was when I came to the lobby I was not supposed to go outside. Hell, it was so inviting and no one said any thing to the contrary so I went outside and had a cup of coffee and a few cigarettes. When it was time to get ready for the next flt they asked for my passport and then they started sending my all over the place, then back an forth. Finally one very smart lady asked, "what you do when you get off plane" I explained when I had landed and that I had gone out side to have a cup of coffee and a few cigarettes. She then pointed to a sign that was under an archway or something like that, it's been a few years, that stated TRANSFER, then she proceeded to lecture me in the proper way to transfer at Manila airport. I've not flown on Philippines airlines since. I'm sure if I had I would not have made that mistake again.
I landed in Bangkok around 0140 and proceeded to be completely lost and confused. People trying to get you to take their taxi, limo or what ever. Now this is the first time my research payed off. I told them all NO and walked to the metered taxis out front. Now even though I was in the metered taxi he in no way wanted to take me to the planned hotel and long story short I was taken to the Park hotel, which I'm sure he got a kick back. I signed in, took a shower and hit the sack. To my surprise I was able to sleep and woke up in time for a late breakfast from the breakfast bar. Most of the hotels have a free breakfast and I have not found one that was not pretty good. I have to tell you here that I am easily impressed and I have heard many people complain about the hotel food when I have almost always thought things were just fine. So if your a picky person please don't hold me responsible if you take a trip and don't like the food. Speaking of food, this is one of the great reasons to travel to Thailand. Ok, I can hear it now, "you travel half way around the world for food", no, but it's really good food and you have to eat. It's cheap, wonderful and did I say cheap. Street food, yes street food is safe and a simple meal is 30 baht, about a dollar at current exchange rates. If you have never checked the exchange rates there are many, one good one is yahoo which shows 30.400 today for the thai baht so one dollar is almost 31 baht. Now when you get there you will find the exchange rate to be a little higher than that, not a lot but, you will find it to be a little higher. The first time I went to Thailand the exchange rate was about 41 to 1 dollar. It's a shame how the USA's economy has suffered the last few years but, thats another barrel of pickles and I won't get into it right now. Thailand is much more fun to talk about. Well this is enough for today as it's time for me to get ready for work. I'll work on this when I get home at around 1 am, that is if I don't have to work over or I'll work on it tomorrow when I wake up.
Well, yesterday ended up being a 16 hour shift. A long day at work and at my age it's tough for me. I come home, eat then take a nap. I'm up now, had something to eat now it's time to work on the blog.
I ended the blog in Bangkok at the Park hotel and I had just finished breakfast. After breakfast I walked to the front door and something happened that surprised me. I was nervous about venturing outside. I was so nervous that it took me two cups of coffee before I could make it out the door. That was really strange as I've been to several different countries and why it happened I really don't know
