Back in Bangkok

Wake up today and pretty much get packed and head to the airport. It is a fairly easy travel day: the cab to the airport was fairly quick and like many of my experiences with domestic flights, it is fairly easy to make our way through check in and security. The only thing that is a pain is once the boys and I get to Bangkok we hit rush hour. Anyone who’s tried to get a taxi through Bangkok traffic at rush hour will know that it is pretty much block to block stand still traffic. To make matters more complicated I have treated myself to a hotel room for the next five days, were as the boys are in a hostel a couple blocks away. Eventually, after what feels like hours of not moving, we jump out the taxi pay our driver and decide to walk the rest of the way, after a while I split off from the boys and head to my hotel. I have to admit I underestimated how sweaty I would be walking through busy, sunny Bangkok carrying both my bags. As soon as I got to my hotel I needed a shower, I was drenched. Once cleaned up it was time to chill. Rachel, my tour guide from Japan, is in Bangkok for the next couple days so we meet up and share an Indian dinner. Rachel, when training as a tour guide, was based in Bangkok and kindly offers to show me around some of her favourite places over the following days – an opportunity I jump at, having done most of the major tourist attractions in Bangkok when I was here visiting my brother and sister-in-law when they lived here for a year. So I head to bed for an early night excited to see some new places in this awesome city.

The next morning Rachel and I head to a local little bakery which she knows is lovely but very busy. After a cuppa and a pastry or two I have some life admin I need to do. Annoyingly back on Koh Rong Island my hearing aid stopped working and I need to send it back to the UK for fixing. So I head to a post office having packed it all up ready to go but they reject it due to its rechargeable battery, so I am unable to send it internationally – a bit of a disappointment. Luckily I have an idea on how to lift my spirits and return the favour to Rachel showing me around. Joe, my brother, told me about this soup place called Wattana Panich that I just had to try. This local restaurant has been cooking broth there continuously for close to fifty years – that’s right, a taste of this is a taste of history. Rachel and I once again get on some Grab bikes and head over and it is everything I was hoping for – the flavour of the broth was so deep and intense, it was lovely. After, as if this soup wasn’t enough of a treat for the soul, we decide to get some massages before Rachel leaves Bangkok to meet up with her Intro buddies for their Christmas celebrations. It was a nice experience a good massage, not a single offer of a happy ending! Although when the masseuse strips me completely naked I do get worried for a second, but it turns out they just really work the upper thighs here, sometimes a little too close for comfort but a good massage nonetheless. After which it is time to say goodbye to Rachel and meet back up with the boys. Jon is a little under the weather so I meet Scott and Alex at a local market were they are both doing a little shopping and share a beer with them and catch up on what they’ve been doing the last couple days and make plans for tomorrow. Once we have agreed on a plan I head back to my hotel for yet another early night, I could get used to these you know.

Back with my wonderful new friend, Rachel

After another early night, later I wake up and Rachel offers to take me to a little local restaurant that she visits almost every time she finds herself back in Bangkok. So after ordering a couple of Grabs and meeting on what seems like a random road, we go for a little wander. It has been a while since Rachel’s been here so we find ourselves a little lost, but after a couple wrong turns we find it; the road she first stayed in Bangkok with three restaurants in a row. We decide that we want something fairly light for lunch so share a falafel wrap before wandering the streets in search of a fresh fruit juice stall. Once we are full and juiced up both of us decide we want some pool time. Lucky for us my hotel has one. Annoyingly the design of the hotel is two buildings with the pool in between, meaning that the pool doesn’t get that much sun but hey it is still nice to have some dedicated time to just lie in what sun there is and go for dip in the pool. We end the day by sharing a Chinese takeaway and watching more of our boys Gordon, Gino and Fred.

On our way to Wat Arun we drive past The Democracy Monument

The next day I have a rather long lie in, enjoying having a double bed and a private room for the first time in a while. I even have my own bathroom – I know, check me out living it up! Once I am up and dressed Rachel and I head to Siam, a place known for its shopping. We head to a massive mall full of Christmas decorations and shops. To be honest shopping isn’t really my thing but Rachel needs a few bits and a visit here is on pretty much everyone’s list of things to do in Bangkok I find, including my brother’s, so I am happy to tag along. It isn’t a long shopping trip, both Rachel and I currently live out of backpacks so it’s not like we have a lot of space and I have found the knowledge that you will have to carry anything you buy on your back is a great deterrent to frivolous spending. After the shopping we treat ourselves to a nice pizza dinner and spend the rest of the day watching a variety of TV shows. Rachel introduces me to Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip. It is a great watch and I would recommend it to those in the mood for some light hearted entertainment!

Wattana Panich's fifty year old broth

Next day I get up and head to Alice café, the place I had first met up with Scott and Jon in Bangkok over a month ago. Jon is still a little under the weather so I am only joined by Alex and Scott for breakfast. After we have eaten we start walking towards the grand palace to meet up with Jon. On the way we pass through the Saranrom Royal Garden Public Park and even see a red squirrel up close, cute little things! We are not dressed to enter the palace and to be honest none of us are that fussed about going in so decided to just wander past and head to the local ferry port. We get a ticket to head straight for Wat Arun, the Buddhist ‘Temple of Dawn’ on the west bank of the Chao Phraya river. It is a pretty cool sight although once again rather busy and not the easiest place to relax and take in its magnificence.

The Saranrom Royal Garden Public Park

Crossing the Chao Phraya river to Wat Arun

Wat Arun – the Buddhist ‘Temple of Dawn’

One of the pavilions of Wat Arun

Hanging with a new mate

After the temple we head back to the boy’s hostel to chill for a bit before visiting an art gallery just down the road from them. It is full of modern art which I don’t really understand but there are a couple of photographic exhibitions that I enjoy. The street outside the art gallery is busy today with a pride parade going on, reminding me of Brighton, Alex and Jon’s home town. After the art gallery we head to a local restaurant for our final meal as a full group. After the meal the boys take me to a snooker club they visited the other day which is in the back of a dodgy looking and rather dark car park. We play a few games of snooker before it is time for me to say goodbye to Alex and arrange to meet Scott and Jon in the morning at their hostel for our flight to Bali tomorrow. It is sad to say bye to Alex but it has been a great trip and I know he is eager to get home to his nephew and enjoy a family Christmas. I will admit there is a part of me that’s jealous but I have to say I am looking forward to Bali!

Pride parade

Our last meal as a group