Bangkok!

Bangkok 3/13-16

The plane ride from Brisbane, Australia to Bangkok, Thailand was longer than I expected! About 10 hours. Yikes! Jetstar is a no frills airline, so if you want food or movies, you pay extra. Lou, of course scored free TV. We did however get lucky enough to get some free entertainment in the form of 2 very drunk Aussies who sat behind us. The stewardesses cut them off and they got quite belligerent! At times every stewardess on the whole plane was at our seat trying to explain to them why they were cut off and to try to get the duty free booze they had stashed and kept sneaking onto their drinks.  “it’s just OJ mate! Is there a law against a bloke drinking some OJ?!) They were finally restricted to just water as they kept sneaking booze into their juices or soda. At one point I heard the stewardess say that she had gone up to speak to the pilot about them and he was giving them a warning that if they did not settle down he was turning the plane around. OMG!! Nooooo! . I had visions of being on TV while they forcible removed them off the plane. Later they said the local authorities in Bangkok were notified and would be there to escort them off the plane once we arrived. This continued off and on the rest of the flight. “OK if you won’t sell me a beer how about some champagne???”Once we landed the Thai police were there to meet them. He was still ranting about how they disrespected him and refused to make $8 by not selling him about drink!

By the time we got here we’d been awake about 24 hours. I watched 3 movies and 6 TV shows on the plane and still had lots of down time.  (More time to watch the drunks!) . We had arranged for a van to pick us up and take us to the hotel in Bangkok.  The guide Nick, (who was not the driver) tried to hustle us into booking some tours with him the whole was to the hotel.  He told us all about how he was older but had to keep working because the government gives you nothing in retirement and he still had a son in university and a mother in her 90’s that he supports. He showed us lovely pictures of his whole family. We did end up booking a dinner river cruise with him. (It was on our list of things to do recommended by Scotty and Simon anyway!) In the end he over charged us but Jeff caught it and we got our money back. 

Bangkok is an overcrowded, over populated city on about 12 million people. Tons of skyscrapers. Manhattan on steroids. (With a lot poverty built in)It felt like about 10 of the 12 million of them were on the streets at any given time.  Hundreds of Motorcycles dodging in between cars, busses and vans at top speed.

The hotel had a great breakfast buffet, and incredible infinity pool and rooftop bar/restaurant.

Wednesday we took the hop on/hop off boat ride on the river.  We visited temples, the most incredible flower market, and many other cool sites.

We took tuk tuks around the city. Very cheap but every place we they took us, there was clearly some kick back to them if we bought something. Custom made suits, jewelry, ford, etc.

The people were incredibly polite but everyone had a hustle. The poverty was incredible! The average salary is $10/day.

The dinner river cruise was very cool, except for the food! The city at night was very spectacular.

Bangkok is known for its floating markets. We took a hotel van to one. Definitely an experience! We floated from vendor to vendor. Food boats floated by with questionable items. We did buy some papaya and coconut ice cream. Yummy but still concerned about the last time those women washed their hands! Oh and the smell!! YIKES!

Tip for traveling anywhere in Thailand-get ready for some of the grosses bathrooms ever and bring your own toilet paper!

And did I mention the heat??!! High 90's to 100's with 85% humidity and 75% dew point! Oh boy!!

great breakfasts at the hotel