January 8th - 2010 Bangkok
We arrived in BKK at midnight. Arriving in the middle of the night in a foreign country with no pre-arranged plans always gets my anxiety up , and this time was no different. But I kept telling myself I could do it, I had the name of a hotel, and then two backups.
So - thru immigration, thru customs, the currency exchange bank - got $100.00 exchanged, out into the awaiting crowds, and over to the taxi stand with my list of Hotels. I must say - BKK does a good job of crowd control. The taxi drivers are n a line, and a customer goes to the "desk" who calls up a driver, checks to see if he knows where to go, then you're off in a metered taxi. Very nice system.
The taxi ride cost $12.90, and got me to my first choice hotel which is directly across from the train station.
They had a room for $19.00, but that it was on the 8th floor and the elevator only went to the 7th floor. I said I would take it, and went and paid the taxi driver. When I returned, another man was there and said they had a better room that I would enjoy better , on the 4th floor, a nicer room, for 100 Baht more. $3.22 more - so I agreed, I would probably enjoy it more! The hotel is named KRUNG KAREM SAIAAKUNG HOTEL. It was good. Good bed, AC, fan , hot water and Thai TV.
I was a little hungry, it was 12;30 P.M. There was a restaurant - a hole in the wall diner is a better description, next to the train station. I ordered stir fry vegetables with pork on white rice. It was delicious, and cost $1.10. I like this place.
On Saturday morning, which is now Saturday p.m. here, I went over to the train station for a ticket to Chiang Rai. I bought the last ticket on the last train headed that way today or rather tonite. I got a nite sleeper in 2nd class with AC. I prefer the non-AC but they were not available. The ticket cost $24.00, but does include transportation and a hotel accommodations. The sleepers are the kind you see in old movies with curtains covering the beds.
So - now I'm off to see a few sights in BKK, eat lunch - then dinner - then board the train.
See ya in Chiang Rai.
Johnny
So - thru immigration, thru customs, the currency exchange bank - got $100.00 exchanged, out into the awaiting crowds, and over to the taxi stand with my list of Hotels. I must say - BKK does a good job of crowd control. The taxi drivers are n a line, and a customer goes to the "desk" who calls up a driver, checks to see if he knows where to go, then you're off in a metered taxi. Very nice system.
The taxi ride cost $12.90, and got me to my first choice hotel which is directly across from the train station.
They had a room for $19.00, but that it was on the 8th floor and the elevator only went to the 7th floor. I said I would take it, and went and paid the taxi driver. When I returned, another man was there and said they had a better room that I would enjoy better , on the 4th floor, a nicer room, for 100 Baht more. $3.22 more - so I agreed, I would probably enjoy it more! The hotel is named KRUNG KAREM SAIAAKUNG HOTEL. It was good. Good bed, AC, fan , hot water and Thai TV.
I was a little hungry, it was 12;30 P.M. There was a restaurant - a hole in the wall diner is a better description, next to the train station. I ordered stir fry vegetables with pork on white rice. It was delicious, and cost $1.10. I like this place.
On Saturday morning, which is now Saturday p.m. here, I went over to the train station for a ticket to Chiang Rai. I bought the last ticket on the last train headed that way today or rather tonite. I got a nite sleeper in 2nd class with AC. I prefer the non-AC but they were not available. The ticket cost $24.00, but does include transportation and a hotel accommodations. The sleepers are the kind you see in old movies with curtains covering the beds.
So - now I'm off to see a few sights in BKK, eat lunch - then dinner - then board the train.
See ya in Chiang Rai.
Johnny
posted by Johnny at
2:56 PM
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