1st night in Bangkok

Finally getting around to writing on blog. So much to write aboutsince i've gotten here. Todays - Tuesday - is my fourth full days and the time has flown by. The trip started off early Thursday morning on a flight from Denver to LA sitting next to the only baby aboard the plane. A nine month old named Amelia who enjoyed crying the entire first 2 hrs. Thank goodness this didn't occur on the 2nd and 3rd longer legs of the journey to the other side of the world. These flights were 12 and 6 hrs long respectively. Never been on flights that long before, mostly just slept and read the entire times. Sat next to a nice Vietnamese girl on way to Japan. Flight outta LA to Japan was delayed about 1.5 hrs, hence almost missed flight from Japan to Bangkok. Arrived in Japan just in time to make connecting flight.

After arriving in Bangkok airport had to go through admission progress and get visa stamped. Very long lines for this, was able to get luggage very quickly afterwards. Thank goodness no complication in getting my one piece of luggage. Although didn't bring much would have sucked to have had to replace everything and get new malaria pills. After luggage, went to currency exchange and got some thai baht for my US dollars. Exchange rate is about 33 baht to 1 US dollar. Earlier in the yr it was about 40 baht. Unfortunate how the US dollar has plummeted so much. The British pound is the strongest currency, at around 65 baht per. Euro is next in line.

Got money and then focused on getting taxi to take me to Khao San Rd, the backpacking, bohemian, and expat mecca of Bangkok. Many taxis were asking upwards of 800 baht for the taxi trip, particularly pretty girls holding taxi signs. However, I was able to share a taxi with another traveler from Australia and pay about 300 each to make it onward. The first thing I noticed upon stepping into the Bangkok atmosphere was the heat and humidity, even for 12:30am at night. Still beats the hell out of the frigid cold weather of Denver . Feels great here in the mornings and evenings. Gets very hot during the afternoons, especially when u add in all the heat from the exhaust of the cars, buses, and motorbikes. And this is considered the cooler season, with the hot season to come around April and May.

The drive from the airport to Khao San Rd. was amazing and eye-opening, my first moments in Bangkok outside the airport. Since it was about 1am or so at the time I couldn't see everything as during daytime, but under darkness and city lights it was quite a surreal experience. Driving past all the street vendors, pictures of the king and buddha figures, Thai and Buddhist architecture, and thai script everywhere were the things which most stuck in my mind, along with warmth and heat. First time I had ever really been out of the country and I was now in the middle of one of the most exotic cities in the world. About 15 mins later I arrived at Khao San Rd, nothing in the US quite compares to the experience in the area, at least where I have been. Like being on South Street in Phila time 1000 with all the street vendors, music blasting, world travelers and thai folk milling around, etc. Absolute sensory overload with action everywhere. Iwas only on the street about 30 seconds before I was approached by a group of beautiful thai women asking me everything about what i was doing that night and if I would like to hang out with them. They may have been prostitutes although I never got around to talking money or anything with them. Also possible they were ladyboys, the infamous category of men transformed into very passable women, some impossible to tell the difference after taking hormone pills and having surgical procedures done. However my goal was to locate my guesthouse in the area for the evening, the GreenHouse. I walked halfway down the street, which is about a quarter mile long or so, just taking in and absorbing all the sights, sounds, smells and feel of the street. I had forgot to write down the exact address of the place although I near Khao San Rd within a block or so. I had booked reservations online the day before. Asking several people I was given vague directions by a seemingly inebriated traveler to make several turns going down the street, turning at an alleyway, and then making another turn at the end of the alley. I wasn't sure exactly what I was told but deciding to give it a shot anyway. After making a couple quick turns i looked up and there the sign was, for the GreenHouse. It felt as though I had received divine guidance in finding the place so quick. It can be challenging finding places in this city as there are so many signs and other sensory distractions.

When getting to the front desk I inquired about my name and found out a room had been saved for me. Wasn't sure if my internet request had gone through or not. It turned out to be exactly what i expected, a nice small little room with a single bed and fan. The bathroom and shower for me was community on the hallway. The shower is right on the wall next to the toiler and water sprays all over the place, draining right next to the toilet. It keeps the bathroom pretty clean with the soap and shampoo cleaning everything off, except for some of the more dirty bohemian folks around here. The room cost me about 300 - 350 baht, I forget exactly how much, about $10 night. My next place I found was 200 baht a night, about $6. Today several blocks away I saw something for about 100 baht. I didnt' check it out and it may have been dormitory living, not sure. As long as i got a room with a lock a bed, and access to a shower I am relatively content. I don't spend to much time in room so don't really need anything that luxurious. Just somewhere to sleep and take a shower. So much to do and explore around here. Can almost be too much at times heading into the streets after being indoors in a coffee shop or internet cafe. The heat and all the movement and chaos can be overwhelming.