Landed in Bangkok a couple of hours ago, 24 hours after we boarded the plane in New York. It's mid-evening here and the temp is about 84 degrees. Our taxi driver from the airport didn't seem to know just where our hotel was located and tried to drop us off prematurely several times. The first was on a narrow street teeming with white tourists who were eating outdoors at tables that were nearly clipped by passing cars. Other tourists were stretched out on lounge chairs lined up along the street while their feet were massaged! Lonely Planet called the area "a tourist ghetto".
Since we wouldn't get out of the taxi in a place that clearly wasn't our hotel, the increasingly frustrated driver was forced to stop and ask directions a couple of times. Good thing we stuck to the back seat, as the final destination was quite a few blocks from the "ghetto". He finally did convince me that our hotel was right around a corner. We paid him off and dragged our stuff down a slightly dodgy-looking alley and were delighted to spot our hotel nearby. Along the way a cute little toddler grabbed my suitcase handle and insisted on accompanying me. Inside the hotel lobby, we were greeted by gentle, smiling hosts and glasses of roselle tea. All is well, and a fresh bed awaits.
The pool next to the lobby in our hotel
Since we wouldn't get out of the taxi in a place that clearly wasn't our hotel, the increasingly frustrated driver was forced to stop and ask directions a couple of times. Good thing we stuck to the back seat, as the final destination was quite a few blocks from the "ghetto". He finally did convince me that our hotel was right around a corner. We paid him off and dragged our stuff down a slightly dodgy-looking alley and were delighted to spot our hotel nearby. Along the way a cute little toddler grabbed my suitcase handle and insisted on accompanying me. Inside the hotel lobby, we were greeted by gentle, smiling hosts and glasses of roselle tea. All is well, and a fresh bed awaits.
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