Bangkok: What does it feel like to arrive in Bangkok at 5:30am in the morning?
February 2014
After a long journey on the bus from Lao, we are stumbling down Bangkok’s famous Khao San Road rubbing the sleep from our eyes while dodging the drunks and avoiding eye contact of ladyboys looking for some company....Though, Doug doesn't completely escape the caresses of a few passing by!
We don't really understand where we've been dropped by our taxi and the small dark streets feel a little intimidating but as we adjust to our surroundings, we see many tourists so this makes us feel better. We stop and talk to a few tourists asking what guesthouses they would recommend but we quickly discover that if we don't have a reservation, check-in won't begin until 1:00pm. A bit deflated by the long wait time, we find a nearby restaurant where some people are still ordering beers and others are ordering breakfast. We drop our backpacks and slump into our seats. We order coffee's and food and as we pause, it feels a bit unreal to be here. Only hours ago, we were on a sleepy little island in southern Lao, now we're in a different country with a new language, new culture and new currency! As we sip our coffee's, we comment how we love the opportunity to grow in this way, to expand our comfort zone and learn to go with the flow.
After our bellies are full and the sun is beginning to rise, we wander the streets, getting our bearings and scoping out a few initial guesthouses while we wait. Six hours later, we are in desparate need of showers and a nap! Finally, we find a room at a hotel called O Bangkok set down a quiter lane off Khao San Road. We drop our bags, get refreshed and feel better prepared to take on Bangkok!
We don't really understand where we've been dropped by our taxi and the small dark streets feel a little intimidating but as we adjust to our surroundings, we see many tourists so this makes us feel better. We stop and talk to a few tourists asking what guesthouses they would recommend but we quickly discover that if we don't have a reservation, check-in won't begin until 1:00pm. A bit deflated by the long wait time, we find a nearby restaurant where some people are still ordering beers and others are ordering breakfast. We drop our backpacks and slump into our seats. We order coffee's and food and as we pause, it feels a bit unreal to be here. Only hours ago, we were on a sleepy little island in southern Lao, now we're in a different country with a new language, new culture and new currency! As we sip our coffee's, we comment how we love the opportunity to grow in this way, to expand our comfort zone and learn to go with the flow.
After our bellies are full and the sun is beginning to rise, we wander the streets, getting our bearings and scoping out a few initial guesthouses while we wait. Six hours later, we are in desparate need of showers and a nap! Finally, we find a room at a hotel called O Bangkok set down a quiter lane off Khao San Road. We drop our bags, get refreshed and feel better prepared to take on Bangkok!