Extra Free Day in Bangkok

Travel back to Bangkok

It is an afternoon flight so we had to kill a couple of hours in the morning. Off to buy Sandy a hat! The hat led to T-shirts for the women so everybody had a buy. Coffee break in a place called “Pasha” a Turkish place. Coffee and Donas all round. Off to the Airport at 3pm for a 6.45pm flight.

First free day in Bangkok
After an eventful arrival in BKK airport, after an even more complicated exit from SGN, due to a small airport, many planes taking off and lineups for immigration again, we landed in BKK and found out that our ride to the hotel was not there. No worry, we asked a very friendly ground agent for another Company, who had been watching our situation and offering sympathy, if she had a contact with a van who could take us the hotel. She did and not hearing from our own Company Agent, even though we were whats-apping and informing her of the situation so we decide to van it on our own.

Success arriving at the hotel amid profuse apologies from the Company Agent (CA), who by this time had answered her phone, we booked in. The CA was by now offering to reimburse us for the van costs. So we went to bed a little later but satisfied that all ended well.

The next morning

“What are we going to do now?” was the morning question. Four of the six of us met at b’fast and decided that as the hotel was in the middle of Bangkok’s premier shopping complex with over 7,000 vendors it demanded a look. Walking around we were accosted by a man who asked us what we wanted to do and the usual person who is a manically possessed retail shopper naturally said “We want to buy jewelry” So the man on the street arranged for a TukTuk to take the four of us to a jewelry store. We went!

Out of the jewelry place we couldn’t really decide what was next but a suggestion came from the back – “How about going to Lumphini Park? (wikiref here)” this was initiated by an email from a niece of mine who now lives in Thailand who suggested that a walk around the park is a good way to spend time. So being shopped out, the TukTuk man took us to the park and agreed to come back in an hour. We walked around and the weather cooperated by being not so hot and the Park was shady so the ramble was very pleasant. Took pics and admired the surroundings – lots of ‘dragons’ to look at and noticed that the park was a hive of activity with Tai Chi people working out.

Meeting the TukTuk who was still outside we said “take the long way back” the ride was really welcome because of the sights and the breeze.

Out for the evening, really this was the first nighttime activity on our own and it was only a couple of hours. We went to an Irish Pub next to the Patpong Night Market wikiref here. Great food and then a meander around the Market. I managed to buy a “Mont Blanc” fountain pen for $22.50 cdn, maybe it’s not real?? We TukTukd it there and back more expensive than a taxi – much more fun though. A good night overall.