back to Bangkok

The second day in Khao Sok we went on a lake trip ... there were other people with us, mostly German kids and one couple more our age. He was Swiss and she was a Newfoundlander... they had met backpacking 11 years ago and married and now living in Switzerland.

Anyway, they transported us to the lake by van - took one hour - bad shocks - and then put us on a long tail boat. One hour along the lake we arrived at a floating shack "hostel" type of place. From there they were to take us to where we would trek to a cave. We opted out of the cave trek because we would have had to swim into the cave with flashlights and we didn't come prepared for that. I didn't want to risk taking a camera on a swim and without a camera, why bother .. just to see stalagmites, stalagtites and some bats ....

so we walked around a bit and paddled a canoe a bit .. and it was pleasant, but not thrilling. The lake and karsts is not as good as at Halong Bay in Vietnam.

Back to the hotel at 7:30pm, we raced off to my fave restuarant in Khao Sok, Thai Herb. They stop serving at 9pm.

In the morning we took a taxi to the airport .. 1300 BHT and 1.5 hrs.

Air Asia to BKK .. sucks! they are cheap but then make you pay for extra wt luggage over 15kg anf also for carry on ... but they aren't too swift and you can beat the extra costs.

Got back to Grand Business Inn.

We went over to Pintip to get some software.... and then walked around visited some shrines and sidewalk venders... got into the room late.

This morning we are moving to the Plaza Athenee, Meridien hotel for the last few days. Monday early we leave for Toronto.

We'll shop at MBK this afternoon, at the weekend market tomorrow and .. on sunday, who knows ..!

Surat Thani and Khao Sok

We are now in khao sok. Arrived yesterday and the hotel that was supposed to pick us up at the airport was not there .. so a guy grabbed us and put us on a bus and taxi to Khao Sok from the airport at Surat Thani .. which is 100Km. we paid 1500 BHT, same price as the hotel was charging us. No body has heard of the hotel we booked so we went to the Khao Sok Treehouse Hotel .. luckily they seem to be the only other place with an A/C room .. and bonus! it was empty. we took it for 3 nights. The room is up some stairs into a tree and tree limbs grow thru the floor. the bathroom is rustic but cute - open concept. We were dead tired and it was late (flight was late too) so we had a quick bite and went to sleep.

Today we walked 3 km up a mountain path to see a rare flower ...Rafflesia ... fantabulous! but hot and hard work, esp. with my migraine. (took am imitrex early this am)

When we got back we walked into town which is one block long ... a few huts and restaurants .. very few backpackers, is really quite nice. We walked into the national park but there was not much to see.

we have to use an internet cafe because there is only dial-up at our hotel.

tomorrow we are off to the lake to see some Karsts and caves... whatever else ...

then the next morning we are flying back on air asia to BKK and back to the Grand Business Inn.

catching up...

It's now sunday march 16th and we are in Chiang Mai.

From Ayuthaya we flew to Sukkhothai. Even tho we booked at the S. Guest house we stopped off at the Ruean Thai hotel and tried to get a room. After some negotiation we managed to get in and have a room for 2 nights even tho we had to move rooms each night. He gave us 2 nights at the same rate (1500 BHT) altho the second night the rooms were better. The hotel was in a good location and was very nice. There was a nice pool which was a bonus. The owner was helpful and friendly. He drives people into town for free. .. but we had to walk back. The temps are scorchingly hot.

We went to visit the historical park. Steve rented a motorbike but we took the bus. They had no automatic bike for me. The bus sucked. Inside Rich and I took a tuk-tuk and steve followed along on the bike. The park was very interesting quiet and beautiful. We should have gone back at night for the lighted display but we were too tired.

After Sukkothai we returned to BKK for one night. We dropped our stuff and went out shopping. Next morning we were up early for the flight to Chiang Mai. (14th) We have decided to stay here in Chiang Mai for 2 days instead of going to spend one night in Chiang Rai.

We are staying at the Maninarakorn hotel .. which is really nice except for the fact that there is not internet access in the room, only in the lobby... which is one reason why the blog has not been current. The other reason is that there is never enough time to do the blog ... we are always racing around to see the sites and then at night I am too exhausted to open the computer.

Chiang Mai is a great city. The first afternoon we arrived, we walked around the old city and visited some temples. Then we went for dinner along the riverside and did the night bazaar. T-shirts, watched, tourist junk ...

The city is quaint and friendly. There are many x-patriates living here.
Yesterday we rented motorbikes and biked a loop road outside of the city. We visited an insect/butterfly zoo. It was excellent and the owner was very helpful in showing us his collection and explaining the different species. (www.malaeng.com) He took our picture and said he would put it on the web site.

Last night we ate at the Antique House. Not a bad restaurant but a bit touristy and I didn't think the food was as good as at the other places we have tried. In Sukkothai we ate at the Dream Cafe. The place had great ambience and great food.

Today I want to do to Doi Suthep - a temple out of town .. and to Ban Twai, a town of handicrafts. The 2 places are in different directions. We will probably take a cab. I'd like to get back for the sunday afternoon handicraft market in the old city.

Tomorrow am we head out early to return to BKK. Rich and I will transfer to Suri Thani and Kao Sak Jungle while Steve heads down to Pattaya and the beach.

day 2 - monday - Ayutthaya

taxi took about an hr and a half ... 1500 BHT.
staying st Woriburi Hotel .. is nice, rooms are good.

caught a tuk-tuk to temples - few were interesting, not as good a Cambodia for sure ...

hot and dirty, we found a restaurant for some good thai food. then headed back theu downtown market and across the river on a ferry.

tomorrow am breakfast at 9am and leaving at 11:30 for Sukkothai.
2500 BHT this way for taxi to airport.

day one sunday

slept ok at the Excel Hotel in Narita. 11 am flight to BKK was uneventful... just a slight delay due to overcrowding at the airport, they shut things downw for a bit.
Caught a taxi to Grand Business Inn Sukhumvit. Rich was there waiting ... we checked in changed some money (3o.5BHT/dollar) and headed out to MBK. Steve bought a new 12 mpx camera and I got a pair of ed hardy cargo capris. Took the skytrain back to Asok, walked thru Soi Cowboy to have dinner at Warnarkarn restaurant. Lemongrass salad and fried morning glory ...walked back thru Soi Cowboy and had a taste of bug on the way.

before retiring for the night, we stopped in at Foodland the 24 hr supermarket. went to bed at 12:30 and up at 6am for taxi to Ayutthaya.

day one - the flight - march 7, 08

an auspicious start to this trip .. we missed our connection in Tokyo and had to overnight there.
It all started when we arrived at Pearson. They informed us that the flight in from Frankfort was late and that we would miss our connection. There seemed to be about 20 minutes to make that connection so we told her to book our bags right through to BKK.
There was also a problem with our seats. when I had called the night before to make sure I had a window seat, she had to change me, and unfortunately she changed steve's seat too. Now we find he has a middle seat! Steve called in his resources to help.

We spent some nice leisure time in the first class lounge, the soup was excellent. Close to boarding time we found out that steve got an aisle seat. the only good news about this flight.

After we boarded at 3:15pm they suddenly said they had to find a new pilot. apparently the current one had expended all his flight hrs. We ended up sitting on the tarmac till 5:30 when they said he would arrive in another hr.

meanwhile I called Diane in Florida and asked her to e-mail the Grand Business inn in BKK to cancel steve's room.

Finally they were ready to leave, but there was a snow storm ongoing in Toronto at that time and we had to de-ice the plane .. another long wait and finally they left after 8pm!



The key to flying to BKK is to ONLY book on a 630am flight out.



Great view of Mt Fuji from plane.

On arrival we were shuttled off on bus 16 to the Excel Tokyo hotel .. dingy and spartan and smelling like smoke, we took a sleeping pill and had a tolerable nights rest. We were able to make a phone call to the Grand Business Inn and even spoke with Rich, to reassure him that we would arrive in BKK next day. He was not completely abandoned.

our flight this morning is 11am arriving at BKK at 4pm.
the JAL lounge is excellent ... sushi and miso soup, lovely cookies and amazing toilets !

BKK March 08

...leaving for airport soon ... another trip to Thailand.
will arrive at midnight after stopover in Tokyo and staying again at the Grand Business Inn on Soi 11 Sukhumvit... in the heart of town and best shopping area! ...
Will be sure and have a dinner at my fave eatery on soi 11 - Chilli Cultures where the culture rolls are to die for.

stay tuned for updates... as I log in in various locales ...

Flower slide show

Medieval Festival - January 13-08