Thailand - Bangkok

Wednesday, June 15'th

After a calm flight from Cairo, with a slight turbulence when crossing the Malacca-peninsula, we arrived at 2AM, totally jet-lagged. The internal watch said early evening but the wrist-watch showed less than three hours till daybreak.

Then I thought of a rumor I had heard, that chewing gum was illegal here, and if you spit it on the

But no trouble here, we had mistaken Bangkok for Singapore (and in Singapore it isn't even illegal, must an urban legend I've picked up somewhere). People were smoking cigarettes and chewing gum everywhere. We quickly got our luggage and entered the arrival hall, there Sune was awaiting us. We almost didn't recognize him, he looked like a relic from the Vietnamese war, smoking a cigarette, with a bandanna as a headband, talking to a Thai and here were we, two FALANG's - looking like tourists.

After a warm welcome we were introduced to the person he was talking to, it was his Thai friend Michael, called Michael Wong among friends for his resemblance to the Hong-Kong actor. He would take us all to Sunes flat in PHETCHBURI 19 where we would spend the night. The first sights and sounds of Bangkok going from the Airport was exciting. Soon after we unpacked our gear we fell asleep in the small room, Sune would stay at his girlfriend, Suchera, three rooms down the corridor.

Afternoon and we wake up to get the first glimpse of the city out the window.

At 6PM we drive out to the west of the city-centre; KHAO SAN road where all the backpackers are staying when in Bangkok. Sune is about to give up his own flat, he spend most of his time with Suchera anyway so why not save the rent-money. Shehab and I book a room at NAT GUESTHOUSE for two nights. It is a nice place with a fan attached to the ceiling, just like I would imagine it to be in Southeast-Asia. The daughter of the place has a special interest in me, apparently I resemble a former boyfriend of hears, Suchera tell me, and she have to fiddle with my hair every time we enter the guesthouse.

The evening is getting late before we depart for a night out in the sizzling night-life of Bangkok. To give our stomachs a rest and to save some time we have a quick visit to McDonalds at Silom Avenue, not that we have travelled halfway round the world to have burgers, we do like the Thai, this was Sucheras idea. We have plans for a nightclub later, but first drinks and a song. Suchera know of a Japanese-Karaokee-bar close by. Not that we do much singing ourselves, the songs are Thai and so are the lyrics, entertaining though.

At midnight we go for this well known night-club that have a drag-show-cabaret later but apparently we are early, no other guests are present. The waiter rest us assure that the show will start later on. Time goes on and suddenly Shehab want to go home, perhaps he is fed up with the Thai music or just plain tired. We return to KHAO SAN.

Thursday, June 16'th

Again a rather late start of the day but our jet-lag is wearing off and we explore the area near KHAO SAN. We have plans later in the afternoon with Sune and Suchera but for now we go on our own adventure in Bangkok. We know we can always return to KHAO SAN with a taxi so we boldly go back to Silom where we were last night to look at shops. Soon the midday heat is burning but we march on, we better get used to this climate. After two hours of window-shopping we are heading home in nice airconditioned cab.

The temple is close to the river that flow through Bangkok, the CHAO PHRAYA. We decide to sail back to the city-center, a beautiful ride but it is obvious that these boats are not build for Westerners, there is no room to stand upright, but that is okay. It is only a short trip. When we discharge the vessel, Suchera discover that her vallet has been stolen. Why not one of us, tourists? Perhaps we are too big and deter a potential thief. We rush to

After this we go to have dinner at a nice restaurant, the pickpocket event is soon forgotten, there is nothing to be done about it anyway. Fish is the specialty and we order a big vararity so we all can taste the delicacy. The deepfried catfish is my favorit and afterwards we are treated with sweets made of rice, sweetend with coconut. The best I have ever tasted.

While eating we are entertained with Thai-dance and we swoop away with the graceful moves by the well-practiced girls. The music, the sounds and lovely smells. First now it really began to dawn on us, that we are far far away from home, we enjoy every second of it.

The restaurant was about to close and we headed out into the dense traffic at midnight. Bangkok is a city that never sleeps, a true metropolis. If it wasn't for the daylight you couldn't tell the time of day or even the day of week. The city has a constant throbbing life, I like that. So now we headed for a saxophone-club, we were all a bit drunk and it will be nice with some soothing Blues and Jazz.

Even though it is Thursday, the place is packed. The club is in two floors and we find a spot for us on second. It is like a huge balcony and you have a good view to the stage from up here. The music is great, a local band is playing but they know their stuff. I have a profound talk with Suchera, she is really sweet and she reveal that she will be spending her vacation-time with us. It couldn't be better, she work as an Italian

She showed me how to read and write a little Thai. The words which mean "I Love You" (parden my crude Thai handwriting), handy to use when signing postcards to the folks back home. We talked a lot that night, she told me of the first place, KOH SAMET, we were going to see and planned the next two weeks with trips to the Nothern and Eastern regions with relics of ancient Siam culture. Time just flew and beer was plenty. I got a little drunk.

It is getting late and Sune have booked bus-tickets (the 11 O'clock bus) for us all to go to BAN PHE where a boat will take us the last stretch to KOH SAMET. The bus leave at 11AM, we better get some shut-eye.