Sukumvith, Mo Chit & Chatuchak
I arrive at Don Muang airport at appr. 21.00 at night. I easily find the airport bus to Nana Station (Thong Lor, # 3, thanks to the free internet at Victoria Peak) and not much later I arrive at Sukhumvit Road. A friendly Indian man walks with me to show me to the right hand side of the road and my hotel is within walking distance.
I stand out like a sore thumb at my hotel with its marble and shiny brass. The doormen seem surprised and uniformed receptionists are a lot friendlier once I show them my reservation. Online booking has reduced the roomrate from over 100 dollars to 26 euro’s for me. After a short walk around the area and internet café Darwa (B 60 for 1 hour) I head for bed.
The next morning I get up early. My stomach upset after overeating in Hongkong. I don’t do justice to the breakfast buffet. They serve everything from croissants and bread rolls to noodle soup and fried rice.
I took an hour or so to relax at the pool, take a short swim and get used to Bangkok temperatures.
Later that morning, I start out on my test run to Mo Chit bus station. I buy the bus ticket to Chang Kong (Lao border) in advance. It’s 15 euro for an 11 hour overnight bus ride (luxury VIP bus, snacks, pillow and blanket included). It’s too long a walk from Mo Chits sky train station so I take a 90 euro cent taxi to the bus station. On the way back, however, the taxi drivers don’t want to take me and show me the way to an 8 cent bus to Mo Chit sky train. Perfect!
To make full use of my day pass for the sky train I head out to the Chao Praya river. Letting the Chao Praya Express take me up the river a few stops and back, past the River View Guesthouse where I stayed years back. The cool breeze of the river washes over me as I take in these familiar sights.
Back at Sukumvith I do a bit of shopping at the Foodland supermarket, check my e-mail (if not for the e-mail then for the AC) and have a bite to eat. My bus leaves at 20.40 hours and I want to head over there at least 40 minutes early, even though I have a reserved seat.
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Hotel: Royal Benja Hotel (pre-booked an pre-paid through www.directrooms.com), € 26,= per night incl. breakfast, double, hot water, ac, huge room). Regular price: appr. 100 US$ including breakfast.
Public transport: Sky train, buses and taxi’s (all very affordable for tourists).