So this is Bangkok! I find it quite a lot as so many other travellers had described it to me - very noisy, lots of smog, very humid and hot (still 35 degrees at night!). And this is the "cool" dry season... Ouch. My body has still to adjust to this ordeal and I keep sweating away, but I already know that this only takes about two days. So I grant myself a little bit to arrive here.
Last night the plane to Bangkok was about an hour late, so I only came in at about 9pm. Initially I wondered if I was pushing my luck possibly a bit too far, since I do not speak a word of Thai to begin with, had no idea how to get into town (the airport is about 25 km away from the city center), and had no accommodation booked... But all worked out beautifully - as always. I even managed to arrange a taxi significantly cheaper than the official airport taxis and immediately found space in the place I had wanted to. Although the ride into town took more than an hour due to infinite traffic jams, I had still some time before midnight to explore the buzzing nightly activity around Khao San (some call it a freak show!) and enjoy my first meal of Pad Thai noodles from one of the ubiquitous street vendors. Finally, crashing into my bed under the silent roof fan after that long, long day mainly on planes was a true delight!
The picture, by the way, shows the largest (40m long!) reclining Buddha at Wat Pho temple from his nose all the way down his toes. Will upload more pictures when time permits...
P.S.: A few more remarks on Bangkok: What a bustling city! Yes, the traffic is crazy. Funny to see how the sidewalks also double as speed-lanes for motorbikes pushing through the people; policemen on motorbikes no exception. And then the zebra pads - merely a marker for non-motorized beings where they might want to gamble with their lives. Nothing to do with traffic stopping for you when you want to cross. Saying that, the traffic is actually not too dangerous (that is, not as dangerous as it looks). You only need to get used to the following procedure: close your eyes and just walk straight into the incredible mass of buses, cars, motorbikes, and tuk-tuks... Due to the intense diesel fumes you can occasionally barely see across the road, anyway. Trust the force and you will arrive at the other side miraculously unharmed. May the force be with you, traveler!
Bangkok picutures here.
