Siem Reap to Bangkok

We were all moving soon after 5:30 am. We had packed most things last night so we were soon ready and went downstairs around 5:50 am. Our driver was already waiting with his van and took care of our bags. I went into reception to check out and collect the breakfasts that Majella had arranged yesterday afternoon.

As the van drove toward the airport we opened our boxes and ate breakfast in the back. Each included two hard boiled eggs, bacon, pieces of sausage, 2 tiny bananas, 2 slices of white bread, a croissant, butter, jam, a bottle of juice, and a bottle of water. I don’t know that any of us managed to consume it all but there was plenty to get the day started.

Our ride to the airport was uneventful. The sun was rising and producing much more colour in the sky than we had seen on our visit to Angkor Wat. We alighted in front of the terminal, said goodbye to to our driver, and headed in.

Check in for our flight was not yet open so we sat nearby and waited. When we finally realised it had opened there was already a short queue. We waited at the end of the line, checked in, and headed for passport and security clearances. Those were straightforward and we were soon seated at our gate a couple of hours before scheduled departure. We amused ourselves on our devices and occasionally took a short walk.

This flight was more heavily loaded than our flight from Bangkok but it was not full. Once we were airborne the crew moved quickly to serve breakfast of noodles with shrimp and a piece of chocolate cake. Drinks followed and there was just time to consume breakfast before they had to clear it away in preparation for landing.

Disembarking in Bangkok was followed by a long walk through the terminal. Passport checks were quick and our bags were among the first to arrive. We walked to the waiting area, spotted a woman from Wide Eyed tours holding a sign with our names and then waited a few minutes for our car to arrive. Soon after 11 am we were riding in comfort toward the city in a Toyota van.

We arrived at our hotel, Travelodge Sukhumvit 11, a little before noon. Luckily our room was almost ready (just adding a bed for Ben) and we were able to check in. Soon we were settling in the room, smaller than the one we left in Siem Reap but comfortable enough.

The pool here is on the roof (8th floor) of the street front building where the restaurant is on the ground floor. We went to check that out for later when there might be some shade from surrounding buildings. Then we set off down Sukhumvit 13 which leads down on the eastern side of our hotel to Sukhumvit, the main street.

There was not much to see down that street. It was mostly entrances to hotels or other large buildings. We walked in their shade as much as possible but it was hot. Almost at the bottom we found a plaza with food shops. Majella and I did not need lunch after two breakfasts but Ben could eat. He declined an Asian offering but was happy to eat at a peri peri chicken place similar to Nandos. He had a beef burger with chips and a coke. Majella and I had mixed berries and lime sodas – interesting and refreshing.

From there we walked along Sukhumvit a little way looking for a hat to replace the one Majella had left in Seam Reap. We had no luck with that and walked back to the hotel via Sukhumvit 11 which had many more interesting shops than the street we had come down.

Across the street from the hotel we saw a massage place offering laundry for 100 Baht (about $5) per kilogram. After we had picked up laundry from our room Majella and I took it across and booked it in to be picked up after 5 pm tomorrow. Majella booked herself in for an immediate 1 hour foot massage and sent me off with instructions to collect her in an hour.

Ben and I waited in our room until it was time for me to fetch Majella. I wondered if her feet might have been so thoroughly massaged that I would need to carry her back to our room. No need for that – her feet were feeling so good that she felt she could walk long distances.

By then it was after 3 pm and the sun had dropped a little so we went to the pool. We had noted there were change facilities at the pool so Majella and I took our togs and changed there. Ben braved the elements both ways in his swimming gear. After almost an hour at the pool we returned to our room to rest before going out to find dinner.

It was a little after 5:45 pm when we walked out to find dinner. On our way home from our earlier walk Majella had spotted a restaurant with a sign claiming it was ‘best Thai street food’ and was keen to try it. She had crab balls, Ben had fried squid, and I had basil fried chicken with some rice. We all enjoyed the food but I’m not sure it warranted ‘best’ in any category.

We walked on down to Sukhumvit and a short way along and back. We noted the large number of massage places on every street in the area, the equally large number of bars, and the stores and street stalls selling cannabis in multiple varieties. That made the bar with signs excluding weapons, smoking cigars, and smoking cannabis seem out of touch. There were crowds on the footpaths and plenty of traffic in the street.

When we got back to the hotel Majella wanted to go back to the 8th floor pool deck to see the city lights. There was not a lot to see except the lights in tall buildings.

It was a little after 7 pm when we returned to our room to relax before sleep. We had an early morning so were tiring. Tomorrow is a later start for a tour around Bangkok.