Wednesday 2 October 2013

1st October - first morning in Bangkok.

I regained consciousness at around 9.30 am, I didn't notice what time I fell asleep the night before so information is useless for trying to work out how much sleep i had grabbed, I just know it didn't feel enough.

My initial plan today was to head off to try to sort out a visa for Vietnam but nearly an hour later and I was still trying to get it together. I hadn't seen my blood glucose testing kit since the flight from Dubai and this feeling combined with the tiredness was leading my mind down the route of doubting whether I was doing the right thing. Had I left the bloody thing on board? Can I get a new machine that takes the same strips as the machine I had lost? In an act of desperation I shook my mini backpack that I had used on the Plane journey so all it's contents spilled onto the bed, including the missing testing kit. So not lost it this time, but am I cut out for this? For only the the second act of desperation in 3 sentences I sent an email to STA, whom I had organised my flights with and explained how I was feeling and wondering if there was any tours I could jump onto to get me away from here and get me moving. At that time I was ready to give up on the whole thing.

 With that in mind I decided that the visa idea wasn't worth going ahead with. I could always come back to South East Asia  another time and see Vietnam.

The chap on reception pointed out on my map where the nearest shopping centre was located so i headed off to see if there was any travel shops that could get me away from here for a bit.

Shopping centre doesn't really do what i came across justice. It was ludicrous. Whole floors dedicated to eating / beauty / name anything. Lambourghini showroom sat next to H&M with a RollS Royce sat in a foyer along from an ice skating rink. It was also cool, a welcome respite from the wall of heat and humidity that existed outside.

I hadn't eaten properly since i had arrived and was feeling a little queasy. I went for the safe option to give myself a chance. Ronald McDonald statues over here are really creepy.

There's a smell in Bangkok, it's sweet, sickly and takes your breath away when it wafts by. I haven't pegged what it is yet, but it's not uncommon. It gets everywhere. In your clothes, your hair and in your nostrils. In a Boots store I found my favourite FCUK was and body spray and bought it in the hope it would make me feel better when scrubbing down when I returned to the Hostel. It had the desired affect. I was in the shower for around 20 minutes just washing, and washing and washing.

Checking my e-mails later i had received a welcome answer to my e-mail I sent to STA earlier with a few suitable tours that the young lady there had found which I may be able to get on. A couple of quick phone calls later it looks like I may have been booked onto a tour which should take me out of Thailand, through Cambodia then into Vietnam. Amazing Result.

So tomorrow I get up, have another long shower then go hunting the lesser spotted Vietnam visa.




 

4 comments:

  1. Definitely the right choice to get on some trips James. Nobody can be expected to arrive alone in a new place, without any plans and having never done anything like that before and just fit right in. I did a trip at the start of arrival in each new country I visited and I met people, saw things I'd never have seen and it was a great help in getting comfortable with the country. Hang in there. x

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  2. You are there, you are on your journey - of course you are cut out for it. You just need to enjoy it and remember, lady lumps below the waist...BAD!

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  3. Haha Richard's advice sounds very wise...

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  4. Sounds awful. I said you should have gone somewhere less exotic. You could be having a great time at Barry Island... :-)

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