It was after 1:00 a.m. when we touched down in Bangkok, our first time ever to set foot in Thailand — the latest piece of jigsaw puzzle to be placed into our global map. The airport was not at all crowded — the cleaning crew was taking advantage of the sparseness of people to do a thorough cleaning, including vacuuming the ceiling — so we breezed through immigration and baggage claim. Then we sought out an ATM to acquire some funds in the form of Thai baht.

Then it was just a matter of catching some transport to our room for the night. The only option was a taxi — as we’d learn, Thailand has no tuk-tuks as such — of which there were quite a few waiting in a lot outside. The driver we approached wanted 500 baht (about 14 dollars), which we thought was steep, and it turns out we were right. (On the ride back to the airport a few days later, we ended up paying 300 baht.)

Originally, when we’d booked our room for our stay in Bangkok, we booked it beginning on the night of September 24th. But then, only a couple of days before our arrival, we realized to our horror that we’d actually be arriving early on the MORNING of September 24th, and so we needed to add another night in order to check in after arrival. Fortunately, we had no trouble doing so.

We’d be staying in what was billed as a hostel, but it was actually more like a hotel, except that we had full access to the kitchen — which was on the ground floor next to a cute little cafe, which would be closed during most of our stay. We had our own room with private bathroom, and it was quite comfortable and reasonably quiet, even though it was on a busy street. By the time we’d settled in, it was so late– or so early, depending on which end you approached it from — that we were more than ready for what remained of a night’s sleep.

Sleeping in as late as we deserved, we then headed out to explore the territory and round up some grub and other supplies. The monsoons had arrived right after we did, so we were fully suited up in rain gear. Even so, we got drenched; Dennis had his Samsung pad stashed in the pocket of his raincoat, but it still got wet (seemingly just a little bit), and it never worked again. At one point, we weren’t paying sufficient attention, and Kimberly walked in wet cement — wet as in fresh, not just wet because of the rain. We are literally leaving our footprints all over the globe.

By the time we arrived at a big mall a few blocks away, we were so drenched that we couldn’t get any wetter because the water had nowhere to go. The security guard at the entrance had us wait a moment until he summoned a cleaning lady to mop up after us. Our first stop was the nearby bathrooms, where we took off our clothes and literally wrung water out of them. After that, we were still soaking wet, but at least not dripping enough to inconvenience anyone.

The main reason we’d come to this mall was that it had a supermarket — a real honest-to-goodness supermarket such as we’d never been able to find in all of our time in India. It was extremely well stocked, and we were able to find plenty to sustain us for a few days.

After taking our food back to the hostel and having lunch, we went out again. This time, the rain had let up, so we were able to walk without sloshing. Coming back, however, we took one of the passenger boats that operate frequently on the city’s many canals.

Our destination was yet another mall (when you don’t see malls for a long time, you take advantage of them when you find them), this one rather ritzy. The big score here was a new phone for Kimberly– hers had been fading steadily into the sunset ever since one of the kids in India got his hands on it and dropped it.

She found just what she needed, at a not-too-outrageous price. And it came with three bonus gifts: a light backpack, a remote-controlled mini-vacuum, and a speaker. While the backpack was practical and portable, the other two items would have just taken up precious real estate in our luggage.

Our first thought was to ship them back to our son in the States, because he might have been able to use them or find someone who could. But the post office across the street from us told us that the cost would be 57 dollars — which was just not worth it. So we left them in the kitchen/ dining nook with notes that read “Free — please take it if you can use it.” And within a couple of days they were gone. Now that’s a better way to leave your mark.

The Takeaways

1. Double-Check Your Travel Dates: Always confirm your arrival and departure dates when booking accommodations. This can prevent last-minute panic and ensure you have a place to stay as soon as you arrive.
2. Be Prepared for Currency Needs: Familiarize yourself with the local currency and have a plan for obtaining it, such as locating ATMs upon arrival, or better yet, in advance. This avoids the stress of being without local money when you need it most.
3. Negotiate and Research Transport Costs: Before accepting a taxi or other transport service, research typical fares or use apps to get a fair price. This can save you money and avoid feeling overcharged.
4. Embrace the Unexpected: Rain, mishaps, and unexpected events can be part of travel. Pack accordingly (like rain gear) and maintain a flexible attitude to handle surprises with grace and humor.
5. Travel Light and Smart: Prioritize what you carry with you, and don’t be afraid to leave behind or give away items that you don’t need. This reduces luggage burden and can make your travel experience smoother and more enjoyable.

9/24-25/2022