Home » Thailand » Bangkok, Koh Samet, Pattaya, Sukothai, Loi Krathong Festival in Chiang Mai

Various times between September - December 2002; April - May 2003

Bangkok, Koh Samet, Pattaya, Sukothai, Loi Krathong Festival in Chiang Mai

Brett Voegele
2005-11-16 19:09:05

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Thailand - Koh Lanta

It was the off-season, so I had the guesthouse all to myself - cheap beachside bungalow, beautiful beach, fantastic Thai food, and gorgeous sunsets to admire while dining. Jealous? If not, then why do I do this?!?

Bangkok

The 16-hour train trip from the southern town of Trang up to Bangkok was a pleasant surprise. The last second-class sleeper train I'd been on was in India, but this Thai version was 5-star in comparison. Around 8 PM an employee came to make up the sleeper - of which there were only 2 up a wall as opposed to 3 in India. The mattress was fairly thick; there was a bed sheet, pillow and pillowcase, blanket, and curtain on the aisle. There was also a light and some hooks in the bunk. Definitely quite a bit more upscale than in India.

In Bangkok I met up with Sabine, an Austrian friend I'd shared a dog dinner with in Indonesia. We wandered around there for a few days, taking in the carnival-like atmosphere of the traveler's hangout - Khao San Road. It has everything - street cafes/pubs; food carts for the ultimate travelers food - chocolate/banana pancakes, spring rolls, and pad Thai; souvenir shops; street vendors hawking everything...mirrored disco balls?!?; people on the street to braid your hair; street side shops to buy cheap, copied CD's; 7-Eleven grocery stores; and restaurants that show movies at night. We also hit the Grand Palace, which I've always found to be an impressive compound, as well as the temple complex of Wat Po and it's 46 meter reclining Buddha. Like Kathmandu, Bangkok is a chaotic, noisy, filthy city....but one that always brings a smile to my face. Vibrant.

Relaxing on Koh Samet

From Bangkok we took the 3 1/2 hour van ride to Ban Phe and the 45-minute boat ride out to the island of Koh Samet. ...