First Impressions

It surprised me how I found myself at leisure while traveling, even though I covered some fear few mileage before actually arriving in Thailand. I didn't have anywhere to be so I allowed others to go before me and took my time, it worked wonders for my attitude and overall enjoyment of the trip. Here's a few highlights of the 2 weeks leaving NZ.

Piha & Maraetai Beaches in Auckland with my folks and a bit of Lama loving

Hunua Falls Reserve Auckland - truly a place to visit

My farewell at 3am - still smiling. Taking with me my flat-traveler 'Flat Nikki' and 'Grad Bear'

Austraila - Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise visiting my brother, Canberra, the nations capital with 'Flat Nikki' and some soggy days in Young with friends and wild kangaroos! A highlight for sure. 

Bangkok, Thailand

The inflight entertainment showing where we are and how long till we get there

Customs at Bangkok is nothing like NZ or OZ, I wasn't checked or searched, there was no x-ray machine or random drug scan - but there was a LONG line and a tired customs officer by the time I faced him, and he was frustrated with me - why? I'd forgot to fill in the 2nd form I was given on the plane. Could I do it where I stood? No, as I'd left it on the plane didn't I! NOTE to anyone - if you're given a form to fill out and you're not sure if you need to do it all - DO IT ALL, ALL THE TIME, FILL THE WHOLE LOT OUT, don't know why I thought I didn't need that part, but there you go, and here I was standing at midnight facing a grumpy customs officer who was telling me "No - you go!" he wanted me to return to the back of the line and find another form - I think. His English was limited to "No - you go!". I had a talk with God - 'tell me what to do, I'm too tired to care' - So I smiled and said "I'm sorry, I don't understand". In exasperation he gave me a form for me to fill in there and then (3 lines of info). Handing it back with a smile and thank you he stamped my passport and I was in the country.

Welcome to Thailand! land of smiles... and grumpy customs officers at midnight

Though, he got one over me, I had a 3 month visa and he only gave me 31 days.... Let that be a lesson to me...sigh...It's all in the hands of God and the the visa fellow at work now.

You know how it feels to get into a cold bath or any kind of cold water? It seems to suck the very life out of you as you take the plunge, or gingerly edge your way deeper and deeper allowing the pain to be drawn out as you're too sissy to take that plunge - but it's like needles nonetheless? Well it works the same backwards - coming from a nicely air-conditioned airport at midnight into 30 degree heat gives you that same feeling.... you suck it in as if the very breath has left you - it's SO HOT. Welcome to Bangkok... did I say that already?

They drive on the right side of the road, according to NZ and OZ driving - which is on the left. I was grateful for a little familiarity. I must admit I was somewhat disappointed i didn't see the 12000000 residents of Bangkok parading the streets at that hour of the night, it was positively quiet, with a handful of cars at best on the motorway heading to wherever we were going. We? yes, my new boss/pastor Doug collected me, bless him. We'd met via Skype over the past few months so it was good to have a 45min catch up as he drove me to my own apartment in... I don't even know my district, but he got me there nonetheless.

I'd had a friend concerned that I'd be going into a dangerous area - I laughed and said Bangkok, not Beirut! The country is majority Buddhist and there are some Muslim issues in the south, I'll be fine as I'm well away, I said with confidence. As we came near to our destination (100meters or so) Doug slowed the car and causally said "O, see that phone box just there. on the right?", "yeah" says I. "That's where the bomb went off two weeks ago, but don't be alarmed" "Whoa, what?!". 

A chap had been heading over to the Israeli embassy to cause strife, when he accidentally tripped the bomb he had, blowing up the phone booth (windows at least) and it took his legs also, poor bloke. Everything backfired. I'm being told this as we pull into my Soi (Soy = lane/street) right next to a huge Mosque. So eating my words... never assume.. you only make an ass (out of) -u- (and) me. But on a side note... I LOVE waking each morning to the call to prayer from my lovely neighbours. And it was an isolated event.

Welcome to Bangkok - think we covered that one.