So we are finally here. Thailand. I write this sitting on our bed watching some sort of Thai soap on the tv while Soph enjoys her first shower of our trip. I’m surprisingly engrossed in the soap already.

View from our hostel

So what are our first impressions of Bangkok? Well it’s hot, very busy, really quite hot, there are no right of ways when driving…at all, oh and it’s bloody hot. The humidity as you walk through the automatic doors of the airport and on to the streets of Bangkok is enough to knock you off your feet. It’s certainly not a bright summer’s day either. 33°c and raining.

After totally messing up our ‘visa on arrival’ forms (Ells) we just about managed to find our way to the airport taxi rank queue. More like a set up at the meat counter at the butchers, we waited for our number and found the man who we had already expected would try to rip us off. After asking for the train station we noticed he had covered up the meter so we couldn’t see the price. Now, as I said, we thought this would happen. But instead of listening to all the advice we had been given on how not to be taken for all you’ve got by a taxi driver, we just sat there. In silence.

The traffic here is crazy. We arrived during Bangkok rush hour which obviously didn’t help. Nobody is afraid to cut you up here. Diving in to lanes with fast speeding traffic coming up behind is nothing to these people. How we didn’t see a full on motorway pile up we’ll never know.

Yet these crazy drivers are not enough to stop you noticing the huge divide between the rich and the poor here. Homes that can only be truly described as mud huts were visible all along the motorways. Hiding in the shadows of the bright lights from the city sky scrapers and tourist spots.

Having totally forgotten the name of our booked hostel we were dropped off outside the city train station as we knew it was opposite. I was worried the driver was about to ask for over the 6000baht that I had on me, when he stopped, just got out the car and said nothing. He then lit his fag, took our bags out the boot and told us to have a safe journey.

Are we being set up?
Is this the nicest taxi driver ever?
Is this the end?

Well none of those really. He then said that’s 600baht and put his hand out. We didn’t have just 600. We had 100 or 1000, but nothing in between. And conveniently for him, neither did he. So we stood looking at each other for a while before we did the only thing we could do and give him a 66% tip. He grabbed our hands a shouted THANK YOU like we had just performed a miracle. It made us smile but we really just wanted him to be quiet so not to draw attention to the flash English couple who give out money when put in awkward situations. Thankfully it didn’t and he was gone in a flash.

We could see our hostel over the road. But this was not just any road. It was like a busy yet fast moving M25. There were zebra crossings to help pedestrians, but we soon realised they are not the same as those in the UK. Nobody stops…ever! We just had to wait for a group of Thais that seemed to know what they were doing and make a run for it. Even one of our makeshift Thai guides almost got taken out. Thankfully we got over ok. Just be patient and if the moment arises  don’t hesitate.

So now we are in our hostel. Or more a Hotel really with a view of that deadly road and the station from our personal balcony. Tomorrow we catch the sleeper train to Chiang Mai for Lou Krathong.

Not sure what’s happening tonight but Soph has just fallen asleep. Suppose I’ll go see what that hose in the bathroom is for….