After a first flight of few hours, and a stop over in Kuala Lumpur and a second flight for about 1 hour ¼ , here I am in Bangkok Airport named Suvarnabhumi Airport…
I booked the day before a hotel room in Khao San Road, with Inès advices (Thanks a lot by the way! it’s very good place!) for three nights. In the plane, I have read the South-East-Asia Lonely Planet to check how I can get to Khao San Road from the airport and I decided to make it with the cheap option, which was Airport Rail Link until Phaya Thai and from there to catch a taxi until Khao San Road…
So, no problem to find the train, which is in fact the equivalent of a rather modern and quite new RER (REGIONAL EXPRESS NETWORK)…45 baths for the train (that is approximately 1 €). So this it is the simple part after that it’s getting a little bit more complex but not that much finally!
I arrive at Phaya Thai and a young and kind Thai girl wonders where I want to go and indicate where I can find a taxi. Nickel!
I went in the street and there that swarms with cars, with people, with lots of smells …
I have my big backpack on the back, my small backpack in the front and in front of me a street where cars move forward in slow motion, because traffic jam! I approach a first taxi and the driver opens the passenger window and I say » Khao San Road please with meter? « , this is what was written on the Lonely Planet … You need to ask the taxi driver to put the meter otherwise they make their own prices, which is often double 😕
Thus, first taxi was a total flop! The driver told me » no meter, no meter, 200 Baths « , I refused and I passed to the following one … the same flop, but this one was even rude because he closed the window to my face! I tried a third one and then I told myself to have a look into the guide book to see how much does the route normally costs. Then, coming from nowhere, a small young Thai with glasses, wonders if he can help me… I said yes of course and I explained him that the taxi drivers do not want to put the meter and ask me 200 Baths to go to Khao San Road … He confirms me that was too damn expensive and then suggests me asking for me! Well, why not!
He, then stops a taxi and speaks to the driver in Thaï and he asks me if he can come with me in the taxi! No problem! Since I go where I want to go and where the driver starts up the meter! No problem ! And hup! Here I am in the taxi, with my backpacks with me (because apparently we do not put luggage in the trunk of the car in Thailand :-/) and the young Thai who wears glasses next to me and especially the meter turned on! 🙂
In brief, finally, it was not bad arrival in Thailand! We discussed in the car, I asked him his first name but it was impossible to remember! Anyway very nice guy! We arrived at Khao San Road, verdict of the meter 69 Baths! I wanted to pay it all but the small young Thai guy in question insisted on paying 20 Baths and as I was not enough familiar with the currency, time for me to find a 20 bath note to complete the 50 one I already gave, it was too late, my friend already paid the driver…
He accompanied me in front of my hotel! Tip Top the small Thai guy with glasses! We exchanged our emails and he told me that if I had the slightest problem I could contact him anytime! I took a photo of us in the end to have a memory! I contacted him by email two days later to thank him but I had no answer but I am not sure that he typed the good email address 😕
In brief, it was anyway a good introduction for Thailand!
Then I settled down in my room and I took a good shower before going out again in Khao San Road, THE street of Bangkok where everything is allowed, at any rate in the evening!
I have to dedicate another post to Khao San Road! Click here to find out more! 🙂