An Oriental Adventure – 90 Days in Thailand

 Getting There:

The adventure, better known as my life continues in a most peculiar and delightful way. My lover,{ best friend} and I have decided to spend three to four months in Thailand and other surrounding countries.

So without further adieu, fanfare, or the boring details of planning for our escapades lets just jump right into the meat of what is for now, a very exciting place to be.

The trains, planes, transfers, vans, taxis, luggage all coordinated exceedingly well. And much to our delight, the trip from there to here, while long, went off without a hitch, glitch, or misfortune.

I firmly believe that every man and woman should have the opportunity to read his or her own name in the hands of a well dressed foriegn driver. Luggage in tow, we were whisked off to The Narai hotel in downtown Bangkok. The fanfare ended with the sign as we were quite tired. We were not tired enough not to notice the Baah reliefs and other design elements incorporated into its lovely lobby.

Sleep came quickly, as did the rising sun. Foregoing the breakfast buffet for which this hotel is famous for we decided or first, and second cups of coffee should be out on the street. As soon as we were through the glass doors, the unmistakeable smell, that I have so missed, hit me. We were definitely in Bangkok! The food, the exhaust, the incense, the flowers, and the rush of early morning all combine into what is truly it’s own authentic aroma.

A quick glance across the street and our eys were met by a Hindu temple. The bright colors of this ancient religion is in stark contrast to my own black and white religious upbringing. We gifted the goddess Lakshmi with flowers and incense, and asked for her blessings and thanked her for our good fortune.

Next stop, Nescafe. The coffee of choice for the Thai people. Sweet, like the smiling face that served it to us, is for me really the only way to choke it down. But then again when it comes to coffee, I’m admittedly a snob.

Dawn and I walked a few blocks taking in the atmosphere  of what will be our home for the next two months.

Breakfast at The Narai is not to be missed. The buffet of East meets West wraps elegantly through the restaurant overlooking the streets of Bangkok. Service with a smile was welcomed by us after spending far too much time being dulled down by the service in the west. And this was just a buffet. We could have luxuriated for hours, but we were anxious to get to our condo.

We were met again by the friendly smile of our driver from the night before. He made quick work of the traffic, and delivered us safely over the Chao Phraya river to our residence in  theThon Burai district of Bangkok. The most exciting part of the drive was listening to Dawn speak Thai with our driver. The excitement in her voice was evident as she spoke her second language.

Now, there is a lot to be said about having your own personal interpreter. This became evident as we checked in with The Light House Condo security to get our keys. I think I know more Thai than they know English. But thanks to my multi linguistic lover all was worked out.

We had been looking forward to our stay here. Upon entering our condo we were not disappointed. At only 130 square meters the views from the twenty second floor made the nicely appointed room seem much bigger than it is.

The view is outstanding! We are  in a corner unit that gives us three sided views. Temples, skyscrapers, row houses, tenements, apartments buildings, as well as chedis, avenues, and luxury hotels all within sight. Oh yeah, there is even a ferris wheel!

But the main reason we picked this place over many others is the view of the river. The lifeline of this mighty city snakes right through our neighborhood. The hustle and bustle do not end with the streets, highways and avenues. Cross river ferries, long tails, dinner cruises, rice barges dredges, and swift moving commuter boats all jockey for their spot on this impessive waterway.

A walk around the neighborhood revealed a park by the pier, numerous markets,and a variety of shop houses. We are both happy with our choice of neighborhoods and feel this will be a good base from which to explore from.

 Until Tomorrow,

Doug