Stopover in Bangkok

If you're already nearby, you might as well take the opportunity to see something on the way. Especially if it allows you to split the long flight time into 2 flights. That's why we decided to stay in Bangkok for a few days and explore the city a bit closer.

Every beginning is difficult

The journey from the airport to the hostel was more complicated than expected:

Originally, we planned to take the express train to the city center and then take the train (either the skytrain or metro) further towards the hostel. When we arrived in the city center, we realized that there were no trains going in our direction - preparation is everything.
So we opted for the bus, easier said than done because: not only do the buses not have fixed schedules, most bus stops don't even indicate which bus goes where. The locals were very helpful, but we still had to transfer several times, got on the wrong bus (traffic is on the left side!-everything is different), and had to transfer again. Then there were no more buses and no more cars, no motorcycles or tuk-tuks. Instead, a police officer asked us to stand up. A convoy of police and military escorts drives along the road. The police officer thanks us, we can sit down again, and after a few minutes, everything is loud and full of vehicles again. Later, we found out that the King had passed by us. (if he's holding a parade just for our arrival, he could have taken us to the hostel as well)

We finally find the right line in the right direction and after almost 3 hours, in 34°C and humid weather, we're finally at the hostel😫(walking would have taken only 1 hour).

No wonder you hardly ever meet tourists on the buses. Later, we took the bus more often and became experienced bus passengers in the 4 days. (A bus ride costs 8 Baht per person, about 23 cents)🐱‍👤

Exploring Bangkok

Bangkok is noisy and smells a bit different everywhere. Most of the time, it smells like food. Sometimes it smells like delicious food and sometimes just like an old deep fryer. But you can't directly say that it's dirty here. Vandalism and graffiti are almost non-existent. They take the King very seriously here, the whole city is covered with pictures of the royal family, sometimes the entire skyscraper facades.

Despite the rainy season, we mostly stayed dry, but it was extremely humid.
We mostly got around with the bus from A to B. Somehow, we never got around to taking a tuk-tuk. The line boat is also practical, you can ride up and down the Chao Phraya River for about 60 cents. This allows you to make good progress during rush hour when buses and tuk-tuks are stuck in traffic.

The Khao San Road

The Khao San Road, near our hostel, is often touted as THE backpacker mecca. But there is little Oriental charm left here. Aside from the many street food stalls, restaurants, and bars, during the day you can also buy T-shirts and souvenirs. The stalls with insects, spiders, and scorpions are more of a tourist attraction than traditional cuisine. In the evening, the souvenir stalls decrease, but there is music, celebrations, and an expanded range of things to buy, including cocktail buckets, laughing gas, and ping-pong shows.

Inside the surrounding side streets, it is more cozy, where you can explore, stroll, and eat more relaxed.
A large main course from a street food stall costs about €1.40; 'Medium-Spicy' is completely sufficient 🤯 ☠)

Some thoughts on the sights

If Bangkok is not loud and crowded enough for you, you have to go to Chinatown. Here, too, it often smells strange, but even stranger

In Lumphini Park, there is a bit of peace and greenery, a welcome change. In addition to palm trees and meadows, there is also a large pond where you can go paddle boating, plenty of fitness equipment, and even a swimming pool (only for members). Furthermore, there are large lizards, turtles, and exotic birds to see

Temples and sanctuaries can be found everywhere in the city. The Grand Palace is impressive but absolutely crowded, and there are warnings about pickpockets everywhere.

In What Pho, it's much more relaxed. The main attraction in addition to the large complex itself is the 45-meter-long and 11-meter-high Buddha. 

The 'Khlongs' are canals that run through some neighborhoods in Bangkok. Bangkok was actually built on a swampy area, many houses were built on stilts, and the city got the nickname 'Venice of the East'. As a remnant, there are still neighborhoods with stilt houses today. A ride on a booked long-tail boat through the canals can be very worthwhile (see pictures). There are also floating markets (but we didn't see them)

Conclusion
Bangkok was absolutely worth seeing. However, we are happy to continue to Melbourne tonight. Overall, you often feel the need to shower multiple times a day here 😷

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