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TonyT's second Thailand blog:
2-months in and around the country:
February to April 2015.
This second journal or blog was written whilst in Thailand between February and April, 2015.
Although it's called the "2nd", I've actually travelled Thailand firstly in 2007, twice in 2011 and three times in 2012 which are not documented online, so this is actually my 8th visit to Thailand.
The reason for my being in Thailand principally was to introduce our new 5-month old son, Jack to the Thai side of his family and to give my Thai wife, Aom an opportunity to catch up with her family and friends.
Jack will be left in the very safe custody of his Thai grandparents whilst we chill out and roam the country. I'm rewarding Aom, and myself a couple of visits and holidays at various places throughout Thailand.
To anyone who has stumbled across my original blog pages they will note that some of the photos are repeated here on these pages. This is purely because at times we have visited the same places again and I've seen fit to make use of some of the photos and movies again. The original 3-month visit around Thailand can be viewed at:-
TonyT's first Thailand blog
Additionally, there's a third blog when we returned to Thailand in September 2015, a fourth blog from a 2-month stint in 2017, plus a fifth in 2018. These can be found via these links:
TonyT's third Thailand blog
TonyT's 4th Thailand blog
TonyT's 5th Thailand blog
TonyT's 6th Thailand blog
TonyT's 7th Thailand blog
TonyT's 8th Thailand blog
Our mixed itinerary on this trip was thus:
Manchester, UK to Abu Dhabi flight 7+hrs.
Abu Dhabi Airport 140 minutes for transfer
Abu Dhabi to Bangkok flight 6+ hrs.
Bangkok stay: 4 days.
Bangkok to Pratas, Surin Province mini-bus (7hrs).
Nhong Rak in Surin: 11 days
Surin/Pratas to Pattaya (overnight bus).
Pattaya: 6 days.
Pattaya to Trat mini-bus (3+ hrs)
Trat to Ao Salat, Koh Kood: fast ferry/water-taxi.
Koh Kood: 10 days.
Ao Salat to Trat: fast ferry/water-taxi.
Taxi to Trat Airport
Trat to Bangkok: Bangkok Airways 1.5hrs.
Bangkok: 1 night.
Nhong Rak in Surin: 6 days.
Bangkok: 3 or 4 days.
Bangkok to Manchester UK.
Anyway, here’s the journal/blog:-
BANGKOK
Wednesday February 25th:
Check-in at Manchester Airport; very simple as we were fast-tracked through security check because we were toting a young baby. Great to bypass the snaking queue which we would usually have to endure.
Usual 16 hour journey (14 hours in the air) to Bangkok via Abu Dhabi.
Thursday 26th:
Through the usual Thailand Immigration which was faster than normal. Rapid recovery at baggage-claim carousel and then into a taxi and straight to the apartment in Nana at 7pm through the usual hurly-burly crazy Bangkok traffic.
The apartment's on the 29th floor so there's some stunning views of Bangkok city.
Typically very weary after the journey but a quick shower and it was out for a bite to eat and a swift Chang beer or two.
I must say it was good to sample the Chang beer again and, as before, it did taste rather nice but the stuff does go rather rapidly to one's head especially after a jet-lagging journey; Chang at time of writing was a healthy 6% ABV and was a touch stronger than the San Miguel, Singha and Tiger beers, but it has now been 're-branded' and is now 5.5%.
My wife’s mother, Somjit, arrived at 3:30am from Surin to see her new grandson and after an hour of meet-&-greet it was back to bed for a doze. Up again 10am for breakfast.
I had booked a two-bedroom apartment at the Omni because Aom's mother, Somjit, is travelling down from the family home in Phanom Dong Rak in Surin Province to meet up with us in Bangkok. She'll stay with us until it's time to leave on the 30th. No doubt mother and daughter will do copious amounts of shopping in Bangkok. However, there's an upside for me... my mother-in-law will be baby-minding in the evenings giving Aom and me a chance to get out at night and savour the Bangkok nightlife.
So we'll stay in this apartment 'til 30th and then get our transport which is the same mini-bus that brought Aom's mother Somjit from Phanom Dong Rak back there and chill out on the farm.
ABOVE: a panoramic still view of the Bangkok skyline from the 29th floor of our apartment in Soi 4, Nana.
BELOW: a short panoramic movie taken from the apartment veranda, including night footage.
TOP LEFT: The apartment bedroom in Bangkok with the impressive view out of the window.
TOP RIGHT: Evening.
CENTRE: Bangkok street scenes. Note the two levels of the Sky-train or BTS.
BOTTOM: More Bangkok street scenes. Bottom right photo shows a lively 'night-scene' in Soi Cowboy off the Sukhumvit Road.
Although it's called the "2nd", I've actually travelled Thailand firstly in 2007, twice in 2011 and three times in 2012 which are not documented online, so this is actually my 8th visit to Thailand.
The reason for my being in Thailand principally was to introduce our new 5-month old son, Jack to the Thai side of his family and to give my Thai wife, Aom an opportunity to catch up with her family and friends.
Jack will be left in the very safe custody of his Thai grandparents whilst we chill out and roam the country. I'm rewarding Aom, and myself a couple of visits and holidays at various places throughout Thailand.
To anyone who has stumbled across my original blog pages they will note that some of the photos are repeated here on these pages. This is purely because at times we have visited the same places again and I've seen fit to make use of some of the photos and movies again. The original 3-month visit around Thailand can be viewed at:-
TonyT's first Thailand blog
Additionally, there's a third blog when we returned to Thailand in September 2015, a fourth blog from a 2-month stint in 2017, plus a fifth in 2018. These can be found via these links:
TonyT's third Thailand blog
TonyT's 4th Thailand blog
TonyT's 5th Thailand blog
TonyT's 6th Thailand blog
TonyT's 7th Thailand blog
TonyT's 8th Thailand blog
Our mixed itinerary on this trip was thus:
Manchester, UK to Abu Dhabi flight 7+hrs.
Abu Dhabi Airport 140 minutes for transfer
Abu Dhabi to Bangkok flight 6+ hrs.
Bangkok stay: 4 days.
Bangkok to Pratas, Surin Province mini-bus (7hrs).
Nhong Rak in Surin: 11 days
Surin/Pratas to Pattaya (overnight bus).
Pattaya: 6 days.
Pattaya to Trat mini-bus (3+ hrs)
Trat to Ao Salat, Koh Kood: fast ferry/water-taxi.
Koh Kood: 10 days.
Ao Salat to Trat: fast ferry/water-taxi.
Taxi to Trat Airport
Trat to Bangkok: Bangkok Airways 1.5hrs.
Bangkok: 1 night.
Nhong Rak in Surin: 6 days.
Bangkok: 3 or 4 days.
Bangkok to Manchester UK.
Anyway, here’s the journal/blog:-
Wednesday February 25th:
ABOVE: a panoramic still view of the Bangkok skyline from the 29th floor of our apartment in Soi 4, Nana. TOP LEFT: The apartment bedroom in Bangkok with the impressive view out of the window. TOP RIGHT: Evening. CENTRE: Bangkok street scenes. Note the two levels of the Sky-train or BTS. BOTTOM: More Bangkok street scenes. Bottom right photo shows a lively 'night-scene' in Soi Cowboy off the Sukhumvit Road.
BANGKOK
Check-in at Manchester Airport; very simple as we were fast-tracked through security check because we were toting a young baby. Great to bypass the snaking queue which we would usually have to endure.
Usual 16 hour journey (14 hours in the air) to Bangkok via Abu Dhabi.
Thursday 26th:
Through the usual Thailand Immigration which was faster than normal. Rapid recovery at baggage-claim carousel and then into a taxi and straight to the apartment in Nana at 7pm through the usual hurly-burly crazy Bangkok traffic.
The apartment's on the 29th floor so there's some stunning views of Bangkok city.
Typically very weary after the journey but a quick shower and it was out for a bite to eat and a swift Chang beer or two.
I must say it was good to sample the Chang beer again and, as before, it did taste rather nice but the stuff does go rather rapidly to one's head especially after a jet-lagging journey; Chang at time of writing was a healthy 6% ABV and was a touch stronger than the San Miguel, Singha and Tiger beers, but it has now been 're-branded' and is now 5.5%.
My wife’s mother, Somjit, arrived at 3:30am from Surin to see her new grandson and after an hour of meet-&-greet it was back to bed for a doze. Up again 10am for breakfast.
I had booked a two-bedroom apartment at the Omni because Aom's mother, Somjit, is travelling down from the family home in Phanom Dong Rak in Surin Province to meet up with us in Bangkok. She'll stay with us until it's time to leave on the 30th. No doubt mother and daughter will do copious amounts of shopping in Bangkok. However, there's an upside for me... my mother-in-law will be baby-minding in the evenings giving Aom and me a chance to get out at night and savour the Bangkok nightlife.
So we'll stay in this apartment 'til 30th and then get our transport which is the same mini-bus that brought Aom's mother Somjit from Phanom Dong Rak back there and chill out on the farm.
BELOW: a short panoramic movie taken from the apartment veranda, including night footage.