2000
On this site I will tell about the entire trip and the following site you have links to the
galleries. I will also tell shortly about the particular picture in the galleries. Before you
go away talk to your doctor about medicine/vaccination you need before you go.
In the beginning I will tell about the trip in detail. It begins at the Moscow´s airport
(Sheremetyevo II) and ending when we are going home from Koh Samui. It should be observed
that we where there during low season and the price was low. We decided us to go there
just about a month before leaving. We compared prices on different destinations in south
Europe (only flight seat) and discovered to go to Thailand it´s almost the same when it concern
prices. Said and done, we arrived to Thailand, Bangkok and I don´t regreet it for a minute.
We was to Thailand the summer of 2000, from 4:th of July to 8:th of August. We traveled by
airliner from Arlanda (Stockholm, Sweden) via Moscow to Bangkok. We had to wait in Moscow for
the next airliner for nine hours. During these hours we reached to looking us around on the
airport. Tobacco, liquor, wine and beer are cheap but nothing else (tax free). A beer on the pub
costs 3$. The food at the restaurant on the second floor costs about 6$, nothing special but it
was well done compared with the other fast food bars which where mostly chaos, more expensive
and loudly. I think that the pubs and the restaurant was good to visit. I can recommend
the Irish pub on the first floor. The tax free stores was also good to visit. We departed 00.15
the 5:th of July and the time to go by airliner took 9.30 hours to Bangkok. You, was served meals
or any kind of snack often. It been some hours to sleep. Free drinks was included. We traveled by
Aeroflot, as I can recommend.
When we left the airliner and have reached Bangkok are we meet by a heat and a humidity with a
scent of spice, incense and food as you only meet before you arrive to latitudes such this.
The bus/buses do you find at the far end of the arrival hall when you pass the gates and walking
into the hall. Please, observe even here so you don´t been cheated. If someone are nice and
helpful concerned transport, accommodation, sights e.g. We had booked our first night before
we left. We lived at Honey, Shukumwit Road soi 17 for three nights. When we arrived to Bangkok
they said the hotel don´t exist, burned down, bankruptcy or something totally stupid. We decided
to do as Thai people do. We walked towards the desk and asked (not them) where the busses to
Shukumwit are stopping and they told that we can find at the far end of the arrival hall to the
right. The bus costs about 100 bath. The bus driver drove us almost to the hotel lobby, easy,
good and cheap.
At last at the hotel (Honey) who was a good hotel (better middle class) 900 bath/night had AC
and a refrigerator filled with beer, orange juice, coke and water. It is a pool at the hotel
in the backyard. Fine and good atmosphere. I can recommend the Singha beer, quiet special but
a tasty beer. It was nice to sit down and relax with a Singa beer after 24 hours traveling/waiting.
We stayed at the Honey for three nights. We bought us a map for Bangkok. We bought it at the
Asia book, a store you find all over the Bangkok and it costs 175 bath. Near the hotel are
MC Donald´s and Robinson located. You should visit Robinson at the closing time it´s a fun
ceremony they have to take god bye to the customers.
The next hotel we stayed at was Pranee & Muongphol Buildings and costs 450 bath/night. Next to
National Stadium station if you go by sky-train and on yours right side. The hotel was among
the lower class but clean and AC. It was loudly depending the fan to the AC is placed outside
the window. The neighbor is a travel agency. We bought ours trip to north Thailand here. If you
order your tickets to the train do it at least a couple of days before and if you are going on a
weekend order your tickets at least five days before leaving. The hotel has a good location in
the Siam square.
When we came from the north Thailand then we lived at White Lodge. The soi is the same as Pranee
& Muongphol Buildings but about 200 meters away. It is a quiet place excepts for the frogs who is
yelling now and then at the night and early morning. We paid 400 bath for this room, very small
but with AC and WC. We stayed here for one night. We visited What Pho with the reclining Buddha.
We tried to come here before we traveled to north Thailand because they we asked for coming there
don´t talked truth but a taxi driver at the White Lodge drove us for 150 bath I think to Wat Pho.
The entrance are at Thanon Chetuphen and open to 4 P.M. A small and insignificant gate. Don´t belive
in someone who says they work like e.g., a teacher, doctor and so on they don´t saying the truth
and after all they want your money.
You should also visit the weekend market at Chatuchak park it´s the world´s largest market in
one area. If you go by sky-train shall you step of at Mo Chit and you can see a part of the
market. At the market can you buy a lot of things and don´t forget to bargain. You can stroll
around this city and discover different of things. If you feel tired when you are out you can
go by a tuk-tuk who drive you home it´s not expensive. If you have timed, I will also recommend
the Crocodile farm. The easiest way to goes there is to buy a trip to the farm and the trip is
about 4 hours exclusive transfer.
We stayed for 8 nights in north Thailand, 2 nights on train, 3 nights in Chiang Mai and 3 nights
in Mae Hong Son. Bangkok-Chiang Mai took by train 12 hours and Chiang Mai-Bangkok took 14 hours.
By train, we paid 600 bath. From Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son and back to Chiang Mai took we an
airliner and paid for that about 3000 bath. For 3 nights in Mae Hong Son paid we 3800 bath all
included. We lived at Rooks Holiday Hotel & Resort, it is a high class hotel & resort. We was
very pleased to lived there. When we checked in we were informed about different kind of trips.
It is a relaxing environment. The first day visited we Paduang people and the second day elephant
trekking.
We stayed three nights in Chiang Mai and lived at the Top North Guesthouse located in the Old town
which are surrounded by a moat. It has an own pool. We paid 400 bath/night for it and that is
a good room for that price. When you are here you should visit the night market and you can make
a real find here if you bargain well. It is very easy to bargain here and get a good price. The
best prices do you find here if you decide you to go to a tailor. As a tip when you shall bargain,
begin about on the half of the price and use yours feeling, and end when you are pleased, don´t
be mean and stop here. It´s´s also cheap to leave yours laundry and pick it up the next day. E.g.,
a pair of trousers seven bath and it was the most expensive they can count it in kilo to and
costs then about 50-80 bath.
We went by air to Koh Samui and for that we paid 3000 bath for a return journey. We stayed in
Koh Samui for 11 nights and stayed at O.P. Bungalow. We paid for the room 500 bath/night a quite
big room with fan. O.P. Bungalow is located in the north part of the Chaweng beach. You have many
things to see here e.g., waterfalls, an aquarium and tiger zoo at Hua Thanon, a tropical zoo in
the north part of Ban Thale, Big Buddha and much, much more. The two big discos at Chaweng are
Green Mango and Reggae Pub. When we want something quiet we visited the bars along the main street
or some of the alleys at Chaweng. Do even a visit at Christy´s Cabaret.
Ta gärna en minibuss med sittplatser på flaket. De är billiga och det är tydligt uppmärkt vilken sträcka
de kör. är ni osäkra på om de åker dit ni vill kan ni bara fråga. För det kommer flera minibussar
med olika destinationer. åk kors och tvärs genom ön. ön är inte så stor så att man hinner den runt på
en dag med några stopp under dagen. T ex åk till någon annan badstrand för det finns gott om dom på ön.
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© 2001 Erik Westerberg