Bangkok Airport (Justin)

No adventure is completed without a few bumps along the road. Yes, this is day 5 of our 21-day trip and we already have a few bumps already!

After the third night in Bangkok, we suppose to leave for Luang Prabang on Tuesday, December 26, 2005 and spend about 2 nights in this famous World Heritage Site.

The flight supposed to be at 10:10 a.m., and we decided to leave for the airport around 7:00 a.m. since it is an international flight and Bangkok Airways recommends us to be at the airport at least 2 hours before departure time. I thought of taking the hotel limousine, which was quoted the night before for 900 Bath (or about $25 USD). However, that morning, the hotel attendant suggested that we should just get 2 taxi cabs to the airport since it might be cheaper. I thought that was a reasonable idea, so agreed to take the taxi. Once downstair at the hotel entrance, the bell boy thought differently. He said that it would be cheaper to get a hotel limousine and it should be at the hotel in about 15 minutes once we ordered one. I thought he knows best … so I take the limo … plus it would be a good idea to have everyone together in one car. So we waited in the hotel restaurant …. 15 minutes quickly passed by, no limo yet …. Another 15 minutes passed by, no limo yet, and the bell boy came over to assure that the limo is a few blocks away. Another 15 minutes passed by … and yet no limo. I was somewhat in a panic mode. Bangkok Airways only has 2 flights to Luang Prabang and they are fully booked for that day. I didn’t want to spend another night in Bangkok, plus I have all hotel arrangement already. The limo finally came, after we waited for about 50 minutes after we called them.

We arrived the airport around 9:00 a.m. I asked John to go and exchange some money for international departure taxes (since we ran short of Bath). After going thru immigration, we ran to the gate to find out that the flight has been delayed to 10:40 a.m. due to weather in Luang Prabang. I was relief!

10:30 … still no boarding … and then came an announcement. The flight has now delayed until 12:30 p.m., and each passenger would get a meal voucher for 150 Baht at KFC! Yes, KFC!

So we all went to KFC for lunch. The meal was okay, KFC is still KFC. I don’t care whether it is in the US or in Thailand!

We got back to the gate around 11:30 a.m., waited … and waited … and then the announcement came … it was delayed until 1:00 p.m. So, we waited … and waited again until 12:40 p.m. when another announcement came “Bangkok Airways regrets to inform that PG 634 has been canceled due to bad weather condition in Luang Prabang …”

Of all my travel throughout the years, it was the first time that my flight was cancelled … C’est la vie!

And for the next 3 hours, we tried to undo our “no man land” status (we technically exited Thailand). First, we went to the lounge so that Thai Immigration can cancel the “departed” status on our passports. Then, we had to go to arrival area to claim our luggages. And then, we had to wait for the bus to take us to a hotel airport. A Bangkok Airways agent always took a lead role in guiding us.

After claiming back the luggages, I couldn’t find my passport and I believed that a Bangkok Airways agent who led us to the arrival area still had my passport. She of course stated that she returned to me. Panic! I was totally panic! I didn’t want to spend the next day at the US Embassy for a new US Passport and then Vietnam Embassy for Visa to Vietnam. I searched my bags, front pockets but no Passport!

I just couldn’t believe the trip this year started out this way!

Bangkok (Justin)

We had spent two full days in Bangkok. Here is a quick recap:

The flight got into Bangkok at around 11:30 p.m., about 20 minutes before schedule. Immigration took us about 20 minutes as there was another flight just arrived before us. We decided to take a “taxi service” since there was a long line outside the terminal for meter taxi, plus John thought that we might not be able to fit all the luggage in normal taxi. The Siam Heritage Hotel is very clean and quite beautiful. For some odd reason the topic of our first evening was prostitution (I guess it was because we stay in the red light district of Bangkok). Why do people sell their body? I can understand both sides of the argument. However, I don’t think anyone would do it if they have a choice. People will do whatever they can to survive, including selling their own body.

I couldn’t sleep the first night in Bangkok, and woke up around 5:00 a.m., so I decided to take a walk around the area. This is my 4^th time in Bangkok, but for the 1^st time, I found peace and quite as I walked down the nearly empty Sarawong Road. The fresh morning cool air coupled with a few people along side the road getting ready to open their businesses.

We went to the weekend market around 11:00 a.m., and like the previous time, there were thousands of people at this huge market. John’s parents bought a few things, including a beautiful painting from this friendly young artist (see the above picture). We spent about 4 hours at the market, and yet I didn’t buy anything.

After a quick nap (alright, it was a few hours), John and I went to eat dinner at Soomboom Restaurant (a rather famous seafood restaurant in Bangkok … I personally thought it was alright … nothing to write home about), and did some shopping at Silom night market. By the time we finished shopping, it was around 11:30 p.m., and John decided to call it a night and we went back to the hotel.

Today, we did the more touristy stuffs, visiting Wat Po and the Grand Palace. It is quite interesting to note that I look like Thai, as everyone I encountered spoke to me in Thai, from waitress at restaurant … to taxi driver … to a few white guys along Silom who gave me that dirty look as they think I am another money boy. So I am glad that we are moving on to Laos tomorrow as I have enough of the crazy and busy Bangkok.

Enroute to Bangkok, December 24, 2005 (Justin)

Wow … I have been on a plane for at least 18 hours, still 2.5 hours until Bangkok. It seems forever!

Overall, the first day of the journey was uneventful. All flights were on-time. John and I once again had the pleasure of having the exit row seating on the upper deck of the Jumbo Jet 747-400. Northwest World Business Class is … nothing to write home about! I posted a few pictures, mostly of food served during the flights. The food is decent, I especially like the “Japanese Dinner” which I pre-ordered a few days before the flight. Service on Northwest is acceptable, flight attendants seem to provide the bare minimal requirements, with no enthusiasm or pride (unlike Asian carriers like Malaysia Airlines).

John and I met his parents at the Worldclubs – Tokyo Narita Airport as planned. John’s parents said that they had good flights, and John’s dad fell and had a minor cut on his flight from Portland to Tokyo. However, the cut is minor and he appears to be a great shape at the airport. We also met a very interesting young Asian guy, who supposes to have a 1-month vacation in Asia … but he has been wandering around Asia since January 2005! He told us where to go, what to go, and even how to bargain in Bangkok!

And like any other trips that we have, John and I have to have a few incidents along the way. Well, I am glad to report the first incident (well … glad is not the right word to use … but I am “glad” that no major harm was done!). During the flight from Detroit to Tokyo, John’s seat, which is reportedly cost over $20,000, broke! John couldn’t move the chair into regular position from the sleeping position. He notified the flight attendants, but they couldn’t fix it. As I am writing this, it seems like Dorsey’s seat (on the Tokyo to Bangkok flight, John’s parents are sitting in front of us now) appears to be broken, as John had to manually adjust the seat.

Another 1.5 hours to go … I can’t wait to get off this plane!

Justin

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Southeast Asia 2005

Greetings family and friends,

Thanks for joining John's parents, John and I in our journey to Southeast Asia. We will cover 8 cities (5 countries) in 21 days. I will attempt to review our flights (including Northwest's World Business Class on Boeing 747-400 and Airbus 330-200, Korean Airlines' First Class on Boeing 777-300, and the new Korean Airlines' First Class Sleeper Seat "Cocoon Style" with live wireless Internet access!), tell you all about cities that we visit (including several UNESCO World Heritage cities, such as Luang Prabang and Hoi An), and share thought on our journey through Southeast Asia. John is bring a video camcorder. And of course, I am bring my digital camera.

Below is our itinerary. Come along with us to exotic Southeast Asia!

Friday, December 23, 2005:
Minneapolis - Detroit: Northwest Airlines 1712
Detroit - Tokyo: Northwest Airlines 11

Saturday, December 24, 2005:
Tokyo - Bangkok: Northwest Airlines 27

HOTEL: The Siam Heritage Hotel (http://www.thesiamheritage.com/home.htm)

Sunday, December 25, 2005:
o Weekend Market
o Chinatown
o River City Shopping Complex
o Night Market

Monday, December 26, 2005:
o Chao Phraya river ferry
o Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew
o Wat Pho
o National Museum

Tuesday, December 27, 2005:
Bangkok - Luang Prabang: Bangkok Airways 634

HOTEL: The Aspara (http://www.theapsara.com/)

o Visit Wat Xieng Thong (the most beautiful temple in Luang Prabang)
o Visit Vat Siphouthabath Tai
o Visit Mount Phousi for the panoramic view of Luang Prabang. A great stop for sunset.
o Night market

Wednesday, December 28, 2005:
o Take traditional boat trip upstream on the Mekong River to visit caves of Pak-Ou, located at the side of the steep cliff on the bank of the Mekong River housing hundreds of Buddha statues
o Visit Ban Phanom weaving village or Lao Whiskey village
o Visit Wat Mai (stop by around 5:30p for the evening prayers)

Thursday, December 29, 2005:
o Visit Royal Palace Museum
o Visit Wat Wisoun
o Witness to Vat Visoun, Vat Aham

Luang Prabang - Vientiane: Laos Airlines 108

HOTEL: Day Inn Hotel (http://www.visit-laos.com/hotels/dayinn/index.htm)

Friday, December 30, 2005:
o Morning local market
o Visit Ho Phra Keo & Wat Si Saket
o Visit Phra That Luang
o Visit Buddha Park

Saturday, December 31, 2005:
Vientiane - Ha Noi: Laos Airlines 312

HOTEL: Stars Hotel (http://www.hirners.com/hotel/starshotel/index.htm)

o Old Quarter
o Lake of the Returned Sword
o Opera House
o Water Puppet Show

Sunday, January 1, 2006:
o Temple of Literature
o Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum
o Quan Than Temple
o Ha Noi Hilton

Monday, January 2, 2006:
Ha Noi - Da Nang: Vietnam Airlines

HOTEL: An Huy Hotel (http://www.tnktravelvietnam.com/html/detail-hotel.php?hotelid=723)

o Charm Museum in Da Nang
o Custom made clothes
o Art galleries

Tuesday, January 3, 2006:
o My Son Heritage Site
o Art galleries

Wednesday, January 4, 2006:
o Beach
o Ceramic Village
o Art galleries

Thursday, January 5, 2006:
Da Nang - Saigon: Vietnam Airlines

HOTEL: Spring Hotel (http://www.vietnamonline.com/spring/)

o Central Market
o Former Presidential Palace
o Thien Hau Pagoda

Friday, January 6, 2006:
o Cao Dai Temple
o Cu Chi Tunnel

Saturday, January 7, 2006:
o Chinatown
o Shop

Sunday, January 8, 2006:
Saigon - Singapore: Tiger Airways 329
Singapore - Penang: Singapore Airlines 198

HOTEL: Grand Plaza Parkroyal (http://penang.parkroyalhotels.com/)

Monday, January 9, 2006:
o Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
o Walk streets of Georgetown – Heritage Trail walking tours
o Temples & Mosques
o Penang Museum

Tuesday, January 10, 2006:
o Penang Hill
o Beach

Wednesday, January 11, 2006:
Penang - Singapore: Singapore Airlines 191

HOTEL: Albert Court Hotel (http://www.albertcourt.com.sg/)

o Asian Civilization Museum – Empress Place
o Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
o Singapore Sling @ Long Bar, Raffles Hotel

Thursday, January 12, 2006:
o Chinatown
o Thian Hock Keng Temple
o Sri Mariamman Temple
o Little India
o Night Safari

Friday, January 13, 2006:
o Shop @ Orchard Road

Singapore - Seoul: Korean Airlines 642

Saturday, January 14, 2006:
Seoul - Seattle: Korean Airlines 25
Seattle - Minneapolis: Northwest Airlines 162