Bangkok, Thailand - May 29, 2001

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Tuesday, May 29, 2001

Katmandu, Nepal to Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok, Thailand:

Latitude:	13° 46' 12" North
Longitude:	100° 30' 7" East
Altitude:	4610 feet
From Seattle:	8558 miles
Lodging:	Hotel - Shanti Lodge

Today's Travel:

Countries:	Nepal, Thailand
Regions:	Katmandu Valley, Bangkok
Route:	Thai Airlines flight 320: Katmandu - Bangkok
Path:	Katmandu, Nepal - Bangkok, Thailand
Linear:	1465 miles
Weather:	Mostly Sunny / Partial Sun

Click on map to Zoom in...

Trip Stats to Date:

Day:	1510
Linear Dist:	279590
Countries Visited:	77
Regions Visited:	291
More stats...
Hotels:	634
Friends / Family:	338
Camping:	133
Hostels:	262
Transit:	99
Other Lodging:	13
Beers:	4658
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Journal Entry:

I woke up earlier than I needed to, but couldn't fall back asleep - maybe I was nervous about sleep too late? I gave up on trying to sleep and did the packing that I'd put off the night before, then showered and shaved (probably my last hot water shower for a while - also probably the last time I'll want a hot water shower for a while). The general strike was still on so there were no taxis. There was a government guarded bus that made the run to the airport but I had to get to New Road to catch that - a good forty minute walk without my gear. There were a few cycle rickshaw drivers risking ignoring the strike, so I negotiates an outrageous fee (still well under a dollar) for one of them and off we went. We were on our way down one of the narrow streets when suddenly we could hear a protest march ahead - I wouldn't have imagined how quickly a rickshaw can be turned! Even more amazing was the speed at which the driver took off. We raced back to a parallel street, and then cut back in front of the mob - my driver peddling like mad the entire time. It was a bit scary - especially as he kept glancing nervously back, but everyone seemed to ignore us. We headed off in the right direction, but about half way there he managed to flag over my bus - so he didn't have to go as far, and I saved waiting for half an hour. Half the bus was full of police in riot gear - which I did not find reassuring, bu the ride to the airport was uneventful. At the airport I went through the typical bureaucracy (pay departure tax, change money, check in, customs, immigration, and then rushed through the gate only to sit and wait for over an hour). <>The flight was unexciting (i.e. good) and I landed in Bangkok at six pm (with the one and a quarter hour time change). The airport was busy, so by the time I'd waited in line for immigration and picked up my bag it was seven. At the ATM I couln't find my wallet! I sat there and went through my bag thinking about it - I remembered deciding not to carry it around Katmandu when the strike was on, but I couldn't remember what I did with it. I looked everywhere that seemed likely and finally resigned myself to having left it in my roomin Katmand. I changed some money and was not in a hurry to get in to the city so I could cancel my credit card. I caught a taxi into Bangkok and felt especially pathetic in the language department - here it was my fourth time in Bangkok and I always stay in the same place, yet I still couldn't pronounce the street name. I was able to tell him the nam of the area (or actually a nearby area) and I just hoped I could direct him once I was nearby - Pathetic, but it worked. Luckily the Shanti Lodge (one of my favorite guesthouses) had a room for me. Everyone working there recognized me - it's always nice to go back to places where people know you! I dumped my gear and started a final search for my wallet - looking in detail. I finally found it - I'd stuck it in my lead film bag. Unfortunately when I find it I notice that there isn't enough film in the bag. I had only put the film from Tibet in there - the other 16 rolls had been put in checked baggage (a very bad idea due to the heavy X-Ray machines they use). There was nothing I could do so I decided to get some film developed tomorrow. Meanwhile I relaxed and has a delicious Pad Thai dinner (I love Thai food), did a quick email check, the went to my room. Unfortunatly I wasn't used to the heat so I couldn't get to sleep until nearly three.

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