One day in Dubai was more than enough, let’s see what Bangkok is about! Looking forward to this crazy city I know only from Hangover II & some other films. Welcome to the BiloTrip day 4-6: Crazy Bangkok or Hangover II?

BiloTrip day 4-6: first time at Bangkok or Hangover II?

All my friends worried for my safety. Girl travelling on her own, so far away, blah blah. I wasn’t, I worried about me staying active (loneliness & too much time to think sometimes leads to a depression :) ) But I had to fight one thing, back in Prague – my own head! Past few years I spent travelling with my ex. Human brain sees future throughout past experience & imagination is a bitch! Slap! It is a unique moment in my life, doing something for the very first time! Once I stepped out of my flat, I was creating my own memories! Wohoo!

Dubai was a great start – Let’s see what Bangkok is all about.

Emirates

Strangely enough: same company + different destination = worst service. Emirates flight to Thailand was half empty. The food was worst & monitors equipment soo old. Adapters needed to use your own headphones or phone charger. Was quite cold too – spent whole flight under 2 blankets lol. But an AC addiction is quite common in all hot, tropical counties. So it was a good adaptation training :)

A flight attendant surprised me, offering me a free souvenir – a Polaroid photo of me :)) it comes in a nice paper envelope / frame. Haha never seen this before in my life! What a nice souvenir! Thanks Emirates!

This time I watched a Brooklyn movie – well romantic, probably heart breaking movie about Irish girl starting new life in NY. With visa, job & accommodation equipped by some Irish priest (!!!!). How convenient! And of course life became all sunshine & rainbows once she met Mr. Right! Oh yuck! I started my life over again, around 4 times without no-one paying me anything, not even mentioning a Mr. Right… American dream bullshit movie, just made me angry! LOL

Thai currency

1 Thai Baht = 0.028 US Dollar = 0.020 British Pound = 0.025 Euro = 0.67 Czech Republic Koruna

Bangkok airport

Nothing special, just a regular international airport. But I made my greatest decision there, I bought a Thai SIM card! SIM card costs 550 Baht for 4GB of 4G internet & free Thai calls for 30days! So now I won’t be a WiFi addict! Yeeey :)

Taxi

No Uber cars in the area forced me so take a regular taxi. The driver was so grumpy, didn’t help me with the luggage. No question, no talking, I think he was upset by taking the job :D Hah couldn’t wait to get out of the car.

His car was like a shrine full of figures of all kinds haha. Suddenly driver shouts at me – “Money, money!” – Excuse me? – “Money, money!” – What money? – “Money! 75! For a tall!” Lol like I travel from the Bangkok airport as often as he does :D We couldn’t find the hostel. The driver acted like is all my fault :D I want my Uber! :( We drew for about 45min & I paid 400 Baht (which was 100 less than I was told on the airport so its good I guess).

I was using taxi all the time – but each time I got completely different charges :D so I’m not sure what’s the standard (Same distance was anything from 85 – 230 Baht, depending on the driver mood, on the traffic & stars :D). Once I was even told – “Pay how much you want!” – so I paid 50 Baht :D

Boxpackers Hostel – 2 stars

Address – 39/3, Soi Phetburi 15, Petchburi Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Finally we discovered the hostel :D I checked in & paid 500 Baht as a deposit for the key. It was my very first hostel experience & a great choice. Clean accommodation, fresh towels everyday, very quiet street. A very nice breakfast menu. Laundry service for 100 Baht. Super fast WiFi. I felt super safe, didn’t have to lock everything away all the time. I liked the area – tones of massage salons & beauty salons. Close to the shopping district! Easy to get to the Grand palace & Wat Pho temple. Absolutely recommend to all backpackers, & for those who travel alone.

Next day started with yummy breakfast at the hostel. Time to hit streets of Bangkok boiling with life. First impression: Hot concrete, cable web, unstopping stream of cars. Market on each side of the road, so it wasn’t such a lonely walk as in Dubai. :)

Shopping heaven

All those unique treasures you occasionally find on your shopping huntings – like cupcake bag or shoes with flashing lights. Well Bangkok is a home of treasures! They are everywhere, in huge piles, boxes – the markets are like a warehouses. You can buy everything, everywhere & in huge amounts :D I haven’t visited any shopping mall yet, but I know where I’m gonna spent last days of my trip! Bangkok I will be back!

The temperature was at lovely 37 (day) / 32 (night) & of course smog. Yay! The AC set to 19 degrees in every single taxi, shop & restaurant :D Just like I thought. Unbelievable heat from all the cars & concrete around pushed me to the 7eleven & look what I discovered – a butterfly ice cream! Really the stuff they sell here… I’m pretty sure they sell live unicorns too! :)

I found a street with around 100 stores – selling empty beauty products boxes of all kinds, colours & sizes! I mean, why are we talking about competition in Europe, when similar shop opens around the corner :D If you have your own beauty brand & looking for packaging – visit Bangkok (Wat Sommanat area).

After few hours I made my way to the Grand palace & met this local Thai guy Nad (supposable working for government) on my way. He kind of just joined me on my walk. Asking politely if its ok with me :) As he was old & shorter than me – I didn’t mind :) He showed me a Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho) & river side. Unfortunately he did ask me out for dinner later. Talking about taking me around in his car, blah blah :D So I excused my self & was looking for my way back to the hostel :) He seemed be upset but advised me on using a public boat instead of taxi (it is like 100x cheaper). So I did.

Public boat service

Once again surprising to see a lack of bridges in Bangkok. Towns in Europe have smaller rivers & more bridges. On the pier I was offered to marry a single boat worker – just because I’m single & he is single, his colleague was convinced it’s a destiny :D Poor guy :) Anyway at least they told me how to get home! Thanks God as public transport in Bangkok is not exactly piece of cake :D.

While waiting for the boat, I somehow end-up talking to this guys standing next to me. The boat workers didn’t help him with his journey! Haha it’s simply beautiful to be a woman! …we manage to take a last boat, which was super full! The guy’s name was Srinath (Indian guy living in Singapore) & we were trying to figure out how he’ll get to his hotel & staring despreadly to the map (yes some people still use an old school paper map, lol). Because of that we were mistaken for a couple & 5sec later we were basically thrown out of the boat as some one heard us talking about Chinatown – & we were in Chinatown at that moment! LOL Well why the hell not? Let’s explore Chinatown.

Chinatown

Forget Chinatown in London! Chinatown in Bangkok is one crazy, busy place, full of people, cars, markets, food & more people. Love it! Me & Srinath end-up in the Shanghai Mansion Bangkok bar. Perfect timing too a happy hour! Drinking, talking & laughing. Comparing experiences about Bangkok & life. Nice place with a life jazz music! Had a fantastic evening with Siam Swing Jazz Band! Even got a CD! Thanks guys!

On our way back to the hotel, my phone stopped working – overheated! Imagine my PANIC! My brand new iPhone just died?!! Right on the beginning of my holidays?!?! Nooooo! Thankfully my new friend’s colleague (who joined us later) helped me to fix the problem – but refused to say how :D So mystery remains!

Sex tourism – in your face!

It is well-known reputation of Bangkok & Thailand in general. To be honest, I wasn’t so keen on coming here with my boyfriend at the time. Wasn’t feeling comfortable with him fishing like a hungry wolf. Don’t take me wrong – I would love to have some fun & new experiences. But its only for a healthy relationships. If you experiencing troubles & lack of attention already, it’s not the best idea. But maybe its a good test of relationship haha. Just so we clear – I love sex, just don’t like the whole unnatural obviousness around sex business :) But yeee try it! :) Life is short!

Anyway my point is – Yes Sex tourism is a very real thing here, & not only in Bangkok. Some guys told me they are being harassed, “working” women are jumping into their taxi & asking driver to take them to the brothel. LOL. Annoying if you are not interested. But who knows maybe they were lying. Those coming in search of fun & sex are more than happy that it’s so easy :D

The main rule, to all guys trying to pick up girl anywhere in the world – Don’t be more intoxicated than the girl! That’s simply never works even with prostitutes :D It must be a huge ego killer when a working girl (which I think was actually a guy) is rather chatting about my matching flip-flops then with the (drunk) guy who circles around like a hungry shark :D :D Ahahaha Girls power!

Climax

Not sure how I end-up with this guys & some of their local fiends. Let’s party then! In flip-flops & all day worn sweaty shirt?! No way! Ehm yes way! We had some dress code issues at some places :) The disco night club Climax didn’t care about our clothes or IDs. Entrance to the club was 250 Baht or bottle of Hennessy! Hah we went for the bottle. Right from the entrance it was so obvious that we are probably the only 2 non working girls there. :D

Sleazy men with 15 year olds, even some 50-year-old couple get themself a cute little pet. I had to force my self not to think about, what is gonna happen later in the hotel, Yuck. I guess I was not drunk enough :) But well we are in Bangkok :) The weirdest for me was fact that all those “paying costumers” didn’t have fun! They were just standing there, poring drinks into their girls & waiting for the sex time! Lol.

Entertainment in the club was great & our little group of “unpaid weirdos & non working girls” had a great fun! I had my hour on the dance floor – Yes in flip-flops!!! – just super fun! :) One of the working girls asked me what did I took :D Nothing, I was born that way! I don’t think she believed me!

What started as an ordinary sightseeing day, turned into a crazy adventure :) Get to my hostel early morning, feeling so happy & alive! Thank you to all wonderful people who crossed my path that day. You helped me to enjoy Bangkok in its best! Now I’m thinking about the Hangover film, well it’s not so ridiculous any-more, have to watch it again :D

The Hangover Part II (2011) – 6.5 IMDb

Crazy Bangkok

Not the most beautiful city I have ever seen (too much concrete & cables), but i has a great vibe & energy. Have to say what surprises me the most are those people living on the streets, sleeping under the trees & then 20m away are this huge GOLD gates, royal family portraits & religious monuments! No guards, no fences around them… Quite unbelievable, for me coming from country when rails & cables are dissapearing over night! :))

I have a thing for big cities. Full of life & energy. It’s a unique ecosystem & if you wish to become a part of it’s easy – just step in! Bangkok, with it’s population of 6.5 million, is full of smells, noises & life. Mix of cultures & nationalities. Everyone just blend in. Nothing stops because of you, that makes you independent & active. People on the streets don’t stare at you, don’t bother you, there simply keep doing what they always do – its up to you if you cross their paths…

If you hate Oxford street – you will hate Bangkok :D. It is basicaly one big market. Food sold on every corner, by the roads looks amazing, but scary :D I wasn’t brave enough to try it so far :)

Very next day I was about to discover hidden beauty & history of Bangkok. I booked a night bike tour via: Get You Guide app – a great app that offers ideas of what to do in big cities around the world. Easy booking & tickets accessible on your phone. But first I got my first street lunch – and it was like the best hangover meal ever! Chicken soup & chicken with rice. Only then I was able to act normally again.

Bike night tour around Bangkok

Grasshopper Adventures Shop, 57 Ratchadamnoen Road, Phranakorn, Bangkok
Price: 1150 Baht, booking required at least a day before, max 10 people in the group.
Our group, 8 people from different corners of the world, started bike night tour around Bangkok, at 6pm & it brought us to some interesting places. We drew through Khaosarn bar road – the most touristy place in Bangkok. Then we took a ferry, to cross the river & visit beautiful Wat Arun temple. Our guide Petz – told us a lot interesting details about Thai history & history of the buildings we were admiring.

We visited a huge Wang Burapha Phirom – 24h flower market. Ridiculous amounts of flowers & fruits, covering streets & shops. Beautiful & unbelievable (how those flowers survive in that heat in plastic bags??!?)! Most of the flowers & bouquets are used for offering in temples. Personally I would get a full bag of rose petals for my daily bath :p

We tried some fruit & food on the market – all included in the price of the tour & Paid by our guide! Cool stuff!

Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho)

The daily entry costs around 100/200 Baht & it’s completely FREE during night! This place has a special vibe & unusual atmosphere in the dark. You can walk around & even light the lights inside of some temples. The place crowded with tourists during the day – was now peaceful & quiet – filled only with songs & prayers of the monks. Seems like it’s a secret! Even taxi drivers & local hotels don’t know about it?! Certainly something different from the regular sightseeing! Only one gate is open until 11pm on a South side of the temple – on Chetuphon Road.

So if you like to explore the city, see something different & meet new people – a night tour is the right activity for you! Exciting experience! Absolutely recommend!

After the bike ride I end-up underdressed, again, in a very nice place! The Heaven sky-bar on the roof of one of the shopping mall, with my co biker Thom (or something like that, sorry) from California. Had a lovely meal, view of the night Bangkok skyline & chance to talk (very important when travelling alone) :) Very pleasant evening, thank you again who ever you are!

Grocery

There is a 7eleven on every corner, some of them working non-stop. Selling everything you may need: hundreds of beauty products – all in mini travel version – Love it!

Food

So far I tried many salads, noodles & meat sauces with rice – all tasty & yumm! But the favourite is definitely a Sticky Mango Rice! OMG that is just heaven! Mind blowing! That would be my first recipe to do after I’m back home! :)

Thai Massage

Before I go, let’s have a foot-massage! Happy hour in the massage salon just around the corner from my hostel. Amazingly relaxing. An incredible feeling after days of walking! I think she found muscles & bones I didn’t have before! Very pleasant lady, I also got a neck massage & cup of tea. Cost 200 Baht.

I really enjoyed Bangkok! It was totally unexpected, fun & exciting. Seeing new places, meeting new people & tasting delicious local food! That’s the way I like it! I felt very safe even at night, people were very nice & helpful. I was completely underdressed in all those bars :D but I hope all fashion lovers can forgive me. After all I’m not that girly girl with but a practical woman with the battery charger & wet wipes in my purse :)

My last day was spent in the coffee shop finishing post about my day in Dubai. I book an over night transportation to the Koh Phangan island, to enjoy some fresh air, quiet, sun & beach after crazy Bangkok weekend :)

Lomprayah

I the evening I went to the Lomprayah office. What a bloody mess it was! After travelling around India & Mexico – Thailand is the worst experience so far. Waiting 2 hours for the bus in the heat, in the middle of the road. No food, no water OR toilets. People sitting on the ground, asking each other what to do & where to go :D I mean… The bus was full of backpackers like myself. A lot of girls are travelling alone, but mainly large groups or couples from around the world. Very friendly & happy bunch of people.

Finally we arrived to the Lomprayah Pier in Chumphon, where we watched a sunrise & awaited for a ferry. Long way to the paradise! 8h ride on the night bus + 3h of waiting around + 3h on the ferry = 1h of sleep. Can’t wait to land in my hammock!

And that’s were I’m finishing my Bangkok report in the hammock at my bungalow in Amaresa Resort & Sky Bar at the Koh Phangan Island.

Next few days I’m gonna spend more or less on the beach – getting some nice tun OR sun burn :D

BTW I’m taking all pictures with my Iphone – it’s just way too hot to carry around that huge camera :D Hope you forgive me for that. For more photos with descriptions, check my Instagram account.

Thanks for reading my post from Bangkok. See you soon. I’m off to Paradise. Xxx