This Time I visited Thailand I spent three months traveling to Banagkok, Phuket, and Up country to Esarn province.
I Travelled with Etihad Airways, which I believe to the best flying experience I have had, my flight out of Heathrow to Abu dabi took approx 8.5 hours with an hour stopover then approx another 6 hours to Bangkok. The in flight services were excellent, the quality of in flight food menus and entrainment were exceptionally good, ( See Photo) and yes thats correct you can see metal cutlery in the photo.
I arrived in Bangkok and stayed at the "Hotel Opera" located on the Petchburi Rd Soi 11, this is a great Little family owned hotel has good aircon, sky tv, swimming pool, and all the other trappings of a good hotel and is very reasonable priced 1 nights stay = approx 700bht = £14 .
I arrived in Bangkok and stayed at the "Hotel Opera" located on the Petchburi Rd Soi 11, this is a great Little family owned hotel has good aircon, sky tv, swimming pool, and all the other trappings of a good hotel and is very reasonable priced 1 nights stay = approx 700bht = £14 .
It is located in the centre of Bangkok city with connections to all the main transport links MRTS, BTS(sky train)coach stations, taxi , motor bike taxi ( though I would use this mode of transport with caution as you pretty much take your life in your hands, though is exceptionally good in rush hour!). Connection from hotel to Airport is approximately 30 mins however this can be excessively longer at peak times.
Eating out in Bangkok is varied with so many different tastes and experiences that just make your mouth water , personally I ate out at street food sellers located on many if not all soi's in bangkok centre, these can range from, Fish, Chicken, Pork, Beef, Seafood, Noodles, Vegi,Rices, but to name a few as I could write pages alone just talking about food !.
Prices of street food can range from 30 bht - 80 bht (approx 60pence - £1.70) per meal. There are street stalls which mainly consist of plastic tables and chairs lined along the street, and smaller restaurants tucked in to small door ways and shops fronts again generally with plastic furniture, DONT NOT BE PUT OFF BY PLASTIC FURNITURE AND THE NOT SO STERILE ENVIRONMENT WE ARE USED TO BACK HOME, as a rule of thumb with Thai restaurants , if it's full of Thai's eating and is very busy , then there's a good chance that this eating place comes quite recommended with the Thai's and good quality dining.
Another alternative street eating out is ( As I found to be a fantastic night out!!) a Thai music night known as " kow-wang-dang" ( apologies for any spelling mistakes)
Here I was only one of two non Thai's the rest of the clientele are the workers of the city ranging from taxi drives , office workers, some bar girls, doctors and hospital staff, plus many others disciplines, THIS IS WHERE THE THAI'S GO TO RELAX AND SOCIALISE. Basically for less than a 1000 bht ( approx £17.50) this will include a huge meal a bottle of Whisky and mixers and a night of cabaret and musical dancing which EVERYBODY joins in to , this is a fantastic experience and you leave at the end of the evening gagging to go back the next night ( as I did many times) not to mention some great Thai friends I have made whilest at these evenings.
Early December I visited Chaiyaphum ( Esarn Province) Very deep country Thailand , Four words come to mind: Beautiful, Breath taking , Poor, unfortunately this is the same as many countries where it is unspoilt and beautiful also has very poor people inhabiting these areas, however just because they are does not mean there hospitality is poor in fact quite the other end of the scale , they are very hospitable and do everything to make you feel welcome and comfortable, HOWEVER be advised most locals DO NOT speak English and speak local dialect Thai /Loas , thankfully I thai is not bad and my Partner is from this area.
Eating out in Bangkok is varied with so many different tastes and experiences that just make your mouth water , personally I ate out at street food sellers located on many if not all soi's in bangkok centre, these can range from, Fish, Chicken, Pork, Beef, Seafood, Noodles, Vegi,Rices, but to name a few as I could write pages alone just talking about food !.
Prices of street food can range from 30 bht - 80 bht (approx 60pence - £1.70) per meal. There are street stalls which mainly consist of plastic tables and chairs lined along the street, and smaller restaurants tucked in to small door ways and shops fronts again generally with plastic furniture, DONT NOT BE PUT OFF BY PLASTIC FURNITURE AND THE NOT SO STERILE ENVIRONMENT WE ARE USED TO BACK HOME, as a rule of thumb with Thai restaurants , if it's full of Thai's eating and is very busy , then there's a good chance that this eating place comes quite recommended with the Thai's and good quality dining.
Another alternative street eating out is ( As I found to be a fantastic night out!!) a Thai music night known as " kow-wang-dang" ( apologies for any spelling mistakes)
Here I was only one of two non Thai's the rest of the clientele are the workers of the city ranging from taxi drives , office workers, some bar girls, doctors and hospital staff, plus many others disciplines, THIS IS WHERE THE THAI'S GO TO RELAX AND SOCIALISE. Basically for less than a 1000 bht ( approx £17.50) this will include a huge meal a bottle of Whisky and mixers and a night of cabaret and musical dancing which EVERYBODY joins in to , this is a fantastic experience and you leave at the end of the evening gagging to go back the next night ( as I did many times) not to mention some great Thai friends I have made whilest at these evenings.
Early December I visited Chaiyaphum ( Esarn Province) Very deep country Thailand , Four words come to mind: Beautiful, Breath taking , Poor, unfortunately this is the same as many countries where it is unspoilt and beautiful also has very poor people inhabiting these areas, however just because they are does not mean there hospitality is poor in fact quite the other end of the scale , they are very hospitable and do everything to make you feel welcome and comfortable, HOWEVER be advised most locals DO NOT speak English and speak local dialect Thai /Loas , thankfully I thai is not bad and my Partner is from this area.
Photos Will be uploaded in due course.
