Report on Bangkok and KohPhangan and Frantic Flyers

Well Guys I have been back since last Thursday and thought I%26#39;d better get out of the post Thailand depression and write a report.

First off I must report for my fellow %26#39;Frantic Flyers%26#39; on our flight to Bangkok.

As you would know Queensland has been in a drought for I don%26#39;t know how long but on the day that I decide to fly the heavens opened up and rained for most of the day. My dear friend assured me that it would be fine by the time we had to fly. Well we gets on the plane and I have read the safety guide and checked the seatbelt a few times, told the lady behind me to stop talking on her mobile phone and turn it off.. I mean it could harm the navagation equipment even tho we hadn%26#39;t left the terminal... Anyway why is that when you start to taxi out then the pilot says something like %26#39;Well folks we are going to have a rough takeoff and the seatbelt sign will stay on for some time !!!! I mean let me off now but it was too late. We took off me with attached to my friends neck where I stayed attached for the next 2 hours! It was so rough that even the flight attendents were not allowed out of their seats. Around 2 plus hours later the drink trolley arrived and I didn%26#39;t say no to a scotch which I sculled and felt quite merry until an hour later when the flight attendents had to sit down again for another hour!!! No more drinks after that so by the time I got to Singapore I was a basket case. Stayed in Singapore overnight and I swear that the bed I was in was still on the plane.

Flight to bangkok was ok but landing was rough. We checked into the %26#39;Shanghai Inn%26#39; for the night. What a lovely little hotel this is, right in the heart of Chinatown. Cost us 2200 baht for the night. If you like shopping this is a great spot. The staff were very nice and so polite.

Hit the shops straight away and the bellboys laughed at us later getting back with all our bags.

Next day it was my friends birthday so at midnight we were seated outside the hotel with the now off duty bellboy, the guy from the chinese restaurant next door, resident tuk tuk driver and goodness knows who else drinking breezers and beer singing happy birthday at the top of our lungs. Checked out and went to our %26#39;suite%26#39; at the Grand Diamond Hotel. Nice place 5300 baht for 2 rooms, lounge kitchen etc. Mind you don%26#39;t know who would use the cooking facilities as there were no pots or anything. Party continued with our thai friends who did come back to the hotel with no trouble what so ever. Not before my friends chocalate cake landed all over the back of the taxi and over us when the driver hit the brakes!!! Had to pay him 200 baht for the mess:)) But it was our thai friend%26#39;s fault who was doing his best %26#39;Pizza Hut%26#39; delivery impression.. Kicked them out at 5.30 am and we missed breakfast so I can%26#39;t report on that.

Next night checked into the %26#39;Indra Regent%26#39; ...and Al the bar was just the same :) More shopping.. We ate at a little restaurant accross the road near the 7/11 a couple of nights. Mainly seafood and we didn%26#39;t get sick. But they had a really sweet man there singing and had a bit of a karoke. Well me being me loves singing soooo stayed there till midnight. Bugger the dancing shoes ...I was now the %26#39;queen of karoke%26#39; in Bangkok!!!! And he invited me back next night as he said I was such a good singer :)

Our train trip to Surat Thani was great. Met up with some Americans and chatted for a while. Got off the train to the waiting bus where it was a 40 minute ride to the ferry. 3 hour ferry trip via Koh Samuii went smoothly. When we got off the ferry at Koh Phangan we were swarmed by touts selling everything. I had no idea where to go so I followed a lady who said she would take us to Had Rin. Told us to wait at the pier until she found more people or if we liked could go now for 600 baht!!!! Told her goodbye and walked a bit further along and caught a songthew for 50 baht. Walked through the town of Had Rin looking for a pier to get a boat to the %26#39;Sanctuary Resort%26#39;. Turns out there is no peir so we followed a guy to his boat. Waded out with our packs , thank god I told my friend that she wasn%26#39;t allowed to bring her 10 suitcases with her!!!! Another 10 minute ride to the resort for 100 baht each. Got out of the boat and had no idea where to go. There were a few chairs up further but no signs or anything. Took pot luck at a building and turns out it was the massage place of the resort. Told us where to go and as my other friend had checked in the day before we were then expected to know where to go. Well we were paying 4400 baht a night for this place. One would expect some kind of service. Had to carry our packs up 1000 vertical steps to the bungalow. Eventually got to the top , met our friend and she says were checking out tomorrow. The bungalow itself was ok but only if you were paying 2000 baht a night. No windows, doors, no hot water, centepedes, spiders ,bats pooing in all over your stuff, payment for your water, no housekeeping, only vegetarian food at a high cost, dogs in the restaurant and hippees walking aroung in their %26#39;thai farmer%26#39; pants with no shirts on stinking.... So next day we checked out and found a nice little resort in Had Rin for 1300 baht a night. Much better. Went to the beach at night and purchased a few buckets. First night staggered home with one eye opened. Had drinks and meals at the %26#39;Sunrise bar%26#39; but staff more interested in watching the movie they were playing on the big screen. But drinks and food nice. Koh Phanang was very quiet and very much a young persons scene. Felt a bit out of place . Had some lovely massages at ';Baanhadrin%26#39;

massage. Ended up teaching the ladies how to do the salsa while listening to Jack Johnson on their player! As the weather was totally overcast and raining we decided to head to Koh Samui for our last night. At the last minute we decided to stay on the ferry and get the train back to Bangkok as it was really raining now. Said goodbye to our friend and her boys and just kept going. Bought train tickets at the station and could only get fan only and top berths. Fan sounded like a jackhammer all night but did manage to get some sleep.

Arrived into Bangkok at 5.30 am and phoned the %26#39;Shanghai Inn%26#39; again. Let us check in at 6am so we went to bed for a few hours.

Had our last two nights at the Indra Regent Hotel. Last night our friends took us to some live Thai music. 3am my friend was riding on the back of a motor bike around the hotel.7 hours later she fainted on the steps of the hotel with an hour to go before we had to get the plane!!! Had to carry her by myself into the lobby where I knocked over a lamp. Hotel security just watched as I asked quite loudly if someone could bring a glass of water. Finally someone from the lobby bar bought a glass and I swear they wanted me to pay for it!!! Anyway bought her around and went to the pharmacy and got her something for dehydration. I was so amazed that while trying to get her seated when she was unconsious I just couldn%26#39;t get her smoke out of her fingers!!!!

Flight fom singapore very bumpy but gues what... I was so exhausted I actually slept through it.. I wonder wether my FF is finally cured.. Naaaahhh. Carried home 2 dozen %26#39;Dunkin donuts%26#39; for my son, had them sniffed at by Brisbane customs, and then left them on the seat while waiting for our pickup mmmm. Can just see the security now wondering what they were to do with the suspicious package left there!!!

So Had the best time and of course like most of us, are now dreaming of the next one.....

Report on Bangkok and KohPhangan and Frantic Flyers

Beezely,

Great to hear you are back safe and sound! That flight would of been the death of me!

I was originally going to stay at the Shanghai Inn.. will have to check it out next time!!!

Reet xxx

Report on Bangkok and KohPhangan and Frantic Flyers

Hi Reet,

Please look at staying at the Shanghai Inn , it was so nice. And by the way the toilets on the train were quite ok....

Must have got the message to clean up their act..

Beezely, we are so proud of you.....I think I would of passed out with that take off. I%26#39;ve actually started to have nightmares/dreams of our flight to Phuket, one night I%26#39;m laughing and all happy, the next night I%26#39;m trying to kick the little windows out.

I%26#39;m so happy you got home safely. Sounds like you had a great time and a very interesting time. Very funny to read, Karoke Queen.....

Rene

Rene,

It%26#39;s all so silly really. We panic so much but we just got to get back to Thailand :) You will be fine.

I%26#39;ve had the bumpy flight now so hopefully that was the worst one I will experience... but I still bet it wasn%26#39;t as bad as it gets...

Beezely

Beez, I can%26#39;t believe I missed this.

OMG fancy the very own inventor of the '; Beezely Position '; needing to use it again......lol........I would have died if we had that much turbulence.

Sounds like you gals had a ball over there. What a waste of chockie cake haha

Perhaps we could fit in some Salsa Lessons on our FF FLIGHT.

For the ones that can manage to undo their seat belts mid flight of course.

Thanks for the laugh and giving me some ideas about our next trip.

Jubby xx

Jubby,

I so wanted to take a photo of my now famous position while I was on the plane, but I was too scared to let go of my friends throat to get the camera out.....

Could also teach the cha cha, rhumba and tango on the plane but I really don%26#39;t think I%26#39;d have any takers. What am I saying even I wouldn%26#39;t be out of the seat!!!!!

Beezelyxx

excel