Blonde on a Road Trip

Penny had an early start for work and was due to go off on a school trip up into northern Bangkok later in the day, so I decided I’d leave with her rather than hang around awkwardly in her flat, and just drop my suitcase at my hotel until I’d be allowed to properly check in later. We were showered and ready to leave by 7am, and said our goodbyes outside the lobby with the eerie singing Santa in it.

Using the app Grab, I got a taxi for 155THB/£3.43 to my hotel, which was half an hour away. I dropped my bag there and then tried to figure out where to go next in the city, which was still just waking up itself.

I had been advised to see the Grand Palace and the Reclining Buddha in Tha Tian, which was near where we’d had the cocktails across the river from Wat Arun the night before. Ollie and Emma had also mentioned the mango sticky rice at K. Panich, which has been featured in the Michelin Guide year after year.

In any case, to get to this year, my best bet was the ferry from near my hotel. It cost me 21THB/0.50p to get to Tha Chang, about two or three stops from Phra Pinklao (my stop).

The Grand Palace is not far from the ferry stop and as soon as you alight the ferry you are greeted with signs indicating what is appropriate/prohibited dress for visiting the palace. Unfortunately, it being a hot day and me having all my stuff in my suitcase in the hotel, I didn’t have a long skirt or trousers on and my shoulders weren’t covered. I did have a sarong/scarf, but then nothing to cover my other half, so I bought a nice sarong, only to find out at the palace entrance that this wasn’t acceptable, even though it looked lovely and went down to my ankles. It only set me back 100THB/£2.30 anyway, but the principle annoyed me and I gave up on the Grand Palace. There was still sticky rice to be eaten and a Buddha to see.

So, to quench my hunger, I journeyed east towards K. Panich to sample their renowned mango sticky rice.

I managed to find my way to what had become a Mecca for sticky rice and promptly joined the queue and fellow customers waiting for their hotly anticipated mango sticky rice. I wasn’t waiting too long, but long enough to get jealous of everyone else who got served before me.

It was delicious. At first, I didn’t really understand what was going on with the flavours, but they work horribly well together – slightly salty sticky rice and ripe mango with coconut milk poured on the rice. Genius. That set me up for the morning and gave me the energy and strength to walk to the Reclining Buddha. I actually ate it as I walked, and went over a little pedestrian bridge on the way. Not much to write home about, and yet here I am… writing about it.

I also walked past a gate to an enclosed, walled-off area to see what looked like a mini temple. You never know what’s hiding behind a wall in Bangkok… (after some research it turns out that this is indeed a temple – Wat Ratchapradit Sathit Maha Simaram)

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Wat Pho

After 20 minutes of walking and eating, I reached Wat Pho, the Reclining Buddha Temple. All I knew to expect was a massive gold reclining Buddha, and to be fair, that’s what I got, but also so much more. It was like Wat Arun 2.0.

As with many restaurants, shops, houses and public buildings, you had to take off your shoes before entering the temple and they provided green canvas bags for you to carry them in while you walked around. As you walk in it’s right there on your left. I guess once they got the Buddha built they ran out of space for little atriums etc. It was absolutely huge and according to Wikipedia (therefore it must be true) “the temple is first on the list of six temples in Thailand classed as the highest grade of the first-class royal temples”.

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The Pursuit of Power

Unsurprisingly, with all the navigating and picture-taking, my phone was draining fast of battery power and it was only about 10:30am. My next mission was to maybe find a cafe I could sit in, sip a coffee and charge my phone. Penny had recommended one called Mother Roasters, who let you choose the bean of coffee you’re after.

It’s a very eclectic place with a ground floor entrance into what looks like a garage in which a bomb went off 50 years ago and has since succumbed to the elements. But to the left was a poorly-lit staircase up to a rather bohemian meets Shoreditch small outdoor terrace/balcony where several cats had decided to sleep. I went inside and tried to figure out their system of choosing what coffee to have and in what form (iced/hot). There were no power sockets available and some very indecisive girls being served, and frankly I felt too hot for a coffee at this point, so I took inhaled deeply (great coffee smell), looked around and walked out again through the raging health hazard of an abandoned garage.

I walked south through the Talad Noi area, which is a big hub for repairing, recovering and selling mechanical/car parts and scrap metal. Some roads are almost completely lined with mechanic shops boasting large vats of car parts collected from different cars.

To celebrate the Talad Noi area’s particularity there is a Transformers-style statue on a roundabout.

So, having failed to get a coffee or any charge on my phone, I walked up the street for about 5 minutes until I came across HUGSsongwat, a cafe with a Japanese twist. Due to feeling a bit hot and bothered at this point, I ordered an iced coffee rather than a hot one and sat by the window where there was a phone charger already plugged in and ready to go. We were back in business! I sat and drank a delightful iced coffee while I charged my phone and came up with a game plan for the rest of my day.

I tried to outstay my welcome as long as possible to get as much charge into my phone as I could before setting off again.

I then made my way to the Marine Department river ferry stop, which had one of the grander entrances but ironically nobody around to issue me a ticket.

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Pak Khlong Talat (Flower Market)

I took the ferry up the river towards the flower market, not really knowing what to expect. I think I possibly walked in through the trade entrance, but eventually got to the main event, which consisted of lots of (chrysanthemums???) and other flowers in bunches or arranged into decorations.

It was a bit rough around the edges, perhaps like Bangkok’s flower industry’s answer to Smithfield’s market.

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RONGROS

My next mission was to find some lunch, and Penny had kindly recommended a place called RONGROS, which was a 15-minute walk away.

I got there just in the nick of time as the place was filling up. They gave me a table in the middle of the restaurant and kindly let me charge my phone while I dined. I ordered a Maryna cocktail (with rum) and some garlic chilli prawns.

They were delicious but the chilli sauce dip was probably testing my limits as my eyes began to water and I sought refuge in my cocktail.

The hotel had said they’d let me know if I could check in to my room any earlier but I hadn’t heard from them, so by 2pm I figured I would head that way, get my room key and freshen up a bit, as Bangkok was pretty sweltering, and frankly my feet needed a rest.

I got the ferry to the stop outside the hotel and checked in with no issues. They take a 500 THB/£11 deposit for your room key in case you trash the place, which I guess happens in Bangkok from time to time…

I also booked my taxi for the following morning at 6:45 to take me to the airport, which was 600 THB / £14 for a 30-minute drive north.

The room was lovely, clean and cool and even had a view of the river from the window. Having gotten to the room at about 3pm, I freshened up and then headed out at about 4 to try and catch a happy hour and sunset at one of the rooftop bars Penny had recommended. (Honestly, she’s the tour guide that keeps on giving!)

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Yào Bar

I got the ferry down the river again and walked 20 minutes to get to Yào Bar, which is a rooftop bar at the top of the Marriott Hotel. You can just walk in and go up the lift as far as it’ll take you and then take another little lift or staircase to the very top.

The first lift takes you about 33 storeys up and has some pretty impressive views as you walk out and over to the next little lift.

The little lift up to the top is a bit more of a DIY situation as you have to hold down the button to make it go up. Not something I’d come across before, but seemed better than having to hoist a pulley system.

Having held down the button for a good long 20 seconds, I figured I’d earnt myself a cocktail and sat down in the nice seating area and ordered an expensive espresso martini.

I had a nice video chat with Mum while I was up there and we kind of watched the sun go down together. It was nice to share it with her and have a nice chat at the same time. I’d rather she was here, but WhatsApp will have to do! The wonders of the Internet!

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Scarlett Bar

Sun was setting fast and I wanted to get to the next bar before it went down completely, so I paid up at Yào and headed down the road to Scarlett Bar, which is at the top of Hotel G. They run a wine happy hour from 5-7 where a glass of wine is 100 THB/£2.30. Rude not to really…

I hadn’t booked but since there was only one of me and the maitre d’y was French, they kindly gave me arguably one of the best seats in the house, providing I vacated it by 6:40pm for their next reservation. No problem, I said.

You weren’t supposed to wear flip flops up there, but I think my trousers were long and loud enough to distract them.

I eventually got evicted/asked to move from my table and make way for the next load of punters, so I dragged myself inside and sat at the bar where I was served another glass of wine just before happy hour expired. This time I spoke to both Mum and Dad and had a nice chat about what I’d been doing and what’s been happening in Devon.

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Family Restaurant

After three or four glasses of wine I was more than ready for some dinner and was kind of keen to see the Khao San Road. Not knowing exactly how to get there using public transport, I grabbed a taxi using the app Grab to Family Restaurant – another recommendation from seasoned travellers Ollie and Emma. Slightly worryingly, the Grab taxi driver seemed to be fully texting while at traffic lights and using his phone on his lap for directions. Did he not even have a phone holder???

Family Restaurant is seemingly a family affair. The staff are very friendly and all wear sports tops. The food is so delicious that you forget you ordered a drink. And it’s cheap too! A pad Thai with shrimp was 110 THB/£2.75.

A couple of French guys sat down at the table next to mine, and seeing as my phone battery was dying and there wasn’t much else to do, I decided to strike up a conversation with them. They were backpacking hostel-style and heading to Koh Tao the following day, or so they believed, having not even booked their transport or hotel at this point. I mean, I’m generally laid back, but that’s a bit of a stretch for me in a country where I don’t speak the language at all.

We chatted about our travels and things until about 10pm and then it was time for me to head back to the hotel with what little phone battery I had left to order a taxi with.

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Hotel nightcap

I had wanted to explore the Khao San Road with all the craziness and street food, but sadly just ended up driving past it instead.

Back at the hotel, I’d been given a voucher for a free welcome drink at their riverside bar, so I cashed that in for a strawberry daiquiri and sat by the river one last time before saying goodnight to the wilderness that is Bangkok.