talk about cool, i saw in the thai newspaper yesterday, a photo of ice crystals on flowers in chiang mai.

ken--doubtful

i have been charged 150B for each w/d... my bank changed its w/d parameters and would not allow mw morw than 3000 B per transaction... they will be paying the fees!!
i got that changed yesterday thankfully

It's quite cold, for Thailand, in the North and Northeast of the country. In Chiang Mai and Ubon it was in the low teens last night but by midday it was around 28C.

Bob I hope the weather stay this way for a few more days so you can finally experience what the Thai cool spell feel like. It's a good time to eat outside and smoke cigars, that is if Andy is better.

Have fun at Kinnaree!

A fine gtg last night! It was great to finally met both Fanny and Lori in person, as well as to see old friends.

Today is our last day in Bangkok, so we're off to the spa.

You're the first one to report on the GTG. Glad it went well. Enjoy your last spa visit.

Carol

Wonderful GTG and it was so nice to meet old and new friends! Bob made the reservation for 16 people but Mango & kw did not show up but our group did have a great time.

yes, it was a great time last night, as i got to meet lori, fanny, maureen, michael, and tong, and seeing old friends again. i brought my stun gun for nothing.

special thanks to hanuman for the delicious prosecco. i think the gang at hanumans end of the table drank most of it. lol.

Pictures! Pictures!! We want pictures. I want proof that you all had a good time (haha).

It was a great evening. All absent friends and others were toasted in the most generous of contributions, Prosecco provided by Hanuman.

Both Hanuman and MichaelBKK deserve a special thanks for selecting the delicious food, and of course as always Bob and Andy for coming up with the idea.

It was indeed very special to meet the faces, behind the names.

Kathie: Great to see you're back in Bangkok and having a good time with other Asia Fodorites!

Have a safe trip home!

A few last notes on Bangkok: It seems every time we come to Bangkok the optins for Skytrain passes are differnt. This time we purchased passes good for 20 trips in 30 days for 440 baht (22 baht/trip). We're here 6 days this trip, and we'll use exactly all 20. Ther are passes for more trips within 30 days that work out to 20 baht per trip. Ther is a 30 baht charge for issuing the card.

We decided to try a new spa this trip, so went to Healthland Spa on Sathorn. It's a large spa, very clean. Not much ambiance to speak of (though there are orchids in the treatment rooms) but good, competent treatments at bargain prices. I had a 60 minute body polish and a 90 minute aromatherapy massage for a total of 1600 baht (about $50). Cheryl had a 90 minutes aromatherapy massage and a 60 minute facial for 2250 baht.

It's been great to be in Bangkok, as always. Tomorrow AAC will pick us up about 4 am to head back to cold and rainy Seattle.

It's been great following along on your adventure. Parting is always such sweet sorrow--especially when it's from BKK.

I look forward with very eager anticipation to reading all the details (and seeing Cheryl's fantastic pics)!

Safe travels back home!

I am obliged to insert some reality here. Bangkok is a nightmare that never gets better. No matter how many new tall buildings there are, new 5 star hotels, new malls, it is noisy, dirty, traffic is standing still probably in the same place when I was there 2 years ago, nearly impossible to walk in many places and now overpriced for what is sold/offered, and the only Thais who speak to farangs have a gimmick. The higher income tourists are almost entirely shoppers and the lower income are mainly trash. One trip to Bkk is enough.

we have a reality check

you obviously have been to a different bangkok then the rest of us.

thanks for the two cents no one asked for.

"One trip to Bkk is enough'

I've got 25+ under my belt and still finding fun stuff to do and interesting people to meet.

>>>It's been great to be in Bangkok, as always.<<<

(Centre of the Known Universe, indeed.)


Great writing Kathie! It has it all, save for Singapore Air. (And, 'btw', any chance you stayed on floor 25 at the Royal Orchid Sheraton? A rather special 'good karma' Bangkok business trip locale for me.

Hope you return soon to the Land of Smiles; two days for me, and looking forward to that SIA arrival from SIN. (Not 'your' hotel, this trip.) (And also 'real' Thai food, cool pools and yes, accommodating masseuses.)

Thanks again, have fun in the great northwest and do research SQ -- thank you.

macintosh (robert)


... gente hostess, in your sarong ,,,

LOL, we all have our own take on reality, don't we?

Posting from Narita, after a fine flight in the new Biz seats. Unfortunately, we found out that the info we'd been given about the new biz seats on our next flight is wrong (even though the new seating plan appeared on the United website as I was choosing seats for the flight). Another reminder of the ever-changing face of reality.

Of course we're already talking about next year. I guess I'd better do the Burma trip report before I get caught up in the planning for next November.

PS, AO, you'll be pleased to know that if the plans we are considering now come to fruition there will be at least one flight on your favorite airline.

...yes, different reality for different folks...
I'm making my 19th trip (or is it 20) to BKK in a few weeks. I can't get enough of BKK. I know about all the traffic (ride the skytrain or subway). There are still many bargains to be found... take it from me!

Kathie, hope the NRT-SEA trip was comfortable. Are you saying you didn't have the flat bed configuration??? Shame.

Carol (now in Zurich)