Sightseeing Partner Wanted
 

I am passing through Bangkok on my way home and I have a 24 hour layover from the night of 8/18 till 11:30 PM on 8/19. I've never been and would love to explore the city with someone likeminded. I am a 29 yo female business traveller - not looking for a date, rather someone fun to explore a city and share a meal with. I look forward to your responses! Donna

donna--i understand your question, but honestly this is not the type of thing that belongs posted here....sorry...

Donna, I see no problem with your post. I can't blame you for wanting to meet up with someone to explore the city with! It is a great city!

If you explore this forum, you will see MANY posters meeting up with other posters for drinks, dinner and exploration of Bangkok.

Don't mind Bob (rhkkmk). He gets up on the wrong side of the bed sometimes. He is even one of the people that meets up with, even initiates meetings with other Fodorites while in Bangkok! Maybe his reply is in jest? Do tell, Bob. ;-)

Is that Donna as in Hair:
http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/hair/donna.htm

Or R.Valens:
http://www.guntheranderson.com/v/data/donna.htm

Or this one:
http://www.karabarnard.com/music/donna.htm

I see nothing wrong with the post. It can be fun to run around the city with someone. Unfortunately, I'll be there a week later. Good luck in your search. Happy Travels!

Hi

Try www.hospitalityclub.org . Maybe you will find some members that can join you for dinner. It is always great to have dinner with a local...they will know the best places to go and they can explain a bit about the local food :d Good luck.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

Gard, do you have first hand experience with this club? It definitely peaked my interest!

Gee Whiz Bob, that was a nice slap in the face to wake up to. I don't know how often you travel, but it's not always easy to be on the road alone, and since so many lovely people here seem to be so helpful, I thought someone else might be in my boat!! I don't understand what was inappropriate about my post?

To everyone else, thanks for your kind words. I think I might take other forum user suggestions and hire a guide. This will "appropriately" solve the problem. Tong is unavailable that day. Has anyone used anyone from her team before?

I think Bob has a wheel of misfortune that he spins before responding. If it lands on Grouch, away he goes. Actually, I sort of like it. Adds spice.

Donna:

You go, girl! And have a great time!

mcb

A driver is a great idea with only one day!

Aloha!

Being a female who travels on vacation alone, I TOTALLY understand your situation. Although I love traveling/vacationing alone and have been doing it since I was 17...3-plus decades...sometimes it would be just fun to hang out with someone... especially when I'm in the mood to go clubbing which I won't do alone unless in a hotel club. Happy Travels!

IMHO, I don't think it is necessary to hire a guide. You can easily see the major sites from the river taxi and it is easy to do.

What is your hotel budget for the night? Many of us can help you there, too.

The majority of the folks on this board are very helpful and positive so just do your best to take the negative posts in stride.

Cheers!

I'm not big on hiring guides (perhaps because I've been to Bangkok so many times), but if I just had one day, I would hire a driver. If you are staying along the river, you can get to several of the major Wats plus the Grand Palace via water taxi, but many other places you'll want to see are away from the river, like the Jim Thompson House and the Erawan Shrine.

Bob, are you becoming a curmudgeon or do you just have your knickers in a knot? :-)

I travel alone on business a lot, and, as a personal preference when in the US actually like to dine alone, not talk- as I usually talk all day if I'm working. If I'm overseas, I normally have a local person, connected with our company, who will take me out to the environs. However, I can imagine that a lone woman traveler, overseas, who has looked at this site might be interested in joining another Fodorite who might know where to go for an evening.

I can't begin to tell you how many cities I have been to, and because I'm a woman alone have virtually been stuck at my hotel, especially when it is not in the center of a downtown area. This is usually in the USA. It's not so easy to be walking around areas you are unfamilliar with when you are a woman alone. I'm not afraid, however, I have had a couple of experiences where my heart was racing pretty hard from walking back to my hotel after coming back from a restaurant. When you have 2 or 3 panhandlers crossing the street to solicit you and you are alone at night, hey room service looks good.

Incidentally, one of my most recent worst experiences was in the UK (my place of birth and where I lived until I was 27) in what I didn't realise was a rough area on a Saturday night when I had had a few glasses of wine myself but was waaaaaay more sober than anyone else on the street. This was returning from dinner from about 5 blocks from my hotel. I was scared, it was a bit like clockwork orange... anyone remember that?

If you travel on business overseas, in a really foreign environment, it is more unsettling. I have been very fortunate to be well hosted in most countries, but still recall being in Istanbul, Sevilla, Berlin and a few other places where I didn't feel comfortable being far from my hotel during an evening. What a shame to miss out on the atmosphere of the place.

In fact Bob, I find I'm in Boston Sept 7 and 8th, was so sad to be missing the GTG,in Oct, it would have been real fun to be with Fodorites. Actually, if any Boston locals are up to a mini GTG on the 8th, Sept I'd love it. More smiles.
Sue

sorry....i guess i am out of bounds, at least according to my critics....i thought it odd when i first read it and i still think it a bit odd 12 hours later when i have reread it...i might add that my wife called it to my attention this AM and she thought it odd at the time too....

its bkk after all and what is bkk known for??

but i am not a single woman travelling abroad alone so i do not understand...

hope she does not turn out to be an ax-murderer...

i have to stand with my original statement...sorry...

Hi

Yes, I do have some experience with hospitalityclub.org. Last year I had three German students stay over in my flat and this weekend an Italian couple will come to stay with me. We did try to use it when we went to Japan but we never managed to find a time that was good for both parties to meet up. But the concept is good and I get lots of requests from people that want to stay a night or two.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

I still don't understand why anyone would think it was odd? I specifically said "explore the city" not explore the companion!!! And I think the axe murderer comment is pushing it a bit far... Oh well, it takes all types, doesn't it?

At any rate, thanks all of you other Fodorites for your insight and friendliness. Guess not everyone can me nice and accepting, but it's nice to know most of you are. And I appreciate the fellow lone women travelers sharing their stories. Ordering room service or eating alone in the hotel gets old night after night.

Cheers,

D.

I've been traveling solo -- and travel a lot -- for the past 6 years, and I too love the freedom that it brings. Meals have been the trickiest problem, but I find that Bangkok and other Asian cities are some of the best places for un-companioned diners.

Many Japanese restaurants have sushi bars with seats, and these are perfect for single diners. (They're also good for couples who don't much feel like looking at each other.) Even if you don't want to have sushi, the bars are a good choice -- you can order anything off the menu.

Indian restaurants are also excellent. Although they generally don't have bars, most do offer plates that include a small sampling of many items -- it's a perfect choice for a single.

And Thailand and Bangkok are such welcoming places that I don't ever recall feeling out of place in a restaurant.

Anyway, happy travels Donna, and I'm with those that find your posting perfectly appropriate for this forum.

Donna, as you can see, most people here think Bob just has his panties in a bunch again. He gets that way but often has good suggestions. His strong opinions occassionally come across offensively.

I will be traveling solo through Laos and Thailand in November so I am staying in places where I will be more likely to meet other travelers to explore with. This is very difficult in large hotels.

Enjoy your short stay.

Cheers!

Donna, there is nothing wrong with your post at all. Bobs comments are out of line especially from someone who takes the time to organize GTT's with people from this board that he hasn't met in person.
One of the first places I found myself arriving on my own with no plans to meet up with anyone was indeed Bangkok. My style of travel tends to be I like to wander so a guide was not something I thought of. It is certainly not a bad idea at all if you really want to get out there and see some things in such a short time. But if you are happy studying a map and coming up with a vauge plan that you don't mind if you don't do any of it because you will wander in a different direction then that is fine too. Just concider your preferences. It would be great if a friendly soul from this board is in town on the same day and could even manage to meet up for a drink or dinner but if not I am sure you will have a great day!
J

Two thumbs up...ladies! HAppy Travels!

Sue-where are you staying in Boston? Bob and I are actually having dinner on Sept. 9, but if logistics work, maybe we could arrange something.

Also, everyone, please refrain from images of Bob that include either Knickers or panties. Some of us have vivid imaginations and weak stomachs.

Donna,
I would have been happy to show you around, but I'm stuck in the cornfields of Illinois for a while.

Gosh, GPanda, I'm at the Boston Park Plaza and Towers. Am attending a Conference but am free only the 8th (evening) This would be fantastic if a few Fodorites were also avail on the 8th Sept. And I've always wondered what a GPanda is???? Giant??

I fly out late afternoon on the 9th so the 8th is the only evening available. Would love to meet you all. But I do recall something about Bob and speedos, and I guess there were other posts about him prowling BKK in shorts and black socks, please, please don't let that be true, that alone (the black socks and shorts thing) is enough to turn even a cast iron stomach. Now that could get my knickers in a knot!
Sue

Sue-the 8th may work. Have to check work and social calendars for clearance.

Donna:

I am a 30 yo female solo traveller. I am arriving in BKK 8/19 in the evening. I have hired Tong for my first day in BKK (8/20) so that I can get my bearings and get as much as possible in a short amount of time (why can't we Americans get more days of vacation?). Looks like we will miss each other by one day, but if your plans get pushed back one day, you are more than welcome to join me (and Tong) for the day on the 20th.

Good luck to you!

Spooky....ok, hope I'm not getting like bob(lol) but look at the dates in bkk of dmwash's only other post.

should be getting like bob (lol)

Oh--well, that is because I am an idiot and was thinking the wrong month...I am going in November (over thanksgiving) and playing on Fodor at work makes me have to type too quickly and not think...thanks for pointing out the mistake...I hope I arrive at the airport on the right day!!

A bunch of Fodorites will be in BKK in November. There are G2G's planned towards the beginning and towards the end of the month (I don't remember the dates?) I think I'll be at both of them.

DMWash- Funny about the dates. LOL. Sometimes with travelling, I don't know if I'm coming or going! Hope you have a blast when you are there.

So I just got back from my 24 hour Whirlwind in BKK. The "being alone" problem was solved because much to my joy, my best friend and her husband ended up postponing their arrivalk for a few days and met me in Bangkok for the night and part of the next day! After they left for the islands, I wandered around, got a massage, went to the night bazaar... Boy was it a blast! I have to go back soon, and go to the islands this time. Good to know this forum has such great experts to consult with!

By the way, I stayed at the Millennium Hilton, and contrary to some reviews I read it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Gorgeous hotel! Being a business traveller I get to stay at a lot of beautiful places - and this was waaay up there. The service was great, the design gorgeaous, convenient to get around, great breakfast. I haven't been to any of the other BKK hotels, but I can imagine this one would definitely measure up. I also happened to stumble into a great Spa near the Si Long Complex when I couldn't get an appt. at "The Health Club." If anyone is interested, I have the card and would be happy to share.

Happy travels!!!

Hi Ohdonnaoh...
Love that name by the way. So glad you ended up not being alone. BKK is a wonderful place to visit hope you can get back.
Thanks for the review of the new Hilton. I have a lot of Hilton points and am considering a few days there in the New Year.
Sue
BTW couldn't resist, but no Ax murderings for you???? :-0

Sue,

Thanks! Axe murdering - I was tempted but I restrained my serial killer tendencies that Bob so keenly picked up on and BKK remained safe! :)

Enjoy the Hilton!

Glad you had a great time! HAppy Travels!