last bit of bangkok

So to end off our wonderful travels we headed back to Bangkok. I had had a sucky night before we left. Clearly the (delicious) cheese soufflé and two glasses of red wine didn't agree with me and I was up in the middle of the night to say 'howzit' to the toilet. Luckily it was over with as quick as it started so I was very fortunate.

We stayed at an lovely little home slash restaurant, Tham Na - near to Khao San Road. Not only did they serve the most super delicious vegetarian food, but our friend from SA, Gen, was staying just down the road too. She has been teaching english in Bangkok for a few years and has made a nice little home for herself.

That night Gen took us on a tour down Khao San which was very fascinating as we had pretty much avoided anything vaguely touristy. It wasn't as bad as we would have thought… Later we headed down to the river were old and young were lighting their krathongs and placing them in the river. It was a lovely evening, full moon and officially the second day of winter in thailand. Hmmm, I'm scared to ask what it must be like in summer!

The next morning we headed off to shopping central again, where I badly attempted to finalise some shopping but all I came out with was cute hand painted fingernails. 5th floor, MBK near the food court, only 200 baht. I chose a bit of a kakky colour, but the detail was so incredible. If I lived in Bangkok, I'd have my nails painted like that every week.
We then bought the most friggin tasty pretzel outside of Germany (the thai can really fake anything) and then attempted to catch a taxi back to samsen road. Holy crap, the traffic in Bangkok can be exhausting, I don't know how the taxi drivers do it.
Just across the road from our hometaurant was a thai massage parlour, where Mr T and I treated ourselves to our last, best and cheapest thai massage yet. Damn I miss thai massage.

Then it was back to the room to pack and meet Gen for dinner before heading off to the airport. I had the most magnificent mushroom burger, that tasted just like meat. Sjoe. Mr T had also discovered the joys of their thai iced tea the day before.

So off we went to the airport, with honestly the craziest driver we had ever come across in thailand. This dude clearly wanted to get us to the airport in record time, which involved driving and overtaking at breakneck speed, and avoiding braking at any cost. We couldn't look.

I nearly burst into tears at the checkin counter when I was told that because I had changed credit cards, they would not be able to issue me with a ticket and I may have to buy a new one. Oh my word, I went into immediate grovel and grateful mode when the manager was able to help me. I was kop koon ka'ing all the way to passport control.

Suvarnabhumi Airport (they pronounce it kinda like Swanepoel) has to be one of my least favourite international airports. Its STRANGE. The set up is strange. And its pretty cold and ugly. Whatever.
We were so lucky, our flight home was half empty and we pretty much got to spread out and sleep wherever we liked. Arriving in O R Tambo was strange. Passport control was surprisingly organised, but what surprised us the most is how LOUD south africans are. Okay, so maybe it was just jetlag. Jetlag is the strangest thing I have ever experienced, my poor brain was honestly not computing for about 5 days.

It has been such an adjustment after the holiday, Mr T and I are desperate to keep the relaxed thai stresslessness, but it has been difficult…

I miss holidays!

really modern menu

tham na, an urban oasis

good old airline food (note the painted nail)