Travel Thailand: I'm in Bangkok!

I'm in Bangkok!

I belong. I had more days in Cambodia than any other country that I've been to in my five-country escapade.

For now, let us skip Cambodia and talk about my experience in Thailand. I took the bus from Siem Reap, Cambodia going to Bangkok, Thailand. I was with several tourists during the ride.

We left Siem Reap at night and arrived at the border between Cambodia and Thailand early in the morning. It is cool to be moving from one Kingdom to another.

Getting stamped out of the Kingdom of Cambodia

As part of the cross border procedures, we have to move out from the bus and head to the immigration counters to have our passport stamped out of Cambodia.

With that, i need to cross the border of Cambodia and Thailand. Crossing borders has always been fun and of course challenging as you get to meet face to face with the immigration officers.

It is nerve-wracking at times as you might be asked several questions. As a tip, you just have to bring out that confidence in you and prove you have the capacity to finance your travel.

For sure, you want to tell the officer you know where to go.

Getting in in the Kingdom of Thailand

While waiting for our transport, we took time to have selfie. With a Japanese friend & European guy.

This is a small cab transporting us from the border to the pick up point of the van taking us to Bangkok. We quite thought this small vehicle will have to be our official transportation down. It is going to be one hell of a ride.

In travelling outside the country, you can get along easily with fellow Asians and I speak little Nihongo so meeting new Nihonjin no tomodachi comes so easily too.

I was glad for the 15day entry pass for Thailand, though I had 30days for Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Singapore.

Apparently, I just need a day in Thailand since I will be heading to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia right away as my days are getting shorter already for my trip back to my home country, the Philippines. When I arrive in Kuala Lumpur, I will have to leave after a day for Singapore, so I could catch my flight home from SG to Philippines.

After being cleared with the immigration counters, we have to go with the rest of the group and outside the immigration building, our tour guide is waiting for us to send us to the pick up point for our van going to Bangkok, Thailand.

Yes, we had to change transport from a bus to a van.

It was funny though because it seemed we quite stayed very long at the restaurant where the van gets to pick us up. Then eventually, one tourist said we might as well need to order some food.

It was breakfast time so we filled our empty stomach with some nourishment. Thailand was known for its food. Its one of Asia's best.

The journey from Thai border to Bangkok was enjoyable. Land travel in a different country gets you a better picture. There were lots of huge rubber plantation on the way down and several plain lands. There is a train from the border going down to Bangkok but based on my readings, it could take me longer hours so chances are, I could miss my flight.

Thailand is also popular for its rice exports, the Philippines being one of its rice importers.

Having only a day in Bangkok is quite a pressure. Honestly, if I had more days to spend, I would love to stay longer in this country. When I arrived, I also got mistaken as a Thailander so my face really belonged in this part of Southeast Asia. One Thai even told me I could get free entrance in the sites here for my looks. Eh, I am Thai now. Hehe.

I was tracking my phone's GPS so I know our proximity to Bangkok. Getting near the city, I got amazed to see that Bangkok is really clean.I believe the city was planned well, too.

The City of Bangkok

I was with 2 Singaporean tourists after everyone in the group has to go to their own itineraries.

Khao San Road in Bangkok, Thailand

The van stopped somewhere near Khao San Road, it is famous for travelers as the night party here is really exciting.

A lot of stuff is sold along the streets and food is affordable yet delicious. I got a pizza on the street of Khao San and enjoyed every bite for a few Thai Baht (Thailand's currency).

The Thai Baht

The public bus in Bangkok, Thailand

The Tuktuk in Thailand

You have been to Thailand if you've seen the tuktuk. It is a popular mode of transport in all of Thailand.

I left my baggage in my hostel and got rested for a few minutes and went out to experience the city of Bangkok. I had my first ride in a public bus from Khao San to Siam Paragon. I am not really sure if Thai people really use English as one of their secondary language since I really have to explain myself pretty well to get to my next stop in Bangkok.

It helped that Bangkok has its public transport as it makes travelling within the city affordable. The train, on the other hand, could get you to places faster.

With my first bus ride, I had my first train ride on my way to Siam Paragon.

Inside the BTS Station. Waiting for the train at the boarding platform.

Shopping is also one thing people love to do while in Bangkok. Popular brands are not so expensive here, I heard.

Siam Paragon is one of the upscale malls in Thailand.

I have to meet with my friend, Ate Cha, who will be my guide for the rest of the night before heading to the terminal for another overland travel from Bangkok, Thailand to Hat Yai, Thailand.

I was grateful for the time as she has to travel from Rayong, Thailand to accompany me in Bangkok.

Wifi is available at Siam Paragon which was helpful enough for me to communicate via the internet.

To my right is the BTS, the train in Bangkok. Siam Paragon has one of the stations so it's easy to get here.

This Wolverine Shirt I am wearing here was bought at Chatuchak Market.

All photos courtesy of Ate Cha.

Dining in Thailand

With few business talks on the side, I enjoyed the great food in Thailand courtesy of my friend here. We were quite hurrying up as the mall was about to close so we landed in a Japanese restaurant instead. Well, I love Japanese food so it was a perfect choice.

I had Thai food on the streets so having Japanese cuisine at that time was good, too.

Ate Cha asked me where to go next. I watched the movie 'Hangover' and wanted to check some of its locations.

To do that, we scoured the streets of Bangkok. Walking at night here gets you awe-inspired with Bangkok's nightlife.

Sure thing, there's a lot to do here when the sun is out.

Some streets in Bangkok have 'Soi' while Kuala Lumpur have 'Jalan'.

The night stroll on the streets gets you to appreciate the buildings in Thailand. Trains do not operate 24 hours so taking the taxi would be your preferred option to get to places at night in Bangkok.

On our journey, we hit a very lively street that is for sure for the adults only. It was a strip of nightclubs but surprisingly, things are quite different here. Outside the bar, you get to see ladies and 'not really ladies' displayed like canned goods in a store. It was fun really seeing them there.

I got few photos here but not for the blogs, haha.

Well, time is running out so fast.

We had to go back to my hostel and get my bags, head to the terminal and wait for my bus out of Bangkok.

But, my Singaporean friends are quite waiting for us there for some beer with acoustic band on the background.

Every single hour meant a lot in Bangkok. It's like you wanted to do so much in a very limited time you have.

But all of it was worth it.

As I still have ample time in the afternoon before my dinner with Ate Cha here at Siam Paragon, I decided to have a quick view of Chatuchak Market in Bangkok. Good thing there is a train station nearby Chatuchak Market.

My Thai friend in Cebu, Philippines already told me about Chatuchak. It is a night market like what we have in Manila, Philippines, Divisoria.

At the ticketing machine at the train station, I quite had a hard time getting my ticket for the train ride. The language was Thai. Fortunately, Thai people are helpful and with my Thai looks, things got even easier. I felt like I really looked Thai as I get stares at the train, ha ha.

Commuters queuing at the train station in Bangkok, Thailand.

The BTS ticket card

At the terminal in Bangkok for my bus to Hat Yai, we waited few hours for the departure time. The terminal was huge. There were several counters so you have to make sure you checked in in the right counter and not miss the bus.

You can't afford to do that considering the time constraint.

It was a long oddyseus journey to Hat Yai. With the long travels in the past few days, it emptied my energy. Wise enough to just choose to sleep most of the ride. I only wake up when the bus stops and get us go out for food at some restaurant along the way. The bus is air-conditioned so it just feels like you are in a hotel. It is a double-decker bus, huge. It's like having a loft upstairs.

Sleeping is important while you travel. You need to get energized to enjoy the sites.

After the hours I spent on the road, it was dusk when I arrived in Hat Yai, Thailand. The terminal here is just small compared to the one in Bangkok.

I hurried to see if I can still get on a night bus going to Kuala Lumpur.

In your travels, you get feelings of enjoyment, happyness, loneliness sometimes, worriedness, and a lot more.

But arriving in Hat Yai got me worried. Seriously, there is no more bus trips to Kuala Lumpur anymore. In my calculations, I have to get a night bus so I still have enough time to get to Kuala Lumpur, then Singapore.

Wow, I welcomed myself to Amazing Race Southeast Asia, my own version.

Good luck to me!!