Despite being avid travellers, having spent more than 30 weeks on the road this year, we have never visited any part of Asia. This trip was a challenge that would push us entirely out of our comfort zone! Join us in our upcoming blogs as we guide you through our adventures backpacking in Thailand in our 50s, beginning with five days in Bangkok before heading to Kanchanaburi and the Bridge over the River Kwai.
It was on a cold, damp day in October that we set off on our long journey to Bangkok, catching the train to Manchester airport. We had set out to use public transport as much as possible on the trip rather than doing an organised tour.
We were both looking forward to the first leg of the journey as our Emirates flight to Dubai was on the Airbus A380 and it didn't disappoint.
I had to try and not think about how something so enormous can take off and stay in the sky! The seats were so much more spacious and roomy than the Virgin flight we had taken to Florida earlier in the year, definitely worth the slight premium we paid for the 8 hour flight. It certainly made the 2nd part of the journey feel more squished as it was a 7 hour flight on a Boeing 777, but by that point we were so tired after a few wines and a 3 hour stopover in Dubai and it was 3am so we slept for most of the journey anyway.
Arriving in Bangkok was quite an experience. Passport control was extremely busy, and the requirement to see everyone's boarding pass was causing delays as people searched for them—something we hadn't encountered before.
Richard had looked into how to travel from the airport to the hotel via the train system, which functioned flawlessly. We went down to the airport's basement, took a few minutes to figure out the ticket machine, and boarded the train all in about 15 minutes.
The journey into the city is quite lengthy, but it's fascinating to watch the landscape transform as the downtown skyscrapers draw nearer. The train was crowded yet felt very secure. As we exited the train in the city, our senses were overwhelmed. We were first struck by the intense heat and humidity of the midday sun, followed by a cacophony of sounds—motorbikes roaring, car engines revving, horns honking, and vendors shouting as they peddle their goods. Then, the scent hits you, a blend of engine fumes, food aromas, and a faint hint of drains, all combined. Welcome to the city!
The hotel was a 10-minute walk from the train station, taking us down one of the city's busiest roads. It took roughly 10 minutes to gather the nerve to cross the street—there was a crossing but no lights, and it seemed like no one stopped. Finally, we dashed across, taking cues from the locals—at least the cars and scooters slowed down a bit for us!
The De Prime Rangnam Hotel, our home for the next five nights, was a delightful sight. We had included the hotel in our holiday package through Trailfinders because the idea of selecting one on Booking.com felt overwhelming. Accommodation in Thailand is very affordable, and this felt like luxury for just £70 a night. Our room was large and spacious on the 7th floor, offering fantastic views of the city. There was an infinity pool on the 8th floor, and the breakfast was exceptional, offering a wide variety of choices from both European and Asian cuisines.
How can we describe Bangkok? We approached the city with an open mind, having heard varied opinions from other travellers, and had considered leaving early if we found that 5 days was excessive. However, the opposite turned out to be true; there is still so much we want to explore and experience, and we will certainly come back someday.
This is the city that never sleeps, a city that is always in motion and culturally unlike anything we've encountered before. Street vendors continually call out, trying to lure you into spending money. Food carts are stationed at every street corner and several spots in between, while Tut Tuts and scooter taxis compete for your attention. Although it sometimes feels like navigating a gauntlet, we never felt unsafe or in danger at any point.
Thailand has a constant temperature of around 32 degrees and we struggled at times in the blistering sun. It is so easy navigating around the city using the MRT and SRT trains, and at times they were a welcome break from the heat with their icy cold air conditioning.
Upon arriving, one of our initial tasks was to address our phone contracts since our EE SIM doesn't cover data roaming in Thailand. We went to the nearest large shopping mall at Siam Square and resolved our SIM issues at the AIS store. We required a SIM with unlimited data and a reliable upload speed to upload our YouTube content if the hotel Wi-Fi was inadequate. At approximately £25 each for a month, we considered it a good deal.
We were mesmerised by the shopping malls - you would literally go out of one huge mall with all the designer stores straight into another. In Siam square area alone there are 4 enormous malls all within walking distance of each other. We enjoyed a couple of hours in the MBK centre which is where the markets are honing our bartering skills. We also found that the food courts in the malls were a soft introduction to Thai food and had our first couple of meals there.
Wat Arun
We enjoyed a few amazing days visiting the Temples scattered throughout the city. Wat Arun (meaning temple of Dawn and is named after the God Aruna) was our first stop, which we accessed via the river ferry, offering us a unique view of the city and a chance to relax and take in the scenery. The Temples are major tourist destinations, bustling with visitors from all over the world. At Wat Arun, we encountered Instagram tourists for the first time, who rent national costumes for elaborate photo shoots, often choosing inconvenient spots that disrupt the flow of the crowds.
The temple walls at Wat Arun are lavishly adorned with vibrant porcelain and seashells. It features a unique spire, known as a 'prang,' visible for miles against the night skyline and is the tallest in Bangkok, standing approximately 82 meters high. Scattered around the temple are numerous sculptures of mythical creatures and demons that serve as its guardians.
Tourists visiting the temples are required to follow dress codes, which include covering shoulders and knees. I brought an extra T-shirt and purchased some beautiful, flowing Thai trousers for our temple visits, but pashmina scarves are available for rent at the entrance if needed.
On the day we visited Wat Arun, we found ourselves stranded as the river boats all stopped running from 11am - 4pm. We were later to find out that there was a full rehearsal for the Royal Barge Processsion that was happening later that week. The ceromony of the King presenting robes to the monks is a rare event that happens every 5 or 6 years and we were lucky enough to see it in all its glory on our last day in Bangkok. Luckily the underground trains were still running so we managed to find a route back across the river so we could continue our explorations.
The reclining Buddha - Wat Pho
Wat Pho was my favorite temple due to its opulence and vibrancy. The grounds are impeccably kept, and just when you believe you've seen it all, you pass through another arch into a courtyard filled with archways and rooms adorned with golden Buddha statues. The main attraction of Wat Pho is undoubtedly the temple that contains the remarkable, gigantic 46-meter-long, gold-plated reclining Buddha. Truly magnificent!
The Golden Mount Temple
On what was likely one of the hottest days in Bangkok, we made our way to the Golden Mount Temple. The journey from the train station was quite a trek, taking us through an industrial area that was closed for the day because of the King's Procession. The Temple is perched atop a hill, requiring quite a climb to reach. The view from the summit was magnificent, accompanied by the continuous sound of bells in the air. A chilled drink at the top was greatly welcomed.
We went from the serene beauty of the temple to the lively chaos of Khao San Road, the infamous backpacker hub made popular by the opening scenes of the film 'The Beach.' WOW - what a wild place! We sat down with a cold beer, observing the bustling activity around us. It was a distinctly different tourist spot compared to anywhere else we had visited in Bangkok. A steady stream of hawkers approached us at the bar, selling everything from skewered scorpions to fake Ray-Bans. Throughout our travels in Thailand, we found the pervasive smell of weed, now legalized, to be quite overwhelming and off-putting. It seems there's a shop selling it every third or fourth storefront as you walk down most streets.
Our final stop was supposed to be the Golden Temple, however it was already closed so it will have to wait for our next visit to Thailand. As we walked towards the train station we could see crowds gathering by the river, all dressed in yellow and gold. The Temples loss was our gain as we had timed it perfectly to catch the actual Kings Procession on the river. It was a privilege to be a part of this rare occasion and a beautiful sight to see the ornately decorated barges floating down the river. There was such a calm atmosphere with families gathered along the river side. By the time the procession had finished it was sunset so we watched the sky light up across the river.
Finally we had the perfect end to an already incredible day. As we got to the train station, there was a small festival in the gardens next to it that was free to enter and join in. It was full of families, with traditional Thai music being performed and delicious street food vendors around the edges. Again we were stuck by how calm the event was with big groups of friends picnicking and chatting.
Lumphini Park and China Town
On our final day in Bangkok, we visited Lumphini Park and China Town. The park serves as a tranquil oasis amidst the city's hustle and bustle and is famous for its large reptilian inhabitants - the water monitor lizards. I was taken aback by their enormous size! Fortunately, they appeared quite docile, and I made sure to keep my distance as there are dozens of them around. The park is very peaceful, and we enjoyed an hour of relaxation before returning to the city's chaos.
China Town, in contrast, was far from quiet and peaceful! We intended to grab some lunch but seemed to be in the wrong area, as we couldn't find any restaurants, and the street food vendors weren't fully set up for the day yet. The sights and smells of the food markets were indescribable—I could probably only recognize about 5% of the foods on display!
At one point, we ventured into the small, narrow side streets that led to even smaller and narrower alleys, with market stalls lining each side. It was a different kind of Thai merchandise on sale, mostly cheap, sparkly plastic items, and many shops were making Christmas decorations! China Town was an unforgettable experience! Most people we've spoken to since have mentioned that it's much better later in the afternoon and at night.
A major highlight of our time in Bangkok was reuniting with two of our former university housemates who are both teaching here. It had been over 30 years since we last saw either of them, yet it felt like just yesterday. We spent a few hours together, enjoying several Changs while catching up. It was wonderful to receive recommendations and tips from them for the remainder of our trip.
The bar Scott had suggested we meet at was just below Nana train Station. For those of you who know Bangkok - it is in the heart of the red light district which was certainly an eye opener for us. The market vendors were certainly trading in very different products than what we had come across on the rest of our travels around Bangkok!!
There is so much more I could write about Bangkok, but these are just some of the highlights of our visit. It was a mad, full on 5 days that we loved. Lots of memories made already and we had only just started our adventure.
We have uploaded our first few YouTube videos from the Thai trip which you can access in the link below
Over the next few weeks, I'll be writing blogs about each area we explored. I intentionally left my laptop behind so we could fully enjoy our travels!
Jackie and Richard
HI, what an excellent blog, perfect to accompany the Youtube vids !