Back in Bangkok - A smooth flight and a slow start

We took the 21:15 British Airways flight from London Gatwick on 4th November. It’s been a few years since we last flew from Gatwick, so it was a pleasant surprise to see the South Terminal has been refurbished.

The flight was smooth and we touched down only a few minutes behind schedule, arriving in Bangkok late afternoon on 5th November. For anyone who’s been before, you’ll know Suvarnabhumi International Airport is around 19 miles from the city centre — and that journey can take well over an hour during peak time. Options include taxis, Uber, or Grab, but we always prefer the Airport Rail Link. It connects easily with the BTS Skytrain, gets us into the city faster, and for two people costs just £4.22 in total. A bargain — and you get the bonus of the air-conditioned Skytrain moving faster than the traffic below.

We’re staying, as usual, across the Chao Phraya River at a lovely B&B. The hosts are warm and welcoming, the rooms are spotless, and breakfast is superb.

Our first full day was a slow one. Sometimes, after a long-haul flight, you adjust quickly and dive straight into your new location — but not this time. We spent most of the day drifting in and out of naps, which did nothing for our jet lag. By 3 a.m., we were both wide awake, which did not bode well for the day ahead.

Today, though, we ventured out. We took the Chao Phraya ‘Hop-On Hop-Off’ tourist boat for a leisurely ride to Khaosan Road. It was fairly quiet — most of the backpackers were still sleeping off the night before — and the £3.52 day pass made it an easy and scenic way to explore. The route stops at major attractions like Wat Pho, Arun Temple, the Grand Palace, and Chinatown. Having visited most of them before, we were happy just to watch the views from our riverboat seats.

Every evening we've found good local restaurants away from the main tourist spots, serving our favourite Pad Kra Pao at approximately £1.40 per person. It’s crazy to think that the same dish costs £15.50 at a Thai chain restaurant back in the UK.

The retail industry is certainly geared up and ready for the festive season.  ICONSIAM shopping mall has an amazing display along the river bank with nightly light shows.

Next stop: on Saturday 8th November, we’ll be leaving Bangkok and heading northeast. With a typhoon moving in from East Asia, we’re hoping to dodge the worst of the rain — but whatever the weather brings, it’s good to be back in Thailand. 😊