One night in Bangkok..

Well, the first of three actually, but there's no song in that!

It's warm, muggy, and a bit wet, but we are here, away, gone, so what are we doing? Well reading the paper and writing the blog obviously!

We left the UK finally on Monday, after a lovely day at my Brother and S-in-L with the kids, Charles and Caroline, Charles knocked the door, marched in and opened the curtains at 07.20, and we knew it was going to be the start of a long day, so after Caroline joined us, we watched a bit of TV (we were sleeping in the lounge after all) before getting up, having a choice of breakfast and heading off to the woods. 

Caroline, Charles and Jackie try to remember all the things the old lady swallowed.....

It was a lovely chilled day after the hectic rush of the last week, emptying, cleaning - I left the house on my hands and knees on Thursday, walked round to the bin to deposit the bowl and floor cloth and walked away. Home to Mothers, and thought - only packing to go!
Friday we sold the car, saw the tenants moving in, set Mum up on skype (perhaps we may try that later!) final flying visit from B's sister to collect their grandmothers peach brandy (don't ask, but they are the most sentimental family ever!) and went out for a last yummy curry at Diwans with Helen and Ian and Crystal and a late arriving Manu, few beers and home to bed.
Saturday, finally packed, I still fear we have the wrong things/too much, up to the max weight limit for hold and hand baggage, so only 30kg for a year (including climbing gear) but we still have to carry it! Flying visit from Dani and the kids to collect printer/scanner and off to the Climbing club annual dinner (thanks to Rob and Alex for chauffering us!) where a great time was had by all!

odd the clothes you have to leave out right to the last minute....

 So anyway, my Dad arrived to take us off to Heathrow, where everything went swimmingly, we even managed 5 or 6 hours sleep on the 10 hour flight so can't be bad.

Arrived at the hotel which was just as promised - in a quiet street, just off the busy (slightly tawdry) Sukhumvit road, very Art Deco, right down to the music, slightly tired, but what can you expect for the money we are paying (though a warm shower would have been nice), but best of all the cat was just as promised!

Well what else would you use the telephone desk for nowadays?

We slept hideously late, have had breakfast (it's now 13.45) and are considering drifting out as it appears to have stopped raining.