Bangkok

We had a leisurely morning with breakfast and a walk around the palace mote before getting ready to head to the airport. We bid farewell to our guide "SuSu," checked in, and got through "security" (such as it is). The airline gave us coupons for a free lunch at a cafe near our gate, so the seven of us sat there and chatted. The food wasn't great, and the drinks came with ice cubes made from tap water, so we ate but did not drink.

The flight was uneventful. They seated us randomly, but we traded seats so that everyone got to sit next to their spouse/partner. The plane and crew were Bulgarian, operating under contract to the local airline. We thought that a bit odd -- they were a long way from home! But we had a full meal and free wine on only a one and a half hour flight. The food wasn't much better than that in the airport cafe, but at least we had the wine and something to keep our bellies full.

Our tour director, "Todd," met us at the airport. He is a little guy who is a bit nerdy, but very organized and no-nonsense -- quite different from the flighty young girl who guided us in Myanmar. I suspect he'll lighten up a bit once we get going.

The hotel was the same one we stayed in for a few hours on our transit through Bangkok to Yangon, but we weren't here long enough to really see it. We walked around the neighborhood in the evening a bit. Thailand -- or at least Bangkok -- is quite a bit more advanced and cosmopolitan than Myanmar. Nevertheless, we have to come to the lobby for internet in this hotel. Good signal but not convenient. Our hotel room is a suite, with a large living room and a kitchenette, and separate bedroom. It's a little old and worn, but certainly spacious. It is considerably more humid here, and lots of mosquitos (even amid the high-rises of this modern, bustling city), some of which have already found me.