I arrived in Bangkok around midnight and we exited the plane out on the runway instead of at a gate. Several large busses were ready and waiting to shuttle passengers to the airport and I was immediately hit with the humid, muggy air of Thailand. It was then that I realized I hadn't felt outside air since Tuesday morning in Atlanta! It was nice to feel the air (albeit sticky :-P) but I very much anticipated this kind of weather.
The taxi ride to the hotel was dark and quiet and only about 10 minutes, but I was able to see some beautiful buildings and even a tiny night street market. I started salivating at the sight of street food, but knew it wouldn't be until tomorrow that I would enjoy my first Thai meal.
When I arrived, there was a surplus of staff, all very smiley and friendly. I checked in with no problems, I had booked it online earlier that day while in Tokyo. One staff member took my bags and escorted me to my room and showed me how to use the A/C, TV, and what was free in the fridge (2 glass bottles of water).
After washing my clothes in the sink and taking a nice long shower, I finally hit the hay around 1:30am. Despite setting my alarm for 8am, I awoke on my own right at 7am. Man, I got this whole jet lag thing DOWN! :-P
I went to the breakfast area at 8:45am where I was given a menu with only a few choices: American breakfast (eggs, meat, toast), Omelet, and Boiled Rice. I chose the boiled rice with chicken and enjoyed the view of the front patio equipped with outdoor seating and several bikes while I waited. There was a very large fan on the floor of the dining room and the glass door to the outside was kept closed to keep the cooler air inside. My meal came out in a generous bowl and looked like soup. This was not like congee (a thick Chinese rice porridge resembling grits or oatmeal), but rather soup with rice, chicken, chives, parsley, and garlic. The chicken was tender with absolutely no gristle and had amazing flavor, different from American chicken. At first I thought I wouldn't be able to eat the whole bowl, but I managed, somehow ;-) A delicious first meal!
I'm now relaxing in my room waiting for my clothes to dry before heading to the center of Bangkok to meet up with my German friend for lunch! I cannot wait to explore this city, and EAT!!! Thanks for checking in on me, I will post again soon :-)
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