Accommodation and travel advice in Thailand

Another internet adventure that involves degrees with 360 degree turns - starting with a starting point of a weeks time share in the West of England in Uley, near Dursley, near Bristol near a bird sanctuary that my mother wants to visit!

So the fun started - airfares from Johanesburg South Africa to Birmingham or London - Emirates did both and offered the best fare (search KLM with a stop in Paris or Amsterdam - too expensive, Qatar - not cheaper so no great incentive to choose it over and above Emirates that has a long standing reputation). Which was best for car hire - 1car1.com reasonable rates for both. The next step who to visit. Then where to stay. Then what to do.

Airfares
Emirates the most reasonable fare. Next decision whether to take advantage of a long stay over to go into Dubai - 180, 90 degree turns deciding best solution for an arrival of 5.30 a.m. on the 31st and leaving 3.30 a.m. on the 1st - book a hotel or not. Looked at booking into one of the Business Class lounges (loungepass.com - average UK Pounds 17.18 - +-ZAR 274) this only gives you 3 hours but you can shower - not sure if you can sleep. If I booked for two sessions we are looking at the price of a hotel? So decided to search for a hotel and have settled for the moment on an economy hotel - Nova Hotel Dubai which is near the Museum and the Creek - I checked on trip advisor and reading between the lines it seemed to offer value for money, location good. Still have to sort out getting too and from the airport as I gather that Dubai and the airport is exceptionally busy and that one waits for long periods for taxis - a shuttle from the hotel is recommended by not sure if this hotel has that facility. Still on the TO DO LIST - hopefully can secure something for the 1.00 in the morning trip to the airport to catch our flight to Gatwick.

Arrival Gatwick
Finally decided on Gatwick as I thought I would regret not popping into London this time as it will be a long time before going back to the UK - it is very expensive for South Africans and I’m afraid as much as I like the UK there are too many other places to explore. There is also a possibility of seeing someone in Croydon, so Gatwick well positioned only being 15 minutes by train.

Car Hire and Route
Then came the route and realistic mileage per day and an estimate of how much petrol would cost v trains and buses. Bought a Garmin navigator here in South Africa with Europe loaded - this was spured on by a friend of mine in the UK who has a Tom Tom and offered to check some of the distances and times I proposed for a days travel - I had created a framework with the help of a 1999 large size road map of the UK and a piece of string (factoring in getting lost and traffic being heavy - not like travelling through the Karoo!) - I managed to be reasonably accurate - the proof will be in the driving - watch this space after November. Car hire even with the cost of petrol (although that might have changes some what since May?), collecting and dropping off at different locations, automatic transmission (no aircon), two people sharing the cost still cheaper than trains, more expensive than buses, but it gives us flexibility and independence. So car hire was chosen and the best car hire 1car1.com which says there are no hidden extras - confirmation of insurance cover and final booking on the TO DO LIST.

That’s all for now - to be continued 23.8.08
Cherry

A friend of mine and I have booked a holiday that includes accomodation in Barcelona, Rome, Florence, Ravenna, Venice and finally Paris, all on the net. A good site is http://www.hostelworld.com/. Compared with other similar facilities, they were always the cheapest It is time consuming but in the process one’s ideas change and develop. I also found that I got to know the city/counyty in the process and found other info about art galleries, museums etc. The proof of the pudding will be once we get there and we will see whether spending all this time on the net has given us a more informed start on our own two week amazing race

Chatuchak Market in Bangkok was easy to get to on the subway and going early in the morning we had a chance to look around before it got too crowded. Prices generally better than the other markets visited closer to the centre of Bangkok and Chiang Mai. To get to Chatuchak -take the skytrain (BTS) to Mo Chit station and exit down the right-hand stairs and then it is a five-minute walk or take the subway (MRT) to Chatuchak Park stationand follow thesigns. Open: 08:00 - 18:00 on weekends and Fridays (wholesale day).  The other markets in Bangkok are:

Suan Laum Night Bazaar in Bangkok provides the most sophisticated outdoor market shopping and has a huge food court that needs to be experienced. Tends to be more expensive than Chatuchak. How to get there: Take the MRT subway to Lumpini station; the market is near Lumpini Park, a short walk from the station.Open: 18:00 - 00:00 (every day)

FLOATING MARKETSEven though they are more concerned with tourists rather than locals these days, the floating market boats are still intersting to see, piled high with tropical fruit and vegetables, fresh, ready-to-drink coconut juice and local food cooked on the boats. There are guided boat tours of Damnoen Saduak market, floating markets are Taling Chan Market, Bang Ku Wiang Market and Tha Kha.

How to get there: Damnoen Saduak - it’s colourful, noisy, totally touristy but said to be great fun. You can take a guided tour or take a bus from the Southern Bus Terminal (+66 (0)2 434 5557-8) to Samut Sangkhram Ratchaburi province, 80 km southwest of Bangkok. You can then walk along the passageway to the market, or take a boat to the market pier. Fresh fruits, vegetables etc. Open: 07:00 - 11:00 (every day)

Taling Chan - close to Bangkok and can be visited by hired boat. You will see small villages where you can organise Homestays or take bus numbers 79 or 83, which crosses the Chao Praya River to the Thonburi side of Bangkok. The market is located near the front of Taling Chan District Office.Open: 09:00 - 17:00 (weekends only)

Bang Khu Wiang - Perhaps the best choice for a traditional Thai floating market without being too touristy. Rent a boat from Chang Pier (in Bangkok), and ask to be taken to Noi-Khlong Om-Bang Khu Wiang Floating Market or a cheaper option is to catch a boat from Wat Chalo Pier for a 45-minute ride to Bang Kruai (5 baht), which runs every 15 minutes from 05:00 - 20:00. From there it is a 10-minute boat ride to the market. Open: 04:00 - 07:00 (every day)

Tha Kha – Less touristy - the market is only open six days a month in accordance to the lunar calendar. Follow the same directions to Damnoen Saduak market, and then hire a taxi to the market. Another option is to hire a taxi from Bangkok to Tha Kha (around 500 baht). Open: 06:00 - 12:00 check when open 

LOCAL BANGKOK MARKETS
Often not visited by tourists they offer an array of items for the locals. We went to the one in Chang Dao and found it a very pleasant shopping experience. The markets in Bangkok tend to be on the outskirts - they include Klong Toey, Ying Charoen (Saphan Mai), Minburi, Major Ratchoyothin, Or Tor Kor, and Khlong San.

How to get there:
Khlong Toey – (Fresh meat and vegetables, cheap clothes and household items). Take the subway to Klong Toey station, go up the escalators and then walk east on Thang Rakfaiko/Rama IV Road for ten minutes until you reach the large intersection of Rama IV and Narong Road. The market will be on your right-hand side. Open: 06:00 - 02:00Or
Tor Kor - imported fruits and local fruits. A small food court selling delicious Thai foods, although at a slightly higher price than most places. The Chatuchak Market plant section is directly across the road, and can also be explored if you come on a Wednesday, Thursday, or any weekend.Saphan Mai market (fresh foods and cheap clothing for locals) is 15 minutes by taxi or 30 minutes by bus on Phahonyotin Road with a wider variety and a more interesting market. Take the MRT subway to Kamphaeng Phet station. Exit number three, and you’re in the market. Open: 06:00 - 20:00 (every day)
Minburi - Similar to Saphan Mai, and also a bit of a distance from the Skytrain, friendly vendors and caters for the locals. More congested than Saphan Mai but a lot less than the central Bangkok markets and is worth a trip for the experience of a true local market. Take BTS Skytrain Mo Chit station, you can take a taxi down Lad Phrao Road to the market (20 - 30 minutes, 100 - 120 baht). As with Chatuchak get there as early as possible (09:00) and leave by 15:00 to avoid traffic.
Khlong San – clothing for 18 - 25 year old girls and several riverside restaurants in the area. Directly across the Chao Phraya River from River City, the Shangri-La hotel, and the Si Phaya Pier, the market can be reached by the Si Phraya ferry (2.5 baht). Coming from Chinatown, take a boat at the nearby pier to Si Phraya Pier, and then to Khlong San. Open: 07:00 - 22:00
Major Ratchoyothin – similar to Khlong San, but in the northern part of the city. Trendy. Take the MRT subway to Phahonyothin station, catch a tuk-tuk and tell him to take you to ‘talat’ (market) Major Ratchoyothin.or a taxi from BTS Mo Chit station to the market (five to ten minutes, 40 - 45 baht). Open: 16:00 - 23:00 (every day) 

A trip to Thailand in November 2005 created an interest in the waterways of Bangkok -being driven around in a Taxi I could never gets my bearings. I would imagine that using the canals or the Sky Train would avoid not only the traffic jams and but I would get a clearer picture of where everything is in Bangkok.The canals are know as khlongs . Bangkok was known as the Venice of the East because there were so many used for transportation and trading. Today, most of the khlongs of Bangkok have been filled in and converted into streets, but on  the Thonburi side of Bangkok (covering areas west of Chao Phraya River) some of the larger klongs remain.Khlong Saen Saeb, in central Bangkok is a route for a boat service that provides public transportation, a necessary alternative to the traffic congested streets in Bangkok.The traditional floating markets are mainly tourist attractions - the most famous one at Damnoen Saduakin the Ratchaburi province.I have been pleasantly surprised by how much information there is on the web and will be better equipped for the next trip.