Four Nights in Bangkok: I

We touched down in Thailand at sunset, after leaving Shizuoka around 2 a.m. that day...about 18 hours of train-plane travel, which was plenty of time for me to peruse the Bangkok guidebook.

Know what I learned from the Bangkok guidebook? I needed to have my game face ready and not take any crap from people who would be trying to swindle me left and right! Trust no one. Don't get into a taxi without demanding the driver start the meter, because you will be charged an astronomical fare, taken to an undisclosed location, and inevitably involved in a gem scam. Don't get into a tuk-tuk (motorized rickshaw, a popular form of transportation for locals as well as tourists) with a sketchy driver, because you will be charged an astronomical fare, taken to an undisclosed location, and inevitably involved in a gem scam. And don't even think of listening to anyone who comes up to you on the street, seems friendly, and wants to give you sightseeing advice, because you will somehow end up being charged an astronomical fare, taken to an undisclosed location, and inevitably involved in a gem scam. After all that cheery reading, I was happy to see metered taxis waiting right outside the airport terminal. And while he did make a few passes around the block before stopping at our guest house, I'll give our driver the benefit of the doubt...the place was hard to find, tucked away in a riverside corner of Chinatown.

We found an outdoor restaurant for our first taste of Thai... And I thought Davin was going to die—he sure was rosy from our spicy greens.

We also discovered Chinatown has a back-alley cinema! I felt just like I was home in Eau Claire, in the alley of Graham Avenue (except for the thick smells, sweltering humidity, and Chinese lanterns hanging everywhere).

A great first night!