Little Red Dave finally does stuff

It's an evening of cool humidity in Bangkok and my trip has finally, really begun.

I spent last night in the Crowne Plaza at Singapore airport. $250 for the room but well worth it for a flight that didn't arrive till 11:30pm. I slept well then boarded a flight to Bangkok via Kuala Lumpur arriving in Bangkok at 1:30pm. Thai efficiency being what it is (!) I hung around the airport lost for a while before finally enlisting the help of all the other drivers to find mine.

Found, we wove our way to the Nuovo City Hotel through Bangkok's trademark traffic. Even though this was an included transfer with my accommodation, my driver still got lost; waving down a cab and asking him for directions.

It's been more than ten years since I've been to Bangkok and it's changed a lot while retaining its intrinsic... Bangkokiness. So it's still a melting pot of cultures, poverty, wealth, culture and crass commercialism. But it's also more developed and more obviously hit by the recent eonomic crisis. Cranes dot the skyline while buildings stand decrepit and abandoned.

Still, it's strangely good to see Bangkok again.

I arrive at the hotel and somehow score a single room. I booked an Intrepid tour and was expecting to share so this was welcome. I met up with the group at 6pm and was pleased to find myself travelling with only five others.

Paul (from England) and Yolante (from Poland) are on their belated honeymoon and live in Spain, Alex is from Aus, Jo from Portsmouth and Edith from Switzerland.

We all trooped off to one of Kho San Road's ubiqituous restaurants and ate and drank some good Thai food and beer.

Felt like home.