CHIANG MAI & BANGKOK – DAY 6 – SUKHUMVIT
It was time to check out and head towards Bangkok, Sukhumvit Road.
I had a modest breakfast of fruit and coffee and informed the office about my checkout. The checkout process was more or less smooth. However, my modest breakfast had a determined result. I was famished by the time I reached the airport. It was all thanks to the small food court at the Chiang Mai International Airport, where I managed to have some decent Khao-Soi & dumplings for pre-lunch. For the flight, I had erroneously requested for the Indian meal. However, the “Hindu” meal served in the aircraft was terribly quite sad.
But, Thank You, Chiang Mai. I had a great time and I am already looking forward to my next trip. One of the reasons for the same is because I missed the Khantoke Dinner & Dance Show at Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center. Khantoke Dinner is a celebration of Northern Thai food. Secondly, I was unable to participate in a Northern Thai Cooking class. So, Chiang Mai, see you soon.
The flight was smooth and I landed back in Bangkok at the appointed time. The exit from the airport was smooth. And, I realised that the Thai authorities didn’t confiscate my cigarette lighter again. It seems that it is permitted to take cigarette lighters on aircraft in Thailand. Though I may be wrong so please do not consider this an advice.
Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok
Sukhumvit-Road-Bangkok
I had a strange craving for coffee once we landed. I picked it up from one of the airport counters and it was just ok. On the outside, there were long queues for the taxi and elaborate negotiations were on. The driver we picked asked for 450 Baht. But I managed to engage him for 340 Baht to take me to Sukhumvit. As I entered Bangkok, I found it to be an eclectic, sprawling city with a never-ending supply of things to see and do. It is a lot like Hong Kong with similar humdrum but definitely dirtier. The hanging cable all across also reminded me about the way things are in Karol Bagh.
Sukhumvit is the commercial centre of Bangkok. It is flanked by top hotels, shopping malls and bustling bars. It is popular with expats and travellers to the city. Sukhumvit has endless 24-hour restaurants selling authentic Thai cuisine at affordable prices. Sukhumvit Road, the longest road in Thailand runs from downtown area Nana at one end to suburban district Bearing at the other.
Around Soi 10, Sukhumvit
After I settled down in my lodging space, I decided to take a walk across the market. I sat down for snacks and beer at the Terrace on the Ground Floor at the Landmark. The Terrace is a bar with a wide array of dishes from Chinese, International, Asian, Thai, and Middle Eastern cuisines. The beer was well chilled and the Thai snacks served were delicious.
The Terrace is a tad expensive but the location is convenient for both business travellers and shoppers. At The Terrace, you can enjoy Bangkok’s vibrant street life & unique carnival spirit from a shaded comfort. If you smoke please ensure that you keep the favourite brand of cigarettes handy. I found that there were no Indian cigarettes available even in Indian restaurants. In a nutshell, The Terrace is a great place to watch the world go by and “people watch” on the famous Sukhumvit Road.
There is a lot to do in Sukhumvit. From Madame Tussauds Bangkok, Terminal 21 Shopping Mall and the Bangkok National Museum to Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World and Central World Plaza, you won’t know where to start your adventures.
