Writing up our first major independent travel holiday, 25 years later, in March 2021, is no easy task. While I did take notes on this trip, which helps, I did not keep the sort of comprehensive journal that was my habit on earlier big trips and became my habit again later.
Further, Janie and I have both mislaid our printed itinerary for this adventure, although I know I did have a copy of it as recently as 2011 when we were arranging a return visit to Vietnam; infuriating.
Still, we have a wonderful collection of annotated photos, which helps. I also still have our trusty mid 1990s copies of the Lonely Planet Guides to Thailand and Vietnam, well thumbed and helpfully folding open easily on the more oft-used pages.
So let’s go!
12 March 1996 – Left London on time! Event free flight.
I told you the notes are quite light. I’m pretty sure we flew Thai Air. Last class it would have been, but on Thai Air that wasn’t too bad.
13 March 1996 – Arrive Bangkok on time (6:20 am). Went to BelAire Princess [now BelAire Bangkok] with drunken guide Kai.
Bathed and then set off for Jim Thompson House (interesting).
See headline photo and also the one below.
Then on to Chinatown for fine noodle lunch and look around markets etc.
Took tuk-tuk back to hotel – slept.
Dined in the hotel – Thai meal – then slept more.
All of our photos from the Thai leg of the journey can be found on Flickr through the link here and below.
