"Bangkok" Bangkok by gib157

I touched down in Bangkok not knowing what to think really, but it was mad. I got 3 nights free in the Pinnacle Hotel on RamaIV with my flight so I went straight from the airport to the hotel. All I remember is traffic and endless amounts of huge concrete over and under-passes. ( When I returned to Bangkok from KO Chang we must have been under a concrete motorway for a good 40km. It was huge and I couldnt help thinking that it wouldve been cheaper to build it alongside?)

When we stopped at a traffic light a little girl came up to the window selling flowers to hang on the rear-view mirror. Bearing in mind we were on a huge 6 lane iner-city road!
The next day I was taken to a tailors and sorted out a suit for myself and some other bits and bobs and then I went to Ko San Road. I hated it at first. THe heat was horrible and the noise and traffic pollution was intense. All I wanted was some water but then somehow I got dragged off on a typical 20 baht tuk tuk trip to everywhere apart from somewhere useful - i.e. a tailors, a jewellery shop and severall bad temples where strange men trying to get you to buy jewels lurked. It was all a bit of a shock and I couldnt wait to get away.
HOwever when I returned after almost 6 weeks I really enjoyed myself. THis time I stayed on KO San ROad itself and I spent so much time wandering up and down the street buying clothes and nicknaks, I had to buy an extra bag aswell. Having experienced the Thai culture a little as well as Chaing Mai I came back feeling a lot more comfortbale and so I was comfortable with the touts, I knew what food I liked and how to bargan whilst still laughing and smiling with the locals.

• Pros:Buzzing city, Ko San road
• Cons:Noise, terrible air pollution problems, scams
• In a nutshell:A totally intense city, but better the 2nd time round