"Bangkok. Thailand" a Bangkok Travel Page by RAINBOWWINGS

Arriving at Bangkoks Don Muang airport just as the sun was lifting its golden head over the horizon, we were amazed at the sense of calm, for we had been told to expect noise, noise and more noise. A large comfy limo was waiting to whisk us off to our hotel in the city and the drive in was relatively easy...until we started to approach the city centre. Although it was only 06.40 in the morning, the six lane highways were already streaming with cars, taxis, coaches, tuk tuks, bicycles...well if it had wheels it was on Bangkoks highway. Our hotel was on the New Petchburi Road, so just a couple of kilometers from the bustling centre of the Sukhumvit Road area and a haven of peace from the fierce heat and noise. Our room was on the 15th floor so we had a superb view of the ultra modern skyscrapers battling for room with brightly coloured temples, whilst shanty huts stayed in the shadows of the golden pagodas. What an exciting city with all the senses being aroused at once....sights,sounds,smells. They say you love it or hate it and we fell in love immediatelty. On our first venture out into the cacophony of street sounds we noticed how all traffic police, cyclists, tuk tuk drivers and toll booth operators all wore surgical masks to protect them from the polluting fumes of the dense traffic. The Skytrain, a huge monorail suspended over the traffic lanes whisked you to your destination in minutes....take a taxi and it could take hours!