Arrived after a few hours waiting around in Hong Kong airport early in the morning (in a Starbucks as the only place open) before getting my Air Asia (Easy Jet equivalent in Asia) to Bangkok. Flight was quick - sat next to two Pilipino missionaries who live in Hong Kong and visited Burma a bit, so got a bit of a low down from them on the country.

Arrival in Bangkok was hectic, massive queues at immigration but got through and my pre booked taxi was waiting. Fortunately the hotel had warned me to print out a map to give to the driver as the Old Bangkok Inn where I'm staying is small and hidden away. The driver still had to call for directions but with a big smile on his face.

The guest house has only 10 rooms, I'm in a twin room - very dark wood and steps and things to bump your head on but very pretty and with a PC and aircon in the room! But no window that you can see out of, just shutters and plants but it's quiet. It's in the centre and near the backpacker area - thought I'd do the flash packing side of Bangkok but it seems there are only another couple as guests so not sure I'll get to chat much. Once I unpacked and got sorted; I was hungry and tired so I ventured out to Koh San Road to grab some food (see photo). Considering this is the backpacker district made famous by the beach - I struggled to find it in the noisy, hectic smelly streets coming alive at dusk. But I did back tracing my steps a few times and bought the obligatory Pad Thai for dinner at a street seller and walked the length of it. It's been about 10 years since I've been there but nothing seemed to have changed. Planned to stop for a beer and people watch - even sat in one bar, but then a 60 plus French couple sat down. This is the traveller district with tattoo, dreadlocks and thai dye the norm and I end up with my norm for this trip - 60 year olds asking if I spoke French! Service was slow so I hadn't even ordered my beer, so I just got up and left refusing to be part o that crowd! I was shattered and found my way back to the guest house in a more straight forward route.

Breakfast this morning was a host of different fruits, including sweet tamarind, dragon fruit, papaya and seen fruit i'd never seen before. Fresh donuts and fried coconut mini pancakes were delicious. As well as egg and toast. This is not helping my waist line.

I have ventured out to get to the Myanmar (Burma) embassy to apply for my visa. The purpose of my trip to Bangkok. This involved getting a canal boat taxi to the sky train stop. Had no idea what I was doing but the guest house gave me a slip of paper that said the name of the stop I was going to in Thai and I showed it to the boat man who gave a slight nod. Fortunately the man you pay the money to nodded to me when to get off. No other tourists on that route. Fast way to travel though, even if very smelly and not that picturesque as there is tarp on either side of the boat to stop the water splashing on you. When I got off the boat I thought the sky train would be obvious. It is - right above your head, but no idea how to get to a station - I did my usual and followed some ladies and sure enough came out at a station, not the one I was expecting but near by. The sky train itself is very easy to understand and get about. I actually found the embassy fairly easily and was directed by a man in the queue to a copy shop down the road so I could get the form and get a copy of my passport done. All sorted, more queuing and then handed passport, photos money and paperwork over and told to pick up on Friday. Took a different route back via the river boats. Lots of tourists here and fairly easy to use. It's sunny, hot and humid so after lunch in a cafe, just wandered around the streets and sat for a while by the river before needing to do some FLO work and take a call. Dinner was people watching listening to a great guitar player.