After months of planning but mostly dreaming, I await departure of Emirates EK204 to Bangkok.
I flew into New York yesterday (Sunday March 21st) so I could drop off my passport at the Thai embassy and obtain my Thai visa by Tuesday 23rd for my departure on Wednesday 24rd. This was already cutting it close but after talking with a reassuring Thai lady who worked at the embassy, I felt much more at ease. She assured me I would get my visa on Tuesday afternoon.
Therefore, I dropped my passport of today, Monday morning and I sat down in a Barnes and Noble to write my first post. The flight to Bangkok from New York is a long one and because of the time difference (almost a full day), you have to be careful with your dates and times. I learnt this the hard way today. I realized, with much horror, that my flight to Bangkok actually leaves on Tuesday morning (it arrives in Bangkok on Wednesday!). As the truth sunk in after staring at my itinerary for a minute, I immediately closed the computer and waked briskly back to the Thai embassy where I had dropped off my passport just minutes ago. The two options that ran through my head were either I would have to change the flight (but who knows when the next flight to Thailand would leave?) or I had to use all my persuasion skills to get the small Thai man to get my visa early – that is: today. The conversation was easy and mainly consisted of me telling him I had messed up and I needed to get my visa today or else I would be royally screwed. He accepted this poor excuse and with little hesitation scribbled “4pm” on my visa application. Saved!
Seems that we are starting this trip of on the right foot: adventure. I still have to pray that my visa application is accepted. Here’s my tentative itinerary:
- 3/24: Arrive in Bangkok
- 3/26: Day trip to Ayuthaya
- 3/27: Night Train to Sarut Thani
- 3/28: boat to Ko Tao
- 3/31: Island Hop
- 4/2: Back to Mainland and Head South
- 4/3: Arrive in Kuala Lumpur
- 4/5: Arrive in Singapore
- 4/7: Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City
- 4/9: Night Train to Nha Trang
- 4/10: Arrive in Nha Trang
- 4/12: Night Train to Hoi An
- 4/13: Arrive in Hoi An
- 4/14: Evening Train/Bus to Hue
- 4/16: Night Train to Hanoi
- 4/18: Day trip to Halong Bay
- 4/20: Day trip to Sapa
- 4/21: Flight to Bangkok
- 4/22: Fly to Dubai
What do you think? Too much or too little?
South East Asia
So excited for you! I can’t wait to see all the pictures! Let me know how that overnight train to Surat Thani is-Howard and I will be going that same route in about ten days. Here are a few tidbits for the Vietnam leg:
-Ho Chi Minh City: Ngon Restaurant (on Pasteur Street.) Crazy fun. Food is priceless. Ngon Style sauteed beef is the best thing I’ve ever eaten; the Vietnam War Crimes Museum is a must see; Allez Boo is a SUPER fun bar along the main drag, just a few blocks away from the Ben Thanh Market; PHO 2000 (next to the Ben Thanh Market) is also amazing (at some point, get bun bo during your Vietnam travels. Sooooo amazing. Alas, bun bo hue is a bit more common, but is a bit gross. The bun bo at Pho 2000 is stellar.)
-Nha Trang: Crazy Kim’s is an awesome bar; Sailing Club is THE bar in the city
-Hue: DMZ Cafe. My favorite part of this stop was paying a random motorbike guy on the street $12 to drive me around to all the temples/tombs for 4-5 hours. You absolutely have to go to the Mandarin Cafe-the food is great, but the owner (Mr. Chu?) is a professional photographer and he lets you look through all of these books of awesome pictures of Vietnam. You can get amazing prints for about $2.
Hanoi: best part of this place is just hanging out at Lake Hoan Kiem. My second favorite meal of my trip was at Bun Bo Nam Bo. A tiny hole-in-the-wall place, but breathtakingly good food. Hoa Lo Prison is fascinating, as is the Ho Chi Minh Museum . I also loved just wandering through the markets and the craziness of the Old Quarter. Unreal.
Halong Bay/Sapa: Can’t wait to see these pictures. Two of the prettiest places on Earth.
Have fun!
Dude! Thats an awesome comment! Thanks man – I’m going to use this as a reference!
Matt-
That sounds awesome! Do you plan to run into Frank or Jennani anytime that you are there?
Hey bobby! Yeah man, I talked to both of them already. Meeting up with Jennani and Kels for sure and I’ll have to see where Franky-G is when I get there.