Lost in Bangkok

I safely arrived in Bangkok on Monday afternoon after 12 h wedged between a tattooed macho man with a weak bladder (honestly, why is it always the ones that need the toilet every hour that get the window seat?) and a twitchy armrest stealing insomniac that watched films during the entire flight. Long-haul flights, you gotta love them :S

Anyhow, yesterday was shopping day so I headed towards MBK, one of Bangkok's largest shopping malls spread out over 6 floors. Stupidly enough I decided to walk. I say stupidly not because of the distance (3 km, actually not too far when it's overcast and breezy) but because I predictably got lost. Asking for directions didn't really help. Fair enough, my Thai knowledge don't really stretch beyond sawadee kah (hello), but then again, as I can't really tell right from left in English or Swedish either, giving me directions in any language is sometimes almost pointless. Finally I caved in and took a taxi to MBK. Turned out when I perused the map a bit more carefully that somehow I managed to walk north when I thought I was going east. I SO need a GPS....

However, didn't get a GPS at MBK, but, among other things, I did get a Thai SIM card. This would be the time to tell you the number, but I left it at the guest house :S Guess I'm still as absentminded as always....

Today I've been to see Wat Pho, which was amazing and I think slightly more relaxed compared to the Grand Palace. Although it was a bit crazy and more people than usually milling around the palace and temple area as people are preparing for the royal cremation ceremony of a princess in a few days. All the temples are being decorated in black and white. It is also Loy Krathong, a Buddhist festival, now. I'm going to try to go down to the river tonight to see some of the fireworks that's on because of the festival. I've already been by the river today, took one of the ferries from the central pier up to where I'm staying.

Time to get some dinner before the fireworks, and then try to get a couple of hours sleep. I'm flying to Chiang Mai tomorrow, and the bus to the airport will pick be up at 4 am...