Saturday 8th March – Friday 14th March 2025

My journey to Bangkok was pretty uneventful, thank god!

Check in and my flight with Air India were great. I was too tired to do anything much at the airport, I simply sat with my book and a last cup of Masala Chai! 

The flight was busy but it left on time and arrived a little early!

It was so lovely to arrive into Bangkok, clean, calm and lots of smiling faces. 

Immigration was a doddle, my case was one of the first to arrive, I found my hotel shuttle easily and after a short wait I was whisked off to a large, modern, clean hotel manned by lots of smiling people including women! Absolute bliss. The first thing I did was have a much needed long hot shower! 

One of the lovely ladies from my Indian tour, Negiz,  had been in touch and said that she would also be staying at an airport hotel in Bangkok today, handily it was just down the road, so she came to the hotel. Negiz is flying back to Belgium tomorrow, It was so nice to see a familiar face and have a good catch up and offload a little about our experiences in India. 

After Negiz left I grabbed some Vegetable rice then went to bed in my massive, soft, clean, comfy, quiet room. 😍

I have booked a bus/coach to take me to Hua Hin. The coaches are very nice and the journey only takes around 3 hours. I got the shuttle back to the airport and after grabbing some snacks and water I boarded my coach. 

I arrived in Hua Hin at a different bus station, this one a little further out of town. I figured I’d just get a Grab (Thai Uber) but the station provided a very cheap shuttle service, handy!

I am staying back at the same complex in the same apartment as I had back in August 2024. The lady I dealt with then has given me a good deal. It’s also nice to be somewhere familiar. 

I grab the keys from the lock box then Kate messages me and comes to say Hi at the apartment, with a little gift! 🎁🥰❤️ So kind. 

The first thing I do is unpack my case! I haven’t unpacked it since leaving Australia on January 13th! I also desperately need to do some laundry. Before I can do any washing I need to visit a 7 Eleven. Luckily for me there is one just up the road!

I get some washing powder and some vanish, bread, water, beer, Crinkle Cut Lays! All the holiday essentials! 😂

Washing on, case unpacked, wifi sorted. I am ready to relax and chill! 

I have arrived on a Sunday, which is handy as there is a food market next door that runs Thursday- Sunday every week. This means I can grab a tasty cheap dinner and a beer! Which I do, a big plate of veggie rice and a Singha beer for around £2.50. I also purchase a tub of the most delicious caramel  cashew nuts! So yummy. 😋 

I have a good nights sleep, I don’t wake up until 10ish, which is unheard of! I feel like I needed it.

I have no real agenda or plan for my time here, I just want to rest and have some downtime. 

The complex is busier than when I was here last but still not mad busy, there is always a place to sit by the pool, especially for me as I like to be in the shade! The pool is big and great for me to get back into my swimming. I haven’t swam consistently since I broke my ribs back in November 24. 

I’ve spent the last few days just settling in, finding my way around again, checking out my previous hangouts. I’ve been into town for some shopping, food, I also bought myself a dress. When I unpacked my case I realised that I’d given Tracey most of my summer dresses to take back to England 🤦‍♀️ I bought a fab, blue cotton dress with pockets for £15! Bargain. 

I’ve had one or two small battles since I arrived. The first is ongoing and is with TourRadar and Fragrance of Taj about my Tiger Safari, I’ll keep you posted.

The second is with Lloyds TSB. I tried to pay for my accommodation here by bank transfer. Unfortunately the last hurdle to the convoluted process is a phone call to me from the bank to give me a security code. I had made sure I switched my phone sim to my UK one, but it kept saying they couldn’t get through. 

I asked Rebecca to call and she was able to get through, so that was odd. 

I tried again the next day, switching sims well in advance. Again not able to get through. This then meant I had to call Lloyds, an international call to a bloody bank in the UK is not going to be cheap. 😳

I get through and tell the automated voice that I need international banking help. They put me through to someone who can’t help! Ffs. They transfer me to another person, who trys to help but then tells me I need more information regarding the recipients details (this wasn’t requested online! ) I have to hang up, get the required information and call again! This time I speak to someone a little more helpful, she informs me that I have a note on my file saying do not call! WTAF, where has that come from, I did not set it up. She changes things, sets up the payment, which goes through! Hallelujah This has now taken me 45 minutes, I complain that the cost of this call to me is ridiculous, she then says would I like to complain, I say yes, this takes another 15 minutes, but the upshot is they refund me £60 to cover the cost of the call, and inform me that if I need to call again I can reverse the charges!! A satisfactory outcome I feel. 

Apart from that all I’ve been doing is enjoying the pool, walking along the beach and catching up on some reading. Heaven.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone. 

💚🩵🩷💜💛💙

Books Read

The Lost Victim. Robert Bryndzi. A good read. 

The House of Lost Secrets. Anstey Harris. A free Prime read, which was better than I’d anticipated.