Bangkok

It was about 3pm, after an hour in traffic, when I booked into the rather nice hotel, I’d chosen in the heart of Bangkok. I went out for food at an Irish bar. I then walked along the main road looking for a shopping centre or shoe shop.

Nana Plaza is a courtyard surrounded by gogo bars, with security monitoring who enters. I was unsure but ventured in, I sat at the garden bar, a quiet area in the middle. I chatted to two Brits who told me the place is totally safe and if I didn’t want to buy ‘bar girls’ drinks no one would be offended. It wasn’t a late night as it had been an early start and I had to collect the bike tomorrow

It was relatively easy to buy a ticket and navigate to the correct platform. On the train, it was immaculate, with air conditioning and very clear announcements. Ten stops later I was a short walk from Emma’s Bike Rental.

Emma, (Not her real name) did all the paperwork and took yet more of my money. She showed me round the bike and pointed to a sign in the shop. ‘Your bike has keyless ignition, when you stop you MUST put the steering lock on or the battery runs flat’. Oh that was a concern, I really must remember that. With everything done and ‘Emma’ happy, I was a confident rider, she watched as I rocked the bike off its centre stand. Instantly my shoe lost traction and I slipped, almost dropping the bike. I hauled it back up and laughed, pulling a whoops face, before riding off, unsure which side of the road to use.

The ride back was slow and every stop was sure footed. The phone holder was dire and needed replacing.

Here’s an example of how chilled the bars are. I went to one close to my hotel. Almost instantly the hostess asked if I wanted a girl to sit with me. I said no as I was only there to watch the bike racing. They had two big screens, one showing Moto GP, the other the World Super Bikes. She said she would tell no one to bother me. I was absorbed in watching the races with my drink filled on request. At one point something caught my attention. Three girls under the screen all waving to get my attention. We laughed as I was so absorbed in the bikes.

Next morning I was off to Chatuchak Market. The biggest open air market in Asia. Once a major trading point in Bangkok it now houses very cute boutique stalls. I did find a phone holder for the bike. I had some lovely ice cream, but it was blisteringly hot, so I made my way to the two big malls close by.

None of these places had any hiking boots or shoes for me. So I hopped in a taxi and headed for Khoasan Road. This place is synonymous with back packers and gap year types. A huge trading area linked to a nearby river, the name Koa San means milled rice. Nowadays its very trendy and full of eateries, bars and stalls selling tat. It did have a huge shopping centre dedicated to cannabis and McDonalds.

It was time to head back. I needed to pack up the bike ready to leave tomorrow.