Viking Rivers: Magnificent Mekong: September 26: Travel to Thailand

Bangkok Arrival

Today was a travel day and it was nearly an all-day adventure in spite of the flight only being an hour and ten minutes. We were up and out the Saigon hotel at 8am for departure at the airport. Once inside the airport our guide escorted us to the correct check-in counter where we had to have not only our passports, but our Vietnam E-visas. Checked our bags and headed to passport control. Again, we had to have all the documentation. Then we had to clear security and eventually arrived at our gate. In an interesting twist, we "boarded" by having our boarding passes checked then got on a bus and drove for a good ten minutes to the other side of the airport and out onto the tarmac where we walked outside, and up a portable staircase to our plane. The flight itself was uneventful - interesting they served a full, hot meal in the short flight! Landed and had to be processed through the entry passport/arrival gate where we needed our passports and our E-arrival form for Thailand. There we also were fingerprinted in order to clear the security. The Viking instructions were very specific and clear to find "Exit B" and then "Door 6." Right away, John, Valerie, Kim and I saw one of our guests heading to the exit marked with an eight-foot high "C." Oh my Buddha! The rest of us exited properly and immediately found our Viking hosts. Within about ten minutes the other couple was spotted wandering around down the hall. WOW.

Ready for takeoff on Vietnam Air

Our seats were in Row 37 of 38 :O

Safe & sound at Bangkok airport

The drive to the hotel took over an hour and along the way we got to see a lot of unusual architecture in downtown Bangkok. Once we arrived at our hotel, it was even better than advertised. Quickly checked in and were whisked to our enormous room on the 20th floor with a panoramic view of the riverfront. Viking knows how to pick luxury hotels! We did find out upon arrival today that because of traffic and the distance to the airport we will be leaving the hotel at 3:30am on Monday for our long flight home! As they say here, "Oh my Buddha!"

Downtown Bangkok

The "Leggo Building" - reportedly on the top floor is a glass floor allowing you to look straight down....uh, no

Our luxury hotel, right on the water

Our "room" or suite as it may be!

Not a bad view, eh?

Welcome to Bangkok, Thailand.....a new country for us!

At 5:30 we met John & Val downstairs. We'd been told that the mall, just a five minute walk away had good restaurants on the upper level. So you might be saying, "you went to Thailand and went to the mall?" Oooooooooh my friends, this is far from "a mall" - just unbelievably big and sooooooo many stores, food places - the entire first floor is "street vendor" food, inside! Went to the top level and again, so many choices. But a place that was outdoors, overlooking the river had been recommended so we went there. Had an amazing meal and the view - WOW! A great introduction to Thailand!