Days One and Two: One Night in Bangkok

Finally, vacation!

After reaching the front of the international economy line at Dulles, the airline employee informed me that I could use my Premier Executive status to use a shorter line and wait in the Red Carpet Club. Now that's useful knowledge! The club was right next to my gate, so I edged in, feeling like an imposter, and spent the next 20 minutes alternately arguing with family members on the phone and drowning my stress in free mimosas. Well, one free mimosa. Still, cheers for the Red Carpet Club.

Twenty-four hours of traveling later, including the International Date Line, I arrived in Bangkok late Saturday night. My decision to get an airport transfer was a wise one - it's wonderful to have someone waiting for you at the airport, even if it's not anybody you know. The driver made some small talk and then fell silent. For a while I just relaxed in the back seat, but then traffic backed up (at 11PM!) and we saw several trucks that seemed to be dragging flaming iron grids. I asked the driver what that was, and there was dead silence. I waited a few moments, thinking he'd answer or ask me to repeat myself. The silence stretched thinner and thinner as I slowly realized that he wasn't going to acknowledge the question at all. We sat in dead silence until we reached the hotel.

After a full day traveling in economy, my hotel room felt like heaven. A king-size bed, a view of the Chao Praya River, a plate of mango, a Singha, and a great big bathtub to wash off the travel grime. Finally, I stretched out completely flat and fell into a deep sleep.

Welcome to Bangkok.