Pyramid schemes

Thursday 11th

I am now back at Hotel Pyramid for another week. The trip was about 16 hours from when I got up till when I got to the room.

I left home about 6-45am and apart from a bit of heavy traffic just before the airport turn off had no problems getting there and again was quickly through checkin and passport control. I had time for some breakfast in the Qantas lounge before we boarded the flight.

For a change I was flying during the day and business class was not very full so I had an empty seat beside me. I watch a couple of films – The Forgotten Kingdom, a Kung Fu movie with Jackie Chan and Jet Li and Sex in the City. In between, I redid the first chapter of the Intermediate Thai book. I also did a few crossword puzzles.

We stooped in Phuket for about an hour. It was quite confusing because they seemed to have said we could leave our bags on board but then they seemed to say we couldn’t. I took my handbag and notebook with me anyway and it was a good thing because we needed our passport, boarding pass etc, which may have been left on board otherwise. We did in fact clear customs here, which is quite a good idea even if it meant a bit of queuing. Since we were on the ground for an hour, we had time to do it and it meant we didn’t need to do it at Bangkok. I had a brief spell in the lounge there, just enough time to read my emails and prepare one to go, although I couldn’t send it.

The flight to Bangkok is then only another hour. Every other time I’ve been here the plane has parked some distance from the terminal and we have all had to get on buses to get there. This time we pulled right up and a bridge came out. Then they said we couldn’t use it and to disembark from the rear door, once again downstairs and on to buses. One of the advantages of business class is that you are up the front and first off. This time we were last off. It did mean that my bag was already on the carousel by the time I’d got there so I was straight out the door.

I then changed some money. The rate has dropped from around 31 baht per dollar to 27, which is where it was 2 years ago when I came for golf.

I couldn’t see my driver at the customs exit so I wandered left to the first exit to the carpark without finding him. I dug out some business cards from the last trip and went back inside before calling anybody and headed in the other direction. Fortunately I found Khun Thin, the driver who took me to Wichian Buri the first time.

It was raining when we landed and it doesn’t seem to have stopped since. We left the airport a bit before 6pm and the traffic from the airport was quite heavy. We did bypass the centre of the city and headed to Sara Buri where we stopped so I could do some shopping at Lotus. I bought a thin foam mattress to put on the bed, since last time I had back problems because the bed was so hard. This proved to be a bit help last night. It was about 8 by the time we left there and nearly 10 by the time we arrived. The rain got even heavier just before we got to WB and it poured all night as well. There’s a lot of water around with some of the streets in town completely covered over.

A drama has occurred with my bracelet. I noticed it was missing when I was going to bed. I double checked the room and the not book case, just in case I knocked it off reaching in for something but couldn’t find it. An SMS to David confirmed I didn’t leave it at home. If it didn’t fall off in the car then it could have happened 9in the plane, the airport or even the shops so I suspect there’s not much chance of getting it back.

Looks like some calls to the airline and insurance company may be needed. I suppose one ray of sunshine is that I bought it in Bangkok, so there is a chance that I might be able to get a replacement before I go home.

I did think to put in a small fold up umbrella this trip and used it to get to the canteen for breakfast. I picked up a washing basket, which I just realised I didn’t put out and my bedside lamp from last time.

Narwin was leaving for the office so I grabbed a ride with him. I’m back in the same office and have now organised an extra monitor, keyboard, power board and network cable. Last time I also had a printer but if I can use the network printer that will do.

I’ll put some stuff about the hotel in the next blog.

Good news! The driver found my bracelet.