Finally I get to Bangkok

02.10.2008

Finally managed to spatula myself out of the airplane, and wander around zombie-like in the Tokyo airport.

I am not in the state of mind to comprehend the directions for the Tokyo toilets. They are very complicated, it takes me a while to figure out that I don't actually have to do anything different than usual. However, if you want a spurt of perfume on your bum, or maybe an automatic bidet spray, it's up to you to figure out which buttons to press.

I have always wanted to try real Japanese sushi and right now, airport sushi is the closest I'm going to get. So I head over there and buy some tuna rolls. There are some pilots queuing up for the fishy treats, so I assume that I'm at the right place. Turns out, not so much. Don't get me wrong, the sushi at the airport is pretty good, better than most sushi I've had in my life, but it's not life-changing or anything. I briefly consider buying some Japanese stuff at the duty free but then reconsider, since I'll have to carry it around with me the whole time. Probably, I won't have a chance on the way back home, but that's the chance I'm willing to take.

I pass out on the bench near Gate 46, and then wake up just in time to leave for Bangkok. On the plane, I sit beside a nice man who is helping start up a glasses lens factory in Thailand, he is going back home after visiting his daughter in Tokyo.

The best in flight service you can get, is on Thai Air. Oh my goodness, what a nice meal they serve, and everyone is really nice and friendly and there is LOTS of leg room. Alejandro told me all about it, but I didn't believe it till I actually witnessed it. So now, you have two unbiased, objective opinions. Thai Air, seriously good flying.

So I sleep a little bit on that flight. I get to the airport, pick up my bag, exchange some money into bahts and then meet Louis, my tour guide outside of the baggage pickup. Him and his driver take me straight to my swanky hotel, the Majestic Grande, and we drive through the Muslim area of town, down a street that doesn't look anything like a street, however Louis says it's a "shortcut" so it's OK. I mention to Louis that I saw some monks flying in first class on the way here! He says, yeah, some rich people probably paid for them, because these monks can't touch money. I thought it was strange anyway, and maybe a little hypocritical. Louis used to be a "temple boy" for 10 years, arranging such things for monks at the temple he worked at. He had to cook them meals twice a day, because they aren't allowed to do it themselves, and they also aren't allowed to ask for food. After checking me into the hotel, Louis says that he'll make reservations at the restaurant for the meetup tomorrow, and call me in the morning.

Tokyo toilets are complicated