My plane landed at 5am yet it wasn’t until 6am that I finally left the airport after putzing around getting money changed and trying in vain to find the Grab pickup point (~Uber). I finally hopped in a taxi and let him fleece me with a flat rate to my hotel. After so many hours traveling I wasn’t going to quibble over a few bhat.

Arriving at my hotel at 7:30am proved too early to check in but after letting them upgrade me to a high floor with lounge access I magically got my key! The lounge provides food & drinks pretty much all day and I saved having to buy an extra night’s room so I think I scored a deal. I’m definitely taking the easy route today.

A 2nd breakfast with a view, then a nap to prepare for my afternoon Tuk Tuk tour.

The tour was in a more local neighborhood so fairly lite on sights. We visited the last remaining metalsmith, a Buddhist Temple where the huge gold Buddha was brought from old capital when it was sacked over 200 years ago. Every inch covered in intricate paintings.

Next was an inexplicable stop at an old train yard which we only let our guide stop for a few minutes, then a food tasting run thru a local market, a tea break, then I continued on solo with the guide to the Flower Market as my 2 tour companions had other commitments.

We finished about 6:45pm and scrambled for the last tourist ferry back down river. Already dark, the city became magical at night….

Another visit to my hotel’s lounge for a light supper and then I was ready for bed!