It is Monday 2nd January today. My 3:30 am flight from Dubai took off on time and I arrived at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport just after midday. Immigration was well organised and straightforward. I decided to get a taxi to my hotel in the end, after all it is my birthday. I checked in at the Villa Phra Sumen hotel, where I am staying for 4 nights. I am staying in the Phra Nakhon area of Bangkok, not far from Khao San Road, where all the backpackers hang out.
In the afternoon I went exploring the area looking for bars and restaurants, I found plenty. It is nice and sunny here and the temperature is around 30 degrees. The area is a tourist hot spot and is full of foreigners from all over the world.
I ordered myself a meal of spicy barbecued chicken with vegetable fried rice and a large orange smoothie. I have to stay off the beer today because later in the evening I am meeting Pani, my Thai girlfriend. She finishes work at 8pm and is coming to meet me at my hotel. We have arranged to go to dinner together this evening. This will be the first time we have met in person, previously we have only spoken online.