Bryan in Hong Kong

The flight was very nice, maybe even the best airline food I’ve ever had.  Got off the plane, went to the convenient store and bought  a SIM card for the cell.  I saw the hotel booking booth at the airport and the temptation almost got to me, but I’m proud I passed it up.  Hopped on the A2 bus to downtown.  Got off at Khao San road a little before midnight.  Started calling guesthouses from the guidebook.  Everyone was full.  Finally find one that located off the main strip with an open room for around $5 US.  I grabbed a taxi.  He suggests 100B for the trip, I suggest he use the meter.  We both laugh.  Short ride later I’m at the hostel for 40B, a little more than $1 US.  Its down a very deserted dark alley.  I ring the bell but no one answers.  I ring again.  Suddenly a European guy wearing tons of eyeliner pops his head up over the wall and opens the gate.  He says the manager isn’t there.  I tell him I just talked to the manager on the phone.  I discover I’m at the wrong hostel and he’s very helpful and points me to the River Guest House that I called.  A nice older man opens the gate and shows me in to the courtyard.  There are lots of kittens running around everywhere. I sign the guestbook pay him 190B ($5.30 US) and he gives me the key to room 9.  The room has two twin beds pushed together to make one large double.  It’s pretty big (bigger than my room at HKUST) and it has a fan.  There’s just a push-button lock on the door.  The guy in the room next to me snores very loudly.  Luckily the weather in Thailand is not too hot right now.  Checked out this morning and had Pad Thai noodles for lunch.  Off to find some type of transportation to the island in the south.  Trip is great so far!

This entry was posted on Friday, January 5th, 2007 at 1:08 pm and is filed under travel, thailand.