January 3,

We got up and about, packing up our things. It was a sad time🥺, as usual. But we both have itchy feet and were looking forward to our next journey! We had our Javas and last apple and yogurts. Jeff texted our host to let him know our leaving time, but no response. 🤷🏻‍♀️  At 1000, we headed out with our stuff and Jeff hired a ride to the airport. He arrived promptly and we set off.

It was a 40 minute ride. We unloaded and went to check in our bags. But there was an issue with our tickets. Both of our tickets have our middle names doubled/repeated, and this does not match our passports of course. So they had to fix the tickets… it took 35 minutes. Finally, we got cleared with new tickets, and checked our bags. At 1130-1220, we went into a lounge, and had light brunch. We had some stir fried rice, a HB egg, slice of watermelon, and potato salad. Jeff also had a dumpling.

We left the lounge, went to the gate, and boarded. The plane backed out 18 minutes late at 1253, finally, taking off at 1305. The flight was short and uneventful – we only got a water on board. We touched down at 1333 in HCMC. At 1339, the plane stopped on the tarmac. We had to unload and change from Domestic Terminal to the International Terminal. Our luggage was checked through to Bangkok, so thankfully did not have to deal with it. At the International Terminal we had to go back through security. 😮‍💨

By 1440, we were at the Rose Lounge. We had Fried Basa Fish Fillet pieces with green yogurt sauce, Thai Chicken, Roasted Potatoes. I also had a Potato-Carrot salad, and Jeff had Pho. I had a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, and Jeff had a Bordeaux & then the Sav Blanc, due to the red being not as good. Then at 1630, we left this lounge and to our gate. Our second plane was delayed by 10 minutes – now a 1705 departure. At 1652, we boarded the plane. Once in our seat we noticed there was way more leg room! (On our first plane Jeff’s knees just lacked an inch to brush the seat in front.) The plane backed out at 1724. It’s 29 minutes late! 

At 1830, we arrived over Bangkok city, circling. The city below is starting to light up as the last rays of the sun go out of view. The spidery, meandering roads are all lit up orange – I think of lava flows. The roads are not straight like back home, they snake and slither around. We start our descent, slowly… then go out over the sea! Wrong way!! We see lights of the fisher-men’s boats. Finally, we turn back toward land and the airport. We touched down at 1859, 30 minutes late. At 1907, pull into a gate. Yeah!!

Disembarked — Welcome to Bangkok, Thailand!

At 1940, we were through security, and had retrieved our bags. At 1952, we were on the Airport Link, a Sky Train, using tokens for the ride which cost us 80 Baht ($2.32) total. We were at our stop by 2017, and walked the two blocks to our new home for four nights, Tango Vibrant Living Hotel. We were checked in and in our very orange room by 2030. Unloaded and unpacked some, bed by 2121!😴