Travel Pictures - Frank Dutton

I love the hotel. I have never, ever been in a place so absolutely clean!!! There is not a spot or smudge or anything about the room space that isn't amazingly clean. Shower is half tile and half glass with glass door and about 7' high enclosure - the glass is PERFECTLY clean. Front Desk staff is great - as is everyone. Hot breakfast buffet has a choice of eggs, meats, bread, soup, rice, rice dishes, breads, spreads (butter, margarine, etc.) rolls, salad fixings, fruits, and beverages from milk (full cream, skim, soy) to juices (orange, pineapple, etc.), coffee, tea, and other stuff I don't drink and not familiar with from an espresso machine. Included with the room from 6 AM - 10 AM.

Day 1 12/2/21	Bangkok, Thailand	Frank's Trip
CLICK on any image to enlarge - use mouse cursor to move enlargement it if doesn't fit area
Home Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Hermit Dutton Day 9
OBSERVATIONS American Airlines is really nice to fly with. The stewardesses are great! They assist in any way they can if you have any problem and are ready and willing to accommodate as much as reasonably possible. I was having a tough time on this 14 hour flight from Dallas to Tokyo and a bit ill from the first meal. The stewardesses made the flight much more bearable. Japan Airlines is a mess! They were super efficient in unloading the passengers from the AA flight in Tokyo. But they are in way, way too much of a hurry and it is tough to keep up sometimes - especially for an older dude not in his prime. It goes downhill from there. Boarding for the JAL flight Tokyo to Bangkok was a disorganized mess from start to finish. The stewardesses know all the rules and policies and are unwilling to offer any accommodation of any sort. I will say this word of PRAISE for JAL: I accidentally left my smartphone on the plane - I reported it to a JAL person after clearing inspection for my continuing flight home from Tokyo. They found the phone and sent a stewardess to find me during check-in to my American Airlines flight and returned my phone. Definitely above and beyond!
WOW! Was I ever glad to get to the hotel! About 34 hours after I got to New Orleans airport, I arrived at the hotel. I'm too old for another grueling trip like this - that 14 hour flight from Dallas to Tokyo is an absolute killer. Long ago and far away when I used to travel to Singapore several times, that was tough from Los Angeles or San Francisco to Hong Kong - but it was less than this and I was a lot younger and better able to handle it. NEVER AGAIN a 14 hour flight for me.
Holiday Inn Express

	I love the hotel. I have never, ever been in a place so absolutely clean!!! There is not a spot or smudge or anything about the room space that isn't amazingly clean. Shower is half tile and half glass with glass door and about 7' high enclosure - the glass is PERFECTLY clean. Front Desk staff is great - as is everyone. Hot breakfast buffet has a choice of eggs, meats, bread, soup, rice, rice dishes, breads, spreads (butter, margarine, etc.) rolls, salad fixings, fruits, and beverages from milk (full cream, skim, soy) to juices (orange, pineapple, etc.), coffee, tea, and other stuff I don't drink and not familiar with from an espresso machine. Included with the room from 6 AM - 10 AM.
After arriving a BKK I was transported by a vehicle with a sealed passenger compartment - sealed off from driver. First to hospital for a drive-up Covid RT-PCR test from the waiting nurse. Then to the hotel with just a couple of signatures to check in - no contact. Up to a quarantine floor and not allowed off it until test results return - SERIOUS penalties for violation. I got to bed about 3 AM Dec 3 (flight left MSY at 6 AM Dec 1). When I woke up at about 9 AM and called to check on breakfast - test results were back and I was "free" to do whatever I wanted... came down to 1st floor to have breakfast in restaurant. Later checked into my "regular" (non-quarantine floor) room.
MBK Shopping Center

	I wanted to check things out a bit, so I started by learning a bit about the BTS - Sky Train. Went to the MBK , shopping center to hang out and browse around. Not so much different than what they had in Singapore years ago. Estimated 2,000 vendors on multiple floors each with their own stall offering anything from gold / jewelry to clothes, shoes, cell phones, furniture, all sorts of food. Took the Sky Train back to the hotel for rest and food after being pretty worn out from the shopping center exploration.

Day 1 12/2/21

Bangkok, Thailand

Frank's Trip