Start of Thai trip

7/10/6
Had so little luggage that Mike & Nic could take us to Heathrow in the mini. Arrived 6pm. Check in already open so no queue! However took more than half hour to get through passport control and security! Tried out all the perfumes and Mim & I both chose the same - the new Dior - something poison. Neither of us ever paid so much. A glass of chablis with smoked salmon for Mim and gravadlax for me. What a way to start our hols! Bought a bottle of scotch and one of vodka from duty free plus a couple of mags - now we were all set.
Flight departed late but wonderful crew and service - shame about the two drunks (Englishmen!!) sitting in front of us. Mim said the crew had to put one guy back in his seat a couple of times when he fell asleep in the aisle and had to carry him back from the toilets he couldn't walk. Makes one want to speak a different language so no one thinks we're English too!
08/10/06
Plane arrived on schedule at beautiful new international airport opened just 11 days ago. Greeted by driver holding up name placard as we exited customs. Glad he took our trolley as quite a walk to the car. Vehicle hemmed in by two lanes of parked cars. Unperturbed driver put luggage in car then calmly pushed cars out of the way befrore getting in and manouvering through the gap. It would seem that all chaffeurs park and leave brake off so that they can be moved!
On arrival at Manhatten Hotel was told gentleman waiting to see us. Pot, who had e-mailed that he would take us to supper, had decided against it as he now has difficulty seeing at night. Instead of just leaving a message at hotel, he had driven all the way down to tell us in person and to make sure we were ok. Mim unpacked all our bags whilst I bathed. She did likewise then down to corner cafe - a little Vietnamese rest. - Eds favourite. Lovely supper for just 4.40 pounds. We were both dead tired, particularly Mim who had hardly slept on the plane. Special offer of one foot massage in the hotel lobby, was more than we could resist and a bargain at just 250 baht (3.65) Actually included reflexology, leg massage and finished with 5 min. neck and back massage - heaven!