46 | Bangkok

The final chapter of The Nomad begins. Having the whole row to myself on the Emirates flight was a bonus to start. After a day of flying, I arrived in Bangkok to an airport full of staff wearing face masks. This was completely different from the scene I left in Manchester. The tourist visa was easy to acquire, I could stay for up to 30 days giving me plenty of time to cover my travel in the country.

The first night I stayed at Orchid Resort near the airport to wait for Kristen to arrive. Costing 840 Thai Baht which is around £21. I had the full first day to myself to have a look around the area of Lat Krabang, so I headed to Suan Ladkrabang which is a local park. There were quite a few water lizards along the lake that were around 1-2 metres long, it's fair to say I gave them plenty of space whilst walking around. The local street market was full of people coming and going on their daily commutes, at this stage my stomach wasn’t up for trying raw meat that had been left out in 37 degrees heat. I decided to go to the local 7-Eleven to stock up on spicy noodles and Thai snacks instead.

After being delayed for over 10 hours, Kristen arrived from Tokyo. The journey begins! We caught the Sky Train to Phaya Thai station (45 Baht) on the outskirts of the city, then took a taxi for the rest of the way to Pinklao in the West, costing 300 Baht. We walked down a back alley to Charlie House where we would stay for the rest of the time in Bangkok. Sat next to a canal in the inner city back streets, the hotel was like an oasis with trees hugging the perimeter. For £20 a night, the quality was fantastic and the staff were really friendly. For the rest of the afternoon, we went for a walk around the neighbourhood and stopped at Yaks Coffee. I had my first Mojito in months and, being the lightweight that I am, felt it within minutes of finishing the first glass.

We had one full day to explore the centre. We headed out early with no real plan apart from seeing a few landmarks. A local guide stopped us and said that we could not enter the Grand Palace due to Buddhists only being allowed to enter mid-morning. I was skeptical, however, he pointed us in the direction of a few things to see and stated we should come back later. For 170 Baht, a Tuk Tuk would take us to 3 sights then finish by the Phra Arthit ferry terminal. It sounded like a good price, especially when the driver was going to have to wait at each location for us.

We headed first to the Big Buddha. Also known as Wat Indharavihan, this place of worship is quite striking when you see a 32m high golden Buddha looking down on you. We moved next onto Wednesday Buddha Temple. There were Buddhas erected all the way around the courtyard housing the ashes of generations of families. The green and red-tiled roofs wrapped around the museum, which was traditional and very clean. We were stopped by a manager at the facility who wanted to practice his English and recommend some local places. I talked about cashmere clothing and he recommended Ram Fashion to us. The Tuk Tuk driver picked up on our conversation and drove us straight there. Usually, they get a finder’s fee or free fuel for taking tourists to places like this, so don’t be surprised if you are driven to one without asking.

We were greeted by a staff member called Robin. He started his sales pitch and asked us if we

wanted a drink. “Slow down buddy, I haven’t seen what you have yet”. I looked through the catalogue and saw some interesting styles. He asked if I wanted 3 or 4 suits. Apart from being slightly delusional, I stated that I would only need 1 and was just browsing. To be honest, the fabrics did look nice so I decided to haggle a little. I saw a blue and white fabric that I wanted making into a shirt that would cost around 2000 Baht. Robin said I could have a tie included and mentioned the cost for a potential suit fitting. I left thinking about it and said I would let them know my decision.

Our final stop was at the Wat Saket, otherwise known as the Golden Mountain. Wat Saket was the capital's crematorium and resting place for some 60,000 plague victims in the late-18th century. The 80-metre-tall man-made hill was built during the reign of King Rama III. With 300 steps to the top, it was quite a climb in the heat but was worth it for the panoramic views at the top of the temple.

We took a tour boat along the Chao Phraya River for 1500 Baht to see the floating market and the monumental Wat Arun Ratchavararam Buddhist temple. The shacks that lined the river were pretty empty and one lady on a boat came over to try and sell fruit. Maybe we weren’t there on the right day as it was pretty underwhelming and the water was filthy. The monument was striking in appearance and there were many shrines you could walk around. We were limited to 20 minutes so we dashed around to see as much as possible.

That evening, I decided after much contemplation and seeking advice from Kristen to get the

cashmere suit and shirt. A member of the Ram Fashion team came to our hotel to take my

measurements. I paid there and then in good faith for 6740 Baht (£168.50). I went back the next day and they had the trousers already made and the jacket cut so they could fit it to me. The turnaround time was incredible for the first fitting. The next time I will see the final product will be in 1 month's time on my final day of the trip.

The last sight we had on our list was the Grand Palace. Built in 1782 after King Rama I ascended to the throne. For 500 Baht, we could enter the grounds and access The Temple Of The Emerald

Buddha. The temple was stunning! Covered in bright tiles lined in gold, blue, green, and red; the highly reflective monuments are definitely worth seeing. It’s definitely about symbolism around here and the temple is regarded as the most sacred in all of Thailand. You need to cover your legs around the palace, so if you visit, make sure you take some trousers with you and be prepared to take your shoes off in most holy sights.

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