Yesterday was a long travel day. When on the road, travel days are the most expensive. Between airfare for short flights, taxi rides (both ends), departure and immigration fees, inflated cost of everything at the airport and extra baggage fee’s (fine print), it’s more expensive and takes a lot of energy!
My ride left yesterday at 8:00 am which is 7:00 am her in Thailand. In Bali, with all the communities performing ceremonies, it’s important to have extra travel time in case of delay. No delays so I had an extra 2 hours at the airport.
Once in Bangkok, a long and confusing line formed for immigration. Fortunately, I found a very helpful agent who guided me to the right place for my long wait. Once through, I gathered my backpack from baggage claim, passed through customs, left the airport, walked to a different part of the airport, went back through security and check-in, had to find an ATM and quickly learn the new math of Thai Baht (different from Indonesian Rupiah) and pay for my bag. Then I was through security once again and was so early, my flight departure gate wasn’t listed.
Air Asia recommended at least 3 but preferably 4 hours between flights as they had no “through” flights from Bali. The closest flight to that recommendation was 4 hours and I could have easily gotten a flight out two hours earlier.
Into Chiang Mai, through baggage claim, into the swarm outside the airport and I accidentally left the airport before purchasing a ticket for the taxi and found a mass of loud people cuing at the curb. I finally found a small but very assertive lady, clip board in hand, taking money, handing receipts an loudly reminding people to pay attention to their taxi number when she called it.
Finally, I arrived at my hotel at 10:00 and promptly went for a walk tons stretch my legs after a day of sitting.
A few more photo’s of an early morning Bali motor bike ride through rice fields.
