New Year's Eve, South Africa...

It is 10:54 am on the 31st December 2014 as I prepare to board my 'Jet Airways' flight from Johannesburg to Bangkok. This leg of the flight is operated by South African Airways to Mumbai where I will land at 00:05 (local) hours on New Years Day.  It occurred to me that it would still be around 20:00 and 18:00 in Johannesburg and London respectively, had I been flying the other way I could have celebrated at least twice!




My flight up from East London the previous day had gone smoothly unlike the scheduled flight before mine which was delayed by some 6 hours due to mechanical problems, I had sent a message to my sister congratulating myself on allowing plenty of time, little did I know! Our plane boarded on time then... nothing... we didn't move away from the ramp.  It was then announced that the delay was caused due to offloading hold baggage belonging to a person or persons who had not boarded the plane.  Better safe than sorry but an hour delay.  As I had less than 1.5 hours at Mumbai to collect my bag and board the next flight the cabin staff assured me that I would be met on the off ramp at Mumbai. At last we joined the queue for take off.


Some six or so hours later after two in-flight movies, two meals and two games of "Suduko", "Happy New Year" greeted us from the captain.  Opening the window blind we could look down on Mumbai and see the firework displays all over the city.  It is surprising how high they look from the ground yet how tiny yet beautiful when coming in for approach.  On landing a member of the ground crew met me and whisked me through to security with a new boarding pass and onto the aircraft. I was assured that my hold baggage would meet me at Bangkok.  Off we went and after a short while I began to watch the dawn rise over the horizon.

Landing in Bangkok International I joined the queue to pass through Immigration. Fortunately they have more staff than Heathrow and after about 30 minutes I was claiming my bag and changing some currency at the strategically placed Bureau d' Change. I had pondered how to get from the airport to my hotel the Prince Palace some 30km away.  A taxi would be easy but possibly expensive so I decided to be bold and descended to the 'Skytrain' platform in the basement, lifts and escalators provided.  Helpful staff around the platform showed me which was the nearest station, Phaya Thai, the end of the line as it happens and how to use the ticket machine. In went my 100 Baht note and out came a round token costing 35 Baht (£0.72) and my change. Fortunately I was to discover, station, street signs and major buildings are also displayed in English.  I also picked up a complementary SIM card for my 'phone with some free air and data time at the station. Pop in to any 7eleven to top it up. Nice.

Reaching the terminus, each station is displayed in advance with an accompanying announcement as to which side of the carriage to exit, I found an information office next to the ticket office. She told me that The hotel was but a sort distance away and I could get a taxi at level 2.  I believe that the hotel is about a six minute walk from the station now I have a map but I am sure the taxi driver took me the long way around, difficult to tell with their complicated roads which have to navigate the canals too. Still 75 Baht later it was still cheaper than from the airport and it was New Year's Day.


A porter took my luggage and I mounted the steps into the ground floor of the hotel.  I had thought that it was going to be a converted palace but know it is a modern building named to honour of the Prince where his palace once stood.  I could check in on the 11th floor at 11:00 hours then up to my room on the 29th where my bags would be delivered shortly.  To fill in time I had a coffee in the reception bar and watched CNN celebrating New Year around the good old US of A.  Then a shower and change before chilling by the pool.

View my 'New Year's Eve, South Africa' photo album