Saturday 16 November 2024
Home to Bangkok via Los Angeles and Incheon (Seoul)

The long-anticipated travel day has arrived. I am traveling to Thailand for my 12th yoga-focused winter in Chiang Mai. First to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), then from LAX to Incheon (Seoul’s airport), and finally from Incheon to Bangkok. In many previous years, I walked to a neighborhood Avis location, picked up a car, drove home, loaded my bags, drove to LAX, filled the car with gas, dropped the car at Avis, and took the Avis bus to the airport. Rental car prices have risen dramatically since the pandemic, so other options are of interest. I saw a van at a “park and ride” lot in Sorrento Vally, just a few miles from my home. It had the name “reLAXsan” and a logo indicating it was a shuttle from San Diego to LAX. I looked them up, and they start at Old Town in San Diego, stop at the Sorrento Valley park and ride, stop at another park and ride lot in Carlsbad, and then go directly to LAX. And the cost is less than half that of the rental car option. Much more convenient, since I do not have to drive or get fuel before dropping off the car, and I am taken directly to the airport. Here is a photo of the reLAXsan shuttle.

The reLAXsan shuttle has a schedule of five trips per day each way. The 1:55 Sorrento Valley departure gets me to LAX at 4:30, earlier than I would like since I cannot check in until 7:00 PM. The next time on the schedule arrives at LAX after 7:00 PM, and being early seemed a better option since I do not know this service well.

My neighbors Frank and Cathy agreed to take me to the Sorrento Valley park and ride, so I loaded up my car with my luggage for this trip and we left at 1:30 PM.

We arrived at LAX a little early because Saturday traffic on I-5 and I-405 is less congested than on a weekday. I found that at the back of the International Terminal there were a few eating places, so I ordered a sandwich and shared a table with a lady from Sydney, Australia who was waiting for her daughter about to arrive from Portland.

Check-in for Korean Air flight KE012 opened right on time at 7:00 PM. I was checked in, through security, and at the gate by 7:45 PM. Boarding for the flight to Incheon starts at 10:00 PM, so another bit of a wait.

I could see the airplane at our gate, but being dark, I did not even try to get a photo of the Boeing 747-8i. The flight from LAX to Incheon is scheduled for 13 1/2 hours and was completely full. I watched a few forgettable movies, successfully slept a little, and finally, we arrived at Incheon very close to on time. I have almost 4 hours until the flight to Bangkok. After getting off the plane, and going through international transfer security, I went to the economy lounge. It has been 23 hours since I left home, so I took advantage of the shower facility. For $6 I can get a shower and freshen up in a private room. I felt refreshed and a little re-energized after the shower. I sat at a large community table and started talking with a couple who had been on a tour of Thailand and were returning to the U.S. Then the time came to move to the gate. Incheon is a large and busy airport. There are two large terminals with over 150 gates. Terminal 2, in which Korean Air operates, is larger than Terminal 1, and a listing of the departures suggests a busy airport. The flight to Bangkok, KE657, is in the middle.

I made my way to Gate 249 for flight KE657. The airport is well-signed and easy to navigate.

I was at gate 249, and sat by and talked with a group of ladies from Mexico City who were bound for a tour of Thailand for two weeks.

Above is a photo of gate 249 with KE657 for Bangkok in English and Thai (for those of you who can read Thai). The flight is scheduled to be 6 hours. Below is the Boeing 777-300 on which we will fly to Bangkok waiting at gate 249.

We arrived in Bangkok almost a half-hour early. Then came immigration and baggage claim. I went to the lowest level to the Airport Rail Link for the trip into the city. The taxi drivers always want too much money, about $40-$50, and I can use the train for 45 Baht or about $1.40 to get to the BTS Skytrain, and then about 50 baht to get to my hotel on the Green Line. These trains are very crowded, owing to their popularity. I arrived at my hotel. I had booked a room in the Novotel Ploen Chit, and was surprised to see that it had changed ownership and is now a Four Points by Sheraton.

They did have my reservation. It has been about 32 hours since I left home. I am tired, but also energized being in Bangkok. After getting a shower and changing clothes, I first made my way to Sakura Akasuri & Massage to have their 90-minute sea-salt body scrub, salt-tapping, and massage. Here is their entrance on Thong Lor, a fairly short ride from my hotel on the BTS Skytrain.

After the body scrub and massage (and almost falling asleep), I felt very clean and refreshed. Back to the BTS Skytrain and up to the Asok stop at Terminal 21, a large shopping mall to eat dinner at Sunrise Tacos. Yes, there are plenty of tacos where I live in Southern California, but I want to support Sunrise Tacos a little. Here is a quote from my blog two winters ago:

…when the pandemic hit Thailand, businesses shut down, and many people were without work, the owners of Sunrise Tacos started preparing and delivering meals and other essential items (like cooking oil, soap, toothbrushes, etc.) for those in need. They started a foundation, The Bangkok Community Health Foundation, and continue their mission today. So even though I have donated to the foundation, I wanted to go to one of the Sunrise Taco locations and support them a little more.

Good food, too, as I ease into eating in Thailand.

I am now in Thailand. I have one full day tomorrow, and then I travel to Chiang Mai the day after.

Next: One Full Day in Bangkok