Bangkok and a Singapore layover
After a short 4.5-hour redeye flight from lslamabad, we landed in Bangkok. The excitement we felt upon arriving in this tropical, chaotic paradise, with its delicious food, was indescribable. We took the train from the airport to our much-anticipated hotel around 8 AM—just in time to enjoy a huge breakfast that included almost anything you could imagine. The ramen soup was a good starter for our still-upset stomachs, and the pile of fresh fruit was refreshing.
After breakfast, we were lucky enough to book the ultimate spa day. The five-hour spa session, at Thai prices, was worth every penny. We indulged in a foot massage, body scrub, mud application, 90 min massage, and a poolside lunch. We both fell asleep multiple times during the massage—it was so relaxing and just what we needed to reset and ease back into civilization after 3 weeks in Pakistan.
By the time our self-care wrapped up, it was time to check into the hotel. We rejoiced at the sight of our fabulous room and the cozy bed we had been looking forward to. We walked around a bit for dinner but didn’t want to lose the relaxing feeling, so we stayed close to the hotel. We found a well-disguised Japanese restaurant nearby and decided to give it a try. The Japanese food was just right for our stomachs. The restaurant took us upstairs, where we removed our shoes and entered a personal dining area. Soups, sushi, and some ultra-smooth, tasty tofu for dessert—it was all perfect.
The next day, we enjoyed breakfast again, this time taking our time as we waited for the heat of the day to subside. That afternoon, we wandered through the side streets, and Andy was determined to try some street food, no matter what his stomach was telling him. The cooked pork and chicken were good, and we ate them with sticky rice as we walked through the side market. I had somehow lost my sunglasses in Pakistan, so we braved the crowds at the mall to get new ones, knowing there was still plenty of sun to come on our trip. The mall was complete insanity, but we stayed just long enough to get what we needed and get out.
That night, we had reservations at a nicer Thai restaurant in the neighborhood. With our appetizers, soup, and noodles, everything was delicious. Drinks on the roof back at our hotel to enjoy the skyline.
The next day was a travel day, so we took our time enjoying our last giant breakfast before making our way to the airport for our flight to Singapore.
We arrived in Singapore at 7 PM, and I booked us into a hotel just outside the airport since we’d be there for just under 24 hours. The Singapore airport, like the rest of the city, is a large, clean mall—but at this point, I’m not complaining. After six or seven days of stomach issues with no signs of improvement, it’s time to take the medication. Unfortunately the antibiotics were packed in our checked bags, so I’ll have to settle for Pepto in the meantime.