High spirits as the tour begins

Day 1
Leaving for Bangkok

One by one, we trickled into the airport, from all parts of Victoria, akubra clad and excited. We were at the airport relatively on time, all ready to get to going, despite the fact we had another 3 hours of waiting in the airport before we could board our flight. Lunch and a few hundred photos before we give our kisses and final goodbyes and then through to customs. All clear and and boarded at 4:00pm, we were bouncing off the walls for the first 4 hours. Eventually we settled down into flight mode, reading, sleeping and having animated discussions over an airport-bought Cosmo (a deep thought read for the boys).

The fine Thai meals gave us a taste of Thai cuisine which added to the anticipation. We landed on time and disembarked at 9:00pm Bangkok time (1:00am in Melbourne) and after the usual wait at the baggage carousel we hurried through customs to meet our guide, 'Toy'. She and her manager draped us in leis, which confused us slightly – were we in Hawaii or Thailand – until we realised they were Thai orchids and that we were, in fact, in the heart of Bangkok, where the high rise meet the slums along the freeways, and where the humidity hits you as you step into the open air.

We were treated again in the hotel lobby with small juice called Bael, that has to be an acquired taste. Perhaps, we won't be drinking that a breakfast ... We caught the lifts to our assigned rooms, had a quick shower and, somehow, after all the excitement we were still able to sleep in our comfortable and spacious rooms, the hustle and bustle and city noises lulling us to sleep, ready to greet the new day with excitement and enthusiasm.

The Premier's Spirit of ANZAC Tour had started for real.