In response to my further questioning, Andy said he had “heard of the hotel (Royal Asia Lodge), but didn’t know much about it”. His concern however, was whether or not I’d be staying/traveling with a partner ("partner" is the politically correct term these days I guess). I thought I’d made it ambiguously clear on Thailand Ho! here that I’d be flyin’ solo, but I’ll point it out now. No, there’s no partner with me on this trip. I’ll be on my tod as a Scot I know used to say.

So he’s concerned about whether or not I’d be there with someone because the hotel, as it turns out, is in the middle of “Smutland”. I did indeed want to be in the midst of the action, yes, but Smutland? That gives a certain western-based image of a sleezy part of town with hookers and drug dealers on the streets. From my Amsterdam experience I’d imagine that it’s not quite so bad. Andy also mentioned how some hotels charge extra for guests to stay the night whereas others don’t. I might point out at this point that my hotel reservation reads as follows:

========== EXCHANGE VOUCHER ############ issued 28.09.06 ===
For Hotel: Royal Asia Lodge
91 Soi 8 Sukhumvit Road,
Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110
Tel. 02-2515514-5
Issued by: Web Sawadee Plc. / SamuiNET Travel
888/124 Ploenchit Rd., Mahatun Plaza Bldg. 12.Fl.
Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
...
Country..: Canada
Persons..: 2
Check-in.: Friday, 29 September 2006
Check-out: Sunday, 1 October 2006
Number and category of rooms:
1 x THB 1100 / Superior Deluxe,double
**Exclude Breakfast**

Note the “persons 2”. I guess that means I can have guests?

Secondly, note the “Superior Deluxe” category of room. I thought for a minute I’d been upgraded, but having checked the hotel reservation system once more it’s made clear that rooms at the Royal Asia Lodge start at Superior Deluxe, thus begging the question, to what is it “superior”?

Expats in Thailand use a lot of implications in their speech.