I had bid for a business class upgrade with Sri Lankan airlines.  I was already going to have to pay $75 in baggage fees, so I added $100 to it.  If I got business class, no baggage fees.  I got it!  Super happy about that as I slept on the floor of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Int'l airport.  Lucky for me, I had my sleeping pad, but they cranked the a/c and I actually woke up cold.  At any rate, given the number of people trying to sleep on chairs, I was thankful to get a few hours of sleep.  I couldn't check in for my flight until three hours prior to departure.  Once that got done, I promptly headed to the airport lounge.  I stopped at what I thought was it, but they sent me further to the first class lounge.  Let's just say I was less than impressed.  The one in South Korea was so much better.  At any rate, I did have access to a shower and I was thankful for that.

My flight was actually an Air Belgium flight operated by some of their flight crew.  I settled in to my seat.  Sure was nice to stretch out.  I easily could of fallen asleep, but I wanted to make the most of my business class experience so I watched the movie, "The Whale."  Pretty good and it made me cry.  I was glad for the privacy of the seats.

Landed about 45 minutes late in Sri Lanka and didn't have to wait long for my bags and bike.  Whew!  Headed towards immigration, but there was no one directing us at all.  I gathered I had to fill out an ariival form, but they also had computers that also had an "arrival form."  Started to type there, but for some reason, I couldn't find the United States as a listed country.  Hmmmm.  Just grabbed my paper form and headed over to the line.  I had already completed my electronic visa on arrival and paid my $50 so hoping I zip right through.  I did.

Found an atm and also bought a sim card at the airport.  I heard wifi at the hotels rarely works and of course I need data on my phone anyways.  The hotel I picked offered an airport shuttle and they had given me instructions of where to meet them and to text them when I was ready.  As I'm about to text them I see I have a message saying they can't fit my bike, I'll have to get a taxi.  Then, within a couple of minutes a guy apporaches me and askes me if I'm for the Hotel Four Seasons.  Yep, that's me.  They had arranged a bigger car and I paid 1/2 the fee.

The first room they gave me would have been fine until they went into another room and I saw that it had a fridge.  I asked to change rooms as mine did not.  No problem.  Then I ask where a store is.  He says they will take me in his tuk tuk.  Free.  Okay.  A little confusion as he starts to drop me at a restaurant and says he will come back in an hours.  Ummm, no, I just need a store.  So, off to a store we go.  All I can find is Coke Zero, water, and some crackers.  I have tuna so I figure I'll survive.  So about that tuk tuk ride.  CRAZINESS!!  Traffic going every which way!  Lanes?  Forget about it.  Anything goes.  I know there's some order to this madness, but seeing the chaos does make me a little nervous to ride my bike.

I was confused about who was who at the hotel.  Turns out the tuk tuk guy is the owner and his wife is the one who has been texting me to arrange payment and breakfast for the morning.

Sri Lanka is 1.5 hours behind Bangkok and I stayed up late trying to figure out where I'd stay tomorrow.  Couldn't be bothered to put the bike together.  The owners have agreed to hold my bike box for the month and the wife just indicated I should tip them at the end and leave a good review.  No problem.  They then pointed out two other bike boxes.  They are people whose blog I saw on CGOAB.  Just going to miss them!

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