On visiting Bangkok:
Firstly - don't race through the City of Angles on your way to somewhere else - At first introduction, all the traffic and crowds in Bangkok can be intimidating but don't be standoffish, jump in and become part of the action.
Hop on the BTS (the skytrain) ride from one end till you either see an interesting spot and hop off or ride to the end look around and head back. If nothing else it's super air conditioned and very 21 st century.
Get your self down to the Chao Phraya River and hop on a express boat (reua duan). Pick up a tourist map or something like the "Rough Guide to Bangkok" to find the top spots to visit or just ride the water born bus watching the sights go by. You can connect from the skytrain at central Pier (was Saphan Taksin station) flat fair on the boats is 10 - 15 Baht . There are also tourist boats - look about the same but fly blue flags, offer running commentaries and head for designated tourist spots like Banglamphu at B75 for an all day ticket, also good on the express boats.
Instead of walking down that long soi grab one of those official motorbike taxi guys. You've seen em, the guys with the red vests, hanging on the corners, get a price first before jumping on. If you’re really a thrill junky, get one to run you through mid town during rush hour. Once while trying to catch a the night train to Chiang Mai my taxi was gridlocked the driver finely just shut off the engine and motioned me to a motorbike taxi at the corner. The motorbike taxi guy must have been used to this because before I could get out of the cab and pull on my pack he was there waiting. Guaranteeing to get me to the train on time at a price (still cheaper than a taxi). Nothing was off limits on our quest - sidewalks, dirt paths, alleys, squeezing beside and cutting across in the front of cars we roared on and catch my train. A little shaken and stiff from my ride I boarded my train on time.
What I believe to be highly underrated in our modern, fast pace world is just walking around. While at it do a lot of rubber necking and to thwart dehydration beer breaks with street vendors are a must and to keep the strength up, a bit to eat from a street vendor as you watch the world flow by.
