Leaving Hastings: The First Steps of a Long Journey
Departure day always comes with a mix of excitement and low-level dread. The final rituals— Feeling anxious – switching everything off, last-minute packing—always seem more significant than they are. My friend arrived on time, the first leg of the journey beginning with a ride to Hastings train station.
A familiar but uneasy feeling set in: this was it. Important at this point to just focus on completing each leg of the journey rather than the whole trip which can be overwhelming.
Hastings to Gatwick
When you live in East Sussex and need to catch a flight from Heathrow, the best route is to get on the Victoria train and then catch a national express coach from Gatwick. If your flight is from Gatwick, job done. Getting to Heathrow through London is a nightmare requiring over an hour on the tubes.
The train to Gatwick South Terminal was smooth, no changes booked up in advance online and just scanned my electronic ticket at the gates. At Gatwick, time for a quick coffee and croissant before continuing. Sitting in the waiting area, I encountered an obnoxious Crawley local, a reminder that some things never change no matter how far you travel.
Gatwick to Heathrow Central
The National Express coach to Heathrow was on time and no traffic delays around the M25 leaving at 4pm on a Saturday evening. But Terminal 4 wasn’t a direct stop. Would have to make my way to T4 from Central Bus Station or Terminal 5. Already the first test in navigating unnecessary travel complexity. Should have booked a coach direct to Terminal 4 Heathrow from Gatwick.
First Vlog: A Crash Course in Videography
Recording my first-ever travel vlog was already revealing lessons. Video demands more attention than photography. It eats up power, storage, and requires planning—not just capturing the moment but structuring it.
Challenges noticed early on:
Forgetting to record B-roll because I wasn’t seeing “striking” scenes like in photography.
Video is more intrusive—holding up a camera in busy spaces feels unnatural at first.
Power consumption is brutal. Charging on the coach became essential.
Need to toggle power-saving mode strategically.
Still, the process was engaging. The act of storytelling through video felt like a new way of traveling in itself and gives purpose to the travel. The great thing about videography Vs photography is you can make a vlog about almost anything.
Heathrow Central to T4: The Stress Begins
Arriving at Heathrow, the decision was: bus or train to T4? The train from Heathrow Central turned out to be the better option—no changing, less hassle.
Check-in at Oman Air was smooth thanks to traveling light with carry-on only. Security, however, was a different beast.
Belt got stuck. Should have just told them not wearing one, has not got metal parts and not visible.
Gear-wise, nothing got flagged, a small relief.
Observing the sheer size of some people’s checked luggage made me appreciate the freedom of a single backpack.
With that done, I rewarded myself with a couple of bottles of London Pride at a pub inside T4. Glad I didn’t go for a third. Vlogging also gave me something to do—renaming files, organizing footage—turning waiting time into productive time.
Heathrow to Muscat: The First Flight
Flight delayed by an hour—not ideal, but should still make the next leg in Muscat. The journey to Bangkok already felt long, and tight layovers don’t help. Three or four hours would be better than cutting it close. But the hardest part was over. I was airside at Heathrow airport now waiting to board my flight. I was committed now, no turning back.
Muscat to Bangkok: Russian Roulette in the Skies
Landing in Muscat with an hour to spare meant a quick repeat of security stress. Belt off, watch in a separate tray, fluids ignored this time. Rushed to the gate for the next flight, C8.
The flight to Bangkok was packed—mostly white Russians of the working-class type. One particularly fat, drunk Russian tourist tried to switch seats with me, but I refused. Thankfully, he found another spot. I could smell the alcohol from a distance.
My seat at the back was identical to the bulkhead seat of previous flights—not any better or worse. By now, a realization was settling in:
Too many connections and moving parts add stress. Although there are some advantages of breaking the flight into two.
If flying from Heathrow, parking a car there is far less hassle but expensive especially if travelling for more than a few weeks. This is why I took the public transport route.
T4 Heathrow was the weakest link—crowded, chaotic, unnecessary anxiety and then the flight delay thinking I might miss my connection in Muscat.
Arrival in Bangkok: From Airport to Nana
Customs was smooth. A quick question: “How long are you staying?” No request for an onward ticket—lucky, considering my Saily eSIM wasn’t working yet. Had not downloaded my Onward Ticket to my mobile device. Another stress point that could have been avoided. OnwardTicket is a great resource if your flying one way and want to keep your travel plans flexible. Unfortunately, especially at flight checkin desks they often ask for proof of onward travel out of the destination country.
Here’s where things got interesting:
eSIM issue: Couldn’t connect via my Saily esim data plan. Almost bought a Thai SIM until a local girl questioned why it wasn’t working—prompting me to recheck settings. Vodafone data had reset itself.
Solution: Roaming needed to be manually enabled for Saily’s eSIM—a lesson learned.
Cash withdrawal at the airport ATM was straightforward using my Caxton card. The exchange rate at the booths was abysmal—38 THB per GBP. Classic airport markup.
Suvarnabhumi Airport to Nana Sukhumvit
Navigating the train system this time was easier. I usually take a taxi into Bangkok from the airport but they not put the meter on, and charging up to 700 baht. The train to Nana is 75 baht requiring one change. Ok, less convenient but much cheaper. You have to head down to the basement in Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) for the airport Rail Link to Phaya Thai. Switch to Sukhumvit Line toward Khema, then alight at Nana.
Hotel Checkin: NanaThai Suites
Short walk from Nana to Soi 6 and then onto soi 4 and into NanaThai Suites which is right next to Benjakitti Park for my morning walks. This end of soi 4 Nana is very quiet compared to the top end next to the Sukhumvit road.
Check-in was smooth, the room was cool with balcony view over the park and city. After a quick power nap and shower, it was time to head out and explore Bangkok.
Final Thoughts: The Journey’s Lessons
- Vlogging is an active process.
More intrusive than photography
Requires planning (B-roll, power management)
Engaging but demanding
- Travel Complexity Increases Anxiety.
Multiple layovers add stress
T4 was a mess—would avoid next time
Park at Heathrow next time to simplify logistics
- Tech Troubles Can Catch You Off Guard.
eSIM quirks—always check roaming settings
Backup SIM or local option should be a consideration
The trip had started with a mix of excitement, anxiety, and problem-solving. But now, the real adventure—Bangkok itself—was about to begin.
What’s Next?
This was just the beginning. The city awaits, and so do the stories. More vlogs, more lessons, and more insights coming soon.
Thailand Thoughts?
Have you experienced similar travel headaches? How do you handle layovers and airport stress? Drop a comment below or share your tips for making long-haul journeys smoother.
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