Thursday 29 May 2008

Thief at Erawan National Park


Ha minding me own business when i was approached
she has a baby with her so i didn't feel too threatened, but then she started to run at me..

as she got right up close i took a swing with my camera but that didn't deter her, like lightening she had by banana chips out of my hand and was up a tree in no time.

Bloody monkeys!

Tuesday 27 May 2008

Still in Bangkok!




Sunday is the day to go to the weekend market at CHATUCHAK and it is a massive hot and dusty place with the biggest selection of everything you can possibly imagine!! it is a mixed place with stalls and more permanent stalls (for want of another way to describe them) both out in the sunshine or tucked away in a total maze of small cramped covered market areas.

we got the sky train there which was interesting in itself you get to see some of the sights of Bangkok from above (in a different way than from the hotel!)

so yes we did spend a bit of money- not too much really as everything is really cheap and you definitely don't pay the first price quoted! lots of fun.

So on Monday when we were due to check out of the big posh hotel and get some more realistic accommodation. It is on Kao San Road where all the backpackers hang out and is a much more interesting place to wonder round of an eve as you can prob imagine.

First though we spent the morning at a UPS office so Andrea could send home all the stuff she had bought the day before at the market. This was an experience in itself...

Anyway that was all done and dusted and we were checked into the new hotel by about half one so it was time to see some more temples! we were making our way to the Palace and stopped to see various things and ended up further away from it than when we started- but this was OK as we got the really fast and fun river taxi which is more like a river bus and is a really cheap way of getting up and down the river.

However the palace was not to be it shut at 3.30. we did get some really nice meat o9n sticks though from a vendor- i had a pork one which was really like bacon on a stick and a chicken one which was just 3 chicken wings on a stick so not as adventurous as first sounds but tasty. neither of us got ill so we can now start being more adventurous with these!!

New Word is Copcomekar (thats so totally not how its spelt but havn't needed to write it till now!!) anyway it means Thank You i will get the correct spelling out the book for next time!

Mosquito bites to date- 3

so we left Bangkok this morning and arrived in Kanchanaburi- i will tell you more about this place on the River Kwai when i have seen more of it.

S :)

XX

p.s Peter Hobbs could you send me you email address by way of a hyperlink i have tried the address i have for you and it bounced as did replying to your mail of this week. xxx

Sunday 25 May 2008

Arriving Bangkok 23/05/2008





Hey hey well got here all safe and sound, the flight was fantastic and the trip through customs was really easy- added bonus was my bag was one of the first off!

Got the bus into Bangkok so far so good everything very easy. it was about a half hour walk from where the bus dropped me to the hotel- only took that long because most of the streets double up as markets and navigating a backpack through them was not so easy!!

The hotel is fantastic its the BAIYOKE SKY TOWER (did i mention that before i went??) its 88 floors high (309 meters). The views as you would imagine are fabulous, as is the room (huge marble bathroom)

Andrea arrived safe and sound a couple of hours after i did at about 8pm and we met in the hotel lobby bar- couldn't be easier!!

The first night we had a wonder around the PRATUNAM market district which surrounds the hotel. It was totally crazy full of sights and smells- it sold mostly clothing, shoes, bags etc but there were some crazy looking food stalls they are like small metal waggons- they smell amazing. Its still warm even approaching 11pm (We did get a little lost and end up on a right mission to get back to the hotel!!!)

The next day after breakfast (which included buffets to cater for Thai, Indian, Chinese, Japanese and European!) we headed into town to check out some Temples. The train (about half hr) cost just 2b (which is less than 5p) and dropped us practically outside our first temple. It was the temple of the golden Buddah it has the largest gold Buddah sitting 3 meters tall and weighing 5.5 tonnes, the art work around the window and doors were fantastic and we had to take off our shoes before approaching it (Him?)

On route to our next one we were stopped randomly by a Thai chap who told us the main ones would be closed for the afternoon for meditation- he then proceeded to draw all over our map- places that usually tourists didn't get to go, such as the Lucky Temple- Bankoks first, a Fashion Export place that doesn't see many tourists where Andrea is having a full length cashmire coat and a suit made to measure for a little over 300 pounds. He didn't ask for any money for this information and didnt accompany us to any of it for any commission he seemed just a friendly helpful chap!

We finished the afternoon with a trip to the marble temple- this was much bigger than the other two we had seen and had some lovely grounds and lots of monks wondering about who where quite happy to have a quick photo!!

Travelling by Tuk Tuk was quite an experience they are demented drivers but it is quite good fun.



First Impressions:

Pink Taxis
Friendly
Smelly Sewers
Navigational Nightmare

Thai Learnt

Pang Pai - Too Much!