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Published: January 27th 2007
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Khoasan Rd
The tourist area where we stayed for the first night Having finally arrived at Heathrow after a delayed shuttle from Manchester I met up with Babs and Laura and their families just in time to get onto the flight and get seats together. The flight was massively overbooked and we were offered 400 pounds to take on the next day, unfortunately if we did this we would miss out on Bangkok entirely to decided to stick to the original plan.
The 11hr flight was good as 11 hrs on a plane go, just tried to get some sleep unfortunately we were on the back row of the plane so spent most of the time being thrown around by turbulence and hearing the loud toilets next to us!
We touched down in Bangkok aropund 4pm local time and jumped into a taxi, it was expensive but it seems everything is when you first get to bangkok. The taxi driver was very good, speaking some english and talking about some of the sights as we were stuck in rush hr traffic for 2 1/2 hours (the return journey to the airport with no traffic took only 20 mins!). We arrived on Khaosan Road a large market street full of tourists, stalls,
The standing Buddha
This is the largest Budda in Bangkok, its toe is as big as me! shops and bars its second behind China Town for tourists in Bangkok. This suited us entirely as we had no problems finding the hotel and going straight up to our rooms to dump our heavy rucksacks. We stayed in the Buddy Lodge which was about 15 pounds for two nights but worth the extra expense as a dorm room wasnt appealing after all the travelling, we stuck to the main street paying around 100 bach for a pint of beer, roughly 1.30/40 pounds, so not too cheap but as we later discovered being on Khaosan Road means a big jump in prices, although we did go for some proper local cuisine having a pork and noodle soup from a street vender (like all foods in Bangkok very very spicy!) heading to bed around 1 and got some much needed sleep.
Up early the next day we went exploring in Bangkok, after a walk around we found a Tuk Tuk driver who showed us around the city to the main Budda Temples and finishing at the grand palace, this cost aorund 30/40p each which is very good value, unfortunately the Tuk Tuk drivers make money from commission so between every
Me and Laura in the Tuk Tuk
These little taxi/bike/carts are everywhere and the cheapest way to get around temple we ended up at a Jewlers or silk merchant who had an "excellent one day only sale!" surprised to say we didnt buy anything. The Buddas are simple beautiful and the temples so peaceful religion is taken very seriously in Thailand. However these were completely outshone by the grand palace. Its amazing just 70ha of building after hall after temple after statue all painted wiuth gold paint and beautiful mosiacs, it really is something special and the highlight of bangkok for me. The King and monarcy is so important in Thailand and this really is illustrated by the luxurious palaces next to the standard Bangkok slums, despite all the money from tourism Bangkok is a very poor city.
When we got back to the hotel we discovered we had a roof top pool and decided to for a swim, I'm planning to live a very simple life the next six months so you cant begrudge us Pina Coladas in the pool on the first day!
As we went out for some food we had a traditional green curry, and its nothing like the tesco version! very very spicy and washed down with some very strong cocktails -
The grand palace
Simply breathtaking, my photos dont even come close to doing this huge palace justice. Babs ordered a black russian which seemed very strong which made sense when we discovered they dont put mixers in cocktails just spirits! We had another beer on Khoasan Rd and were preparing to go to bed as had to leave at 4am to get a plane to Cambodia but as luck would have it I bumped into Pikey, a guy I played rugby with at Uni also out travelling with a friend and much more beer flowed and we ended up staying out for the night going to a club and not bothering for bed, no surprise I wasn't too happy in the airport at 5am waiting for the plane!
Bangkoks and interesting place, everyone is very friendly wants to know your name where you are from and surprisingly arent interested in getting money from you (except Tuk Tuk drivers and men trying to get me to go to the ping pong shows). The pollution is unbelievable you feel like you cant breathe most the time, particularly on the open air Tuk Tuks. Its very commerical and touristy so you dont feel the other side of the world, although that soon changes when you arrive in Cambodia....
BTW
A familiar face
Out with Pikey on Khaosan Road have added some photos, but I have so so many on my camera so you will have to wait until I'm back to see some real sights!
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Mum
non-member comment
2 countries and so much drinking already!! Don't know if I should keep reading! Good to know you are ok and enjoying something different in Cambodia. How many people form Warwick will you meet there? Been to work and it is raining so you know you are better off there. Love Mum and Steve