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Published: February 17th 2008
Rub-a-de-dub
What a way to spend our last morning in Samui(Tina)We're getting a bit worried are writing this in the hope that someone out there is still interested cos we haven't had any new messages for days now. We're not sure if you're all fed up with us (or each other) or whether the blog's bocked for some reason. Anyway we've asked our blog engineer (David) to look into and hopefully we'll hear from your all again soon/ Hope so we love getting messages from you makes us feel loved. xx
Well in the end to leave Samui we had to book yet another plane, our plan was to go on the overnight train but we tried to book it a couple of days before we left and it was fully booked, so Lynda still hasn't got her wish to sleep on a train, (wait for it though cos got one booked for Australia), so anyway we flew to Bangkok and got taxi back to the original hotel we stayed in when we first arrived, really does feel like an age ago. Strangely enough I said to Lynda it felt a bit like going home cos it was the first time we'd had a little bit of familiarity.
Didn't
The palace at last
But worth the wait arrive till 8ish pm and cos internet had been so expensive in Samui and free here we made the most of it so we didn't even go out to eat or anything, just emptied the fridge of lovely cold beer and caught up on emails, etc., I went to bed about midnight but Lynda didn't come up until gone two!!
The next day we decided we wouldn't do our sightseeing cos we still hadn't sorted out a bed in Singapore and it was starting to worry us a bit. So the next day we spent nearly the whole day trying to forward-book stuff, really boring and Lynda was going a bit stir-crazy so had to disappear for a bit to clear her head. We did manage to book the train in Melbourne and accommodation there and also we made a decision to fly to Kuala Lumpur straight after arriving in Singapore on Saturday. This decision was taken partly because we still couldn't get anywhere to stay for Saturday and also because we had been advised that 8 days is too long in Singapore, so a connecting flight to KL was duly booked along with a NICE! Hotel for 5
Shiney and New
Renovated for the King's 80th birthday days, all sorted. Thinking we had done quite well with our office work off we trots for dinner to a restaurant called Cabbages and Condoms, hmmm, different isn't it, well it was, Lynda was quite taken with it so will let her tell you about it.
(Lynda) Hi all, well it was Valentines this night so we were a bit worried people might think we were dykes or something but we braved it! I'd already got a lovely surprise when we got back to Bangkok because David (bless him) has sent me a new Marmite (teddy) because the one he'd brought me to take away got lost or stolen at one of the airports. There was also a card ahhhh. to top it all Ben sent me some pictures of the kids so all in all I'd already had a good Valentines (not as good as last year, but not bad!) Also the reason I was so late to bed was that Kevin (the manager of the hotel) only had 3 episodes of Corrie which he downloaded for me - I was in heaven - saw Maria and Liams wedding - what a treat!! Anyway, back to Cabbages and
Jim Thompson House
Largest teak house in the world Condoms - what a wicked place there are statues for example santa, superman etc. and all the lampshades are all decorated with condoms and contraception. the founder wants contraception to be as easily available in the third world as cabbages - hence the name!! Got loads of ideas for when I get back to work. I had a lovely dinner which later Tina told me she didn't order because it was too expensive. I felt well told off, I hadn't even looked at the price! It was worth it though it was really scrummy. Don't think Tina liked hers much!! When we paid the bill they gave us both a condom. I asked if they had one with the name on so they gave us another one. You can check when we get home whether we've still got two each!!
After this, I think I bullied Tina into staying out, couldn't bear to go back to the hotel after spending all day there (it's lovely don't get me wrong, but enoughs enough. Anyway we went back to Soy Cowboy which is the red light district - only to watch of course, we still didn't have the bottle to go
A work of art
A lightshade made from condoms - an idea for Lynda's new house? in any go-go bars, but it's always good for a laugh. And what a laugh we had, there were 4 bible bashers there, American we think, doing there best to save the souls of all those sinners. Let me tell you they had there work cut out. After about an hour of puritan preaching they finished by going in the bars and shaking people's hands. Absolutely hillarious, one of them looked petrified.
Another day and at last I get to go to the palace. We got up and out quite quickly and went on the sky train to the ferry. Think we got a bit ripped off here because we bought an on/off ticket (bit like a travelcard) for 100 baht. It was only while we were at the palace that Tina noticed the ticket finished at 3pm and we'd never get there on time - b*stards!! We'd been warned about being ripped off by people trying to get us to take tuk tuk or tour guide trips. They tried, told us the palace was closed for monks day and wouldn't open again until 2.30 and in the meantime they could take us on a nice little tour of
Tina's new man
At least he's safe!! other attractions - yeah right - we were ready for these!!
The palace was amazing so opulent and rich - just like a palace should be, real gold and sparkly coloured glass all shiney and new, due to the renovations for the King's 80th birthday. The guide took great pride in telling us that all the lamposts were donated by Queen Victoria, I think it's about time we had them back, far nicer than the ones I've got down my street!!
After this we took a tuk tuk to Jim Thompson's house. I found this really interesting but think Tina had had enough by now, it was bloody hot and we were melting. Jim Thompson lived in Thailand and adopted their ways and bought 5 traditional houses from all over Thailand and brought them together in Bangkock and re-built them and furnished them with Thai furniture. He also had a love for Thai silk and marketed it in Europe and America. There's a chain of shops selling beautiful stuff but way out of our price range - we can only afford the markets!
Back to the hotel for a quick turnaround because we're treating ourselves tonight! On
Banyan Tree
Lovely place shame about the drinks! the way I had to return to Cabbages and Condoms as the battery on camera ran out the night before and I really needed photos.
(Tina)We got all togged up for our last night in Bangkok, we had been saving a special night out for our last, so after a quick meal (although a really yummy one) we got a taxi to a dead posh hotel called The Banyan Tree, Lynda wanted to get on the Skytrain but I didn't want to turn up looking like a wet weekend so insisting on a taxi. They stop all the cars driving into the hotel to search them and the concierge had a really funny little outfit on, looked like a younger version of Don Estelle when he sang that song Whispering Grass. Anyway our plan was to go to the top of this hotel to the bar called Vertigo! Up in the lift for 59 floors and then walked up 3, I swear it was moving!! Quickly sat down and ordered two LIIT's and took some photos, I felt ok to begin with till Lynda started leaning over the edge taking photos then I really started to feel billious. It
was a big wow looking over the whole of Bangkok at night, amazing. Drinks were really expensive but could only manage the one anyway, touch!!
From there we got a taxi to Lumphini night market, its absolutely huge and was so busy when we arrived around ten. A really lovely, different sort of market with loads of original struff mixed with a bit of the same, same, but different kind of thing. Must tell you that Lynda has really cottoned onto this shopping lark, she nearly always comes back with more bags than me, although could be something to do with having more room in her case!!
Didn't manage to have a drink at the market cos we were to busy shopping so had a quick beer back at the hotel before going to bed. Moving on tomorrow, first flight at 15.40 to Singapore and then another at 9pmish to Kuala Lumpur. First flight was on our original ticket with Star Alliance so was a lovely big plane with Singapore Airlines and the second was with Air Asia, their Ryanair, what a come down, eh!! We left our big cases in Singapore left lugguge so we wouldnt have to lug them and also pay excess baggage.
Arrived in Kuala Lumpur quite late but managed to get onto a coach going into the city then got a taxi a short way to hotel. Everytime we book a lovely hotel it seems we are destined to be let down, what a dump, Pearl International in KL don't touch it!! Really dated and we had only been in our room two minutes before i found a cockroach in the drawer, lucky i bought my sooper dooper spray, killed it and took it to reception to show the man whereupon he acted like I had found the only one in the hotel but was good enough to change rooms for us. Upgraded us to the 20th floor, how nice. We hardly got any sleep, maybe three or four hours, then we were back at reception telling them we weren't staying for the other four nights and after a little argy bargy they let us leave only paying for the one night and no penalty, so alls well that ends well.
After checking out a few more hotels we thought this place is a rip off, really not that nice and yet charging a fortune for just about everything, Lynda thinks the place is one big fake cos its all designer front but old and dingy round the back, if you know what we mean. Anyhow with that we took a decision that we would make our way back to the airport and try and change our flight back to Singapore today and that would have been a good plan but they only had one seat left on the last plane tonight. Anyway to cut a long story short we are at the airport as we do this and have been for the last 12 hours but we have paid to be in this private lounge where they feed and water you, give you free internet and comfy seats, so its not all bad, just another night with only a few hours kip, but we will survive and KL can 'go on now go!!' if you know what we mean!!
So thats it peeps, another few days in our exciting lives on the road, or in the air, some days it seems we don't know where we are but we are definately not lost and will be in touch soon, providing you keep reading and answering.
Lots of love to you all, tomorrow night forget the LIIT, it'll be Singapore Slings all the way!!! However we still haven't got anywhere to stay there. HELP!!!!
Lynda again - just wanted to tell you that although the Banyan Tree was a 'wow' moment, the LIIT's certainly were not. Probably the worst we've had and certainly the most expensive. The winner's still The Hideout in Dartford. Fletch if you go there tell her we're doing a survey and that she's winning!!
L & T xxxxxx
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PAUL
non-member comment
Hi Girls
Cant believe after months of planning you end up spending two nights in an airport lounge !! Never mind , glad to see the blog updated (suppose you got loads of time on your hands ) . Looking forward to seeing Singapore , just hope you get sorted with digs xx Anyway lovely to see you have upgraded from missing flights to living at the airport !! Take care xx