Day 33

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Made it to the airport fine and it actually has some nice views (as you know Frazer) including the cable car that I went on the other day. Spent all of my HKD coins (except the interesting ones for souvenirs) and got on the plane. I was a lot more calm than I had been on previous flights but it was strange seeing my first "wai". Instead of hadnshakes etc the Thai wai which is where you place your hands together at varying heights depending on who you are wai-ing to and then bow your head. When on a plane it sort of looks like they are praying which until you remember is a little unnerving on a flight!!!

Got to the airport, all fine fine fine, got on my bus, not a problem thanks to excellent directions from my Lonely Planet guidebook and off I went. As we got going they announced that the coach (although we had paid in full) was not going to Khao San Road fully and would stop early becasue of the protest. I thought thats fine, I'll just get a cab when I get there... I'm sure they wouldn't just leave us in the middle of nowhere.

Sure enough they did and the coach person wouldn't even tell us on the map where we were and just left us there. Thankfully I had picked up a detailed map from the airport for free so I got it out and tried to think which way to walk. Unfortunately when you are dropped in a place with no touristy bits around, its a bit difficult figuring out where you are on a tourist map. I just decided to walk, and walk and walk along the road they had vaguely pointed at. It was absolutely baking hot (1pm) and I had my massive rucksack... not cool in the slightest. i bumped into a nice man who spoke good english and was able to give me the good news that I was heading in the right direction but would have to walk through the protest to get to where I was going. Oh goody. The reason I had not seen a cab either was that they were all at the protest or were just staying clear because of the road blocks.

With this excellent news I took my sweaty self through the heart of the red shirt protest. thankfully at this point all was calm and I was offered food and people shook my hands lots as they were pleased to see a farang (foreigner) supporting their cause.... I wasn't and I would have preferred if they had offered me water and a lift! Nevermind! I trudged on and 30mins later I arrived at reception of my hostel. They were very understanding and let me sit down and got me water. At this point I probably looked like death. unfortunately my trek was not over as my room was on the 3rd floor (no lift) and had only a fan (no air-con).

I warned my friend who was joining me from HK (but on a later flight) and her trek wasn't nearly as bad but obviously my excellent directions helped!

i had lunch and saw my first ladyboy, there were ants in the bathroom, it was 34C and was kept awake by the noise of the protest all night! Not the best of starts you might think but I was already loving Thailand in comparison to China!!

Khao San Road was lots of fun although during my first foot massage I noticed my ankles had now doubled in size because of the heat and the bruise on my leg had now morphed into a giant red thing on my foot. Not nice!

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