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Published: September 14th 2010
As we touched down in Bangkok, one thing we knew would be there but still took us by suprise, was the extreme heat and humidity...one step off the plane and i needed a shower and some new clothes! When we got to the end of Khao San Road we got out the taxi and heaved our backpacks on to walk down to our hotel and were instantly swarmed by little Thai people trying to sell us anything and everything, from wooden frogs that make a 'ribbit' sound to a sex show (or "ping pong show" as they called it) to an entire basket of water melons to quality hand made suits. Now, i think i'm an understanding kind of guy but after an 11 hour flight and blistering heat with no sun cream on, this was hardly the time for arguing the 5p difference in a basket of watermelons! So we fought our way through and finally got to our hotel which was really very good...free internet, air con, swimming pool, safe etc not too shabby at all. This however was on the contrary to near enough everything else surrounding Khao San road as most of it was metal shacks and
shanty towns.
After we showered and got back into Bangkok i walked about 30 seconds down Khao San road before a young Thai guy came up to us and started chatting...he couldn't quite say my name so he just called me Mr Eee. Everytime i walked down that road from then on i had the 'Mr Eee' guy shouting my name so everyone turned around and came rushing over to sell us stuff! Although Ling was a nice guy and gave us some good advice on Bangkok this was hardly the type of attention we wanted!
The next day, after bartering down a note book for sally (from 3 quid to 2 quid just for the fun of it), we got a Tuk-Tuk round some of the sights of Bangkok: the Standing Budda, Grand Palace and the National History Museum of Thailand and a few other temples. Tiger (the Tuk-Tuk driver) then took us down some back alleys and stopped as 5 or 6 guys came out a shanty hut. Very un-nerving, thought me and sal better make a run for it so we jumped out the Tuk-Tuk but it turned out that the driver was just ending
his shift and someone else took over. After that we ended the sight seeing as most of the things to see were temples which are all very similar from a non-budists point of view. Although they are all undoubtedly spectacular in their own right.
The next day we spent getting sun burnt (bound to happen) in the swimming pool at the top of our hotel and on the night getting a 'fish- spa massage' where little fish nibble all the dead skin off your feet. It is the strangest feeling ever and far from relaxing!
On the fourth day this ended our stint in Bangkok which was an eye opener to say the least... fresh crickets barbequed in the street, grand historic building surrounded by people living in squalor, way too many people in one place and some really tasty food among some really crap food. Before leaving we had a 30 min foot massage for 100 thai baht each (2 quid each) which was quality.
Now we take the night train and leave the busy city of Bangkok to go to Koh Phangan and see what awaits us there...
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Robert Keniwell
non-member comment
WOW!
Sounds like you had a great time. I uploaded a link on my facebook page so the people who you want to see it know that its been updated. Hope you don't mind. :) Loving the pictures.. Nice one of the Mr Eee guy aha. Hope your both okay. xx