Monkey Business

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Well not too much to write about in the meantime- couple more pleasant days in Battanbamg, spent a day visiting villages and seeing rural work which was cool tehn did another bus journey to get back into Thailand. Did plan on going to Koh Chang but weather reported thunderstorms and seemed unable t get any reasonably priced accommodation book, so decided to head to Kanchanaburi instead. After a 2hr queue at passport control I decided to break the journey in Bangkok and managed to get a room in same guesthouse I started at



That evening went out for a drink with Wayne who had crossed over from Cambodia at the same time as me and he told me that the Monkey Festival was on in Lopburi on the Monday. So we agreed to travel up there together and see it



Sunday went to Chatuchack Market where they sell everything- including small pet rabbit wearing dresses- I mean WTF??? Also skulls of cows or buffalos and all manner of things



And bringing thngs up to date

Well there could never be a day where so much didnt go to plan yet still turned out great.



We had decided to go to the Monkey Festival at Lopburi.



It all started off ok, met Wayne at the station as agreed and went to the ticket office and bought tickets which were a bargain at only 28 baht each and boarded the tran and waited to leave. And we waited and waited and waited



After an hour or so had passed a railway offical boarded the train and announced this train was subject to a 2 hour delay. Amazingly no one seemed particularly bothered by this and just calmly waited. We discussed it and decided to see if we could buy tickets for the 2nd class express train on the next platform which was faster,



So we get off the train and back to information desk. Shocked to here that the other train cost a whopping 374 bahts each - and wad was also delayed for an hour. Decided not worth the extra expense so got back on out original train



Within half an hour the train actually started moving- slooooowly. 3 hours after our original departure wime we had covered the great distance of 22knms. Was having a laugh about it saying that it might have been quicker to hire bicycles!!! It was at this point I realised I had left my camera behind at the guesthouse- oh well will use phone



Once we were out of Bangkok the ride chugged along quite nicely with distractions from the train vendors who sold things like drinks inc orange juice, apparently perfect iced coffee, beer and fizzy and various foods from bbq meat on sticks to rice meals and lucky charms. I spotted vendors outside window at one station selling pots of ice cream so thought I would buy some next stop- however didnt see them again



3 hours later than originally planned we arrived in Lopburi. I take out my phone to snap a pic of the giant golden Monkey statue on the station only for it to say "Goodbye" and die on me ..........

As well walked towards where the festival should've been held it seemed rather quiet. I was starving so bought chicken from a food cart and Wayne asked the seller about it. Turns out the festival was YESTERDAY!!! Now both of us had checked the dates online on different sites- the Tourism Authority of Thailand had published the wrong dates



Oh well there were still ruins and monkeys to see- and we did, monkeys were everywhere, thousands of the hanging about the ruins , up electricity pylons, on balconies just everywhere. And they were not the slightest bit wary of people- one came a took monkey nuts from me and did a far better job of cracking them open that I had managed. Wayne was trying to get a picture of a couple of them having a shag but they were too quick- 5 seconds and it was all over LOL



And at 4 pm it was the officially feeding time. Loads of food was put out along the roadside at the edge of the ruins and even more monkeys appeared

. It was truly unbelievable and they were funny to watch- not quite so funny when on scaled my leg trying to pickpocket me- it was out of luck, after experiencing Gibraltar apes my belonging were saftly tucked into my bumbag under my t shirt



We were enjoying the antics then a drop of rain appeared, Hmmm, Ignored it. That was a mistake- within 30 seconds it was a full blown storm. We ran for cover but by the time we got under the umbrella of a nearby food stall we were drenched. We stood under that stall for 20 mins with the cooking lady who didn't seem to mind 2 westerners suddenly invading her space - although Wayne being tall was quite useful in empting off the covering tarpaulin of rain



Well the rain eventually stopped by which time we had to get back to the station to catch the train to go back. This one was actually on time and we got off at Bang Sue station and used the MRT instead as so much faster. At Mo Chit we went our separate was as Wayne was flying back to UK early the next day and I want back to my guesthouse via Khao San Road

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