Bangkok, Ayuthaya and Kanchanubari adventures.

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Arriving in Bangkok after what seemed like the longest overnight journey but at 9 hours (as we arrived 1 hour ahead of schedule) it should have been easy compared to some we have done. So we headed straight for coffee and a look at where the hell we where as there is so many different bus stops we could be at. Unfortunately none of the locals wanted to help as they're not getting any money for it basically. We finaly work out we're in the "southern bus terminal" and we need a bus into town so here's how it goes.

Wednesday 7th january
5am and i'm on a high from my caffeine intake and Steve's all serious trying to find where the hell we are (at least one of us can handle our caffeine) We finally discover it's the southern bus terminal and we are told to take bus number 511 as we explained we wanted siam station. Anway when 511 came they said "we no go there" ok, so we ask "which bus" we are told to take 507 so we wait and it turns up and guess what "we no go there"getting slightly annoyed now I go in hunt for someone who works here unfortunately we are surrounded by tuk tuk and taxi drivers not to mention the over priced mini bus drivers. Not an easy task. So I come across a little police/security office and ask there. They all stare at me like I'v fallen off a Christmas tree, before all sniggering and shrugging shoulders, I don't feel uncomfortable or stupid! So I turn to walk away and they start being nice then asking me if I have a map so I shout Steve over and they take a look. They tell us after bickering and shaking heads that we need to get 511. We explain (well try to) that we have attempted this already when the official looking bus conductor woman says bus number 507. So we are none the wiser. So we study the map and decide after 2 hours of being sent from this bus to that bus we jump on the 511. We show the ticket collector where we want to go and god knows how they get the jobs she doesn't even know where this bus goes let alone any other (as tickets are all one price a 2yr old could do her job) Luckily a knowledgable local steps in to save the day and tells us we need to get off at the first stop and catch bus 79 FINALLY! If it wasn't for him who knows where the hell we would have ended up. The journey took 2 hours to get to Siam centre so we we're in no mood to mess around trying to find a hostel but we have no choice. There was an info office that gave us a map and pointed us in the right direction for the "cheap hostel". There was a little street with about 4 hostels next door to each other. We settled on the cheapest at 500bht (10 pounds) more pricey than we wanted but we want to be this end of town as my friend is staying around here and we are meeting up tomorrow and I want to make the most of the whole day.
So fresh and so clean! We both just want to sleep but our camera needs fixing and there's a sony shop in the siam centre so we're off to get that sorted as we only think it will be a small problem as the sim card wont go back in after we took it out to down load some pics. Anyway to cut a long story short they wanted to do the usual of sending it away for 1wk and bla bla bla! So we trecked to the main sony office (where it would have been sent) and they basicaly said WE had to pay 85pounds to get the part sent from Singapore to fix it and it would take 1wk. We asked "why do WE have to pay when it's nothing we have done it's a fault with the camera" their reply was that we are only covered in New Zealand where we bought it from. By this point i'm in floods of tears as I really can't belive our brand new 8 wks old 250 pound sony camera was useless and the only reason we had bought it in the first place was because our other "SONY""camera had broken and exactly the same scenario 85 pounds and send off for a week was the sony stores solution then to. We were annoyed as we bought sony because we thought they were a good name but we were proved wrong. So we left on the long hike back contemplating our options basically we don't really have any except for BUYING yet another camera we can only buy a cheap one as thats all we can afford and to be fair our expensive ones haven't done us much good anyway. During the walk back all the thais who are usually rather rude let us pass and one even let us cross a road. We decided all this Budda karma they practice they must have sensed our murderous mood and thought it best to let us go as they didn't want to fall victim to us (I must say they made the right choice) . So ready for tomorrow to see a friendly face. Meeting Karen and her friend vicky at 10am whoop whoop

Thursday 8th january
Up early and so excited to see Karen and to see some of Bangkok as we spent the day at sony we didn't get to check out much of the sights. So we met at their end and had a drink at a very posh cafe oh la la. We then headed to the sky train that took us to Chatachak market when we arrived no one had mentioned it was just a weekend affair. Bummer so we headed back to the sky train and then a boat ride in a water taxi to see the Erawan shrine (nothing special). We then wandered around the shopping centres as the girls wanted to buy some goodies. It was hard work looking and not buying but like I keep telling myself "When i'm rich"lol. We popped back to our hostel for an hour to change and freshen up before headind to theirs for a mini party. I think the highlight of the evening was when the guy knocked on the door to do the "turn down service"basicaly for us commoners they come in and turn back the sheets so you can effortlesly get into bed, oh and you get a sweet. We were clearly tipsy by this point as we found this highly amusing. We missed the last sky train back so had to grab a tuk tuk and they tried to rip us off but even in our drunken state we barted him down. When we got back to our hostel our sheets were in the same position as they were when we crawled out of them this morning so I take it we don't get the "turn down service" we paid 10pound as well!

Friday 9th january
Got home quite late last night so we were a little hung over and tired today but we need to buy a new camera so off we went. After looking around the shops yesteday we already discovered its very westernised here which is good for us buying a camera but the prices also go with it which is not such good news. So we decided even though it would be so much easier to buy a sony again with regards to sim cards as we have the ones from the previous 2 cameras, we decided to go for a real cheapie at 3900bhts (80 pounds) its 10 mega pixels and its small so it will do "hopefully". That took up most of the day so we just packed and had an early night as we are meeting my friends again before they fly to phuket and we head to Ayuthaya.

Saturday 10th january
Had to be out our room at mid day so we went for a coffee with my friends and then checked out. We did a fair bit of traveling today starting with the skytrain which took us to the tube station. We took the tube to the train station and we discovered we had just missed a train to Ayuthaya by 2min, typical. Luckily we bought our tickets for the next train which was leaving only 1hr later. The ticket was so cheap at 15bht (30p) 3rd class and took 1½ hrs it was a bargain. We were given a list of all the stops but only the main ones were in English and that was only about 3 stops out of 30 so it was like guess the stop. A nice local guy told us when we needed to get off though so all went well. We then got attacked by a herd of tuk tuk drivers saying it was to far to walk to the port but we did our usual and ignored them and walked for the 2min it took to get to that "far away port" 2min boat ride for 4bht (8p) we were headed in the right direction of the hostels we fancied checking out from lonely planet. We did our usual and popped into all the different hostels along the way. They were very random one tried to give us a single bed room to share, ye right with Mr kung fu fighter, thats steve by the way, I dont think so lol. We decided after around 1hr of walking that the map was not to scale, another half hour I did the bag watch and Steve ventured down the street to have a look at what was what. He came back 5min later and showed me one, double, shared bathroom for only 200bhts (4 pound) its our cheapest so far and prob one of the nicest with lots of chilled out sitting areas overlooking a garden area with pond and giant lilly pads. After settling in and feeling hungry we ventured to the night market and its prob one of the worse places we have been for food so far as everything was either cold or unknown meat, which they tell you is chicken or beef ye right! We ended up with a strange noodle soup as a young thai student who must be learning english came to our rescue and helped us order bless her. Ended the night shattered and warn out feeling full of cold and to top it off its FREEZING!

Sunday 11th january
Not well as full of cold and we only have a thin sheet on the bed so I couldn't get warm all last night. It's better today as the day times are hot so we spent the day doing our blogs and sleeping. Found a nice little indoor vendor style restaurant which did excellent meals for only 25bhts (50p) freshly cooked in front of us and hot hot hot! I think we will be back. FREEZING COLD in the room again so it's the big wooly fleece tucked into jogging bottoms and finished off with my nice thick sexy socks oh toastie x

Monday 12th january
Feeling a little better today with the help of a hot coffee and paracetamol overdose. As we only have today left to do the sights im determined to enjoy it. So sight number one Wat Phra Mahathat famous for the budda head with tree roots growing around it. We also got a picture of a headless Budda with Steves head perched on the top laugthter from our fellow tourists in the back ground. There were signs around telling you what we thought was to not climb up buddas so this one was on the ground so all was fine right? Wrong, before we knew it the guard was there demanding we delete the photo pointing to the sign. I explained in my perfect pidgin english "sign say climb not put head" then remembering i'd read in lonely planet that you can be arrested for insulting budda or in any way there religion aaaaarrrrrrrrrrrr! So I did my best to defuse the situation and said to the guard ''it was all him" handing the camera to Steve and whilst he was showing the guard he was deleting the picture i'm planning my escape route until I hear the guard laugh pat Steve on the back shaking his head and then walked away. Lucky escape and we still had the photo as i'd taken 2 of course. With our narrow escape from the law we visited sight number two Wihara Phra Mongkon Bophit it's the largest seated budda made from bronze. It was pretty big! We visited our last sight of the day which was Wat Lokayasutharam a 42 metre budda covered in robes which the people from all over thailand come and do each friday (so thats what they're spending their money on?) There's some big religious reason for it anyway. When we got back to the hostel we also discovered (after checking the net) that the route up north through Thailand into Laos was no longer an option as the gibbon experience we wanted to go to (the first place in Laos) is full till the end of january, so we have to change our route again.

Tuesday 13th january
So we decided to still travel to Kanchanaburi today DIY styley as we don't trust the companies to get us there. We jumped on a bus to Suphanburi for 60bht (1.20p) then one from the station to Kanchanaburi for 45bhts (90p) 5hrs later we arrive having to walk about 1mile to the river front in search of a hostel. We settled for the first one we came across as we couldn't be bothered to look around and it was only 280bhts (5.50 pound) The room was amazing we were right on the river kwai and could sit on the little porch and watch all the boats go by and best of all the amazing sunsets. Theres only 4 rooms on the block we are in so thats cool. Later we sat with a drink and our blankets (as it was cold) and was joined by all the people from the other rooms it turned out to be a really cool night. One of the couples were celebrating their honeymoon to so that was cool as we got to see some of the places they had traveled in China etc Its so cool all the different reasons people are doing this it makes us realize how lucky we are and how drunk I am.

Wednesday 14th january
Oh my some one replaced my head with a really bad 80's boy looking one as my hair has taken on a random sweep and my eys are black no make up removal must have meant I was mortal drunk last night. To confirm it I find my empty Sangsom bottle and realize that the hostel in fact did not give us the floating room I had been conviced I was in last night when I got into bed and felt the earth move, not in a good way. We spent most off the day loading photos to our blogs. Watched the sunset. Then had an early night.

Thursday 15th january
Today we visited the war museum "Thailand Burma railway centre"as lonely planet advise you to check it out. It really helped me understand the history and it actualy had real stories from surviving pows (prisoners of war) and also stories from the family members and items which have been donated to the museum. We got to read real letters sent to men working on the railway by their children and wifes. It also showed you the conditions which the pows had to live and work in which were basically shocking. There was a video showing interviews with surviving pows and one explained that the camp he was at (the bridge over the river kwai contruction) was actually one of the best conditions as some camps only received half of their food supplies as their camps were so deep in the forest most of the food was declared unfit as it was maggot infested and the guards were ordered to bury it only to be dug up later by the pows and cooked in a stew. The worse camp was a 300km hike into the forest a lot of pows died from exaustion and couldn't walk any further so received a bullet in the head. Alltogether approx 200,000 pow soldiers were captured or dragged from their villages and put to work on the railway Approx 115,000 of these men died. Most of the deaths could have been prevented but the stupidity (from the Japanese) they marched brand new healthy soldiers through camps which where riddlled with Cholera, Malaria and other highly contageous diseases. The bridge took only 16mths to build when the estimated time was 5yrs and its not suprising that it got the name the death railway as thats basically the fate that lay ahead for all those soldiers. After the museum which took us over 2hr to get around we visited the cemetry opposite which had the graves of 6,900 of the soldiers and the saddest thing was that most of them were between the ages of 18 and 25 so young they never got to have any sort of adult life. One head stone read A.J.WOOD, age 25 and from Leicestershire which is basicaly ME so close to home to. So we headed back and watched a sunset after a very emotional day.

Friday 16th january
Well our evening tuned into a freeky one. So this is how it went we had met a woman a few days before basically when we met everyone else. We think she was in her late 30s , American and VERY loud especially when speaking her mind. She kind of invited herself to join us the other day and did exactly the same last night. All began ok until she she started getting into politics arrrrrr! Talk about kill the party. She was asking us how we thought it would be with a "black president" She then explained she can see into the future WHAT! So It was imposible to change the subject she was well on her way and even more annoying one of those people who disagree with everything you say and think that what they say is perfect. So after about the 20th time she said "no, no your wrong this is how it is" and went into a prediction that we will be at war in 3yrs I escaped to the "toilet" Steve didn't notice I hadn't come back out and later joined me after another hour with psycho american chick. She'd been going on about she had her own little personal army ready, and we should do the same "oh, the amazing people we meet."
So today we actually got bikes out and spent an amazing day visiting the local villages and passed the locals at work in their fields. We also visited the "Bridge on the river kwai" we were also lucky enougth to be on the bridge as a train came over. We checked out a ticket office which did a mini train ride on the death railway it also included the bridge and cost 30bht If you where a local, for us tourists suprise suprise it cost 300bht so we didn't do that. We got some amazing pictures and the bridge is in much better condition than I expected. Later we got adventurous and took a ride on our bikes to some sights not realy visited by tourists. One included a temple which was up a real step hill (I nearly died) I stoped for a 2min rest big mistake as I couldn't get started again due to a combination of my lack of energy and the bloody locals finding it funny to beep as they drove past "whooping" out of there window and I can honestley say no matter how many times they did it got me. Luckily I managed and made it to the top of the hill to nearly witness my other half being savaged (as he put it) by a pack of wolves protecting the temple (I didn't think it was the right time to point out they where in fact dogs) we did manage to check out another part of the village that had no dogs or wolves for that matter so the hill wasn't a complete waste of effort, Even if it was zooming back down it was fun and thats when we really hoped that the 40bht (80p) it had cost to rent them didn't reflect the quality ie no brakes thank god all was cool. We visited another pow Cemetry which was different as it was an origiinal burial site from the war. The saddest part was there seemed to be a lot of "unknown soldiers" obviously because they couldn't really be identified but it's such a shame they go unknown after being so brave and sacrificing themselves for their country. Bikes didn't have to be back untill 10pm so we took a ride to the night market for dinner. Really going to miss this place its got so much history which is very well maintained and its such a peacefull place to stay for a week or so of chilling next to the river and meeting other travelers. We loved it!

Saturday 17th january
Had a very chilled out day today as we travel early to Bangkok tomorrow. We were going to do the bus but the train gets you to a better location when you arrive. We skyped and chilled out next to the river before doing the dreaded task of packing.

Sunday 18th january
The train was late leaving, typical Thai and it was absolutely freezing. We tried closing the windows but when the train set off we discovered they rattled open anyway so breathing in that freezing cold air I've actually got snots-icles. I must have looked like a state as I had my leggings from out of my bag wrapped around my feet and my cardigan draped over like a granny blanket. It warmed up a little after sunrise when we were joined by a very chatty local. He asked us a lot of questions, the usual about family/are we married/what jobs do we do. Then the conversation turned to prostitutes! He asked Steve if he'd ever used one, (luckily he hadn't) but the guy kept talking about them and how they're full of diseases and that his friend died from HIV - Ok! Luckily I managed to turn the conversation but he still managed to take it over with questions about the Prime Minister. We were wondering if he was all there in the head. I got my answer when he said Camilla Parker Bowles was attractive! Clearly a nut job!! The saying, "Say it don't spray it" sprung to mind as for the 100th time he leaned close to my face and spat right in my eye! Is this train journey ever going to end? It pt even more annoying when he informed us that because "you tourists pay so much" they don't even have to pay. I mean, we're used to them taking the mick by charging us triple but to charge us so the locals can get it free is just bang out of order. So come on Britain. To enable us tax paying Brits to enjoy our stately homes and National Parks we should harge tourists to get in and we should get in for free (or just take it out of the ridiculous tax you charge us). But that would probably be classed as major discrimination if we did it. In fact there's more chance we'd give it to the tourists free and bump the price up for Brits. We really are our own worst enemy. Anyway, rant over, thank god the conversation turned to football so I was no longer involved. Ten minutes later all I knew is Steve was telling me this is our stop as he'd been informed by the nut job, spitting local that this was near to Khao San Road. When we couldn't find any Roman Script road signs we just kept on walking and walking, and walking until, dun dun duuuuuuuuuuhhhhh, we were on the map but the walking didn't stop there. We ended up being lost for over 3 hours, I was in absolute agony with my feet which had been due to wearing flip flops for the first two hours of walking until I couldn't take it anymore so I ended up throwing half the contents of my rucksac on the sidewalk in search for my trainers looking every inch the idiot as I had my baggy, three quarter length, coco the clown trousers on with trainers - not a good look! By that point me and Steve weren't even speaking to each other. Later he told me he was laughing but if I'd have seen him I would have pushed him into oncoming traffic. We finally settled on a hostel and later headed out to Khao San Road to check out what all the fuss is about. We'd only taken three steps when a seller had her hand in Steve's pocket so he chicken winged her so she retreated. It was pretty crazy, just packed with drunken tourists who may as well have "mug me" tattooed to their forehead. We then had dinner on a road opposite Khao San Road. They had English menu's with prices but it's amazing how they still try to overcharge.

Monday 19th january
Steve's not feeling too good but we need to get to the Cambodian embassy so we took a river taxi to the skytrain and asked at the information which direction we needed to go in. She informed us that the embassy has in fact moved - oh my god can this really be happening? She was very helpful though, bless her. So we took the tube to the train station to find out about the train into Aranya Prathet (the Thai border town). We were informed we have to buy the tickets on the day by the tourist help desk. We were also asked why we were taking the train and not a minibus as it's not very expensive. We asked her how much and she informed us 750Bht each. We informed her that we don't have enough money, we have to do the train as it's only 50Bht. They all think you're rich which is really annoying as even our money in their country doesn't go that far with the bad exchange rates and the bumping up of prices due to the government not wanting backpackers anymore. She informed us to get there early as it gets really busy and we may have to stand for the six hour journey - looks like an early start for us. Later got lost in China Town due to the crap, dismantled map which we got more use of the evening before, sticking our tongue and hands through. Yes, it was funny at the time! Headed back to Khao San Road to grab some food and snacks for the long journey tomorrow.

So here we come Cambodia. Hopefully the people are a little bit more friendly and aren't just after your money but if Lonely Planet is anything to go by, it's even worse than Thailand. It also seems like it's going to be quite sad with all the Khmer Rouge history and genocide. We will be spending approximately 2 weeks visiting Siem Reap, Battambang and Phnom Penh so will fill you in with a new blog early Feb. Bye for now.

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Photos

Headless Buddha
- nearly getting arrested!

Wihara Phra Mongkon Bophit
Big Bronze Buddha

Wat Lokayasutharam
42m long reclining Buddha

Sunset
and floating restaurant

Bridge On The River Kwai
Choo Choo, there's a train coming!

Bridge On The River Kwai
in Sepia for effect!!

Big Buddha
Little Buddha

Grasshopper
Yes, he did eat it!

Bangkok Tourist Map
Have a bottle of SangSom and you'll find it funny too!

Khao San Road
No dear, that's me feeling your arse.