Totally Thailand

So I've arrived safely in Thailand! Katie and I struggled awake at 3.30am, thanks to three alarms, as Katie hasn't exactly got the best track record for getting up in time for flights!! (We left for KL airport without her on the first day!) Got to Kota Bharu airport for 5am to find it totally deserted! We were starting to get worried when the staff rolled in around 45 minutes later! No hurry or anything- it's not as if we had a plane to catch or anything! I thought Dad and Mark would have had a fit having only 45 minutes until my flight! But no panic - caught the plane on time.

Was pretty tired after flying from Kota Bharu to KL to Singapore and then to Bangkok - the flight attendents always seem to come around with food when I'm trying to sleep! Had a hot thai chicken curry and was sat there with my mouth on fire with nothing to drink, as there was turbulence on the plane so the crew had to be sat down!

Got to the Royal Hotel in Bangkok and was stupidly excited to see a bath and shower in my room as well as a comfy double bed! Met some of the group in the lobby and was a bit worried that they had already bonded as they had arrived the day before, but got chatting to them as they were debating whether to go to see Thai Boxing or a Caberet Show (no ping pong show though!!). Decided to go to the Caberet Show - aka a ladyboy show! Was a bit of an eyeopener for my first night in Bangkok - a very slick show with lots of costume changes and about 30 ladyboys strutting their stuff! Was strange walking past them at close range on the way out - could see a few 5 o'clock shadows, eek. Was very tired so had a lovely hot shower and collapsed into bed.

On Sunday morning I had breakfast with a couple of the girls, and Chiara and I went for a walk up Khao San Road (the famous backpacker road) before we had to check out of our rooms at 12pm. It was quite quiet as it was early in the morning, but bought some linen trousers for the temple stay and some Tiger Balm from Boots! After checking out we had a couple of hours before our journey walked past the Royal Palace but Chiara got a little bit hassled by the 'Feed the birds' people so we went back to Khao San Road for some pizza ... maybe our last pizza in a while! And that was my short stay in Bangkok (until I get back at the end of the month)!

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