We have arrived!!

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Hi Everyone,

So we finally made it to Chaing Mai after two rather hot and busy days in Bangkok! Our hotel room is lovely and the weather up here, although much wetter, its much cooler (28-30 degrees unlike Bangkok which was BOILING at a steady 34-36 degrees ALL THE TIME!!). We have never appreciated the coolness of English weather so much before!

Bangkok, although a rather dull and dreary city at first glances, is actually full of life and injections of colour! These people value the state of their temples and massive golden buddas above and beyond anything else. Every other temple we went into was having restorations of some sort done (including the temple of the sleeping budda where we managed to get lost...inside the temple!). Thai culture is very calm and friendly (even though the roads are manic and you see your life flash before your eyes every time you get into a tuk tuk), no-one hassles you much (other than when they want to take you on a personal tour of Thailand, needless to say we declined!), which is nice! After a rather baffled first evening (Bangkok can be quite bemusing when you have no guide and your hotel isnt on any map!), we had a fabulous day the next day including a tour of the canal, visits to many temples including the sleeping budda (who is massive! where people paid money to drop coins along this long row of pots - its supposed to bring you good luck!) and a cabaret show in the evening! This show was interesting to say the least, no-one sang, everyone mimed really quite badly over a CD of weird songs, some of which we recognized, but all in all in was strangely entertaining and a must for anyone who comes to visit Bangkok.

Then today we flew up here to Chaing Mai. We were met by our 'project organiser' Prachit, who seems very friendly and was very welcoming. We've now seen quite a few places were we are going to be able to purchase items for the orphanage, and its a lot cheaper than purchasing it in England, so we have more variety with what we buy! And when it started to pour with rain we definitely felt right at home!!

Kate and Hannah x

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