Things What We've Done in Thailand

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Amy here, (edited by Louise)we've got a lot to catch up on...

So last time we left you we had just arrived safe and well in Bangkok. We stayed there for a while, meandering up and down and up and down Khao San Rd a million times, shopping for hippie gear by day, drinking from buckets by night. One very bucket fuelled night, I must admit, I ended up at a ping pong show while Louise innocently slept; it had to be done but a second visit will certainly not be required.

We paired up with an Alaskan fire fighter couple for a trip to the Bridge over the River Kwai and the war cemetery and then to the big tourist draw, the tiger temple where monk and tiger live in apparent harmony. All seemingly centred around getting that perfect Kodak moment, we were carefully lead from tiger to tiger to give them a stroke (always behind them so they don't really know you're there) while someone snaps away at you and the cat. And some of these guys were massive. I think we all found it a bit surreal as the tigers seemed lifeless (note - see section in tiger temple leaflet on "Are the tigers drugged? No!") so it was easy to forget that if they wanted to they could have ended our young lives with one swipe. We also happened upon some cubs that had been let out. The more you pay the more hands on time you get, apparently, and they were being hogged by some Russian couple. We got a couple of photos in the end, though.

Next day was the glistening Grand Palace with the tiny Emerald Buddha atop a 9 metre pedestal. Although my previous visit was less than a year ago I still found it as magnificent as it is no doubt meant to appear. I then fell down the stairs of said Emerald Buddha temple. Then Louise headed to Wat Pho (no need for me to go again) to view the massive Reclining Buddha and I discovered modern Thai art at the National Gallery, as well as the Rama(king)'s own child-like drawings. We visited the mammoth Suan Lum Night Bazaar where we followed a rigid regime up and down every row of stalls but we literally shopped till we dropped and gave up about 3/4 in. A day trip to the zoo showed us how tigers are supposed to act and we both fell in love with a 500lb Orang-utan (or some primate - sorry Dad!).

Next day - Valentine's Day - we thought the main strip club street, Soi Cowboy, would be appropriate. A gay flight attendant and a medical student were our chaperones. After a few go-go bars we got a tip off that somewhere in Nana Plaza might be more to our liking (burlesque, apparently) so we trotted off there and gave 20baht notes in the handful to the beautiful ladies. A tuk tuk ride back to Khao San and the heavens opened. Everyone crammed under doorways but Louise and I decided to start a street party in the torrential pouring. Absolutely soaked, but still warm (don't worry mums), we managed to coax a few out of their shelter and they were grateful, I'm sure.

We decided to stop off at Ayutthaya, an hour and a half north of Bangkok, on the way to Chang Mai which involved an 150baht taxi (we woz robbed) to the train station then a 15baht train all the way there. We visited the two central Wats, one of which involved descending impossibly steep stairs to a crypt with the original art work from centuries ago. We had planned to spend the next day on bicycles visiting the surrounding wats then roughing it 3rd class on the 13hour journey to Chang Mai but I got the sickness so we spent the day sleeping in a bar and Louise lovingly traipsed to the train station (involving a daredevil ferry ride) to upgrade us to 2nd class so that we'd at least have beds.

The train was a big step up from China - less communist camp, more Some Like it Hot. Our first night in Chang Mai we went to Thai boxing. There were 8 fights starting with local 9 or 10 year olds and ending with an international fight between Canada and Thailand (predictably but disappointingly, the Canadian won). They also threw in a lady boxer fight and a blindfolded fight between four boxers where the referee got more punches than the rest. Then an embarrassingly badly choreographed ladyboy show to finish. Now in our second day in Chang Mai we'll let you know soon what we get up to.

Lots of love and homesick feelings
Amy (and Louise) xxx

Update... since Amy still apparently does not know how to post entries on this thing, she emailed me this yesterday for me to put up. I might as well keep you as up to date as possible, because who knows when we'll get ourselves in gear to write again. Yesterday we ventured to a hostel which was recommended as being pretty good for organizing treks. Chiang Mai is the 'cultural capital' of Thailand, and enjoys a swathe of hippy expats roaming its streets, learning some Thai cooking, some tai chi, some meditation etc. etc. Apparently it's the go-to place if you want to learn a craft/trade/pseudo-spirituality. It's also a gateway to some of the finest trekking landscape in Thailand, and home to some Hill Tribes, which, for a certain fee, you can visit and stay overnight with while presumably ruining their traditional way of life in the process and turning it into a show for the daily carousel of sunburnt tourists.
Cynicism aside, we decided to book one of these shindigs, as it had been recommended to us by someone in Bangkok, and we need a bit of exercise anyway. We've booked a 3 day trek starting tomorrow and some silly time in the morning, which involves visiting Buddhist caves, elephant rides, trekking, hill tribes, waterfalls and bamboo rafting at different points. As much as we've tried to stay away from the organized tours and the tourist trails, it's quite a weight off our poor tiny minds to have someone else do all the planning and transport for us. We've chosen a trek out of the 'Non-Tourist' trek folder anyway, so at least that's something. When we get back we're looking into going on a Buddhist mediation course, just for two days, but it's all a bit sketchy at the moment, and we may cycle to the Wat today to see whats agwoning.
After Chiang Mai we're waddling our way to the border at Chiang Khong to hop over into Laos and say goodbye to Thailand, but only for a couple of months, as we'll be back soon to see what all this 'beaches and islands' fuss is about.
xx

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