Day 2 - Bangkok, Thai massage and the sleeper train

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Curry for breakfast? We decide not, and opt for the less Asian fare of freshly cooked omelette, pastries and pancakes. A walk through the backstreets then took us to the Chao Phrya river where we had an hour long, almost round trip to experience life on the water's edge. No yuppie apartments here. One bank is lower than the other and there were plenty of abandoned houses and even a temple (still with one monk apparently.) But where the banks are inhabited, there are lots of ordinary families in very modest homes.

The boat dropped us off at Wat Pho, the most extraordinary Buddhist temple. Stunningly beautiful with the highlight being a giant reclining Buddha. It reminded us of the Saturn V rocket on its side at Cape Canaveral. It was really that big! Arif told us a lot about Thai Buddhism. It differs from others in that they don't believe in reincarnation, but heaven or hell and levels in between, depending how good you are in life.

We decided to skip the royal palace option, it's hot work sightseeing here, and went instead for a hour-long full body Thai massage (and at £4, a real snip). An amazing experience, a little painful at times but well worth doing. The masseur often uses her full body weight to press down on your muscles and sometimes uses her feet too - Andy Burnett to note!

Lunch was our first street food - delicious Pad Thai, then off to the railway station. Very civilised, more like Kings Cross than Delhi. At 6pm we all had to stand for the Thai national anthem. I'm writing this post in our sleeper compartment as we await departure and a 12 hour overnight journey to Khao Sok national park.

STOP PRESS TUESDAY 8am: Unexpected bonus of wifi at breakfast resturant by our destination station - no idea where! - means I can post this, pix to follow soon I hope.

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Photos

Sally and the giant reclining Buddah
Wat Pho temple in Bangkok