Tiger temples, a fish foot massage and no I don't want a 'very nice dress!

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So we landed in Bangkok having had a good time in Hong Kong but glad to be starting the next leg of our journey. We knew to head to the Kao San Road to get a hostel so we hopped on the bus from the airport happy to be among other travellers and on arrival at Kao San Road stalked two guys to a hostel, since they'd already booked at a decent price and we didn't really want the hassle of scouting around and the inevitable pushiness we'd heard about. This turned out to be a damn good plan as the Hostel was a gem...a mere 400 THB a night with coffee and toast in the morning (if you made it out of bed in time).

We went out that first night and sampled our first bucket of Thai whiskey. I won't go into detail for the sake of my mother but suffice to say....never again! Next day we took a tuk tuk to a couple of temples and to the tourist office to arrange our visas for Vietnam. Our driver was called Dang and was very accomodating although we rapidly cottoned on to the fact that we were going to have to look around various tailors to get him petrol vouchers. This is why it's so cheap to get a tuk tuk around Bangkok....they get 1 litre of free petrol if you look around for 10 minutes and 5 if you buy. Disappointingly I bought a charm at a jewelry place, partly because I want to collect a few throughout our travels and partly because I wanted to get Dang his 5 litres....only to be told by a sad-faced Dang that I hadn't spent enough. We did manage to get him 2 litres though and he seemed happy enough when we tipped him a little as well. He had been incredibly patient waiting while we sat in two different tourist places trying to organise ourselves! Visas arranged we then had to wait another 2 nights in Bangkok before we could get them and our passports back.

We went out with the guys again the second night and had a great bucket free night. There was a massive downpour, at which point I ran out into the street and got myself thoroughly drenched, which was highly amusing to a scouser we then met in a bar who found it hilarious that coming from England where we complain tirelessly about the weather, the first thing I do when it rains in Thailand is run whooping wiht joy into the onslaught! Fair point actually!

Now, as we'd been exploring the Koh San Road we'd been offered various times a fish foot massage....signs encourged us to 'feed fish with dead skin' from our feet. Obviously this sounded like an experience not to be missed, despite my incredibly ticklish feet, so next day off we went dragging our new friends along with us. 'Weird' is the only word that can be used to describe this experience. You have to try it to understand. Just as I would begin to relax one of the little buggers would nibble a particularly sensitive spot and I'd squeal and tense up again. I cannot figure out posting photos here but most people reading will be on facebook so you can check out my photos there.

Our final day in Bangkok we did a day tour that took in a floating market, tiger temple and the bridge over the river Kwai. I'd been really excited at the prospect of getting up close and personal with a tiger and I'm glad we did it but my intial reaction was a vague uneasiness with the seemingly very dopey and chained up tigers. It was then explained to me that they are only chained 3 hours a day, they sleep for 16 anyway and are fed a big meal before they're brought out for the photos etc which is why they are so docile. They are not drugged but are well looked after. THis reassured me and I loved being able to touch them and have the opportunity for photographs although it is a bit of a tourist farm in that you are dragged from tiger to tiger but Thai girls demanding that you 'sit there' etc while they snap away with your camera.

The floating markets are definately worth seeing and there was an optional cobra show here which I went along to see while Verity took in more of the market whilst trying not to think about the massive python we had had to walk past and the many snakes I weas currently watching!

All in all I loved Bangkok and it's been my favourite part of the trip so far. After a few days you get a little fed up of being constantly offered tuk tuks, wooden frogs, very strong cocktails, and very nice dress but it's a real buzz to be there and I'm looking forward to another night or two when we return from the islands.

Bangkok kicks HOng KOng's arse in my humble opinion just be warned....the words 'bucket' and 'whiskey' in one sentence can never be a good thing!

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