Thailand

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Hello!

For those of you that don't know: I'm in Thailand. I left on 11th November with my friend Ruth but I will be back for Christmas. I am having a really good time, as you might expect. We arrived in Bangkok quite late but still managed a wander and to find some food. At the weekend in Bangkok there is a market called Chatuchak market which is huge. It would probably take you a week to get round it properly so considering we only had the afternoon we just managed a lap. Lots of things to look at but I was told bits are cheaper in the north of Thailand so I was waiting until I got there. That night out at dinner we met two girls from Scarborough one of whom is best friends with a girl I knew from uni. We went to a really nice bar on Khao San Road where there was live music and plenty of drinks and then on to a club where I bumped into two guys I had met in Melaka - small world. They couldn't believe I had been home and come back again, and both were a bit hairier than when I last saw them due to some broken clippers. Needless to say it was a very late night and the next day was affected somewhat. We decided to go and find Chinatown, which we managed quite successfully but the specific street we were looking for took about 2 hours to locate, by which time the market was closing and it was getting dark. So instead of getting lost on the way home too we took a tuk tuk, I've never been so grateful for one. Ruth is a member of an organisation called couch surfing an they had a meet up in the bar just next door to our hotel so we popped in and met a lot of people and had a few drinks and then a few more, you get the idea.

Up until this point I was cursed with only sleeping four hours and then not being asleep anymore, not even a little bit, you could say I was a bit tired because of this. Even so this is no reason not to go and look at things. We went to the Grand Palace which is so ornate and beautiful. Wandering round took a good amount of time and as it is so hot (had to get that in) that we had to stop for a cold drink and a bit of planning for the rest of the trip.

The next day we were leaving to go to Chiang Mai in the North and most of the day was spent trying to get to the bus station to get tickets. It was a bit of a mission because it is so far away. It took 2 tuk tuks, one friendly thai lady, one tourism board lady, a bus to the train station, a metro to Chatuchak, miles of walking and a taxi, but we made it! We took one bus back.

Arrived in Chiang Mai on the morning of my birthday. After a brief nap, the overnight buses will do that to you, we went to Doi Suthep, a temple up a mountain with a huge gold pagoda, which is very sparkly in the sun. Took a few red tuk tuk things to get us there but we made it there and back and up the three hundred and something steps to get there in the hot hot heat. We went to the night bazaar in the evening for a bit of shopping and dinner and had drinks at a bar and an elephant just happened to walk on by, not by itself, it was being supervised but it was cool. Not a bad way to spend my birthday - and it didn't rain!

We were up early to start a three day trek the next day and we all squished inside a songthaew (converted pick up truck) and were on our way. We stopped at a market and at a small village for lunch and then we were on our way. As previously mentioned, it was the hot season, as against the hotter season, so walking uphill was quite a hot affair, especially at the pace some of the boys were going! But we made it to the bamboo house where we were staying the night and found some cold coke and chang (which means elephant) beer waiting for us. In the morning we went for an elephant ride which was a lot of fun and our elephant was called Siloh (lady boy) a male elephant without tusks. Then to swim in a waterfall which was a welcome break and walking "2 hours" to lunch. Our guide Maxi always told us it was 2 hours walking whether it was 3 or 1 and a half, so it became a standing joke. After lunch another 2 hour (longer) walk through the jungle, all uphill to a bat cave. On route we had picked up a dog and a few children who had all decided to walk with us. The children seemed very excited about holding the candles to light the cave, and the dog followed us for all of the next day too. The place we stayed that night was basic and consisted of a hut with a kitchen and a bedroom in. It was lovely and very wholesome. After a hearty dinner the local children came and entertained us by singing a few songs, including 'if you're happy and you know it' in the local language. There were a lot of cockerels, all night long, it was annoying. But it had led to an interesting conversation about what cockerels say in different languages, France, Portugal, Belgium and Thailand among them. "Egyeggy egg" is the sound they make to the Thai, though we all of us had trouble hearing that out of them. The last day came around too quickly but the walk was pleasant and then we went white water rafting down some pretty tame rapids compared to the ones in New Zealand but it was fun because we were racing the two boats. Then we switched to bamboo rafts which I would have felt better on if the guide hadn't just told me that crocodiles live in the river. At least the ride along wasn't too long. Then it was just lunch and back to Chiang Mai.

The festival of Loi Krathong (lights and water) was the day of the 21st but in Chaing Mai this meant it lasted at least 4 days. Starting the day we got back. A group of us from the tour arranged to meet up and all go there together. There were lots of lanterns being let into the sky like gold stars but hundreds of them all in one place. There was a mass let them all go at 9pm and fireworks. We even bought some and did them ourselves, though they can be a bit dangerous if they don't quite take off or start dripping molten liquid onto people. It had a great atmosphere though and we all went for a drink when we got back to the city.

We had a very lazy day the next day, a massage, a cold drink and then some shopping on Sunday walking street, a road which is closed and made into a market. Met Gemma and Olly that evening and did a bit more shopping and found more lanterns. They are a very nice couple and are moving to Bath so I may even see them again. Ruth and I spent a day doing a thai cooking course and learnt to cook 6 different dishes, which I intend to try out on anyone brave enough when I'm back.

Between Chiang Mai and Bangkok is the ancient capital of Thailand: Sukhothai. We spent a day cycling round the old wats and temples and had a look around the museum there too. It is really interesting to compare the ancient cities and architecture from around south-east Asia there were some temples in the same era and style as the ones at Angkor.

After Sukhothai we head back to Bangkok for the day to go to the floating markets, the river Kwai and Tiger Temple. It was a fun day but we didn't spend long enough at the river and the Tiger Temple was a bit sad but on the bright side, at least they aren't being made into carpets.

To the islands!
To be more specific, to Koh Samui! It is a very pretty island, lots of mountains and lovely beaches. Good for relaxing, having a massage, eating lovely food. We also went to visit some more Buddah's and a mummified monk and spent a day on a boat going around the Angthong National Marine Park, beautiful water and lovely beach that I kayaked to. It even stopped raining for most of the day. That was the down side, it rained, not constantly but enough so that you have to change your plans or not have any plans. One day I just sat in a bar on the beach all day, drinking beer with some people I met, watching the next storm roll in. It was a busy day. Though as the rain seemed to have ceased by the evening, we went to Chaweng, to watch a cabaret show (lady-boys pretending to sing the song that's playing) it was really good fun.

The boat back to the mainland was a pleasant crossing, it was calm, ok weather, met a nice couple who were also heading to Krabi where we were going to catch a ferry to Phi Phi. We had heard the weather was not going to be much better so I started thinking what else to do and decided I might go to Laos for the last 2 weeks. It was a shock for Ruth but she had a plan to go to Penang so that's what she did. Then I was on my way to Laos. I caught the train back to Bangkok, spent another day there, met a group of people, did a tour down the river and visited Wat Arun then got back to the train station where there was part of the party for the "King's Happy Birthday" happening but had to leave before it all kicked off properly. I imagine it was a good party. Arrived in Nong Khai with the intention of crossing the border straight away but instead went into the town, visited a Wat and had some photos with some Thai people. After that I decided I would stay the night to recover from all the travelling and go in the morning. I met a couple of lads from Manchester and crossed the Friendship Bridge to Laos where I will spend two weeks before coming back to freezing cold England!

Lots of Love xxx

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