Sawatdee Krap - Tuk Tuks and Knock off T-Shirts

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I've now been in the mad city of Bankok for a little over two days and It's been more exciting and interesting than I had imagined. After two 7 hour flights I arrived at my hotel just off the Khao San Road. After dumping my bags I headed out for a wander as I wasn't due to meet Stuart for another couple of hours and Ollie wasn't arriving for another four. The noise and the smell and the sights are so different from England; theres a frantic and colourful hustle and bustle of Tuk Tuks and knock off T-Shirts.


As you walk down Khao San Road everything and everything is for sale - and every vendor and taxi driver thinks you're the person who will buy what they have to sell. Anyhoo, as I thought I knew where Stuart was staying I headed down to the Baan Sabai hostel, luckily managing to bump into Alex on the way who headed me in the right direction whilst sipping a fresh banana shake. I ask some questions at the the reception desk and a bewildered Aaron comes down the stairs - not sure why he's been summoned downstairs by the maid. It turned out Stuart's been staying somewhere else with a new girl of his who is with him when they stroll up a couple ok drinks later. That night was hectic, mental. Met Ollie and the three of us (Stu, Nadine and myself) went out for a meal with Ollie and his gang. I made a schoolboy error of ordering something with the word spicy in the title - in a country where the chili is part of the everyday diet, spicy means too hot for my poor mouth. First taste of Beer Chang as well.


Later a trip to Patpong is agreed - originally just for the night market - lots more stalls of knock off goods - but we agreed we couldn't just walk past an establishment names SuperPussy. Ping Pong show it was then, and not as exciting as we had hoped - the girls were not very enthusiastic as they pulled various items out from down below. In fact the most amazing and really quite surreal part of the evening was chatting to a guy who turns out to be off the same course as Peter for the TEFL in China - He's even seen our Band. You know you are a rockstar when someone you meet randomly in Bankok has seen your band! Back on the Chang


By this time I've been up for about 36 hours straight, but I know that England are playing Estonia at 01:30 local time so I decide to push on. Wasn't too dissapointed either - a good performance made up for the lack of sleep. We try and smuggle Stuart and Nadine into my hotel, only for our plan to fail miserably. It seemed really clever at the time... Bed after 40 hours.


Day 2 - I wake up and check out of the Viengtai and move down to the Baan Sabai to join Stu Aaron and Alex. When we're ready and after a couple more hours sleep, me and Stu head down to China town via a mad Tuk Tuk ride - the driver swinging and squeezing through the traffic, honking the horn as if he had a nervous twitch. He even managed a wheeley - Mentalist! China town was vibrant and exciting, street after street of open front shops selling all kinds of food - some looking more tasty than others. Eventually we decide we've seen enough duck beaks and fish so we grab another Tuk Tuk back to the hostel.


Stu and myself tried some proper Thai food that evening - so so tasty. I had egg fried rice with fried shrip and some noodles - absolutely delicious. Had some of Stuart's fried Shellfish as well - beautiful. The menu did make us laugh a lot though - the rough translations sometimes just not making sense - you could order 'Rice that put the Omlette' or even 'Omlette with Ingredients'. Back on the Chang.


To the Shell garage for some drinks (in the day its a petrol station - at night a bar) and then onto the Khao San Road for some street amble where we meet Ollie's gang once more. Its like a street party, we're even playing thumbwar with the Street kids (if you lose you buy the rose they want to sell you, if you win you get it free). I lost twice and ended up with two, thought I wasn't too annoyed cos they cost me 50 baht - roughly equivolant of 75pence.


Again, on the Chang at about 3am we start to head back towards the Baan Sabai, stopping off for a long chat with a group of Thais including a girl named (and this is no joke) Ping-Pong!


So here I am in an internet cafe writing this blog, as much for my memories as to let you know what I'm getting up to. I would say I miss you all but I don't - having an amazing time and probably heading down to Phuket in the next couple of days.


Bankok is mental!!

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