We only went in for a drink.

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After booking bus tickets to Bangkok which claimed to have air conditioning and a toilet, we found on arrival that it had neither. For the first leg of the journey they didn't even have space for us on the bus so they packed 6 of us into a taxi for what I can only describe as off-road ralley driving with oncoming traffic for added excitement. Unsurprisingly we got a puncture so we all had to get out in the scorching heat until Michael and another passenger changed the tyre.

Anyhoo we arrived in Bangkok safely and found it so much more relaxed than we thought it would be. Usually tuk tuk and taxi drivers pounce on you before you have a chance to even get out of the bus, but these guys hardly took any notice.. quite a welcome change! We got checked into a guesthouse which turned out to be above the noisest pub in Bangkok. (We checked into a quieter place for the rest of our stay).

To get ourselves acquainted with the place we had a few drinks at one of the many on-street bars. Just watching the people go by we realise that Bangkok is the place where anything goes. There are all sorts of people here - young, old, rich, poor, goths, punks, ravers, transexuals... and no-one looks twice or blinks an eye at the most outrageous looking people.

We had a great few days here in Bangkok, meeting a lot of really fine folk including a pal of Michael's from Elgin who has been teaching here - fine to hear a Scottish voice again! The food here is great and really cheap, Pad Thai being a firm favourite on the menu. We also saw some other delicacies like fried grubs, crickets, beetles and cockroaches. Didn't try any though... no use, we're going to have to get a bit braver and try some of these weird and wonderful things!! Never seem to be all that hungry when I pass the fried cockroaches right enough..

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Photos

Pad Thai.
This is what we eat now.

Bugs.
Other people eat these.

Soooseee!
Bring on the Foogoo.