Chiang Mai - Bangkok

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Since last had a very nice week or so in Chiang Mai. Its much more easy going than Bangkok and while I was there the weather was a bit cooler. Among its many attractions is a huge night market selling, well just about everything. Have spent many an hour haggling away buying you all presents, when I say you I mean me of course. It also has some very good second hand English book shops to while away an afternoon in.

I stayed for New year which was a great night. Around 9 pm the sky started to light up with Chinese lanterns which carried on until well after midnight. There must have been thousands upon thousands of them, surprised it didn't burn the place down. All in all a great week.

I had planned that when I left Chiang mai to head south to one of the islands and do some diving but there have been some really bad storms (the monsoon should have gone but hasn't) in the area that have washed away bridges, roads etc so have abandoned that idea. I have also abandoned the idea of South Korea after watching the weather forecast, it was minus 12 there last night. So instead of that I headed down to Pattaya for a week.

Well what to say about Pattaya, its just a great hedonistic flesh pot of massage parlours, ladys of the international friendship league, drinking till dawn, waking late trying to fight off a hangover with a full English, a couple of hours by the pool telling yourself never again before doing it all again. I knew it was time to leave when having popped into the barbers for a shave i sat in the chair got flopped back and promptly fell asleep not to wake until aftershave, a little too vigorously for my liking, was being slapped on my face. So after a week or so of bad behaviour i took myself and my swollen liver off to Bangkok...like that was going to help.

I've been to Bangkok more times than I've had hot dinners but often its just passing through on my way to elsewhere so will be making an attempt this time to see a bit more of the bits I don't usually. Already been here a week but will end now as internet playing up but will write again in a day or so.

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