Barmy Bangkok

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We are here, in Barmy Bangkok!

The flight was long, but quite uneventful, other than we were trapped by a Thai teenager who seemed to think that not getting up to let us get out would be easier. So it meant that we had to clamber over him (quite literally at one point) to escape periodically to the loo... maybe he just wanted middle aged women's bottoms in his face!

We eventually found our hotel transfer, although I am now know on as 'Rawn', we arrived at our hotel at 6:30 this morning. Gill's face was a picture when we turned off the Main Street onto a tiny backroad that looked like a shanty town with corrugated iron leaning everywhere. thankfully I had googled ahead and knew it was ok, we drove a bit further and it was a nice looking hotel.

We couldn't check in until 2:00, so we had a quick coffee and then headed into the city taking in the sights as we went. We headed straight to the Grand Palace. Wow - it truly took our breath away, the temples that we have both seen in SrI Lanka seemed dowdy in comparison. No photos can do it true justice, every time we moved a different turret or spire captured our attention with their intricate tiling and decorations. To add to the ambience, the Thai people were all lining up to pay homage to their King as part of a year of mourning. There were rows and rows of people dressed in black, slowly shuffling through a particular route around the palace, whilst in stark contrast the tour guides shouted as they waved their umbrellas and stuffed toys on sticks to get their groups attention. it was a real overload for the senses; so many sounds, sights and smells.

We have really found the heat unbearable today too. I thought I would be fine in what I was wearing as my shoulders and knees were covered, but no, leggings were not allowed! It was all OK £3 later and I had bought the obligatory baggy elephant travelling trousers! The only downside... In 32 degrees with crazy humidity, I was now wearing 2 pairs of trousers! I have never sweated so much in all my life, by the time we finally made it back to the hotel, I had to check I hadn't wet myself - yum!

We wandered for quite a while just taking everything in, we were hoping for somewhere with some air conditioning to just sit and have a leisurely lunch. Instead we wandered for ages, got hotter and hotter, then finally sat in a restaurant with a few fans and our first Pad Thai. Gill was a little bit worried about the food, but it seemed fine... We'll find out soon enough ?!

The journey back was a also eventful, we were enjoying the air conditioning and the batternberg coloured wallpaper upholstery in the car when our driver said "sorry" and then we saw that there was steam biloowing out of the bonnet! A few bottles of water got us back to the hotel, but I'm not sure that the car will be going for much longer?

Our hotel is nice... Glenn you would approve. Never have I welcomed a cold shower and air conditioning quite so much! Now we are trying desperately to sleep as we have not slept since 6:30am on Friday and it is now 15:00 on Saturday. How can sleep still evade us?

Our next adventure is to meet the people we will be travelling with for 2 weeks, so far we only have their names: Sarah, Christian, Alice, Michelle, Zunming, Carla, Bianca, Maximillian, Rachel, Beth and Nia.

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Comments

[Terri]

<3
Glad you're both safe. The journey so far sounds quite exciting! The buildings look amazing but I'm sure, like you say, they are much more beautiful in front of you. X