Bangkok

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After yet more oversleeping, we hopped on the bus in Kanchanaburi and travelled to Bangkok. We took a taxi to the Khoa San Road (backpacking mecca of the world), stepped out and bumped straight into a first year from John's. Got half way down the Khoa San, and bumped straight into Toby and his considerably tanned friends. Small world, I think so. We checked into D&D, another backpacking mecca with a pool on the roof (though alas, the pool was being renovated) which was good, though the beds were ridiculously hard, and then set out to explore the road. Walking along it, it's not hard to see how one can become a Gap Year Hero in a matter of days...the road is packed to bursting with thousands of stalls, selling as many hippie beads as one could possibly want, and a wide and colourful selection of the must-have beer beaters. Lovely. The place is literally crawling with backpackers, most of whom are offensively tanned and blonde. Having done a spot of shopping and eating, we met up with Toby and his friends, and spent a brilliant night in the bars and clubs with them. We woke up the next day feeling a little tired and shabby (big surprise) so could only (and barely) muster the energy to go to Bangkok's answer to Harrods, MBK shopping centre, with its 7 floors of Thai wonders. At 530pm, we headed to the station, to catch the sleeper train down to the islands...

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