Bangkok/Kanchanburi

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Hi, well i made it to Bangkok in one piece, despite a very turbulent plane ride where all i could think of was the statistics concerning plane crashes that were bandied around the office in one day before i left..(thanks Ian). Knowing that my chances of touching down in one piece were pretty good, i relaxed and watched some movies..

Bangkok was everthing i thought it might be..smelly, noisy, and not a bit filthy. Still, my hotel was gleaming. Without a doubt the poshest place ive ever stayed in. I had a meal there on my first night and by the time i left the bar (a fake irish boozer called 'mingles') it felt like the house band were there for my enjoyment only..(they were, i was the last to leave..if you ever want to hear a truly original spandau ballet medley, get yourself down to 'mingles'..'strangles' would perhaps be a better name..

Next day, i went exploring Bangkok, caught boats, taxis, buses, but the most fun were the tuk tuks. Why people pay to do extreme sports when you can weave in and out of rush hour traffic only 12 inches off the ground and have the driver text messaging at the same time is beyond me. Come to Bangkok, where you can truly risk your life for less than 20 pence..dave warned me to look out for certain coloured tuk tuks, but im afraid i didnt use this knowledge and for the first two or three i just jumped in any old one. after a couple of visits to tailors that i didnt need and had no intention of using (didnt stop me getting measured fora real shiny suit though!) i ened up having words with my last tuk tuk driver, who promptly dumped me god knows where..but then again, he didnt get paid..

At least i got to see a couple of nice temples, a couple of large golden buddhas, wandered round some of the seedier parts of bangkok and sorted out some onward travel for when i go to Laos.

Today (Fri), im in Kanchanburi. Its a three hor train journey from bangkok, but seemed much quicker due to the old thai bloke who chatted to me all the way. (he didnt know where leicester was, so when i said 'nottingham' he stared going on about Brain Clough. He also liked cliff richard so make of that what you will...

im now staying in a little shack near the river kwai. Some woman asked me on the train if i had anywhere to stay and when i said no, she led me to this bunch of guesthouses..there were plenty of cats milling around so i figured it cant be that bad..

Ive just shared a meal with some dutch folk, only one of whom spoke any english, so while they are all chatting in dutch, ive wandered off to an internet cafe, might go and find a bar afterwards...tomorrow im going off some trip to see the bridge, wartime cemetries, a waterfall, and ive been asked if id like to wash an elephant..although as this is thailand and im still reeling from things i was offered in Bangkok, i might pass on that one...

just thougt id let people know i got here in one piece..ill drop you a line from laos...

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Comments

[Chris]

Sounds like you're off to a good start...
...i'm especially intrigued by this "three hor train journey".

[nj]

Niiice
hehe, sounds exactly how I imagine Bangkok to be in my head :) Me and Tape have just been to Alton Towers and had our own share of thrills. Kate found Nemesis to be 'pant rippingly good' and I'll let you interpret that in whatever way you want!