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Published: January 19th 2008
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Thai Market
Paul and Ben you would have loved this! Just arrived in Sein Reap and thought we'd update you. Hope you've not been waiting in anticipation (I know you have Donna) and are about to be disappointed!
Well, a few days ago (who knows what day - tha't what got us into trouble), we got up and dressed to visit the palace - you have to cover your legs and shoulders. Talking over breakfast we decided we should check the date - Oh my God what a surprise when we realised our plane for Chaing Mai took off an hour before. A mad rush to pack and get to the airport (leaving behind Tina's towel and taking the key! - No change there as you'll know I've got a drawer full of Red 27s! Managed to get ourselves a flight at 1pm (thought it would cost a bomb but luckily it only cost you kids a mere 40 quid out of your inheritances - less than a tenner each - bargain!).
Our feet didn't touch the ground - the poor manager of Tanita had been waiting for us all morning and when we told him we wanted a cooking class he arranged it for that afternoon. We arrived
The Tree House
Welcome to our new home! at our accommodation and I loved it and Tina hated it. It was a typical thai house - on stilts and made of wood with very minimalistic furnishings (Bim you would have been wetting your knickers!). Both very soon got worried about the mossies and when I realised it had no mini bar I got concerned too. Anyway no time to worry about things like that we had a cooking class to go to!
(Tina) Wow, now this I did love, first we were taken off to the market for a quick lesson in the spices (difference between Red and Green curries, etc), then a quick lesson in all the different veggies they use but I'm thinking you just put in what you like, we did some buying and then off to cook. There were ten of us in the class a mixture of nationalities, we were in a group with a Kuwaiti man and a dutch girl. Lynda and I both picked different menus to prepare, in all we made 5 different dishes each incl soups, salads, appetisers, main dish and a curry each, then you get to eat them all. Yummy! The girl told me mine tasted
Dinner is Served!
Ready Steady Cook watch out!! like it had been cooked by a Thai lady, I bet she says that to all the girls!
We were there for about 5 hours and it cost us 800 Baht, what a bargain cos we didn't have to buy any dinner that night.
We decided to have a quick mooch around the night bazaar and a few drinks and then head home. By this time it was about 11ish and we didn't want to call out the manager of the hotel to come and get us so we got a taxi. We should have known better when it took three taxi drivers, a map and 10 minutes to decide where it was!! Any way off we went - obviously we were no bloody good we'd only just got there! After about half an hour and stopping to ask two people on the way we began to worry. He then pulled into a garage and while I was having a wee (my first squat!!) he told Tina he was lost and to take us he wanted more money! When we argued he told us to get out - the bastard was going to leave us there. Well Tina
I'm not a celebrity
Get Me Out of Here! was spitting feathers and up for a right row, but I decided that this wasn't the place or time. He drove off in a right strop! (Susie, you would have been pooing your pants), I really thought we'e end up in the jungle with our throats cut!! It was then we decided we would have to ring Tanit (the manager) who gave the driver instructions and after about another half hour we arrived at the tree house. Thank God! In all it had taken us 2 hours to do a 20 minute journey.
We were right wound up by the time we got home and couldn't sleep just kept thinking about the situation and the noises of the jungle were quite daunting.
Anyway the next day was a totally different kettle of fish. Tina's feet and legs were still playing up and she needed to take a tablet so she decided to stay at the tree house. I went on a trekking tour. First of all we rode elephants - Wow they're big. Can't say it was the most comfortable of journeys especially downhill - I was pooping my pants! But so glad I did it - amazing.
Next we visited a hill tribe called Karen - so friendly and welcoming and all the little kids wanted to sell bead bracelets they'd made for 5 Baht (probably about a penny!).
After that we trekked through the jungle for about 2 hours where we had lunch, so many different landscapes and vistas - amazing.
After lunch we went white water rafting on bamboo rafts - such a laugh and so much fun - got absolutely drenched - sorry no pictures of this as we could't take cameras.
That evening we went back to the night bazaar only this time we had Tanit's phone and we phoned him! (Tina) We sent the last blog entry then. Brilliant market really busy with lots of noise and loads to buy, trouble is we haven't got much room, we have decided that whatever we buy we will send a parcel home so as not to restrict our shopping excursions too much, well mine anyway, don't think Lynda is as shopping friendly as me! Tanit picked us up around half 12 and we took a little carry out back to the shack and had a night cap on the terrace,
no trouble sleeping that night.
Slept late this morning, got up around 10 and the nice lady bought us yummy chicken and rice soup for breakfast, have a guess what happened to that? Yep you guessed it went straight down the toilet, not that it wasn't nice but for breakfast, we thought yesterday's was strange enough when she bought us savoury rice and what looked like raw chicken wrapped in banana leaves! The massage lady was coming at 11 am (sorry did we not mention that we had booked a full body massage), we thought it might be a bit rude to leave there without having had one! Had to take it all off apart from knickers (although Lynda was able to keep her bra on, don't think the lady fancied her!). Felt really great after that stretching, thought I could run the 1200m hurdles!!
Anyway I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that we must be getting the hang of this travelling lark because we made the plane today and are now in Siem Reap and have booked a guide to take us to Ankor Wat tomorrow - very early - so off to bed as soon
Feeding time!
This one's for you Carrie xx as we've posted this. And so it's goodnight from me and it's goodnight from her xx
p.s By the way our dinner tonight together with two large beers cost pounds 3.20!! (Kids - saved you a bit there!!)
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JulieP
non-member comment
ONLY ONE WEEK!!
Is there no end to your amazing adventures! Keep the blogs coming it's so good. Just to let you know if you need a back-up from the Foreign Office toilet lady, I am available at extremely short notice for Dobby duties, hours 10:00 pm to midnight when I will ensure that Mistress Tina and her companion, Ms Jackaman do not go without ice in their brandy and cokes! Finally, decided on TL's birthday bash - without her help. We are going to the Charlotte (wherever that is, for a meal and drinks). Keep safe. Love Jools.