Thailand - any one for a game of ping pong?

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To make the most of my time in Thailand I decided, before I left home, to do a group tour. Upon arrival in Bangkok I was slightly apprehensive - would it be me and a bunch of OAPs who would complain about their ailments and the state of the NHS constantly? Or, even worse, a group of 18yr olds only interested in popping pills. In reality the 18 people on the tour were a good mix of all nationalities and ages - some couples and some singles. Our first hotel in Bangkok was basic but comfortable although the river outside bubbled ominously and smelt much like a giant turd.

Bangkok is everything I expected - polluted, noisy and smelly. The streets are full of people selling anything from fish head soup to fake everything. I spent my first day on the Khao San Rd just taking it all in and people watching. The place is populated by everyone from the traveler types who've just come from Buddhist enlightenment in Tibet - with full Jesus beard - to the middle age guys from England (with mullet and tattoos) out in force with their giggling Thai girlfriends - but "is she really your girlfriend if you pay her?"

Our tour didn't stop long in Bangkok and soon we were heading north to the cool mountains around Chaing Mai where we spent several days on a trek staying with local hill tribes. Although the north is a bit cooler it certainly doesn't seem that way while hiking on a steep jungle path, carrying a backpack and wearing thick leech socks. But it was worth it to stay in the remote villages, hidden in the curtain of thick jungle. The locals mostly ignore us (silly westerners grimacing at the squat toilet). The entire group slept in one large room on the hard floor, but I was the only one who managed to get a spot directly below the hole in the roof - and yes it was raining all night! We bonded over how many times we accidentally got pee on our legs whilst using the squat toilet and the fear of having to do a number two!

But toilet habits was not to be our only bonding experience. Back in Bangkok we decided that going to Bangkok and not seeing the red light district was a bit like coming to Thailand not eating rice. So a brave group of us headed to Patpong - famous for ping pong - and for those of you who haven't heard of this little party trick let me just hint that the ping pong show is not the nice game I played at youth club, but instead the balls being fired out from places where the sun don't shine! However, that was nothing compared to the boy/boy show we saw - let's just say my education in gay sex is now more complete than I'd ever want it to be!

Leaving the ping pong behind, it was now time for the tour group to head south and we all had high hopes of getting some sun. Alas it has been rain, rain and much more rain since leaving Chaing Mai. We had a few nights in jungle tree houses and then on raft houses on a lake, but we spent most of the time playing scrabble and cards because of the weather. I'm now in Ao Nang waiting to get the ferry to the island of Koh Phi Phi to spend two weeks on the beach with Lynsay in the sun -but at the moment it's looking like more scrabble! Oh dear...

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Photos

Floating Market
Floating Market

Cooking school
Cooking school

Raft houses
Raft houses

Comments

[Mum]

OAP,s
What do you mean boring AOPs, some of us have more staying power than you youngsters! You should be used to the rain and at least it will be warm there. Can't say I would like the loo expierience as my balance might not be too good.

[Katherine S]

Hey!
Wow! it sounds amazing - I can't believe you are actually there :) Keep enjoying your adventure and I don't want to hear someone's paid you to be their Scottish girlfiend! xx

[Mark P.]

Howdy from Houston
Jackie gave me your blog address and I've enjoyed reading all the entries. We just spent a week with Jackie and Mike in Durham and Port Grimaud. Wonderful experience, great food, got papped from a helicopter. But no "ping pong." We also made a side trip to Edinburgh and Tracy R. popped up at a pub! Great surprise and great to see her. She's been a little peripatetic, too! What's gotten into our old team? Keep posting the great adventures. You have one more fan living vicariously through you.