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This is daunting, trying to remember what we've been up to the past week or so. My thoughts will probably be more scrambled than ever! I think Beth is correct when she says I need Professor Dumbledore's pensieve! Unfortunately, it's just me and my journal at the moment since Beth is currently having something called a pedicure and foot massage. Yes, I thought I'd somehow resist it, although we have been doing lots of walking which may account for the lack of blog updates here at the end of our Asian adventure. Having said that, we've found a good air conditioned internet cafe on our favourite road - Ram Buttri - so there are lots more geeky photos for your delectation.
Without wondering whether a foot massage can ever just be a foot massage, I'll get on and write about some stuff. Thanks for all the messages by the way. They all cheered us up, even Cathy's (the boss) one, although she did mention the dreaded 'twinning' and 'efficiency' words, sending a shudder down my spine. Perhaps it's because I'm now over half way through and realise I'll soon be back at work and as lax as the DCMS dress code enforcement team is, I'm pretty sure flip flops would be pushing it.
We've both had an exceptionally lovely time here in Bangkok which hasn't been short on nostalgia, since we first came here in 2003. I don't think I would've wanted to spend our last week in Asia anywhere else, although we would have loved to visit Japan - time and money sadly wouldn't allow it on this trip. Even if Khao San Road is a travellers cliche Mecca, we don't care. It feels more like home than Camberwell, that's for sure. Maybe if movie showing roadside restaurants, pad thai sellers and retro t-shirt stalls descended onto the fringes of Burgess Park I MIGHT feel differently. But I don't think that'll be happening anytime this century (although I do know someone trying to import tuk-tuks to Australia).
Never go back? Well, the first night we tried to go to a restaurant we used to visit but discovered only a pile of rubble. Apparently the owners have moved to Denmark, as you do if you're from Thailand! Still, this just means we've still got some cool old memories that can't be spoiled. We did however stay in the same hotel as before although discovered it'd become a bit pricier and I don't think it's all down to inflation. Maybe we just had more cash to spend last time?! Coming back has been more liberating than inhibiting and we've not felt as under pressure to see as many tourist sights so have mainly been blowing our travel budget on shopping instead! I did suggest paying a visit to some poor soul in the Bangkok Hilton but this was quickly returned with a forward defensive from Beth. Instead, we paid another visit to the glorious MBK Centre (fake Diesel jeans for less than a tenner people) and we spent a lazy day at the Chatchucuk weekend market last Sunday where I bagged a pair of retro adidas trainers. It's like a massive Urban Outfitters. It amazes me, but somebody somewhere must suddenly decide "hang on, let's send all this stuff to Thailand". I think you can buy anything there although I didn't see a kitchen sink. If you're squeamish look away now but I must mention with all this walking around in scorching heat we've made some new discoveries, notably back, belly and boob sweat!
Sadly, we've run out of time since it's our last night here before we depart for Oz, land of Brits in Campervans and rat coffins (meat pies says the Lonely Planet). Therefore, thoughts of watching some Muay Thai boxing and a Patpong Pingpong show (in a liberal couply demure non sleazy sense of course) must be confined to a Thomson induced rumour of a 3rd trip to Thailand. Tonight, we're planning on just watching a movie and maybe head to 'The Station', a converted petrol station for a drink. Possibly a bucket of something but certainly not petrol (just to be ultra clear)!
In another random anecdote, we watched an excellent film in Blood Diamond which was ultimately frustrating since the pirated DVD the restaurant had acquired suddenly went kaput 2 minutes from the end. It might sound like no consolation but there was a superb waiter who couldn't walk in diagonal lines which almost made up for it.
What else? Working backwards, we did manage to get out of town and spend a couple of nights in Kanchanaburi which was fantastic since we regretted not having gone there last time. We had a romantic ramshackle hut on the river which swayed violently up and down when one of the frequent speedboats zoomed by. However, it did overlook the bridge over the river Kwai, which I had wrongly assumed was the main attraction not least because of the film. Instead, we've discovered 2 world class (and I'm ashamed to say) exclusively Australian funded Museums in the 'Thai Burma Railway Museum' and the 'Hellfire Pass Museum'. Following our time in Cambodia, we thought we'd overloaded on the grief and trauma having learned something about the starvation and torture inflicted by the Khmer Rouge. However, we learned so much about the heroic suffering of the PoWs and Asian labourers who built the Thai-Burma Railway, especially during our day at the latter Museum. The museum extends to include an original 4km stretch of track built through dense jungle. We walked it and I've never seen so many mosquitoes. If going out was stifling, the return was worse since the heavens opened and we got soaked to the bone despite our 'pac a macs'! The reality of their task must have been hellish indeed.
In between the historical nightmares of Pnom Penh and Kanchanaburi, we did at least have one of the worlds treats. In my opinion, the complex of temples at Angkor easily surpasses the other esteemed sites we've visited so far. Although, whilst wandering around the ruins of one particularly ornate Hindu temple I did hear the words "Oh yep, it's Whalley Abbey!" Apparently you don't need to travel to Southeast Asia because Blackburn beats it! (Ed. I was only struck by how similar they were)Anyway, we woke early and spent an incredible 12 hours there - from 5am to 5pm which was knackering but definitely worth it. Unfortunately it did turn me ito a crazed photographer and there are so many places where nature is overcoming a crumbling temple that only an idiot wouldn't be able to capture such romantic imagery. You'll have to reserve your judgement I guess!
ps - Beth has just returned from her pedicure which now seems to have included a haircut as well. All for a fiver allegedly!
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