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Day 1 - 21/02/09
We got to Bangkok later then intended but I had managed to get some sleep on the train. We quickly freshened up when we got to the hotel and then sat off for the Bangkok city tour. We started off by taking the long tail boats through the canals, it was so much fun and so wierd as we saw people selling stuff from boats. We also saw a onitor lizard which means good luck!!! This used to be the 'Venice of Asia' or so our guide told us. we then went to Wat Po which is home to the reclining Buddha, we paid our respects there and went around the temple. Then Katie, Marc, Felicity, Dan and I went to the Grand Palace. After ensuring we were suitably dressed we wandered around. The buildings were impressive. They even had a model of the Angor Wat - so jealous of everyone heading to Cambodia!!!!.... after a while the heat got to us and so we sat down and started watching the people walking by, a group of thai students doing a survey found us and tried to interview us very unsuccessfully...it was a good laugh esp when they asked us what our fav thai festival was and us scratching our heads trying to think of fav thai vegetable!!!! We then made the call to head back to hotel, all 5 of us piled onto 1 tuk tuk, keen to set a new record of most ppl u can squeeze on... rollercoaster rides are nothing compared to the thrill of the tuk tuk rides here!!!! Got back to the hotel and relaxed in the afternoon making the most of the free time. In the eve we all got together for the last dinner together, we first had drinks at the mini bar (it's set up on the pavement in the eves) and had dinner. After dinner we returned to the mini bar where they did cocktails for 80 baht a drink (abt 1.80 pound). I discovered the Hanata here (malibu, melon liquer nd soda!!!). we went for a walk down Khoa San Road before heading to bed.
DAY 2 - 22/02/09
Another early morning pick up at the hotel for Terry, Tania, Jemma, Dan, Felicity and me. We went to Kanchanaburi where we went to the floating markets. We wandered through the markets, I was experimenting with all the lovely fruit you get here- star fruit, mangostein, tamarind, rambutans..... after the floating market we went to the World War II Art museum and learnt abt the Railway of Death also saw the Bridge on River Kwai and walked across it. Then we stopped at a handicraft centre and saw the artisans creating fantastic pieces of wooden furniture and dec pieces..... after this we all went to the Tiger Temple a moment we'd all been waiting for. The tigers were huge, peacefully lying around whilst people milled around them getting their photos takens, occassionally startling the person pausing next to them when they'd roll over or flick their tail. We also saw the tiger cubs who were in a very playful mood and one playfully swatted Tania. It was quite a wierd experience, makes you think when have you crossed the line of doing something for a good cause and unwittingly turning it into a commercial venture??? We had our own guide, minibus and driver so it was really good as we managed to get all our questions answered.
We got back to the hotel with minutes to spare for our evening meeting with our new group leader for the second part of our trip for the north. There were 7 of us continuing from our 1st part and 5 new people joining us. Our new group leader was a breath of fresh air, she was Thai and very very enthusisatic!! After the meeting we went for dinner and then Tania, Jemma, Katie and I went to the Asia Hotel to watch the Calypso show - the famous ladyboy cabaret. Tania jokingly told the tuk tuk driver that if he didn't get us there (a journey normally taking 35 mins) in 20 mins she wasn't paying him. We got there in under 20 mins, that was the scariest ride I have ever had. Whilst driving he kept trying to get us to go to a Ping Pong show instead as they get commission if they take ppl there!!! the show was brilliant, after that we went back to the hotel had a few nightcaps at the mini bar and retired for the night.
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