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Thursday 17th February
I limited myself to just 2 films on the flight to Bangkok so I managed to get at least 20 minutes snooze.
Hooray - the Thai Immigration Officials allowed me to enter the country. Although I was not carrying anything I shouldn't have been it was a pretty scary experience just walking past the officals. They may have been having a slow day and needed someone to put in prison. Having arrived in Bangkok late in the evening I thought it best just to take a taxi direct to the hotel door.
Friday 18th February
A day of leisurely sightseeing to get my bearings which included finding a supermarket and which way round to hold the map.
The Bangkok air stinks due to pollution, heat andthe food sellers on the side of the streets which really didn't do anything to appertise me. Just when I thought I would have to increase my intake of Snickers and McDs chips I was blessed with finding some respectable eating houses (with tables, chairs, air condtioning and food that had been stored in fridges).
I popped to the shops to stock up on water, bananas and biscuits but got side tracked once I discovered lurverly shopping centres. 8 hours later - Panic !!! - I felt as though I was Cinderella rushing home from the ball before the coach turned into a pumpkin and her clothes returned to rags. I was still out and it was now dark.I must get home before the mozzies get me, I had no mozzie spray on. In the panic I didn't realise that there was a green rail line and a blue/green line and of course I got on the wrong one, did an extra few stations, changed trains and started again.
Note to self: Learn my colours, always wear glasses when locating directions and don't leave home without a good dosing of mozzie spray.
Saturday 19th February
Free slippers in the hotelbut it is rather disappointing that they look as though the previous 6,245,841 guests staying here had already used them. Good job I had some brand new spares from my last hotel.
I must have been pointing in Japanese instead of Thai and ended up with two dinners but both were rather bizarre. I was expecting crispy duck.I thought it would be safe enough to just eat the noodles which was OK until I accidently seasoned them with sugar and made them inedible as well. Never mind l gave it a go. I then stopped at McDs for chips on the way back to the hotel. I tried the foreign stuff but it wasn't for me.
Note to self: Purchase shares in McDonalds.
If you wish to read the full details of my next months trip please see www.gapadventures.co.uktrip code ATIE.
Sunday 20th February
Met up with my tour group. 1 Brit, 1, American and 6 Canadians. Unfortunately the extra handsome Australian tour guide wasn't joining us on our trip.
The proper sight seeing commenced with a tour of Wat Po and the Grand Palace. The palace was very grand and luckily for you guys I had forgotten to recharge my camera and the battery life ran out. We then had a high speed zoom a round the canals in Bangkok in a long boat. The Thai people are bad drives on the roads and even worse on the water.Lazy afternoon waiting to board the overnight train to Chaing Mai. Our cabin waiter/waitress (difficult to tell which sex 'Natalie' actually was/is/trying to be) was pleasant and very interested in make up tips.
Note to self: Make plans to take up residence in either Japan or Thailand. I looked fat compared to the Japanese and now looking hideously obese compared to the Thai people. Great selection of small clothes, fancy shopping malls and cheap night markets.
Monday 21st February
Arrived in Chiang Mai.
Parked the backpack at the hotel then offto elephant riding and bamboo rafting. Tahbi my elephant was 55 years old and only functioned if fed bananas and sugar cane. If no food was forthcoming he just lifted his trunk and snotted - nice. The bamboo rafting was relaxing luckily with no white water rapids.
Note to self: No note today - take it easy- I am on holiday
Tuesday 22nd February
Up early to get a tuk tuk to Tiger Kingdom. 40 minutes of being driven at break neck speed with complimentary exhaust fumes to inhale. Excellenttime stroking Jasper II and Jasper III (real names were Euro and Jennifer - rubbish names for tigers).A relaxing fish foot spa to finish. Originally I was concerned that the tiny fish would end up looking like fat puffafish by the time they had finished chomping on my feet however this would only have been a problem if I had managed to keep my feet in the tank without screaming the place down. Not being a foot person perhaps this was not the activity for me. I think the attached photos captured the experienced very well.
Note to self: Ask Nicola to get me a tiger. Cancel the order for the home fish spa.
The afternoon /evening was spent making a 5 hour overland trip from Chiang Maion a comfortable air conditioned bus with dvd facilities. 2 films, a stop at a cashew nut factory and a visit to The White Temple saw us into Chiang Kong. The construction of the White Temple started 12 years ago and it is not expected to be finished for another 60. IT is worth google - ing this to see more pictures
Wednesday 23rd February
A short drive in the back of a pick up truck and short boat trip saw me totheborder crossing station for Laos. Bordered a slow boat on the Mekong River. Slow! You are telling me it took 9 hours. We had to take packed lunch and have an overnight stay! But they sold beer so the time passed quickly. The overnight stay was in Pakbeng where I sampled river weed & buffalo and lived to tell the tale. Pakbengis still relatively untouched by the western world. No moble phone signal, no internet but they did sell snickers.
Note to self: Apply for a McDonalds franchise for Pakbeng.
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