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Hey all,
I've experienced a lot since I last posted but I'm gonna try and keep this one short (yeah, I wish), anyway, here's what I've been up to:
I've started my tour already which so far has been action packed and awesome fun without any rushed feelings at all. We get lots of time where we can choose which activities we do and then can take as long doing them as we like, our guide is really friendly, always happy and laid back so you get the hassle things organised for you, enabling you to do lots whilst getting to do everything as you want to in your own time which is key on a tour. The group I'm with is one of the biggest parts that has meant I've been having a great time, we seem to have instantly have bonded partly because we are all similar types of people, have similar goals and the crude jokes and banter has been going since pretty much day one, everyone has said its crazy how after 5 days we all feel very comfortable with each other and as if we have known each other for ages.
Leaving bangkok behind (which was a real interesting contrast of wealth and poor and technology and old fashioned ways), I've been in the countryside since, which is beautiful and as you'd really picture it, very green and wet, with rice fields and rainforest abound. We first went to kanchanaburi for 2 days where the famous bridge over the river kwai is and were staying just further down on these huts that float on top of the river cool eh? We did a tour on speed boat water taxis up the river where they dropped us off at various interesting points we asked for inc the death railway, the war museam's/cemetery's for all those that died making the railway/bridge, holy caves used for meditation and then to the famous bridge. All great experiences and was just loving seeing all the locals stuff going on, on the water and feeling the breeze on you as we sped along. Next day we went to the gorgeous erawan water falls national park nearby where there's 7 levels of stunning waterfalls, we had a well deserved swim at the top having a whole waterfall pool to ourselves and at several other levels as we worked our way down. Next we went to ayutthaya for a day and decided to all rent these cranky old push bikes to ride around and see some of the ruined temples. I think riding these wobbly old things around the bangkok streets whilst giving extra wobbly backy's to the one person without a bike had to be as fun as the actual sights we were seeing. Now in chiang mai which is up north in a more jungly area, having caught the sleeper train last night, which had revealing views of jungle, fields and small villages when we awoke in the morning. Tomorrow we leave to do a 3 day jungle trek including riding elephants and staying in huts with hill tribes.
Transport wise I've been on some pretty cool stuff including rides on the seemingly suicidal tuc tucs, busses/trains with locals and trucks which you can stand at the back of :). These all make it fun combined with all the people watching you can do.
Having thai food everyday and its tastes sooooooo goood, exploring all the different dishes and flavours whilst only paying about 1-2gbp for a meal and 1gbp for a pint.
Weather wise well lets just say it was 28C when I arrived at 3am and its pretty humid so its a bit sticky and sweaty but thats alright, its generally a bit cloudy so that keeps the direct sun off you and I think coming from cairns has prepared me pretty well so I haven't been finding the weather too tiring at all yet, just a bit sticky, you get used to it and really feel the extent of the heat only when entering/leaving somewhere thats air conditioned.
Anyways excited for whats to come and that I get to stick with my group for a good while :). Oh for anyone who saw the news about the burma cyclone which was headed for north thailand and was desperately worried for me (I know you all were ;) ) I believe thats completely died out now so you can all breath a sigh of relief and thank the lord.
Catch you all soon
Dan
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