I promised I would write on this blog more often so here I am. Last weekend was spent in Bangkok, a very expensive weekend as it was Laurens last so we spent it in class. We stayed in Nana which is a up market place in Bangkok i guess, more up market than where I have previously stayed although Lauren used her usual excellent bargain hunting skills and found us a very nice hostel for a bargain price of 250 baht a night each (£5). I arrived the latest of course and met the girls in a restaurant. There is also a large indian population in Nana so i did have my first Indian curry with garlic naan since leaving the UK it is surprissing how much I miss a good Russi. I then checked into the hostel. The manager insisted that we drink with him for the evening so armed with a bottle of Thai rum and a few bottles of coke we sat in the bar and made friends with the manager and owner of the hostel. They were so friendly and very good at English. They told us where to go and we ended heading out at 1am.
The next day we split up, Lauren and Emma going to Authaya and Jade and I going to lie by a pool and indulge in some shopping. We bumped into a couple of English girls who were lost in Bangkok, they were going to a similar place to us so we showed them where to go and answered all their touristy questions. They commented that it was like having their own guides with them. It was a strange feeling to know a city so well that you can answer other peoples questions and actually be helpful. I thought about how my impression of Bangkok had changed so much from a city that was just that a strange city to now when i regard it as a safe place that I understand and can weave through without too much trouble.
We greeted the girls with some cold beers back at the hostel and promptly got ready for to go out, possibly the earliest we have been out before but we knew this would be worth it. We were going to the sky bar, with a strict dress code we had a lot of work to do to turn ourselves from the backpackers we inevitability looked like to stunning up beat members of society. Dressed to impress as we were going to the most expensive place ever we left the hostel and jumped in a taxi. We were greeted by door staff that opened the door to the taxi and wore dress suits we all looked at each other horrified that we may get turned away but everyone smiled politely at us as we walked through and tried to look as we belonged. I am sure you are all thinking that I should have fitted in well here but i was not armed with my normal heels and a stunning dress, instead was wearing flats and a borrowed dress that although lovely not very me. We got into the lift and ascended the 64 floors to the bar where a cocktail put is back 550 baht after adding tax and service charge (£11). I of course went for a mojito, which was of a good standard but not for that much money. The view on the other hand made up for it, it was the thing of dreams and movies (The hangover 2 was actually filmed there). You could see for miles accross the Bangkok skyline. Unfortunately my camera failed me (damn you fizz) and both Lauren and Jade had already broke their cameras. There was a live band a beautiful singer that i heard some liken to Aretha Franklin. The clientele were very well to do and I did look around for a good looking bachelor to buy me another drink but everyone appeared in couples. We tried to make our drinks last as long as possible before leaving we had to visit the toilet (courtesy to my mother you should always judge a place by the toilets) well mum you would have been proud these were very nice with starch pressed flannel towels to dry your hands, the only thing missing was something to make the room smell sweet. We did take afew pictures in the reception area next to the grand piano but were getting some funny looks so didnt stay too long.
Continuing on our spending spree we went to an Italian restaurant for brusheta and chicken with a cheesy mushroom sauce (oh how i miss cheese). We then met up with Emma and went to what can only be described as a Thai Vodka Revolution with the price of a cocktail coming in at 195 baht (£4) and the clientele also beingvery similar to England.
The next day Lauren and I went to terminal 21 a shopping mall with a different country themed floor on each level. Although the clothes were ridiculously expensive it is a nice place for a day out.
This week, I applied for my Australian visa and got it, worked and have taken to going to the gym as often as possible to combat my growing addiction to the cake at the coffee shop I visit and the chocolate waffles at the night bazaar that I have to drive passed after the gym.
This weekend I have decided to stop. In an effort to save money and the fact that I havent done nothing since well before leaving England. Today I have done just that, I even had a nap and tanned myself in the garden which my landlady cannot understand as they all want to be white over here. I have now passed many Thai people on how tanned I am, although they use so many whitening products that this may have been true before.