Managed to get up at half 9 today so getting better. Been having breakfast at the little cafe in the hostel where they serve british-type food like boiled eggs and soldiers. Headed out to search out a tour around the temples but were so afraid of being ripped off that we decided just to wing it- lesson one, do it yourself. Took us a long time to navigate (or rather took steph a long time as cheif navigator lol- *Steph- as no-one else wil do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!* but got there having had to go against another rule and get a tuk tuk as a really creepy guy followed us to the bus stop and wouldnt leave us alone. In the end we bailed in to the tuktuk and sped off! the tuk tuk driver true to form tried to rip us off but we paid only the previously agreed ridiculously cheap price of 8baht and left him fuming on the street lol with angry tour sponsors whom he had tried to sell us to. Haha dont take on angry belfast girls. Maybe he'll start his own lesson list. Anyway, got to the grand palace and wat pra kaew which was out of this world sparkly and breath taking to say the least (although they stole some of the architectural brilliance from the cambodians) The emerald buddha was very ethereal and on an extremely elaborate and ornate plinth, but no photography allowed so we cant show you any pics by order of the thai police (dont mess with them)
After walking out of the emerald buddha the heat started to really hit us and the water we bought tasted soapy, may or may not have been had and paid for tap water. Grrr. Grand palace was huge and is where the king must live after he his coronation for at least a month (very pretty prison then?-erin) Then walked out, got a tad disoriented trying to find the river for a river taxi, took erin a long time to walk having gone over on her ankle and been left behind. Eventually got there and partook of some more thai public transport. Interesting. There was a thai man swimming in the river amongst various debris. Mmm. Once we got to our side of the river it was a pretty easy walk home and straight to the pool to submerge and cool off. A coupla hours later, dressed and showered we went for dinner at a restaurant nearby, exactly like the one we went to before. Thought we better update now because we are up at 3am to catch a train to cambodia and it is thai holiday season so tickets and seats are free for them therefore not guaranteed for us. Wish us liuck, we will email from cambodia asap, love to everyone!!!

PS to find us on the statravel site now, you need to search for Erin, Steph and Lou not Erin Peoples as we changed it for user-friendlyness :)

Whatever goodbye in thai is. Havent found a friendly enough one to teach us yet.

xxx