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Hi all,
Well just before we leave Thailand tomorrow and head to the onslaught of India we thought a blog update was overdue... so here it is.
So we (sadly) left Sydney back on 28th December, having got lucky enough to be upgraded to business class for the flight to Bangkok, but then unlucky enough to have lost our camera on board the flight.... shame. Therefore, pictures of our lovely time over New Year on the island of Koh Phan Ngan will be missing here as they are on Paul's blackberry and we don't have the cable to upload them. So anyway... arrived in Bangkok and had to wait overnight in the airport as we needed a flight out same day to the islands - wow, the drop from business class to slumming it on the airport seats was a steep one... luckily enough Bangkok airport is super clean and safe so it wasn't too much of a trauma. We hit the flight desks when they opened at 4am and Paul managed to strike up a quick friendship with a Russian guy heading the same way as us - busy New Year holidays meant heaps of the flights were sold out, but we managed to get a flight from Pattaya, about 60km south of Bangkok, so we set off in a taxi with our new Russian mates and managed to fly to Samui, and then boat to Koh Phan Ngan - hurrah! A very long 27 hours later we arrived at Smile Bungalows on Bottle Beach on the north of the island (the opposite side to the infamous Full Moon parties). What a beautiful place to arrive at, even on a very cloudy afternoon... very quiet, secluded. Our two tier bungalow overlooked the bay and the beach - beautiful. We ended up staying there for a week, over New Year which was a really chilled one - lots of coconut shakes (with added rum), good food, lovely people and fireworks on the beach at midnight. So the New Year continued on in much the same style - lazy beach days, lots of reading, coconut shakes galore and delicious food.
After Koh Phan Ngan we headed back to the mainland and took two (hideously delayed) trains - first one overnight to Bangkok and then on up to the north to Chiang Mai, where we spent the next week or so of our time here. What a beautiful place - very relaxed, calm, friendly, cultured with temples, markets and a really welcoming Thai side to the country. We spent two days on a cookery course - so we're hoping we can remember the expertise for our return home! Then another two days out on a moped exploring the vicinity of Chiang Mai, and just cruising and admiring the views.
From Chiang Mai we took an overnight bus back to Bangkok where we have been since Saturday morning. The bus was quite something - lots of pink velour, pink silk curtains, hostess announcements that echoed over the bus PA system, and the most hideous TV & music programmes - sadly listening wasn't optional as it was broadcast over the entire bus. All that aside it was incredibly comfortable - certainly a step up from some of the buses we took in Asia on our last trip!
In Bangkok we hit Chatuchak market, which was huge! Ideal opportunity to get some nice baggy, curve concealing trousers for India - you'll have to wait for those photos! Then on to the skytrain - pretty cool. And back to our hostel on Soi Rambuttri (near the infamous Koh San Road which reminds me of Blackpool on rice - mental, bit gaudy, lots of neon signs!). Luckily we're in a place with a rooftop pool so that eases away some of the afternoon heat and sunshine.... ahhhh! Saturday night we met up with Steve, Paul's friend from college, and had a great night out - beers, food & gin, tuk tuks over town, and deep fried insect & frog snacks (Paul had, not me) all resulted in 1 very poorly Lozzer and a quite poorly Paul .... we have now just about recovered from the ordeal of our Bangkok illness and are ready (we think) to hit Mumbai. Today we've seen the temple of the Emerald Buddha, Grand Palace and Wat Pho with an ENORMOUS reclining Buddha. All very ornate and opulent sights.
Until the next blog installment, wish us patience, luck and health!
Hope all is well with everyone at home,
Speak soon, and as always, lots of love
Lauren & Paul xxxxx
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