They say New York is the city that never sleeps. I slept in New York. I looked out of the windows in the early hours and saw deserted streets. The lights were still on but everyone was home.... New York sleeps. Bangkok does not.

We arrived on schedule on Saturday afternoon after an altogether uneventful flight. Following the rules of the guidebooks we made our way outside the terminal to the taxi queue, ignoring the hoards of thai drivers trying to entice you into their unlicensed cars. Sitting down in the air conditioned taxi, I reached for the seatbelt. There was none. No Seatbelt??!?!As the driver began to speed along the highway I was gripping the edge of my seat - the only consoling thought 'I have insurance, I have insurance...'

Looking out of the window I found myself quite disappointed. Here I was, travelling to the other side of the world, only to find that trees still look like trees. Roads and cars no different from home (Apart from the seatbelt issue, which I still find disturbing, especially having now witnessed the finest of Bangkok driving - shocking!) A distant skyline that really could just have been any other city...

Coming into the city past uniform government buildings everything was so bland, so normal. It was then we took a turn into Bangkok. A bustling side street full of flashing lights, street vendors and people. Hoards of people. Rubbish lined pavements with all manner of wares on display for sale. The taxi driver stopped and pointed us down a pedestrian street. 'You walk' he said.

Backpacks loaded we walked. And walked. And walked. No sign of the hotel we had booked. The sticky heat under the weight of the backpacks was a lot to bear for two weary travellers so we stopped for a bevvy while we tried to work out where we were. Still clueless, but refreshed we gave in a boarded a tuk tuk.

I have never experienced anything like it. The noisy engine of this bizarre machine roared as we raced along the streets, overtaking cars, slipping in and out of lanes. Too tired to be horrified, we just held on as best we could. Eventually he brought us to a busy side street but again, it wasnt our hotel. Off again, yet another busy street and we gave in and found somewhere to check in to. I know tuk tuk drivers are notorious for working on commission but on this occassion I think he just genuinely did not know where he was going.

Check In, showered we decided to head out rather than sleep. We both knew once we put our heads down they weren't coming back up and Paul didnt want to miss the Rugby. We found a bar on the corner, sat down with a Whiskey Sour (my new fave drink btw) and within five minutes had started to talking to an english traveller called Sue. Thats how the night continued... Alcohol flowing, an endless see of friendly strangers. Another tuk tuk ride, just for fun this time along the night time streets. The driver asking if we were enjoying the air conditioning - was he driving fast enough!

Kao San Road is enchanting. We first stumbled onto it that night, and I insited on walking up and down at least three times. Neon lights lead the way, cockroaches and Rats scuttle around the drains, and westerners sit and drink on the pavements. There is a real buzz in the air, and yes, it smells like poo. It must have been about 5am I was stood at a street vendor buying spring rolls (divine!) when an irish man stumbled over.

'No' he said 'I'm going to maccy Ds - I want food I can trust!'

I know, theres the hygeine aspect, but the very idea that you could trust a Maccy D's more that you trust this food being cooked in front of you seemed crazy. Still - my insides are now churning - be it from the alcohol, food or lack of sleep - and maybe he's fine.

It was about 7am sitting in Kao San Centre - a bar aptly named for being on the centre of Kao San - and there we were. Myself, Pauly, a 20 year old german boy, an australian social worker, a former bristish tennis coach and a canadian... i dont know what the canadian did - maybe thats a profession. Sat, talking nonsense about the chemical workings of the brain. It would be another 5 hours before we would head back to the hotel.

Today, I'm heading to kao san to get some food before taking a tuk tuk to the royal palace. I saw on BBC that theres riots going on somewhere in Bangkok.... Haven't seen a thing...