Sawadee Ka!! (Hello in Thai) :)

I got to Bangkok Wednesday 7th at 11:30pm and I met another English girl called Lucy who was also by herself, we decided to share a taxi together to the infamous Ko San Road where all the backpackers go.

We arrived in the bustling Ko San, and it was better than I expected it to be. We found a guesthouse called D&D, which I would reccomend to everyone, and shared a double room with ensuite for 4 pounds a night each.

We walked up and down Ko San for a while looking at the market stalls, trying to avoid the punters asking us to go see a 'ping pong' show. We were both gobsmacked at firstly how lovely the clothes and jewllwery were, and most importantly how cheap it all was.
We bought a few things and tried our first experience of food street vendors. Pad Thai with egg seemed like the safest option and it was 15p for one meal. Shortly after we headed to bed for a well deserved sleep (after killing a few cockroaches in our room first!)

The following morning we got up early, had our free breakfast, and set out to make our seperate travel plans for our onward journeys. I booked my flight to Chiang Mai as all the sleeper trains were full due to Thai New Year this weekend, and Lucy booked her train down to Phuket. We also arranged a day trip for the following day to Kanchanaburi to see the floating markets and The Bridge over the River Kwai.

After sorting those things out, we got a tuk tuk to The Grand Palace and had a look around the beautiful monuments and royal bulidings covered in gold and coloured pieces of glass. Out of respect we had to wear a man's shirt over our dresses as we were showing to much skin - we looked so very attractive.

We headed back to our guesthouse and went up onto the rooftop on the 7th floor to where the pool and spa was. We did a spot of sunbathing and decided to have a Thai massage (3 quid for one hour.)

After our lovely massage we went back to our room to get ready for a night on Ko San Road. We bought so many clothes on this night, I don't know how I have fit it into my backpack! We had a few cocktails and went to a live music bar where all the westerners seemed to be, and went to bed not too late as we had to get up early for out tour the following day.

6am on Friday, woke up, had breakfast and set off to the floating markets. Very spectacular and interesting day floating down the river in a long narrrow boat, picking up souviners along the way. Really fun experience.

After the markets we went to see The Bridge over the River Kwai in Kanchanaburi. We walked right over the narrow bridge and learnt about what happened to the POW's in The 2nd World War. We later went to see the cemetary where POW soilders from the Uk, Australia and Asia weremade to rest.

After a long day sightseeing, we got ready for our last night in Bangkok. We both agreed that our feet were looking very gross and decided to have a pedicure for yet again a very cheap price of 3 pounds.
After spoiling ourselves we went to a really nice restaurant down the road from Ko San, and had some yummy english food - steak and chips all the way!

We did try very hard not to go shopping again...but obviously didnt try hard enough and ended up buying two leather bags and a playsuit each :)
I had to get up really early this morning for my flight, so we went to bed after that and said goodnight to Ko San Road and all the Lady boys.

I woke at 4:30am, packed my stuff, and left Lucy sleeping in bed. How niave I was to think that Ko San road would be quiet at that time in morning - I was very wrong. I stepped oot onto the street with my backpack on and witnessed the seedy night creatures lurching over all the western men. Couples were still drinking in the bars as if it were 10pm at night. Very interesting to see everything the way I had left it before I went to bed. I quickly escaped the bustle and hailed down a taxi to take me to Don Muang domestic airport for my flight to Chiang Mai.....

....Checked into my guesthouse this morning after several failed attempts to find accomodation. I went straight out, sat down in a little cafe and had my 1st banana & Chocolate pancake & a good cuppa tea (jealous Adam?)

After breakfast I had a little wonder up and down the quiet street, a nice change from Bangkok. After much deliberation, I booked to go on an evening Thai cooking course for this evening. I had a little nap in my sauna of a room, and woke up and got ready to get picked up at 5pm. The very nice Cooking Instructor who's name was Meow, picked me up in her little pick up truck and told me I was the only one on that course for tonight - private tuition! It took about 20 minuites to get to her home and school in the sticks of Chiang Mai, where she had an outdoor, open planned kitchen. Her house was set on a roadside farm, and I really felt like I was in Thailand at that point.

On the two hour course, she taught me how to make 5 different dishes - Pad Thai, Thai Green Curry, Spicy Coconut soup, Chicken & Cashew nuts & a dessert of sticky sweet rice with mango and banana (Mum you will love that last dish.)
She dropped me back to my guesthouse with my certificate, and she taught me how to write my name in Thai.

I just had a look around the night market and bought a few pieces of jewllery, and now I am going to have a foot massage before I retire to bed. What a hard life one leads ;)

Chiang Mai Elephant Nature Park on Monday - watch this space.

Choc dee Ka (Bye for now)

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