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Well here it is the first real journey entry, other than that rubbish short one that Liam wrote whilst slightly half cut the other day. Haha. Lets start by saying sorry that its taken so long for us to write anything, I know our families are worried...Not!
Day 1
Well as you all know we flew out at half 9 on the tues night, arrived safely into bangkok where we then got ripped off by a taxi drive. We paid 1000 baht on reccommendation from the Tourist Information lying buggas, cos we later found out you can get it for 300 !!!! In saying that, 1000baht is only 13quid neway. After struggling our way down tak central - also known as Ko Pan road - we found a Grand Hotel for 5 pounds each - quality !!!! Within precisely 27 seconds of leaving our luggage with manuel we were celebrating our first beer in lovely Bangkok. Met a kiwi called Rhys who twisted our arms enough to go visiting the redder side of Bangkok City - a night to remember for the rest of the trip we believe. Ping pongs, bananas, flying darts - you name it - we witnessed it with enormous laughter and copious alcohol. After much shouting at the "lady" on stage and welsh pursuasion that it was Simon's birthday, resulting in the wonderful "Good Luck to Simon" note pictured.
Day 2
Woke up with absolutely killer hangovers, then struggled our way up to the roof pool, after booking another night in the KhaoSan Palace Hotel. Dont see how they can call it a pool tho seein as im sure I could spit more than it !! We decided we wanted to get out of Bangkak, and so headed for some tourist offices, booking ourselves on a trip to Chang Mai, to go trekking in the jungle, oh and did i mention elephant walking! So having booked the trip for the Sunday, we still had another few days to kill. We started by going to see some buddas, they all look the same to me! Whilst on this trip we thought that we had better look at how we were going to get to Singapore for our flight, so we dropped into the TAT office to have a look. We were served by what we thought was a YOUNG man called Jack, he ended up being 30 odd, who was completely nuts and had an obsession with calling his male colleagues gay. Jack found us what we wanted, which was a trip to ko phangnan and other beaches and islands as well as Phuket, Phi Phi and Krabbi followed by a flight to Kuala Lumpar. With barely enough energy to walk, bartering was almost entirely out of the question, especially after we thought we were getting a good deal for all this travel, accom, brekkie, ferrys, flights etc for 350 pounds. It was only once we'd paid, and after Jack soon become our best mate promising to take us out, as well as ordering us take-away and several beers, that we kinda got the impression we may have been slightly ass raped and bent over and probably just paid for Jack and his family for the entire year. In saying that, it works out at about 25 a day for literally all but dinner and alcohol everyday which is not too bad - and certainly better than the UK so were happy (we say through gritted teeth). One good thing was however that Liam managed to pursuade Jack into giving us 3 nites accomodation in a rather plush hotel, so we could check out of our sess pitt and "paddling pool" and start living like celebrities. We sealed the deal with a few bottles of Johnnie Walker and soda water in the ghetto streets of Bangkok, with passer by's, Jack and his co-workers - Took us back to being 14 again !!!
We decided a good belly full of beer would help the feeling of being ripped off go away, so went out with Jack and some of his mates to pool houses, bars and Na-Na's. Now for those of u who dont know of Na-Na's, we can sum it up in one sentence - an absolute cattle fest. The Plaza was where all the action was, and there was a lot of it! The first place we entered really opened our slightly glazed eyes, as you entered the thai girls would be on podiums each numbered and no doubt ready to go. We had been joined on this little trip by an english man called Dave and a crazy Aussie called Shane who were showing us the ropes, with their alledged "girlfriends" in tow.
After leaving the little plaza we then decided to again meet up with Jack, whom was still playing pool, as he had been all night. After a lot of frames and changs later we decided it was home time, or so we thought. We arrived by our hotel at about 5, but liam was hungry so had to grab a small curry.....from the pub. Now we needed to be up at about half 6 to go the floting market and as it was now 5:30 am we thought why go to sleep!!! (A fatal mistake if ever there was one.) So we carried on our drinking with a Scot/maybe Irish and Yank, and a girl from Kingston.
The time arrived for us to leave the pub and pack our bags and join the floating market crew. We arrived for the bus about 15 mins late, as only Brits on tour would, and started the journey of death to the market.
Day 3
The market is a bit of a blur in all honesty on both our parts, as no sleep is never realy the best way to start a 1 and half hour bus journey !! At the market we discovered plenty of interesting multi coloured fruits so like any Brits do, decided to eat them all washing them down with yet more Chang. The remainder of the tour is a complete mystery to both of us, as we are both clueless as to what we did for the remaining few hours we were there.
We then began our celebrity lifestyle, with a chaffeur picking us up from our hotel and manuel to carry our bags. We arrived at our new hotel, complete with mini bar, free breakfast buffet, and indoor swimming pool, which was just outside our room. Due to the lack of sleep we both fell asleep for a few hours, and then headed on out again. The beer was not flowing well and we decided we would take it easy, that was until we found the shell garage/bar. This place was an old (we hoped) petrol station complete with forecourt and derelict shop. Here we came across our first buckets or alcohol. And in true when in rome style we decided to camp it up by sharing a bucket of mango something, which was mango's, a lot of vodka, and a lot more ice.....basically an alcoholic slush puppy. Although the ice was good, the beer was still not going down to freely, so we called it a day at about 1 and headed to the hotel and wait for Charlotte and Becs to arrive.
They arrived safe and sound, and after much attempted bartaring got themselves a room in the Trang. We all said good night and hit the sack at about half 2.
Day 4
After some sleep for a nice change, we were feeling relatilvely fresh, well as fresh as you can be in the 32degrees heat. We had our nice free breakfast buffet, and headed back on the trail of the lying, standing, happy, fat budda. I think we saw them all, but we wanted to really go to the zoo, this proved an obstacle to far, and everyone we asked refused to take us, so we accepted defeat and headed home for an early session on the lash. This time the alcohol was flowing freely and we treated the girls to a trip to NaNa and the cattle fest. Needless to say the girls loved it but despite them begging they could stay and drink there, we decided Khao San Road was the next port of call. After one too many shandies a couple of us called it a nite leaving it to Si and becs to carry the when in rome drinkin marathon torch.
Day 5
Day 5 was always going to be an unusual day, we headed to the Grand Palace and the temples next door, and took many pics in the heat. The monuments were quite spectaculr and impressive to say the lest, but we all were of the impression that once youve seen one, youve basically seen them all - showing how truly cultural we all are !!! It was here that Liam discovered the "different" Thai toilets - consisting of a whole in the floor with a bucket and cup of water by the side ....... Its at times like those that I truly miss Britian !!!
After seeing the palaces, we headed back to Khao San Road and for Liam to pick his washing up from some side street hand washing machine lady. Discovering Subway only across the road we decided to treat ourselves with some more traditional food, leaving Liam in particular very happy !!!
We said our goodbyes and headed for the train station to catch our 12 hour night train to Chang Mai, complete with beds. One of us had top bunk and the other lower and unluckily for Liam he was left with top - which despite believing he had the best deal at first, soo discovered the bed was HALF the size of the bottom bunk !!! We were recommended to sleep with our bags to stop thieving, leaving Liam with precisely enough room to lay sideways ONLY !!!
Arriving 12 hours later in Chaing mai Liam would not shut up about his lack of comfy bed and crick in his neck from the midget bed, but this was nothing a good english brekkie watchin the Ashes didn't sort out. C'mon England !!!!!
We are now heading off into the Jungle for 2 interesting nights of Elephant trekking, bamboo rafting and meeting a tribe called the "Long Neck People" - we kid you not. We will be updating when we get outta the jungle as were presuming theyre not gonna have plugs for computers nor internet connection in the tree huts .........
When in Rome my friends, when in rome!
Si and Liam.
x x x
What we are missing the most. Seeing Arsenal thrash Spurs, hey ads and bean!!! Liam is missing the gym and can't wait to go for a run !! The lovely British Weather ...................... hahahahahahahahahahaaha - right-o !!!!! What we have learnt during this journal entry. DTA - Dont Trust Anyone in Tourist Info Offices !!
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