Bangkok

Arrived in Bangkok early in the morning after transiting through Kuala Lumpur. Following the guide book, we booked a taxi before we left the airport, as to save sorting through the masses. Consequently, we paid about 4 or 500 Baht too much. And we still found ourselves turning down the many invitations of the driver to go and visit his favourite shop or market later this afternoon.

The drive from the airport is long and there is nothing exciting to see other than the working completing of the Skytrain link to the airport.

The driver had no trouble finding our accommodation, The Royal Hotel. Its a decent hotel, and not far from some major touristy things such as Kao San Road. I has, however, been unfortunate enough to find itself located in the middle of Bangkok's destitute area. Not that there's anything really off-putting-alarm bell-sounding about this, only a walk back to your room after dark you will see a few people asleep on seats etc.

Most of our arrival day was spent, for me, soaking up a new culture and getting over the terrible stink of the pollution, while strolling along Kao San Road and shopping in massive sized malls, each one entirely dedicated to fashion, or technology, for example.

A short ride on the Skytrain found us at the Victory Monument. The only thing to do there, I found, was to stand in awe and watch the masses of traffic pass through the round-about, miraculously not once rear ending one and other.

A deffinite highlight for me today was my first experience of a Tuk-tuk.  There is nothing like zipping through the streets, dodging the traffic on a Tuk-tuk. They are great fun: Fast, uncomfortable, expensive and smelly.

Later that night, after returning from a successful battle against the traffic at peak hour in Bangkok, conveniently while we were eating dinner alfresco, the rains came. Although this seemed nothing new to Bangkokians - their market stalls were well prepared- it seemed to me to take for ever before it began to dry up again.

A night stroll through the markets with a bag of fresh pineapple topped the day off nicely.