getting started in bangkok

FIRST NIGHT

Arrived in Bangkok. Humid grey and smelly.

We found our way to the Royal River hotel, It's a bit weird. Fancy place for foreigners in the middle of not quite slums but not far off.

The humidity hasn't been too bad so far. We made it to the Kao San road (first calling point for all novice travellers)for good food and beer chang. FIrst tuk-tuk on the way back to the hotel which was wicked! we did get ripped off though, we need to start haggling!

ORCHID HOUSE HAVING A BEER

We've been taken on our first scam, only a little one mind and we nipped it in the bud.  However the unscrupulous tuk-tuk driver did manage to leave us in the middle of nowhere. We were then promptly picked up by another fella who then took us back to where we'd started.its probably all part of the same scam. anyways we have learnt a valuable lesson greater than the monetary cost of 80 baht. i.e. about a quid!

VALENTINES DAY SAWADEE SMILE GUEST HOUSE

this was our second choice guest house. not a very good one. whilst using a guest house toilet for the first time i spotted a bag strap hanging through the lovely suspended ceiling. rather than being brave we told the management who came an removed it. there didn't seem to be anything dodgy in it but the manager apologised alot and then hurried off. once we'd settled here in Chakrapong we visited the Grand palace. lots of impressive holy structures and alot of buddas. we then went and saw the big bad boy buddha (reclining buddha). very cool. we relaxed in the temple grounds of Wat Pho and realised we were knackered due to a combination of sun, jetlag, sight seeing etc etc.

last night we tried to use the public buses for the first time to get to Chinatown. As I'd had a couple of beers I (tim) got impatient and decided we should walk. ended up on a weird route through back streets and it took ages. however we did see some of the city away from the Disneyland style travellers enclave that is Kao san road. eventually we stumbled upon the night flower market in FULL swing on the eve of valentine's day.  it was mental, lots of people and lots of roses and for the first time we were the only westerners. we got some weird looks and it was intimidating but we were drunk and had no hassle.

It turned out that Chinatown is closed on Mondays for cleaning! after a nice helpful chap told us this we jumped into a cab and then back to Kao San road for more beers!

MOCHIT BUS STATION AND LUMPHINI PARK

our last day in bangkok was spent arranging our bus ticket to Aranya Prathat. not very exciting but to do anything here you have to allow ages! On our way we were warned off going to the northern bus station to buy the tickets because "the Thai people like to take" we took this to mean that we would be lambs to the slaughter and arranged all our belongings to deter those with sticky figures. However, as is becoming common, the warnings were far worse than the reality and we bought the tickets with ease. We then spent the rest of the afternoon in Lumphini park to watch the mass aerobics season to the sound of bad Thai breakbeats.

At the end of the day we took a stroll through Patpong (of Patpong pingpong fame) and peeked through the doors of some of the shows. What we saw was pretty rank, really really young girls gyrating mechanically. we didn't take in any shows. Anyway, we've got the big overland journey to Cambodia tomorrow so we're of to bed early.