Bye Bye plush hotels... Hello Hostels!!!

Hi All, Well... i somehow seem to be surviving in this crazy city! It's an amzing place and I've actually managed to see a little of it since the last time i wrote. You'll all be happy (I hope!) to hear that I've managed to make a couple of friends (no bribes required either!!!)

True to my word I booked myself on a tour and spent the day in Kanchanaburi on Saturday seeing the Bridge over the River Kwai, braving a bamboo raft and an elephant ride and visiting the war museum... was a long day but well worth it! Also felt famous with all the kids wanting to practice their english and asking for your autograph!!! Ian & Graham arrived saturday so I spent the evening with them and a couple of girls that I've met.. .was lovely to have Ian here and see a friendly face from home. Even though I've only been away a few days it feels like much longer.


I have now, with reluctance, checked myself out of my nice plush hotel and actually become a real backpacker (with far too much stuff!) and moved myself into a hostel.. i realised i was cheating at the whole backpacking thing when I had a porter take my luggage to my room! Obviously i made the most of it while there but decided it was time to stop playing at this game and do it properly!

Yesterday we set out to see the sights of Bangkok and managed to fall for a Tuk Tuk driver's scam (well, you'd be disappointed if I didn't have at least one gullible moment!!)... as it was Sunday he claimed the Grand Palace was closed to the public and we've should go somewhere else - on his Tuk Tuk obviously!! It wasn't so bad really though as we only paid 40 baht and did make it to China Town where we were planning on going anyway!

Being shattered I intended to get a fairly early night last night but ended up at Gullivers on the Khao San Road (Bangkok's version of Brannigans i felt with a disturbing amount of western men pulling Thai 'women' ..!) with several G&T's going down nicely... and then playing cards til the early hours, so I'm still shattered and have a 12 hour overnight train journey to look forward to tonight! I'm heading up to Chang Mai tonight with Lesley, one of the girls i met the other day (she's the one aboard the elephant with me!!) - she's only here for 3 weeks but is good to have a friend.

I'm now off to actually see the Grand Palace today before leaving later on... will be doing some kind of trek from Chang Mai so not sure when I'll next post but will keep you all updated soon! Hope everyone's well back home. x

The First step..... OH MY GOD!

Well.. I'm actually here!!!! after a very tough goodbye at Heathrow and a particularly long flight in economy (I've so been spoilt with all that business class travel!!) I made it... It all still seems pretty surreal to be honest! I've kind of been wandering around in a daze!

Bangkok seems like an amazing place though... totally different to anything i've experienced before.. the hotel's pretty decent and the people are very friendly. My first night I spent with some guys I met on the plane on the way here, in an Irish bar of all places, drinking beer and playing pool - so, not so different from home! Was fun (aside from the offering of pig fat that I thankfully was able to talk my way out of having to eat!! - yes, I'm still veggie!!) and good to not be alone on the first night. Although my choice of complanions may have been misjudged, one of the thai 'girls' appeared to be a little too good at pool and one of the lads was a little too friendly, and that's omitting the small factors of a missing front tooth and hair style worthy of Meatloaf in his heyday... not to be ungrateful but all i wanted was a nice normal friend!! ah well!

Today's my first full day and it's been a bit of a washout so far unfortunately, thanks to spending the entire morning poorly and only just having dragged myself out of the hotel... am off to book a tour to see the sights tomorrow and Ian arrives tomorrow evening so will have a friend for an evening at least! ;0) Right... time to brave to streets of Bangkok again..... x