Craigs Asian Invasion Begins...
Trip Start
Oct 06, 2005
1
16
28
Trip End
Ongoing
Bangkok, Thailand
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Flew out of Darwin airport, initially to Singapore. Wicked airport here, free internet, relaxing lounges etc, oh the little things. Caught connecting flight to Bangkok on the asian equivilant of easyjet!!
Landed and after a little bit of misunderstanding with various tour companies and airport staff, finnaly got my pre-arranged limo (normal car really) to my hotel. Straight to bed as it was 2am!!
21/04/06
Staying in a nice hotel, loads different to the hostels i have been used too!! Had a massive buffet breakfast to start the day...
Had a walk around Khao San Rd, the main backpacker area in Bangkok, had a little walk around the city seeing temples and old forts, also walked down by the riverside. Absolutely mental place, tuk tuks, thai people, taxi drivers all hustling about, many trying to get money out of you for some sort of service...
22/04/06
Had a visit to a place called the Grand Palace, the old house of the King and a temple in the same grounds called Wat Phra Keau, one of the best temples in Bangkok. The Emerald Budda lives here too, a famous budda in asia. Thought he looked a bit small and over rated myself. but who am i to say...
Came back to the hotel and had a swim and got talking to some lad from england, went out in the evening for my first taste of the night life. Ended up watching footy most of the night, so wasnt a great deal to write on, but i know it will be good fun when i go out proper...
23/04/06
Chilled by the pool in the morning, not a great deal to do in Bangkok. Waiting to meet some mates before moving on. Was so hot though that i never actually dried off after getting out the pool, was constantly wet with either pool water or my own sweet sweat water!!
My last night of luxury, so decided to stay in and get room service and watch TV in bed!! A waste some might say, but i havent done it for so long now it actually felt just as weird as as staying in hostels at the start of my travels did!!
24/04/06
Checked in to a right dive of a guest house!! Basically had a sweaty broom cupboard with a bed that belongs in a prison!! Decide to check out the next day unsuprisingly...
Headed on to the river and a river taxi, which was a bit of an experience!! The taxi was jammed with thais and a few buddas, had a crazy boat hand blowing his whistle for nearly the whole journey talking to the driver!! Once off, got a sky train to the shopping centre, was like steeping from one world into another...
After a look round here i went to a local park and chilled there, saw turtles and lizards swimming in the river!! Got the taxi back and had food and an last early night for a while...
25/04/06
Met up with Bru and Pete today, the lads i lived with in Sydney. Was wicked to see them again. Done a bit of washing, was a bit weird, just took it to a lady on the street, 8 hours later it come back all clean and the best it had smelt since i left England!!
In the evening i decide to chop all my hair off and have a shaved head!! Was a bit unsure as i was sure i would look like a twelve year old. Had a laugh shaving mullets and mohicans before it finally all went. Actually looked ok!!
Had a night out with the boys, got massive 3 litre towers wof beer where you have your own tap on the table and pour it when you want!! Needless to say got a little tipsy and went to this bar/club place. It was absolutely rammed with thai girls on the lookout for their meal ticket out of bangkok. Was kind of cool as all the western guys may as well be brad pitt!! Not that i dont look like him already with my new haircut!!
Anyway, we left, yes empty handed mother, to watch footy. Walking back to the guest house the 3 of us got approached 3 times by ladies wanting to be our girlfriend... We managed to make it home safely though!!
26/04/06
Went for breakfast, had thai green curry, which probably wasnt the best idea first thing!! So damn cheap though, works out about 30p for a full dinner!!! Marvellous...
Met one of bru and petes friends from home, and after a bit of shopping and looking around in the day, it was back out again, this time to Patpong... Now if you havent heard of Patpong, it is basically geared totally to the sex industry. No i obviously went kicking and screaming but i guess it has to be seen. As soon as we arrived we got hassled into this club, not your normal club though. Once inside their was a stage with some very respectable ladies on doing some very respectable tricks!! Due to the varied auidience i wont go into detail, although further detail can be obtained by emailing me....
After this eye opener we headed back to Khao San rd, for a few normal beers, footy and subway.
27/04/06
Woke up feeling ok, went for more food in a street vender, another 30 pence down and a full stomach...
Had a wander round and brought a brand new designer diesel watch for 1.20p, which actually broke 2 days later...
Went to go watch Thai boxing in the evening, but we got there too late and it was twice as expensive for foreigners, so decided to put it off till another day. This meant we had to head out on the town again!! Headed out in Khao San Rd, if you havent already guessed this is the main party place. Meet a couple of very nice swedish ladies in a trendy bar. Not too much drinking tonight as been doing quite a bit over past few days.
Got back to hotel and was kept awake by a rooster out the back cock-a-doodle-doing all night...
28/04/06
We layed in too late and couldnt be bothered to check out, so we decided to stay another day. Will be glad when i finally leave Bangkok, good exciting party place, but want to get out.
Another nothing day really, which is why i am so keen to go, shops, stalls, cheap food, same as the other days. Decided to go for a thai massage before going out. Was quite nice, but ended up basically getting beating up by this thai women. Was funny as bruno and rich were laying next too me getting beating up too, they probably thought we were a bit strange keep laughing all the time.
Went out in the evening and had one of the best nights since i have been travelling. Started quietly before we played drinking games with towers of beer, then moved on to our trendy club and were meesing around with all the locals etc, when we finally managed to drag ourselves out the club we went back to the guest house and continued drinking and having a right laugh in the room...
29/04/06
Finally got out of bangkok, got a first class coach to Kanchanaburi, now first class still isnt as good as england, but we had a seat and air-con which is a massive bonus. Plus it only cost just over a pound for a 2 hour journey...
Stayed at a funky little hostel right next to the River Kwai, back to basics but i am sure a lot worse is to come...
Had a look round the town, visiting a war cemertry where POW's that were killed building the Death Railway were buried. The Thai girls here were even crazier than Bangkok, they were beeping car horns and shouting at us as we walked down the street. Same as in England really...
Had a chilled night, with a steak dinner for 1.10p and watched a film. Fairly early to bed after a chat in the evening moonlight on the balcony.
30/04/06
Had an awesome day today. Got up leisurely and had breakfast before going to hire some motorbikes! Only semi-automatic things but pretty nippy... Our first stop was about 37km away at a place called the Tiger Temple. Here you can go right up close to tame tigers and have your picture taken!! Was wicked, they are so big.
Next stop was Hellfire Pass, a section of old railway where POW's spent 3 months chipping their way through the rock mountain side. It took over 100,000 lives. While we were here it started bucketing it down, we all got drenched. Back on the bikes and headed away from the mountains and away from the rain.
Once it cleard up we started to make the most of the dry road and burn it back to Kanchanaburi. Managed to get the little bike up to 127km going down one big hill!!! Had a few drag races with them too, so all good fun!!
Chilled at the hostel in the evening with dinner and watching footy.
01/05/06
After checking out our hstel and food, we went for another ride on the motorbikes. Firstly we headed to the Bridge over the River Kwai, another famous landmark due to construction by the POW's. Wasnt overly impressive, but its the history that makes it famous. From here we cruised through back streets in and out of cars and street vendors, was quite cool.
Ended up catching a bus back to Bangkok, as it was easier to move North from here. The bus wasnt first class this time and it was the hottest sweat pit of a bus i have ever been in. It was two hours long, but felt like i had been in a sauna for 5 hours!!
Tried to get a train straight out, but was fully booked, so booked for the next night and had a chilled evening in Bangkok with a couple of beers and more footy!!
02/05/06
Sat by the hotel pool for most of the day waiting for our night train North to Chiang Mai, the Northern capital of Thailand. Weather was gorgeous and hot, so was wicked chilling by the cool pool...
Headed off to the station to catch the train, was a bit of an experience ahead we thought. Wasnt the nicest decorated train and a little hot with just one fan for our section. Once we got going with the windows open and beds out, it actually turned out to be ok. Had a little giggle before going to slee about 1.00am.
03/05/06
Slept really well considering, tried to sleep as long as possible and managed to stay in bed till after 11.00, the train got in at 12.00, so worked out quite well. Once we left the station we got absolutely mobbed by taxi drivers and hostel owners!! Was crazy!! Jumped in with one and it worked out ok, so all good.
Went for a walk round Chiang Mai, was too hot to go too far as was feeling really drained from the heat.
Went out in the evening for a night market, on the way we saw a Thai boxing ring in the middle of a load of bars in a plaza. Bruno and Rich got in and started to play fight, no one said anything, so i got in and had a fight. These Thai boxers then come over and asked if we wanted to fight them, not wanting to kick their butts we polietly said no and got out...
The market was pretty decent, brought a new bag!! My other one had been well and truly battered over the last 7 months... Got chilli and chips on the way home, my first non-thai food for the first time, was lovely!!
