Bangkok!

Thank you for those who read my last blog. The response has been amazing and I hope it has been of help to someone. Time has started to move very fast over the last few weeks and I can’t believe we have been away for 5 weeks already! Although we were gutted to be leaving Cambodia, arriving in Thailand excited us.

Of course, things weren’t able to just run smoothly. We have come to learn this is pretty normal whilst backpacking! We arrived at the Thai border and were literally dumped off the bus, not knowing what to do, we just followed fellow travellers. We spent the next 3 hours standing in a queue at the border. Sweating in the 30 degrees heat and rationing the last drops of like warm water from the bottle. It was actual hell. Once we FINALLY got to the front of the queue, the border officer informed us that we were supposed to get a stamp after getting off the bus that confirmed we had left Cambodia – our hearts sunk at the thought of having to wait in that queue for another 3 hours, but luckily the officer allowed us to leave our bags, run to the Cambodian border office and come back and join the queue at the front. Thank goodness!

Once we finally arrived in Bangkok we were greeted by Joe. A family friend, who is from and lives in Bangkok. He was kind enough to put us up for the night at his flat. The instant modern feel of the city excited us, with sky scrapers, giant shopping malls and queues of traffic. It reminded us a little of Dubai. Undoubtedly we were shattered after travelling all day, so we eat a traditional Thai takeaway and went to bed. Our first day in Thailand was spent at the Amphawa Floating Market.

Amphawa is the second most popular floating market near Bangkok. Located 50 km from Bangkok it once was a small village in the mid-Seventeenth Century. It has become such a magnet for Thai weekenders that food stalls have grown from the riverbanks and stretched far into the surrounding streets. Joe and Ploy (Joe’s niece) joined us where we tried lots of different Thai foods and drinks such as the fruit, mangosteen which is absolutely delicious, traditional Thai Ice cream topped with sweetcorn and grass jelly, and sugar candy sticks. The smell of different foods was pretty overwhelming and you couldn’t pass a stall without tasting or having a look! We then took a boat around the village and visited the local temples, all very different, where we took part in traditional Buddha rituals.

Before returning back to Bangkok I had a traditional Thai massage along the riverfront. I wondered weather I should let the lady know that I like a massage quite tough but didn’t get the chance before she had flung me onto the bed and started to chop my back. But OH MY GOODNESS. I am so glad I didn’t slip mention that I like a tough pressure. This lady must have been in her 70’s, maybe even 80’s and she was chopping away, on hands and knees giving me the best massage I have ever had. Even though at times I felt like my body was floating and about to crack . If you are ever in Thailand , you must get a Thai massage ! But remember, if you are a weakling – let them know !

We had a great day at the market, and Joe and Ploy were great tour guides! Of course, that evening, Rangers were playing so we ventured into the city with great directions from Joe, via the Sky train which may I add, was spotless and efficient, not anything like the trains back home. The air pollution in Bangkok is problematic, so we were kindly given masks to wear, by Ploy to wear if we wanted. Of course, as we walked the streets of Bangkok, looking for somewhere to watch the Rangers game we ‘happen’ to bump into the Bangkok Bears Rangers Supporters club to Kyle’s delight – and watched the game with them at a local bar. So masks in hand, we travelled into the city and visited the Grand Palace and the Leaning Buddha.

The crowds and heat were pretty unbearable so just a quick visit to these places before finding some Air Con. Built in 1782 – and for 150 years the home of the Thai King, the Royal court and the administrative seat of government – the Grand Palace of Bangkok is a grand old dame. The buildings were pretty spectacular and the leaning Buddha, bigger in life than you could ever imagine. We spent our evening at the Ratchada Rot Fai Train Market, with lots of food and shopping stalls. Bangkok is a HUGE city, which you can’t quite get your hear around, with an underground and sky train connecting its people. Our final evening was spent with Charlotte and Polly, on the famous Koh San Road, where by day it is a quiet shopping street, and by night it explodes with party goers, insect stalls and plastic garden chairs for tourists to sit and drink at. We had a great night soaking up the crazy atmosphere of the city and may have got a bit carried away with the buckets! We (some how) made our 6am bus, both feeling, just a little fragile and ready for some island life!