Erawan waterfalls

On my second whole day in Kanchanaburi I decided to visit Erawan waterfalls. There are many independent tours which will take you there by minibus but I felt these were too expensive for the amount of time I wanted to be there and so I opted for the local bus instead. My plan was to catch the 11:00 bus  to the falls and get the last bus back at 16:00. However this is Thailand and I should have realised by now that it is pretty pointless making plans which involve specific time frames.

I arrived at the bus station around 10:40 and brought my ticket (very reasonable at around 50p!). There was only one other person on the bus when I boarded so I had my pick of seats. Taking into account the heat I chose to sit opposite the middle doors as these are rarely closed on local buses during transit. The interior of the bus was unique to say the least but I was loving the purple and turquoise interior complete with mini potted garden on the dashboard. It also appeared as if our driver today was Mickey Mouse!

Although the bus was interesting I was starting to get twitchy as I watched the clock roll on to 11:15, 11:30, 11:45!!! People were getting on in dribs and drabs but with no real rush and the driver was nowhere to be seen. Eventually the bus pulled out of the station at 11:55 (yay at last).

It seemed to me as if the driver and the conductor were playing a very well rehearsed game of 'how many people can you squeeze on a bus at once'. When I thought there was no possible way they would stop to let more on, that's just what they did. There were even people sitting on the platform which housed the gearstick and sitting on the steps by the open doors swinging their legs worryingly close to the road (I was having 'risk assessment' palpitations!). Luckily we arrived at our destination with all legs intact.

The trip was meant to take 1.5hrs but ended up taking closer to 2hrs. Also, with the delay in leaving the station it meant we arrived at the waterfalls just before 14:00 instead of at 12:30 which is the time I was expecting. This only gave me 2hrs to walk to the waterfalls and back before the last bus back to Kanchanaburi. Undeterred by this I set off down a tree lined forest path and listened to the chorus of birds and insects. There was a small breeze which caused the tall bamboo to gently sway and resulted in a crackling sound which was both eerie and hypnotically peaceful all at once. I then stumbled across a flutter of butterfly's flying low to the ground and watched as they danced in the sun light.

I managed to see 3 waterfalls in the end which were beautiful with white flowing water and inviting turquoise pools surrounded by large rocks and trees. It was quite busy and the flat areas by the pools were crammed with local families enjoying lazy picnics. I decided to swim in the fist pool and as I approached I smelt a faint whiff of something not all that pleasant in the air (I thought the smell may be from the stagnant water at the pool edges and the closest I can liken it is to the smell of wet dog!). This did not put me off however and I carefully made my way over the rocks and into the water which was very refreshingly freezing cold.

The pools were full of fish which are very partial to the dry skin off your peoples feet (bearing in mind these were big fish and not the dainty little ones you see in spas). While people fled terrified from these fish all around me I sat back on the rocks and watched fascinated as they flocked around my feet and nibbled at my skin. I'm ashamed to admit that my feet are not in the best condition and these fish must have thought it was happy hour at the all-you-can-eat buffet (I simultaneously was thinking 'free foot treatment'!).

I wish I had longer to explore the rest of the waterfalls as I find being close to water very relaxing. Next time I plan a trip in Thailand I will remember to give myself at least 2hrs leeway on all journey times (a valuable travel lesson right there).

Death railway and bridge on the river Kwai

Apart from wonderful scenery and a range of trekking activities,  Kanchanaburi is probably most famous for the history surrounding the Burma railway and bridge on the river Kwai. The railway, which was to connect Thailand to Burma, was considered essential by the Empire of Japan as a way of transporting supplies to their troops after they invaded Burma. The project was started in June 1942 and finished in December 1943.

The man power required to build the 415km of tracks and numerous bridges was enormous and Japan utilised the thousands of Allied Prisoners of War (POW) they were holding captive in South east Asia at that time. They also forced locals to join in construction when it became clear that they did not have enough workers from POW's alone. 

The railway was completed in an impressive time scale although the loss of life was tragically extensive.  It is estimated that approx 13,000 POWs and 100,000 native labourers died during this time. One man died for every sleeper laid. The conditions they had to survive in were horrendous. They worked for up to 18hrs a day in tropical heat, humidity and then monsoon rains. They were only fed twice a day on small bowels of rice with a few salty vegetables if available. Due to malnutrition and fatigue they succumbed to a number of illnesses and diseases (tropical ulcers, Vitamin B deficiency, dengue fever and Cholera). They were forced to work until they dropped and many suffered torture at the hands of their captors (for personal accounts of POW see link: Burma Railway: British POW).

The river Kwai bridge has become one of the most famous portions of the railway following the release of the 1957 war drama film 'The bridge over the River Kwai' based on the fiction book by French author Pierre Boulle. It is thought that the story may not be entirely true to life but did highlight this side to WW2 occurring outside of Europe. The bridge itself was bombed a number of times by allied air forces and the railway was eventually put out of action by these bombings.

It was another incredibly hot day when I took a taxi to Kanchanaburi railway station and brought my ticket for the 10:30 train to Nam Tok (end of the line on the Death Railway). The south Asian Orient Express was at the station and I watched as workers dressed in immaculate uniforms stocked the train ready for its next departure. I peered through the windows into opulent cabins with beautiful furniture and fittings. You can imagine my excitement when we were signalled to board the Orient express and I couldn't believe my luck that I was going to get to ride on this train. However, we were merely  being ushered through the train and out the other side where our old and dirty train awaited.

The 2hr journey along the railway was hot, dusty and uncomfortable but the scenery was lovely with mountain range backdrops behind tranquil rivers. However, this was a tourist hot spot and it was difficult to fully soak up the atmosphere as the train was full and people were scrambling for the best view.

I caught myself thinking I felt slightly disappointed that I was not enjoying the trip as much as I thought I would and then quickly reminded myself that this was meant to be an experience not a lovely outing. The whole point was to ride along the railway because if its historical significance. It may have seemed a long 4hr round trip for me but that was nothing compared to the tragic journey of the railway's construction.  

kanchanaburi

I woke in the early hours of the morning in a budget guest house in Bangkok. The bed had looked so inviting the night before after a long day travelling from Koh Chang but looks can be very deceiving! I don't think I have ever slept on a bed that hard and every muscle ached as I lay contemplating the journey to Kanchanaburi. I eventually willed myself to get out of bed and tried to wake up my muscles with a nice COLD shower. With bags loaded on my back (this was a feat in itself) I checked out and wandered to the main road.

Usually on a main road in Thailand you have taxi's and Tuk Tuk's fighting to grab your attention. I stood waiting very patiently and soon realised I had managed to pick the one road where this was not the case. I managed to hail down a taxi with some comical hand waving only to be laughed at when I gave the destination of the South bus terminal (apparently if the destination is deemed too far or complicated to reach the driver will howl with laughter and just drive off). After this had happened with two separate taxi's I realised I needed to change my travel plans.

I waited another 20mins before grabbing the attention of a passing Tuk Tuk and asked him to take me to the nearest BKK (Bangkok overhead metro train link). Once arriving there I climbed the 3 flights of stairs and brought a ticket. When I boarded the train I didn't have the energy to take my rucksack off again so I balanced myself on the edge of the seat and tried not to give eye contact to the screaming toddler who had burst into tears when I sat opposite him. When the train reached my destination I climbed back down three flights of stairs and walked to another main road where I hailed a taxi who didn't laugh at me. Within another 10mins I was at the Southern bus station and brought my ticket to Kanchanaburi.

The bus ride was 2hrs long and I dosed on and off. The scenery was beautiful the further away from Bangkok we travelled and tree covered mountains lined up on the horizon. It was very lush and green

and the air was much less humid. We pulled into Kanchanaburi bus station and I was once more acquainted with my rucksack (the enthusiasm for 'backpacking' had already started to wain). I was assured my guest house was only round the corner and so I set off down an alley way.

Luckily it was only just around the corner and I walked through a little gate into an inviting open planned area with a large wooden seating area surrounded by hanging plants and little water features. A huge overhead fan whirled above me emitting a warm breeze. It was so hot. I was shown to my room and as I lay on the bed willing myself to cool down I looked up the temperature in Kanchanaburi. It was 40 degrees!

I didn't venture out until late afternoon when I decided to explore the town. This should have been an easy process seeing as I was staying so close to the bus station which was a central point. However, I turned right instead of left out of my guesthouse and ended up in a residential warren of alleyways. Once I managed to stumble out of this area I found myself quite some distance from the center. I am not great at navigation at the best of times and rely on visual points of reference to determine where I am. This is much harder in Thailand as most streets look the same.

I spied locals flocking down a side street and thought maybe this was the route to the centre. No it was not. It was a local market so off the beaten track that I was the only foreigner there. I wandered past a vast array of local delicacies in the form of pigs heads, odd looking chicken meat, dried fish, sheep's eyes and fried insects. I am not very good at controlling my facial expressions and often look like the champion at a national gurning competition when I see or hear something I don't like. I willed myself to keep my face still as I walked past stalls with foul smelling concoction's.

I eventually found my at back to the bus station but by this point I had been walking for two and a half hours (quite and achievement when it should only have taken me 2 mins!). The sun had set and my mouth salivated as I walked past the line of street food stalls. I grabbed some supper and returned to my guesthouse thoroughly exhausted.

Bobbing along

Bang Bao pier is the main set off point for boat trips around the smaller Islands. There are a number of different  companies to choose from but most of the boats look similar and offer the same type of trip (you eventually learn this despite being assured by each company that "we offer best trip for sure"). I booked one of these tours which included snorkelling, secluded beaches, lunch, water and "life jacket no extra" (not sure why this is considered a selling point?)

I wandered to the pier around 08:45 the following day and was ushered onto a blue coloured double story boat and made my way to the top deck to sit at the front. I had a very good view of the rest of the pier from my vantage point and I watched as tourists boarded other boats while the crew ran round stocking up on water and food. I was particularly intrigued watching a rather jolly Thai man walk round his boat handing out mini plastic vomit bags complete with sound effects (in case the intention was unclear).  I felt this may not be the best sign for the trip ahead if he was predicting that amount of vomit!

It took quite a while for the rest of the passengers to board and after what seemed like ages the engines eventually sprang to life and we eased away from the pier. The breeze was amazing and the sea was choppy enough to make the motion of the boat exhilarating rather than too bad thus running the risk of sea sickness. Being out in the vast expanse of sea made me feel peaceful yet invigorated all at once and I sat back listening to the hum of the engines and the sound of the waves as the sun shone down on my face.

We were soon heading for our first stop and one of the crew brought round a huge box of snorkelling masks and handed me one. The first though that sprung to mind was 'do they take the time after each trip to thoroughly disinfect these?' to which I gave the likely answer of NO and proceeded to manically scrub it with antibacterial wipes. The mask felt very strange on as it was very tightly fitted and it took a while to get used to the positioning of the mouthpiece. Once this was mastered a whole underwater world awaited.

What struck me first was the lack of noise (except the somewhat creepy Darth Vader sound of my breathing) and this quietness gave a serene quality to the environment. Having taken away one sense you could fully focus on the sights all around you. It felt like I was swimming through large shoals of fish as they darted all around me and swam inches in front of my googles. The predominant fish appeared to have a zebra striped patterning although nearer the coral I also saw tiny electric blue fish and an amazing fish that appeared to shimmer with a kaleidoscope of iridescent colours.

The coral was also beautiful and the environment was very diverse. I saw large groupings of black spiny sea urchins which had anchored themselves to the top of the coral creating a spiky fortress. They have the most amazing tiny blue lights surrounding a yellow eye (I have since discovered this is not the eye but the anus!). The colours of the coral were also amazing; especially the bright purple. In the deeper crevices I was almost expecting to see the beady eyes of a hiding moray eel or shark but in reality I think the biggest danger was in the form of wayward limbs of fellow snorkelers.

While the snorkelling and swimming were great, climbing back up into the boat was not. The ladder was steep and slippery and as I heaved my carcass upwards I silently cursed myself for my recent banana pancake addiction! The deck had also become very wet and slippery (I noticed a distinct lack of bright yellow 'slip hazard' signs) and so I plodded carefully around looking like a constipated penguin.

The small beaches we moored close too were very picturesque and as an added element of fun the boat slide was set up. Everyone gathered to watch the brave few launch themselves from the top of the slide and see them fly through the air before hitting the water below. Then salt air must have gone to my head because I lined up and before I realised what I was doing I rocketed off the end of the slide and hit the water (great fun).

The entire trip was around 7 hours and it was a wonderful day full of great experiences and lots of smiles and laughter.

You never know what may cross your path.

I was happily ambling along the road side this morning on the way to the pier when I saw something move up ahead. Out of the trees strode this big monkey (I assumed he was a male due to his size and general demeanour) and I stood there frozen as he sat in the middle of the road staring at me. Luckily I did not emit my usual high pitch squeal of joy (which is how as I tend to greet any and every animal I see) as he was not looking best pleased as it was. I was desperate to get out my camera but doing so in a subtle and quiet manner proved to be very tricky. After what appeared to be ages he gave a snort of indifference and strutted to the other side of the road.

I was just thinking how lucky I was to have this encounter when another monkey came out from behind the trees and raced and across the road to the bushes on the other side. This one was followed by a female with its young clinging to its belly and then another. I realised I had stumbled upon a troop of monkeys and stood transfixed as the young playfully darted around their mothers all under the watchful eye of the original male. They started climbing the trees and the younger ones appeared to play chase along the overhead cables. I tried to be as quiet as I could while taking plenty of photos (I felt like David Attenborough and David Bailey all rolled into one!).

Although I was enjoying witnessing this I was starting to wonder how I would walk past them as the male was still keeping his beady eye on me. I didn't want to antagonise him especially as there were very young monkeys in the group. I was just contemplating turning round and heading back to my accommodation when the monkeys gave a warning cry and scrambled further into the forest. I then noticed the stray dog I had been 'talking' to down the road was standing by my side and with a little growl in the direction of the bushes he proceeded to escort me past them and didn't leave my side until I was far down the road.

All in all it was a very extraordinary encounter.

If you go down to the woods tonight.....

Koh Chang has a very hippy style vibe and this is very apparent in the south where I am staying. Around my accommodation there are a few little café/bars with an old school reggae influence where Bob Marley flags hang from wooden rafters which are painted green, yellow and red.








There is also a little hippy commune in the woods  called Karma which runs a vegetarian/vegan café and they had planned an open house party one night.

So around 7pm myself, Maggi and Grainne walked up the road from our accommodation and turned down into the woods. Little fires had been lit along the pathway to the commune and they emitted a lovely orange glow in the dark. The main building consisted of an open plan room with a bar at the end and outside was a wooden veranda filled with comfy cushions and little tables. This looked down onto a clearing with more seating and a stage for live music. Tiny little lights hung from trees and dream catches swayed in the evening breeze. More small fires had been lit around the clearing and you could hear a gentle crackle of wood while swirls of smoke crossed the air. It was perfectly atmospheric.

Everyone was very welcoming and we soon settled in a comfy little spot. We began talking to a guy who was due to play acoustic guitar later in the evening. He asked us where we were from to which we replied UK. When I did the same in return he answered in a laid back 'stoned' drawl "well really I'm from everywhere and nowhere" (while I appreciate his existentialism viewpoint  I am pretty sure he was originally from SOMEWHERE?!).

The drinks were flowing and it appeared Malboro was not the 'tobacco' of choice around here!! While that's not personally my scene I'm pretty sure the chances of getting 'high by proxy' was almost certain with the general level of aromatic aroma in the air.

The live music was really good and I sat back hypnotically moving to the beat. At the beginning a very drunk Thai man stumbled up to the stage and did his best to belt out some inaudible ballad (to be fair it did take him about 15mins to actually locate the microphone straight in front of him so I was not really expecting much!). We all heartily clapped him though as we recognised the effort it had taken him to even get off the sofa and walk.

Food was being cooked too and although they are predominately vegatarian they did provide barbeque chicken skewers which they handed to us to sample. I was a little wary of eating the chicken as I had spied one of their cats sitting a little too close to the preparation table earlier. However I pulled off a piece of what looked like a tasty chargrilled red pepper and proceeded to chomp down on it. Within a few seconds it was painfully apparent that it was not a red pepper but a red chilly complete with all seeds! While the inside of my mouth was on fire I smiled back and choked out the word "aroy" (delicious). I also had a barbequed corn on the cob which was slowly cooked while being basted in butter (this was aroy). As I was enjoying picking off individual pieces of corn another 'merry' Thai gentleman proceeded to grab the cob off me to give me a lesson in how to eat it. He gnawed around the entire bottom strip then proudly handed it back to me. My initial instinct was to get out a pack of antibacterial wipes and disinfect it but I felt this may seen a little rude? After this I didn't really fancy any more corn.

Throughout the evening I watched people laugh and dance and generally enjoy the ambiance. I thought the event may only attract 'hippy types' but there was such a range of different people there. I contemplated what it would be like to live full time in such a place and while I could definitely appreciate the benefits of such a simple life I feel the initial magic may lesson the more you are exposed to it.

I'm glad it was all fresh and new to me because the magic of the experience will stay in my memory for a long time.

My little slice of heaven

Koh Chang is an Island of many faces. There is the party side with numerous bars, the more crowded tourist beaches with an abundance of restaurants and then the quieter areas. I am staying in a quiet area on the south of the Island on a small strip of beach called Khong Koi. My accommodation is in a small converted house directly on the beach and sandwiched between two restaurants filled with comfy cushions and hammocks. The general ambiance is very laid back and the sound of the sea lapping on the shore is the loudest noise to be heard. Its the kind of place where you cannot help but feel relaxed and biggest chore of the day is deciding which of the restaurants you will chose for each meal.

The sand is soft, the sky is mainly blue (although unfortunately the south is having some early cloudy and rainy weather some days) and the view across the bay is beautiful. I have spent the majority of my days so far sitting on the beach or lazily swinging in a hammock reading my book. If you like animals (which I do!) you wouldn't be put off by the numerous resident and stray dogs which prowl the beach and chase each other in and out of the sea (of course if you are wary of dogs this would not be the place for you). There are also a number a cats around but they tend to be in a semi comatose state the majority of the time lying on anything relatively comfortable.

Across the bay you can see Bang Bao pier which stretches out far into the water and offers a range of boat trips to the neighbouring Islands. I decided one overcast morning to walk the 20mins along the road to the pier. It was a pleasant walk and I wondered slowly with my camera in hand taking photos of the sights along the way. Before you get to the entrance to the pier there area few little stalls, a 7-11 and a random sleeping PIG!

I made my way along the pier and was struck by how different it was since I visited there 5 years ago. What was once an atmospheric slightly rickety structure had now been turned into a high ceiling concrete construct. There was still the same type of little open frontage shops along the walkway but I felt the whole place had lost its authenticity.

As I walked along looking at the charter boats I was feeling the effects of the humidity and had been reduced to a sweaty mess.  While other women ambled past with no more than a healthy glow about them I was struggling to see as droplets of sweat tricked off my eye lashes (I try to re assure myself that I am still acclimatising to the climate change but deep down I'm half resigned to the fact this is going to be me for the next few months!).

Everyone is really friendly here and I have been really fortunate to meet a lovely mother and daughter from England who are staying at my accommodation. Maggi (mother) has come out to Thailand to see her daughter (Grinure) who is teaching English. They are adorable and I have been spending a few evenings with them.

Travelling to Koh Chang Island

The plan was to get up early and make my way to the eastern bus station to catch the 09:45 bus to Trat (where I would catch the ferry to Koh Chang Island). I did get up early having re packed my rucksack the night before (I liken it to a jack in the box as I only need to loosen the main toggle and all my belongings start to spring out and therefore requires constant re organising!) and made my way to the main road. Catching the bus from the eastern station did not go to plan though. My Taxi driver was adamant that the northern bus terminal was the best and quickest route to Trat as it is the station most used by Thai's. My limited use of the language did not allow me to adequately put my point across so I soon found myself standing in the Northern terminal at 09:00 and being told the next bus was due at 11:00! I sat next to a group of locals on a hard plastic bench and settled in for the wait.

The bus eventually pulled out of the station around 11:30 and it was full. I was sitting next to a very nice elderly Thai gentleman and we managed to communicate very well through the universal language of 'smiling'. The weather was hot and although the bus had air conditioning I decided to shut mine off the moment the old gentleman produced a scarf from his bag and wrapped it tightly around his shivering neck. I hence forth was resigned to a long and very hot bus journey but he was just so lovely that I was more than prepared to suffer the heat.

About an hour into the journey the bus conductor came round and handed out a pink cardboard box and a bottle of water to each passenger. All the locals barely looked at the box before stuffing it in the seat pouch. I on the other hand examined this FREE offering with glee (a very British reaction) and eagerly searched the contents. There were two packets of breadsticks, long life milk and a couple of sachets of sugar. Not quite the treasure I was expecting but did I mention it was FREE?!

I did manage to drift of to sleep at times throughout the 6hr journey and when awake looked at the passing scenery. The further south from Bangkok we went the more lush the surroundings and we passed some small forests and agriculture land. Even outside the main cities and town there was plenty of large advertisement signs along the road sides (Thailand does like to advertise things is the brightest and cheery way they can). I noticed, as I had on previous trips to Thailand, that there is a huge disparity in housing. Wooden shacks sit side by side with elaborate gated villas which in turn are located next door to modest bungalows.

The bus finally arrived on the outskirts of Trat and the passengers wanting to get to the port boarded a Songtaew (pick up truck taxi) which took us on a bumpy 1/2 hr ride down dirt roads to the waiting ferry.

No sooner had I lugged by bags (looking like some tortoise hybrid) up the steep steps, the ferry started moving and I was hit by a delicious cool breeze. The sun was setting at this point and it looked beautiful reflecting off the sea.

The journey was less than an hour and I was once again strapped by baggage to me and disembarked to board another Songtaew which set off around on the steep winding roads of the Island. It was dark by now and the only light came from the headlights of vehicles. There is something exhilarating about traveling fast round sharp bends with a breeze in your face while you clutch onto the ceiling bar for dearlife.

I was the last person to be dropped off and I surveyed what was to be my surroundings for the next 8 days. The B&B was right on the beach and sandwiched between two funky hippy style restaurants compete with hammocks and colourful comfy mats. My room was also lovely with a huge double bed and a fridge (sheer luxury).

I think I am going to be very happy here.

The sensory overload that is Bangkok

This is my third time in Bangkok and it surprises me that each time I am unprepared for the immense sensory overload you encounter. There is noise, smells, way too much take in visually all at once and the then there is the HEAT. I awoke to the sound of the antique fan chugging hot air around the far corner and although it was very warm in the room it was bearable. I thought I was acclimatising well to the temperature change until I opened the door and stepped out into the hall. The heat hit me in the face and I struggled to find even a tiny amount of fresh air (there wasn't any). I hadn't even stepped into the sun yet and so I took a deep (humid and sticky) breath and made my way out of the building and down the street.

The smell of grilled fish and meat from a street vendor stall filled the air along with aromatic incense and a faint whiff of garbage. I passed lazy stray dogs sleeping in the door ways of small shops which appear to sell the most random collection of goods (if you ever need a vast collection of fluffy animal key rings then Bangkok is the place to go!). There is a 7-11 (Thailand's local convenience stores) on every corner and the DING DONG sound made every time the door opens can be faintly heard at all times.

Traffic is continuous in Bangkok regardless of where you are and the hum of mopeds and honking of horns fills the air. I decided to get a TUK TUK (see photo) and smiled in delight as we whizzed at top speed weaving through the manic traffic. As a nurse I have spend the past 15 years constantly assessing risks (Health and Safety is the key!) so with my 'official' hat on I should have been both terrified and horrified. We passed mopeds carrying the whole family including a baby just being held by the mother. We sped past trucks with their loads loosely balancing and tied with random pieces of rope or plastic and makeshift carts emitting thick clouds of smoke. At the traffic lights vendors would walk between the traffic selling food and quickly hop out the way as the lights turned green. Police men holding cardboard stop signs confidently walk straight out into on coming traffic in order to let pedestrains cross.

After a general wander around the city I made my way back to the Koh San Road area (backpacker realm) and had a refreshing watermelon shake. The sun had set and the bars were already starting to fill. Vendors selling fried scorpions drew in the 'fresh' travellers and the hill tribe people selling bracelets and wooden frog noise ornaments (rub the back of the wooden frogs with a stick and they sound just like a frog) walked amount the crowds.

After taking in all this I was happily exhausted and looking forward to travelling down to Koh Chang the next day.

I made it! Let the adventutes begin

So I arrived around 6pm in Bangkok airport (exhausted from 2 flights and enough Diazepam to sedate a small zoo!) and made my way to baggage collection. I watched with a somewhat inwardly smug expression as people heaved their heavy suit cases as I retrieved my very 'manageable' sized backpack. However my smugness soon disappeared as I entered the 'backpacker zone' and stood beside trendy travelling young whipper-snappers who seem to have all their possessions thrown into tiny rucksacks (I reason with myself that I'm on the slide down to 40 and I NEED 5 different face creams and all the other paraphernalia required for the more mature traveller!)

I decided getting a taxi into the city was the best way to proceed and so joined the longest queue I had ever seen. Thankfully it moved pretty quickly and I'm soon hauling my bags into the back of a pink taxi. I remember it being a quick journey last time I was in Bangkok but the traffic on this occasion was much worse. I struggled to stay awake as we stop started our way along the motorway (listening to some Thai rap group on the radio).

After almost an hour and a half I dragged myself and my bags to the guesthouse I had booked for 2 nights. The welcome was very warm (as was the temperature of the room!) and I flopped down on the bed until I gathered the energy to go in search of food. I found what appeared to be a popular spot down a small alley way. The set up is very typical of Thai street food restaurants; plastic chairs and tables haphazardly balanced on the pavement and the serviettes consisting of giant rolls of toilet paper strung from the plastic roof (does the job). The food arrived quickly and was tasty and I sat listening to the wide range of languages spoken around me and soaked up the buzz of the area. I didn't stay long as I was at risk of falling asleep on my plate of left over pad Thai and so I meandered my way back to my room.