We enjoyed our time in Bangkok but have to admit we didn't do all the tourist things. It is somewhere we will go back to in future years as there is so much still to see. Planning our next few months has been awkward to say the least. Deciding where to go, what to do and how to get there has been trying but we have a rough plan for the rest of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Singapore.
Bangkok is bigger than I imagined. The roads here are huge. 6-10 lanes of traffic on the 'outer' areas, 2-5 lanes in the city, A maze of one way traffic (except for Buses, Motorbikes, Tuk-Tuks and anyone else wanting to take a short cut). The Subway is very clean and if anyone has been to Terminal 5 at Heathrow, exactly the same. The Skytrain was always packed and at about 60 pence a trip was fairly convenient. We had a few Visa's to sort out and managed to get only the one essential (Vietnam). Cambodia moved their embassy and without realizing how far in the middle of the suburbs the Laos embassy was we didn't arrive until after closing. It will make for a bit more fun at the borders. A Thai Massage (for £4) was required to relieve the stresses of Bangkok's streets.
I call it a Gregory Special, Bikes rule in Thailand, they are mostly motorised now and more dangerous
We left Bangkok on a bus to Phuket, on the southwest coast, for a bit of sunshine on the beach. Saving a few pounds we traveled second class for the 13 hour bus journey but to be honest it wasn't bad and sleeping most of the way (it was overnight) made the time fly. The bright lights of Buddha Shrines dotted in the strangest of places was bizarre. Imagine 20 florescent tubes of different colours vertically in the ground surrounding a 3 foot square very ornate birdhouse type structure. (it's the only way I can think to describe it). Bizarre but very nice in the same way.
Sunset in Patong, Phuket
With free wifi in our room, (we overspent on £11.40 a night) it's been time to catch up on emails, bills, sorting photos, ideas for the next 5 months and life in general (it still goes on!)
We've toured Patong which is a really big version of Portrush with lots more shops and bars. Prices to match back home but it has a huge beach and some sunshine. The one day of constant rain gave way to a cooler 32degrees but we forced ourselves to the beach and enjoyed ourselves reading in the breeze.
In a few days we head towards Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand before circling Southeast Asia. Another style of Thai in the north, apparently more laid back..... we'll somehow manage.
Bangkok is bigger than I imagined. The roads here are huge. 6-10 lanes of traffic on the 'outer' areas, 2-5 lanes in the city, A maze of one way traffic (except for Buses, Motorbikes, Tuk-Tuks and anyone else wanting to take a short cut). The Subway is very clean and if anyone has been to Terminal 5 at Heathrow, exactly the same. The Skytrain was always packed and at about 60 pence a trip was fairly convenient. We had a few Visa's to sort out and managed to get only the one essential (Vietnam). Cambodia moved their embassy and without realizing how far in the middle of the suburbs the Laos embassy was we didn't arrive until after closing. It will make for a bit more fun at the borders. A Thai Massage (for £4) was required to relieve the stresses of Bangkok's streets.
I call it a Gregory Special, Bikes rule in Thailand, they are mostly motorised now and more dangerousWe left Bangkok on a bus to Phuket, on the southwest coast, for a bit of sunshine on the beach. Saving a few pounds we traveled second class for the 13 hour bus journey but to be honest it wasn't bad and sleeping most of the way (it was overnight) made the time fly. The bright lights of Buddha Shrines dotted in the strangest of places was bizarre. Imagine 20 florescent tubes of different colours vertically in the ground surrounding a 3 foot square very ornate birdhouse type structure. (it's the only way I can think to describe it). Bizarre but very nice in the same way.
Sunset in Patong, PhuketWith free wifi in our room, (we overspent on £11.40 a night) it's been time to catch up on emails, bills, sorting photos, ideas for the next 5 months and life in general (it still goes on!)
We've toured Patong which is a really big version of Portrush with lots more shops and bars. Prices to match back home but it has a huge beach and some sunshine. The one day of constant rain gave way to a cooler 32degrees but we forced ourselves to the beach and enjoyed ourselves reading in the breeze.
In a few days we head towards Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand before circling Southeast Asia. Another style of Thai in the north, apparently more laid back..... we'll somehow manage.
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