Not what, wat!

With a free upgrade to business class on our Cathay Pacific flight because of Chris' birthday, we left the McDonald's Maharajah burgers of India behind and entered the land of the Samurai Pork burger in Thailand - with a month of spicy food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the spices were getting a little too much!!!

Th Khao San road

So we have arrived in Thailand, and spent our time here in Bangkok and the Th Khao San area (I'm hearing groaning from those who have been here!!) Th Khao San is in the Banglamphu Neighbourhood and it's were nearly all of the backpackers head. The crazy neon lights of the road (Th) itself should either scare you off or welcome you in and so, after the hectic nature of Delhi, we have enjoyed the wind down.

I don't know how long we planned on staying in Bangkok, but we have been here nearly a week and only moved our location the once - from a £10 per night place with a fan and hot water to a £7 per night room with air con and no hot water - in this heat, the cold water isn't even cold! We have enjoyed doing nothing and lounging about reading books, but now I am frantically trying to sort out travel arrangements and dates to apply for our visas for travel to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. A little warning, in the guidebook Chris was reading about Cambodia, it says not to go to the toilet too far off the roads if nature calls, as there are still some unexploded land mines.... certainly something I have never thought of needing to look out for.

Anyway... today we ventured out into Bangkok, not too far - the bus we were waiting for didn't turn up to take us to the main shopping area (fanfares at not spending more money!!) But we did see some of the sights.

After Chris got a haircut and cut throat shave, we walked along the riverbank to a big recreational park called Sanam Luang, from there we traversed the Grand Palace - another place which we still need to visit - and made our way to Wat Pho.

Not only is this the site of the largest reclining Buddha (46m long and 15m wide), but it also houses the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand. The temples in which the site comprises are extremely ornate and the renovations which are taking place make the area seem like one of the countries from Epcot in Disney world.

I think my problem with some of the places we have visited (and although I am lucky to be able to travel and see the world), is that so many of the sites Chris and I have seen have been replicated in either theme parks or on the Vegas strip, so when you see the originals, some of the element of awe and surprise has been lost despite its historical factor. Fortunately with the reclining Buddha, the sheer size of its feet as I viewed them from outside its 'shelter' was still something to make me say 'wow'!!! And sitting at the Taj Mahal last week and watching time pass by... well, that was special. In order to appreciate things more, I need to take time to admire not only the surroundings but also all that I have seen and the roads I have travelled on this journey. There are still times I need to pinch myself and think am I really here? I'm glad that for the next four and a half months I can still say - yes I am and I've still more to see!