Highlights of Bangkok

Starting to realise we haven't been explaining what we have been doing much - just the quirks of Bangkok (BKK). We've seen all the sights now though and are just returning in transit between Cambodia and the beaches. Some of my personal highlights:

First lizard spotted: - scarpering out of toilet as I went in, in our first hostel (Number One Guesthouse, Sukhumvit). Hostel was okay. Our room had good aircon and a shower cubicle in the room. But we were dubious about the cleanliness of the bed and ended up sleeping on top of it.

Tour of the Wats (buddist temples): - We did them all - Marble temple, lucky budda, Golden Mount - on a man made mountian. A 250-step climb up and great views over Bangkok. Plus a smaller Wat - but one that has (in the grounds) a huge 39 metre tall golden budda - Luang Pho To, which was errected in 1867 AD.
That day, we became an attraction of Bangkok ourselves! Our tuk-tuk driver deserted us at our last stop, Golden Mount (a ploy by the drivers to get more of the petrol vouchers we later learned). Thus we were forced to get another one which took us 45 minutes in the wrong direction first to huge Jewellery store and on the way back, got us stuck in an 100-strong mob of thai people on the way to pray. They surrounded the tuk-tuk, laughing and pointing and offering us flowers. Weird experience..

Wat Pho: - We eventually made it on our last day despite being told by 4 different people that it was closed. I don't know why thai water vendors/random people on the street do not want tourists to go there. It's right next to the Grand Palace - but by comparision is empty, and probably because everyone else is also being told it's closed. It has the most amazing huge reclining buddha (lying on it's side) which is like 50+ metres long by 15 wide.

Bangkok Bar - our fav bar on Soi Rambutre in Banglamphu. Plays great music and always seemed to meet really sound people in there. Also was just round the corner from our fav hostel so far - Four Sons Village (fan room with ensuite bath and balcony) only 350 baht a night! About four pounds fifty. Quite new and they let us make some free phone local phone calls too. A great place but don't trust Tom, the camp travel agent there...

Chatuchak Market - a weekend market of everything! Furniture, fishtanks, animals, clothes, mops, spiders (live hairy ones), food (spiders, locusts if you like) etc. It must stretch over a square mile. We only got round a small bit in like 6 hours but did plenty, plenty shopping.