Chapter forty nine - Bangkok the second

Day 175: Bangkok, Thailand 23/03/2012

Wake up very sore after yesterday's trip to the gym and I hobble to the internet cafe to type the blog after last night's disappointing power outage. It is a bit hot at the computer screen, triggering a huge sweat. Another Vietnamese for lunch before we check out, say goodbye to our friends on reception and get a tuk-tuk to the airport. Arrive nice and early and have a look around the shops, which in true airport style are very expensive, although I do manage to wangle a free taster of vodka.

After a very turbulent flight, that sees the fat man in front of us gripping the seat in front of him until his knuckles went beyond white, we are back in Bangers and looking forward to taking the colossal city on again! We are through immigration and baggage collection in record time, a fraction of the time it took us last time, and we get the train back to Hua Lamphong to check in at the Train Inn again. Dinner at the roadside is made marginally less enjoyable by the cockroaches and huge rat that make an appearance.

Day 176: Bangkok, Thailand 24/03/2012

After a bit of a lie in and a quick breakfast we buy a three day travel pass for the metro system and make our way over to the airport to meet Paula, Francesca and Ryan. We arrive, wait a while for them, try to find them and are found by them. Apparently they flew through customs, etc. and were waiting for us for a while. The train ride is a bit daunting for the zombie like Francesca, who seems to speak another language as she reels off question after question about any manner of stuff. My favourite was when talking about 7/11 convenience stores, she thinks we have our dates wrong and are referring to the World Trade Centre attacks (9/11)...We arrive at the Train Inn and after they check in it is like Christmas as we see what gifts have been sent from home...a packet of flumps, a box of malteasers, a sack of mini eggs, a yard of Jaffa Cakes and a Cadbury's hot chocolate later we are ready for lunch.

As tour guides, we break the newbies in with a tour around Chinatown, visit the golden temple and mooch about by the river. Go for drinks by the hotel, where Ryan pulls the waiter and then visit Patpong night market. Head back, a few drinks then bed.

Day 177: Bangkok, Thailand 25/03/2012

A lie in for the travel weary and then we jump on the train to Chatuchak Market, allegedly the biggest market in the world. The food here is amazing and the girls discover Pad Thai, which they will probably eat for the rest of the time in Thailand they say. There is absolutely loads at the market to be seen and bought, including the puppies at the puppy stall, which are pretty cute.

We head back towards the hotel and have a drink again at the place with Ryan's new 'friend'. After dinner here, the festivities begin and we buy some drinks from 7/11. The girls are on the Spy Wine Coolers and we buy a bottle of whisky and a shedload of M150 energy drink as a mixer. They go down a bit too well as we sit downstairs playing cards. There are some Malaysian students staying at the hotel as well, or Malarias as Cesca thinks they are called. All fun and games cease at the reasonable hour of 5.30am.

Day 178: Bangkok, Thailand 26/03/2012

Get up feeling great and take a walk to the noodle place we visited in our first visit to Bangkok around the corner in Chinatown. In our akert state of being, we try to find the big reclining Buddha and end up being ferried from temple to temple for a bargain price by a tuk-tuk. The price is of course too good to be true and after a stop at a temple, we are taken for a stop at the local tailors. 'How did you know that it is 50% off day today?' we are asked. The word awkward doesn't quite cover it as we ignore their spiel, stare at the walls, floor, fingernails and try to politely leave.

We tell the driver no more stops and after a visit to the next temple he pushes his luck by saying 'one more stop'. Threatening to get out does not dissuade him, in fact resulting in him driving off angrily after kicking us out. Bargain fare of zero baht. We then walk around a bit (in fact bloody loads) and get rained on in central Bangkok. With Gemma's shoes hurting and my flip flops aquaplaning, we both end up barefoot and end up with black feet. Gemma also manages to get splashed by a bus to huge sniggers from the rest of us...

After a quick shower and haircut we are all dolled up and ready to visit the Skybar, and after a difficult time with the taxi driver initially, he turns out to be quite the entertainer. We arrive and Ryan is refused entry to the 64th floor bar on account of his shorts, so it is a trip to the local department store for us two as he buys some trousers and has them taken up. We eventually get up there and the views and the cocktails are amazing. Definitely worth scrubbing up and splashing out for! We grab a takeaway, speak to Andy la' on his birthday and have a couple of drinks back at the hotel. Good times!