Thailand

Touchdown Bangkok

An oversaturation for the senses, a big steamy open market, constantly being harrassed by the tuk tuk drivers... yes we knew we were in Bangkok.

Arrived about 9pm caught a cab into the city, hit by the heat, we found a place in Soi Rambutri. CLose to Koh San Road, but not in the loud hub. Jet lag got the better of us, as we woke at 4am the next and couldn't get back to sleep. So we went on a mission. Got an authentic breaky and started wandering around the city. Tried to find the entry to the grand palace and got approached by a 'wily friendly local' who said that Sarah couldn't get in with a singlet on, so he pointed on the map where would should go and visit, and hailed a tuk tuk driver and off we went. Little did we know at that point we were getting scammed. (Naive New Zealanders!) We went all over the city, booked tickets for chaingmai and treaking and ordered custom-made clothes, realised we had been scammed when the Tuk Tuk driver took us to the gem store, and we hadn't seen any sights of Bangkok. A big lesson learnt. Paid far too much for our goods.. and we are yet to see anything for them. Went back to guest house, cancelled credit cards, couldn't believe we had been so naive on the first day. Oh well.

We decieded to stick around and wait for our passports (they are with the embassy getting processed for Visas) until Wednesday so we had some time to Kill. Explored the city by foot, and had a couple of full on days sightseeing. We saw the Golden Mountain, Wat Poh - Reclining Budda, Grand Palace, (like nothing we have seen before, ornate temples, sparkling statues and monuments, carved stone statues) went on a long boat cruz to the city, caught the sky train to the central park of bangkok. This place is crazy. There are people everywhere. Street vendors selling everything for fruit to clothes, to lotto tickets, to buddha jewels, you name it they sold it... The smells are constantly smoothering you, and changing from food to dog shit, to pollution. Its really intense, and very different to New Zealand.

The food is sooooo good. Although first few days the humidity dulls the appetite... SO tasty and so much random stuff to try. Accomadation has been great, been good to get away from the tourist hotspots and explore other areas.