We flew out of Christchurch on Monday into Sydney airport to transfer onto our Bangkok flight. When we got to the airport we asked at customs where we needed to go and this Aussie customs officer told us to turn left and head down the hall. We go the way he said, we were the only people around and turn a corner and this airport security man tells us off and tells us that we are not allowed to be down here, and wouldn’t let us go back the way we came. He then informed us that to get back to the gate we came from we would have to walk 2km in a circle back to where we came from. By doing this we ended up out of the transfer area and had to go through security again, and as we were the only passengers around they decided that katane needed his bag to be tested for drugs. I think the customs officer was taking the piss out of us. Eventually we got to the right place and caught our 9 our flight to Bangkok. We got our bags and were surprised at how relaxed security was, we didn’t need to declare anything or have our bags scanned; we just walked out to where our taxi driver was meant to be waiting. Of course knowing our luck there is no taxi driver in sight to pick us up. we look around ask a few people and then this official looking lady comes over and "rings" the taxi company and can’t get hold of them so she tells us she will get us a taxi we just pay her and then get a refund from the original taxi company, so we do this...and realize on our way that we probably got taken for a ride- not only by the taxi driver who drove insanely fast, and wouldn't say a word, but also by the woman at the airport. Oh well, we got to our hostel at 3am. Our backpackers is really nice and comfortable- best showers ever- made my morning :). The heat here is insane- going to summer in Bangkok, may not have been the best planning. We have a nz gut in our room and we met a girl from the Netherlands so we went with them for lunch at a restaurant and then caught the sky-train then boat down the river to what was meant to be the grand palace, but we followed the boys and got off too early- in the middle of nowhere and had to wait in the heat for the next ferry. Finally we get to grand palace just as it is closing so we are going to go back there today. me and jess ran out of water- big mistake- we were all sweating like pigs and the heat was getting too much- finally the train came- some much needed air-conditioning. When you get off the train you forget just how hot it actually is, it feels like you have just walked into a furnace. Just when we couldn't take the heat any more a monsoon rain hit. It was awesome. We were drenched in seconds but we didn't care, all the locals were waving at us to get under shelter but we loved the rain. After a nap at the hostel we went and got some takeaway pizzas from a flash restaurant with two guys from England. Paid 240 baht for a pizza bit pricey but was yum. The guys couldn't believe we don't own a guide book for any of our travels- so their advice was for us to go buy a lonely planet for our travels in Europe.
