and so our adventure has begun, albeit off to a very rocky start with kim over indulging at his farewell drinks and not making it home until 3am. credit to him, no complaints on the 16 hour day of travel that followed, but he did go soft by not taking advantage of free beers on the flight to thailand.
well, 2 days in bangkok and i reckon i've sweated off about 5kg and kim 15kg. it is bloody hot - 2 talk like an aussie! we went to the zoo today and it was a little sad, the animals didn't see all that happy - the elephants looked like they were on magic mushrooms, and the male giraffe kept getting a seriously huge *humm*, and kept trying to mount the female giraffe, much to kim's disappointment he didn't actually get any action, but the intent was there! one male turtle was a little luckier - and as kim said when I commented on the randy nature of the residents - what else would they do all day!
just about to catch the night bus to the mountain village of chang mai - we leave at 6pm and arrive at 6am, ouch! but while we are expecting some seriously hot weather, this is where we get to ride elephants (hopefully non-drugged ones) and we reckon we'll look up a cooking course, kim in desperate need to learn some kitchen skills - and head up the hill to see some of the native tribes and also partake in the big water festival happening up there early next week.
bangkok has been a great place to spend a couple of days and get in the travel groove - we both feel really safe here, although whenever I barter the locals seem to laugh at me! we discovered a air con sushi place and have had 2 meals there when we needed to escape the heat and humidity - delicious and a bargin! our hotel is clean, and very basic, no windows but an air con, we would have sweated away in the night otherwise. best item packed is easily my silk sleeping bag liner - thanks m&d - is lovely to curl up in something that hasn't been washed in chlorine! the street stalls are incredible - the food looks delicious, but the fact it sits out all day in the heat, with flies coming in for a landing and feed, does turn us both off a little, but the smells certainly get the tummy rumbling. mastering squat toilets has been an experience - especially the fact a little hose replaces toliet paper - fingers crossed no tummy bugs come our way as they don't appeal as a place I would like to spend much time! no rides in a tuk tuk as yet and have not yet come across anything that looks like a deep fried grasshopper, just about everything else, but hanging out for my grasshopper! the heat and long days on our feet have been taking their toil, but we are looking forward to getting away from the bright lights and up in the chang mai mountains. don't feel we are experiencing the real thailand quite yet.
we have a few big travels ahead - a night train back to bangkok and then a second train, bus and boat to koh phangan, where 6 days with anna and katie and a full moon party awaits!
