Sop early morning of the 31st my rickety bus dropped a truckload of us foreigners off near the Khaosan road where i was stranded once again. As it was my last few nights in Bangkok (a city I now have begun to loath), i decided to push the boat out and spend a bit more on my acccomodation. As it turns out some friends from the tour, 3 Irish boys, were also staying at the same place. One of the boys had left his passport behind in Chiang Mai and I was his courier so we were due to meet up anyway. Having them there that first day was awesome as I was dreadng the thought of being alone in Bangkok with the ladyboys again. That day I spent hours shopping in MBK and the surrounding areas (for those of you that dont know what that is, it's a mecca for shoppers looking for bargains and designer wear). Meanwhile the boys did some sightseeing. We regrouped at the end of the night and had a really nice meal together.
Nov 1st- the boys left early that morning for Phi Phi Island and I had a lie in before spending the day finishing off my sightseeing. I had yet to see Wat Pho- the HUGE reclining Buddha. I was dumbfounded when i saw the huge gold plated buddha that lay inside the temple. It is impossible to understand how such a thing is even made, let alone transported to and from places. I have taken lots of photos and videos of it just to give you some indication of its presence and size. BUt no matter how many pictures you see, let me tell you, that nothing quite beats seeing it in full with your own eyes. It was such a hot day and i walked for miles and miles to get there and back to my hotel but it was worth it.
Tht evening i had dinner at a family friends house whom i had been unable to meet previously. She and her family lived on the opposite side of town, nearer to the airport and in an area called Sukhumvit. This is wher most Expats and wealthy locals reside. And it's no wonder why. The drive in the taxi from Khaosan towards MBK and sukhumvit was like venturing through to another city. I was finally beginning to see how Bangkok can compete with big cities like london, NYC and singapore. It has a far more sophisticated and commercial area too but one that is liveable in (if that makes sense). If i was to return (with more money), i'd most def be staying there! I had a lovely meal of South Indian food which was a welcome break and a reminder of home and it helped that I had amazing company that evening too. It was a great way to end my trip.
Nov2nd- fly to Delhi!
