I’m going to start by inviting you to check out a video summarising my experience last night after I headed out for a quiet one:

Quite. At least I didn’t end up at a ping pong show…

So contrast that with the video that summarises my afternoon:

Exactly.

So I blame my new-found hostel buddies for suggesting that Khao San road was a good idea. Admittedly, the food at the start was fantastic. And I had a very nice chilled green tea.

At least I didn’t have to catch a train at 10am, unlike the guy screaming. Perhaps that’s what he was screaming about, either that or the incessant requests for us to get massages, which I highly doubt are particularly relaxing around that area. Oh and there’s a guy that looks like a Viking.

I got back at around 2am, which was actually pretty tame considering how I’ve heard that road goes. Good thing too, as I was up (fighting jetlag) early enough for breakfast and a good ol’ wander around central Bangkok. Notable highlights of the morning include “The Giant Swing” which has no swing, and the Wat Su Thatsana Thep Wara RaRatchaworamahawihan Temple. It took me longer to figure out how to pronounce the name than it did to walk around it.

I then set off for my cycle tour. A guide I read before leaving said that the only thing you need to bring with you to Asia is “patience”. It was supposed to take me 30 minutes on the bus to get to the cycle tour centre, but as the bus didn’t turn up for over 30 minutes I decided to start walking. Typically, as soon as I walked away from the bus stop, the bus drove past me, leaving me quick-marching to the Skytrain to try plan B. Clearly, I didn’t bring enough patience with me.

I eventually made it over to ABC Cycles – and they didn’t disappoint! Pluses include coffee on arrival, and me being the only Englishman amongst a bunch of Danes:

“Tom” the tour guide was really good. He told us about Thai food, traditions, religion and more, as well as taking us around the southernmost part of Bangkok. I had a very special experience witnessing a Thai funeral procession. They circle the temple, and then place the cremated ashes into a jar, which is then embedded into the temple wall (see photo yesterday). This process enables an elegant burial at minimal cost of space, which comes at a real premium in Bangkok.

As you can see above, we explored some of the poorest areas of the city, where people live under highways or in makeshift shacks in the alleys between houses. The boat that took us across the river to the Bang Nam Phung region let us cycle around the jungles (also featured in the video above). Although the paths are only 1m across, nobody fell in (today).

Tom also educated us on the Thai greeting “Sawadi Cap” and the associated gesture of respect – a bowing of the head with hands held together at a specific height, depending on who you’re speaking to. They take a lot of time over this, and in honesty it’s a beautiful and genuine greeting.

I took a train back down to town, and grabbed some food at a street cafe:

I thankfully didn’t get dragged into any parties tonight. I’m just looking forward to a good night’s sleep, and the arrival in Myanmar tomorrow!!

Today has gone really well. Almost TOO well. Perhaps I shouldn’t write anything until I’m safely tucked into my bed, surrounded by AC assisted mosquito nets and with all my belongings chained to my wrist… here’s how it went…

Landing in Thailand, I waited with biting nails for my bag to arrive, which it eventually did. Check one. Withdrawing cash was also surprisingly easy, as was then getting the skytrain to Phaya Thai. Wandering out of the train station I grabbed a map and hailed a Tuk Tuk to the hostel. It was my first time in a Tuk Tuk,, and it smelt of adventure, near-death experiences and just a hint of burning vegetable oil. Needless to say, I love it.

Check in went without a hitch too. All done before 12. The hostel seems pretty nice – even has a resident alligator:

Heading out I was approached by a random Thai man. Instantly smelling suspicious behaviour I engaged conversation cautiously, determined not to give him any money. Turns out, he didn’t want any. Instead, he took the free map I’d grabbed, highlighted the best free things to do, and hailed a Tuk Tuk, insisting that the driver charged no more than 20B (about 50p) to take me to EVERY destination highlighted on the map. I was stunned, and a whole day of adventures later, still am. “Buddha day” – he says. “National Thai holiday, enjoy!”

My Tuk Tuk driver “Boi” dropped me off at the first couple of destinations and suggested I wander around, not asking for a penny.

It was only at the third stop that I realised how such a discount was possible – I had to visit a suit shop, and pretend to be interested in buying a tailor-made suit. Needless to say, “Thai Fashion” didn’t get my business. “No, it’s not the price, or the quality, it’s the fact that I’m TREKKING THROUGH THAILAND AND DON’T NEED A TAILORED SUIT”. I gladly returned to the Tuk Tuk to visit the next 3 spots on my list.

At this point, I came across a group of travellers, speaking English but clearly mixed nationalities. I do like that. As they warmly invited me to join them, we grabbed some lunch at a restaurant by the curbside and then took a wander up the “Golden Mount”. I felt the monument had an air of abused authenticity, which was a shame, but the views and experience were nonetheless fantastic.

Grabbing a cab and a rickety river crossing between us we ended up at the Wat Arun – which although beautiful is currently undergoing some renovation. The majority of the decoration of the temple appears to be made up of old crockery…

I’m aiming for an uneventful evening, as I’m so tired from the early start. Just pop out, grab some dinner, maybe say hi if someone looks lonely. From experience, the “uneventful evening intentions” usually spells disaster…