Bangkok Baby!

Arrived in Bangkok on the 30th December.  We were supposed to be dropped off at Khao San Road but I think the driver couldn't be bothered so I took a taxi from the memorial to NapPark Hostel.  When I checked in they told me I had to stay in a different dorm to the female one i'd booked for 1 night.  I wasn't bothered.  Turned out to be me and 5 guys...again!  It was fine until I woke up in the morning and it stank of boys and alcohol breath YUK!

My female dorm

They had told me I couldn't move until 2pm so I went out to Khao San Road for food.  I'd decided to get a few things for New Year that night so I bought some make-up, new flips flops to go with my dress, new sun glasses because mine were so scratched (Ray Bans £3) and then treated myself to a foot massage.  Before I headed back to my hostel I saw a hairdressers and decided to book in to get my hair curled as I was sick of scraping it back on my head all the time.  It looks a mess down with no hairdryer or straighteners.

Having a pre-new year beer.

Khao San by night

I got back and changed rooms then went downstairs to meet some people.  I was determined not to spend New Year alone.  I got talking to a couple of girls and everyone was asking where to go for the night.  I suggested putting up a poster to ask people to meet in the hostel at 9pm for a few drinks and decided where to go from there......

Had to get down with the lingo lol!

The result of my poster.

I went for my hair done at 8pm and grabbed a quick burger on my way back.  I was all ready and set to go before I went.  When I arrived back I was really chuffed.  The bar area was filled with about 20-30 people who had seen the poster!!!!  Check me out hahaha!  So we all mingled until 11pm and some of us decided just to head to Khao San Road as the fireworks were way out and we couldn't be bothered.  There were about 10 of us.  We got there and it was hammered.  We knew a shortcut to where they had set a stage up with a countdown.  The bars were 6 deep so we went to the 7/11 and bought beers and waited for the countdown.

Everyone in Khao San were shouting out the countdown for 10 which was amazing.  There where about 50,000 people there.  I got quite a few kisses on the cheeks but no snogs unfortunately haha!  We then headed for a bar.  When we left me and this other guy Ian got lost from the others.  He was a strange guy and a little simple so I was determined to find the others.  After looking up and down Khoa San for an hour I thought 'fuck it' lets got to McDonalds and head back to the hostel.  Low and behold, all our friends were in there already!  We headed back to the hostel and drank a few more. It was 7am before I went to bed and the sun was up.

There were 1000's on Khao San awaiting the New Year

The next day I slept until 2pm, went out for lunch then went back to bed at 5pm until 8pm.  I wasn't too bad but a little delicate.  That night I stayed in the hostel with some others and had a few beers.

A little old lady cooking on her boat...she looked about 90.

On the 2nd I was booked on a day trip.  We went to the floating markets which was fun but loaded with tourists.  The boat dropped us off at a cobra show.  Yeah, I stayed outside and waited.  Good job too because looking at the photos they were right up in your face with the things!  Next we went for lunch.  After that we headed for the Bridge over the River Kwai.  It was really great.  Whilst walking over the bridge, a boat went by playing the song from the great escape.  The one where the soldiers are whistling.  It was really surreal, walking over the bridge and hearing that song.  

Next was the Tiger Temple.  I was really looking forward to going here what with monks walking amongst the tigers.  I was really disappointed.  It was more like a purpose built park with tigers and a couple of monks.  The large tigers looked sedated and the younger ones were being dragged around on a lead poor things.  I just wanted to leave.

On my last day I just hung around.  Francesca invited me to lunch and then I went for a Thai Massage.  Bloody hell!  The guy thought I was a contortionist!  He was bending every which way he could and didn't seem to understand me when I said 'it wont go any further!'.  At one point he managed to crack every vertebrate which was a kind of nice pain and then he crushed my toes in his fists and everyone cracked.  I'm surprised I wasn't sick.  Next time i'll stick with a good ole fashioned oil massage.  

Later I went for my bus at 6pm to Chiang Mai.  It was 12 hours or so I thought.....