Bangkok!!

Hello from Bangkok!!

So we set off for our 3 month trip on Friday night - after hearing about sams success in his exams, our luck continued on the plane, the person sitting in the seat next to us didn't show up to the gate, therefore we had a spare seat in which to spread out (and for sam to get away from emma!!).

Arriving in Bangkok after a rather turbulant flight, the first thing that hit us was how everyone working at the airport were wearing masks; always a pleasant sight to see. However, we got to our hotel at around 6pm local time, and were pleasantly surprised at how clean it was (though the whole throwing used toilet tissue in a bin is a little different).

We set off to the Khao San Road (the main backpacking street in Bangkok), and sat in a local restaurant for dinner to sample local food. Sam had spagehetti Bol. and Emma had chicken fried rice - emma thinks she is more cultured than sam, which could be true, because she kept getting offered to play ping pong - to which we are reliably informed isn't table tennis (haven't worked out quite what it is yet, but Sam is keen to!!).

We were exhausted after dinner, proven further by the number of stalls and shops, to which Em was too tired to even look!! Though a pair of ray ban sunglasses each for 2 quid wasn't bad going.

Today (Sunday) we set off for a 6 hour tour of Bangkok, including the grand palace, sleeping buddah and a number of temples, a boat ride with a dubious floating market, lunch on a floating restaurant and a tour of the golden mount. By the end, the heavens opened, which was nice and convenient, given we had to leave our shoes outside the temple (guess who had to go get them!?!?).

Our tour guide (as most men here are) was quite obsessed with Sex...and Emma. Every reference to buddaism was cross referenced to "sexy ladies". Nevertheless, he was a good tour guide, and we made South Korean Mafia friends, who paid for a tour in English, despite not speaking the language!!

After the trip, still feeling the old jet lag, we slept - now currently in a internet cafe close to our hotel. Tonight, more food, more shopping (Em is awake unfortunately) and we leave for Hanoi (Vietnam) tomorrow evening, to start our next leg.

Until then, hope all is well with everyone at home,

Sam and Emma



p.s. happy bday Richard, sorry we missed it, but we appreciated the 6am (our time) phonecall from your fiance!

Miss u all!

xx