Day 1

Our first proper day in Bangkok. Considering our body clocks are still a bit messed up we slept really well, ready for the Thai interpretation of a full English breakfast. Not particularly full, or English, but it filled a hole.

Today we took a water taxi to three of the main temples in Bangkok. The Grand Palace was absolutely stunning with gold leaf rooftops and statues everywhere. Wat Pho had an amazing 'reclining Buddha' which filled a room about the size of a um, very big room.

Lunch time saw us venture into the unknown. Our best description of the food is a brothy soup, with bits of meat sunk to the bottom and filled with loofah shaped things of which some had unravelled to form very fine webs throughout the soup.

We didn't like to ask what it was but we're still alive and kicking. And for 50p you can't really complain.

Taken over 50 photos already which we promise to cut down before we bore anyone with a 10 hour slideshow. Grandad and Grandma, thanks for all the memory cards!

We've just been involved in our first sting operation: a tuk tuk (crazy 3-wheel motorbike turned into a taxi with little handholds to stop you falling out when they take a corner at 40mph) agreed to take us to the market but first stopped at a travel agent despite our protestations who then tried to get us to change hotel! By the time we got out the driver had driven off so we jumped into another tuk tuk for another hair-raising jaunt back to Khao San road.

We're off to find some Thai-curry now...hopefully we'll avoid Bangkok-belly!

M&K

Jet Lag

We've finally hit Bangkok, bleary eyed but as it's only 4pm we thought we'd start exploring.

The journey was uneventful apart from mainly full of Pilgrims for the Haaj, so at one point half the departure lounge decided it was time to pray towards Mecca, delaying the flight for 30 minutes. Considering we only had 40 minutes to change at Jordan we started to think we might miss the connection. Still, we got to Amman, legged it across the tiny airport and then queued for 30 minutes!

The only disappointment was no films, no games, no TV on the plane!!!

Hotel's great, although so far away from the centre the taxi driver got lost. ("So far away" is still only 15 minutes walk to the main shopping district though through various winding alley ways with locals selling their dodgy wares.)

More soon when we've eaten and slept!

Heathrow

Us at the airport:

Where's Bangkok?

Happy Christmas!

By popular request, here's a map of our travels:

The Plan...

Our approximate route is:

New Year's Eve - Bangkok
4 Jan: Chiang Mai/Northern Thailand
12 Jan: Laos
20 Jan: Hanoi, Vietnam
20 Feb: Cambodia
27 Feb: Phuket

All dates and locations are subject to last minute alterations!

Preparations

Flights booked...hotel nearly booked...less than 2 weeks to go now!!!