Bristol to Bangkok

Day 1

Woohoo! Arrived in Bangkok 4pm local time. Flight was good it seemed to go really quickly even though it was 10hrs long.

I watched Eat Pray Love on the flight. It was brilliant and I recommend it to everyone and such a perfect movie for me to watch before I got here. Very poignant and at the end Julia Roberts character said this quote that really made me smile:

In the end, I've come to believe in something I call "The Physics of the Quest." A force in nature governed by laws as real as the laws of gravity. The rule of Quest Physics goes something like this: If you're brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting, which can be anything from your house to bitter, old resentments, and set out on a truth-seeking journey, either externally or internally, and if you are truly willing to regard everything that happens to you on that journey as a clue and if you accept everyone you meet along the way as a teacher and if you are prepared, most of all, to face and forgive some very difficult realities about yourself, then the truth will not be withheld from you.

Got the bus to Khoa San Road which was painless but took a lot longer than I thought 1.5 hrs! I was met by a Tuk Tuk driver harassing me to take me to my hotel and tourist information for 100 Baht. I was a bit wary and decided I would try and find it myself, glad I did because it was literally 500 yards away (when I eventually found it after walking the wrong way down Khoa San Road and back up again dragging my big bag).

Hotel is in a lovely little plaza just off Soi Rambuttri shops and cafes all around. I definitely think the hotel stole photos of rooms from another hotel because it looked NOTHING at all like the website. Very basic but clean and enough for what I need it for. There's a pool on the roof but I haven't checked it out yet.

Rambuttri Village Plaza, Soi Rambuttri

Went for another walk down Khao San then settled for some dinner at the Sawasdee Restaurant back on Soi Rambuttri. It was full of travellers and looked like it had quite a good atmosphere so thought it was safe for my first night. Had a lovely Masaman Curry and 2 bottles of Tiger Beer. The only worrying thing was there were cockroachs running around the floor and crawling up the wall next to my table and I prayed they wouldn't fall in my food or fly at me! But it was fine.

I felt a little bit like an alien, everyone seemed to be in couples or groups and I felt a bit invisable on my own. Feeling a little intimidated I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do now or where I'm supposed to go.

Khao San Road!

On the way back to the hotel I went for a short walk past lots of stalls selling lovely floaty dresses and skirts and tops and had to resist the urge to start buying things. My Backpack's pretty full already. Checked out the little internet cafe next to hotel before heading back to grab a shower and some well needed rest.

Day 2

Awoke very early this morning 7am probably because I was really hot and sticky since I decided not to sleep with the Air con on because it was so loud and sounded like it was about to explode.

Checked out the English cafe in the plaza next to the hotel called "Oh my Cod!" it's specialality is fish and chips surprise surprise!

Had a lovely breakfast of fresh fruit and yoghurt and toast and marmalade. They'd run out of Marmite and PG tips!

As I was eating my breakfast I realised that even though I'm on my own at the moment and I'm still not sure what I'm supposed to do or where I'm supposed to go I actually feel really, really happy and I can't help smiling.

I'm meeting up with my Uncle Alan and Aunty Gael this afternoon so I won't be alone for long and I'll meet my travel buddies this weekend so it's no big drama. I'll have a walk around and try and see the Grand Palace before making my way over to meet my family. I hope to figure out how to upload photo's too