Bangkok, Thailand

We left Siem Reap and headed to the border with Thailand. What a day! we were on a public bus and we didn't get out of before a couple forgot their passports so we had to stop for them. When we got to the border we had to change buses which meant bag carrying. Huffing and puffing we all made it to the Thai side but I had some hiccups when the immigration man stamped me in for a standard 15 days when we needed 20. I insisted that we really were in the country for 20 days. Thankfully he saw sense and chased after me to stamp my passport again. Thankful to have feet in Thailand I was then nearly not let on the bus as my id sticker had fallen off the shirt and then the bus company didn't provide the buses Pete booked- I don't think he was best pleased. We arrived in Bangkok in super quick time as the driver did 150km down the road- we were practically flying!

Bangkok's a really cool city. We are staying near Khaosan Road and there's lots of life around. I spent a morning looking around the Grand Palace which was built as a royal residence for King Rama in 1782. It is quite a large complex that features temples, throne halls and government buildings all on the edge of the Chao Phraya river. All buildings were really magnificently covered in coloured glass and so much gold. A lot of the buildings were shut, but the temple of the Emerald Buddha was open. The main feature is a gold throne with a jade Buddha less than a meter tall sitting on it and wearing his monsoon outfit (as we later learnt in the museum that he has 3).

We had a group meal out and a few drinks, taking advantage of the plentiful amount of restaurants and bars in the area. Pete brought back a bag of fried bugs that everyone tried. I went for the 'tastiest' looking worm like thing which I shared with Ben! Some liked the locusts more than others but most gave it a try!

Bangkok is also full of a variety of shopping malls. In a bid to buy a net book I got the boat down the river and then took a trip on the sky train which was easy compared to the trouble I would later have in finding the electronics shopping mall. 6 and half hours later and I'd found a netbook- yey!