December 2010
17th – Arrival in Bangkok. Stayed near notorious Khao San Rd. Not everyone’s cup of tea and certainly not ours, but not as bad as anticipated. Did the usual tourist sights like the Grand Palace, Reclining Buddha and Chatuchak market, one of the world’s largest. Met up with one of Helen’s old school friends, a Bangkok native who showed us around and took us to restaurant to feast on selection of authentic Thai food. Went to an infamous PingPong show in renowned Patpong district where Nick was able to practice his table-tennis as a woman fired unsavoury pingpong balls at him out of her you know what.
21st – Train to Ayuthaya, original capital of Thailand. Temple Time again at Unesco World Heritage site. Hired bikes and toured man-made island. Visited forgettable night market in evening for food.
23rd – Bus to Sukhothai at place of first settlement inThailand. Another Unesco World Heritage sight meaning ‘rising happiness’, we hired bikes again and toured more temples in mad afternoon dash in order to leave the next day and avoid travelling on Christmas Day.
24th – Bus to Chiang Mai where we spent Christmas. Found a happy-clappy Christian church and attended Midnight Mass. Sadly, no family Christmas dinners on offer so went for next best…Italian! Visited local hill tribes. Helen did Thai cookery course while Nick had his friend take him to butchers, sorry, barbers to have buzz cut. Rented bicycles to tour old city and spent a day feeding, riding and washing elephants at an elephant park. All in a day’s work then.
30th – Bus to Chiang Rai to change bus for onward journey to border crossing at Chiang Khong for 2 minute boat journey into Huay Xai, Laos where we could see Laos 200 metres away.
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