Tuesday 12^th November 2002
Anton and Julie drove us to Heathrow (terminal 4) via Enfield to pick up leads for the computer from Matthew’s house. Arrived about 7.30pm. Got Ant to take a picture of us laden up outside the airport only to discover later that there was no film in the camera.

At Heathrow, checked in baggage, took passport photos, went through security (no problem with laptop and cameras), bought backpack for laptop and cameras, ate Macdonald’s cheeseburgers, bought paper and went through to boarding gate. Flight scheduled for 10.00pm. Boarded plane early but then had to wait for 40 minutes for 12 passengers from a connecting flight who never showed.

Wednesday 13^th November 2002
Made up most of the time in the air arriving at Bangkok at 16.20. Served dinner shortly after take off and breakfast 2 hours before landing. Watched "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and "Bourne Identity", on seat back screens (also some video games), slept some. Glyn was partly crushed by one of two large passengers next to her.

Bangkok airport very efficient, through passport control and baggage reclaim with hardly any delay at all. Plane going on to Sydney. Hot and humid outside the airport. Just missed Airport Bus (No. 1 @ 100Bt each) and would have had to wait 20 mins so took taxi (held together with bits of wire) (fixed price 350Bt) to Century Park Hotel. About 30 mins to hotel. Very nice hotel, room upgrade because fully booked. Spacious room and bathroom, walk in wardrobe, 10^th floor with views of city. Rumbling thunder and sheet lightning as I write.

Adjusted computer time zone to GMT+7, so 19:41 here; 12:41 back home. Power connection no problem but no Internet facility in the room that I can see.

Nice dinner at the hotel, Glyn went for a steak, Pete for Thai curry.

Thursday 14^th November 2002
Got up late, nearly missed breakfast at 10am. Unsteady on our legs, still adjusting to local time. Generous buffet breakfast, tanked up for the day.

Left the hotel about 11.30 taking the hotel taxi to Hua Lamphong railway station. Friendly driver took us to travel agency, swept into office by sweepers on the pavement – not sure this was where we were supposed to be. Rosa, the travel agent told us that our planned train to Chiang Mai was fully booked, have to go by overnight coach (13 hours!). Also, our planned return on the 21^st fully booked. Unable to face another 13 hours, we decided to skip Hua Hin and are now flying directly to KL. Two more days in Chiang Mai (good), three more days in KL (less sure). Need to rearrange hotel in KL. Decided to pay in cash, escorted to ATM by young man. Third machine gave cash in small denomination Baht – 3 tranches! After finishing with Rosa, walked into station. Enviously watched others booking trains – decided to enquire about availability. Discovered could go on planned dates 2^nd class one way 1^st class back. Hmmm. Back to Rosa who checked again and found the outward train was available but insisted no return – handed us the phone. Back to station to buy tickets, but now not available. Back to plan B. Not a good start to the day.

Set off on foot to Chinatown. Strange road of shops selling metal – rods, poles & plates for engineering. Started to rain so visited a lesser temple (Wat) where we took cover while the water level rose. Very melodramatic with crashing thunder and crackling lightning and a friendly Buddhist monk. Began to think would be there all day and eventually set off and got soaked. Found a shop to buy two waterproof "ponchos" (transparent blue bin bags with arms). Rain stopped.

Looking for café, eventually stopped at restaurant at Tha Ratchawong pier for two Pepsi’s and the loo. Very friendly staff amused at our state – brought tissues to dry our faces and hair! Regrouped before setting off to Wat Chakrawat and alligator pool. Very good. Took Taxi back to hotel (1hr in rush hour traffic).

Buffet dinner – wide selection of seafood, fish and meat dishes, salad, fruit, soup, few vegetables.

Bought Internet "kit" to connect laptop from hotel room (200 Baht for 10 hrs 15 Baht connection charge). E-mailed Mat for Help!! with KL hotel plans.

Friday 15^th November 2002
Set alarm for 7am to be out by 8. Wanted to miss traffic. Have adopted "Mr Black" the hotel taxi. He told us yesterday he would take us to place for boat trips. He obviously gets a cut. Didn’t like the sound or price and insisted on going somewhere else (learning from yesterday’s experience).

Nice man with boat trips from pier at Royal Orchid Sheraton hotel. Long tailed boat to ourselves for 1hr 30min for 800Baht (<£13). Visited Wat Arun – magnificent but only 30mins (interesting aside – Buddhist monk playing battle game on computer); Royal Barge museum – interesting; floating market – not really, but interesting to see the houses on stilts on the Klong (canal); and finally a place on the canal where loads of large fish swimming by the boat (catfish?). Sped back to the pier. River very choppy because many boats, and various flotsam from upstream. Very pleasant driver.

Taxi back to hotel. Bargain rate if we agree to visit his "sponsor". Turns out to be a tailors shop - we are not interested, but it was on the way as promised. Driver was stopped and fined 200 Baht for not wearing uniform taxi driver shirt!

Swim in the hotel pool. Trying to stay awake, but Glyn has given in to jet lag, no sleep and early morning.

Tomorrow Mr Black takes us to Grand Palace via his "souvenir factory" – not if we can help it!

Saturday 16^th November 2002
Pete still suffering from jet lag but we hauled ourselves out at 7am and firmly told Mr Black that we wanted only to go to The Grand Palace. Doorman warned us about dress code at Palace so went back for socks and trousers.

The extent of the palace and the beauty were quite overwhelming – far too much in a small space to really appreciate. Spent two hours in extreme heat trying to see all. Dripping buckets of sweat – very humid and hot.

Began to walk to another sight (the reclining buddha) but were intercepted by a man who told us it didn’t open till 1pm and recommended that we took a tuk tuk to several other sights for a total of 40 baht. Seemed too good to be true but in fact very friendly tuk tuk driver was at our beck and call for about two hours. He patiently waited while we took as long as we liked to see things. Visited the Standing Buddha (Wat Bowon Niwet) – very tall; a Seated Buddha (Wat Mongkrut Krasat Thiyaram) - closed but very pleasant local talked to us about the holiday (Saturday) when locals prepared food for the monks; and a Thai jewellery shop which was unusually open to the public – Pete sweated it out until Glyn finally decided not to buy anything. Before taking us to final destination driver, as usual, wanted to take us to a shop and we agreed in order to do him a favour and very nearly bought a beautiful silk Kashmir rug for £1600! The sales techniques here are incredible.

Finally Wat Po (Wat Phra Chethuphon) for Reclining Buddha (46m long, 15m high) another temple compound with lovely presence. When we left the Tuk Tuk asked how much and he said whatever you like so gave him 100 Baht – good experience. Glyn likes Tuk Tuk’s.

We walked through a local market and admired the food but didn’t risk it, settling for 2 local beers and sat watching river activity at Tha Chang pier.

Rejected a couple of taxi’s who were determined to either charge us too much or take us to a shop! We have learnt a great deal in 3 days and should be better prepared for Chiang Mai!

Note: Taxi’s and Tuk Tuk’s will take you practically anywhere, practically free, if you agree to visit one of the shops (high priced tourist shops) as they get "coupons" (apparently even if you don’t buy anything) and commission by doing so.

Sat at station to organise ourselves. Strange man sits next to Glyn and starts muttering in Thai. We don’t understand so like Joanna Lumley in Ab Fab push money in his hands to make him go away. He doesn’t look impressed. Pete says take it back! Shouldn’t have sat next to empty seat. Walked to Wat Traimit (temple of the golden Buddha), to find it bedecked with flowers and draperies. Turns out top monk is having a birthday and everyone is coming to pay respects. Much chanting on the PA system, closed circuit and national TV, and a stream of people filing past the great man. Each visitor pours water into birthday boy’s hands as he sits behind a bowl filled with flowers. Choose to sit and watch for about an hour. Several people speak to us. Went on to see golden Buddha – worth $14m – much less interesting.

Tuk tuk to River City shopping centre for air conditioning and window shopping. Light lunch of toasted sandwiches and Singa beers. Walked to RC church where school brass band practising, then tuk tuk to Chinatown where it rains on us again. Saw goldsmith’s shops, dried food shops. Tuk tuk back to Rosa.

Waited for minibus to take us to "VIPBus", waited ‘til 6.00pm before driving to bus station. Waited ‘til 7.00pm before setting off to Chiang Mai. Fully reclining seats and air conditioning, but not comfortable and very smelly loo. Hostess brought round some cakes and coca cola. Two Russians/Greeks giggling for hours during night. Air conditioning dripping on Pete’s head (Siamese water torture). Stopped for dinner at roadside place – plates of unknown Thai food and strange hard boiled eggs, watery rice and stewed cabbage (maybe). Pete tasted some of each but Glyn bought bowl of bean sprouts. Mostly gave strange stuff a miss but bean sprouts good. Managed to remain calm – starting the path to enlightenment? Sleep fitfully thinking of topiary elephants and bonsai trees on central reservations.

Meet two lads on the bus from Orkney. Their first trip abroad, travelling the world for 12 months.

Thoughts on Bangkok:

Century Park Hotel – Pro: very clean, comfortable and friendly; reasonably priced by European standards. Con: too far from centre, taxis every day (heavy traffic), difficult to go out in evening.

City – Pro: Tuk tuks, long tailed boats, monks, happy friendly people. Con: heavy traffic, pollution, everyone trying to sell something.

There were very few beggars, we felt very safe. We find the Buddhist approach to life infectious and now greet people with our palms together and bowed heads. Enjoyed our visit much more than expected. Not all the laughter was hysteria.