Thailand so far

Well it’s been a whole 5 days in Thailand and thankfully it feels like its been longer as we wake up around 6am then muck around for a bit, then go out and see the sights and it isn’t even midday yet. Our body clocks are still adjusting to the time zones here.

First night in BKK: After our 12 hour flight to BKK, we rocked up to Koh San Road. Didn’t pre organise accommodation – a little intimidating was the road at 10pm. Really intense, an abundance of people, lots of lights and Thai aromas. So there we were, the 4 of us, lugging all of our luggage down this road. Looking for signs of familiarity from the Lonely Planet. Then we saw it D&D Inn (thanks April!). Got 2 rooms, and then went to celebrate Shaun’s 30th. A couple of drinks later and a meal for Arina, we were sorted. It took little time to acclimatise to the craziness of Koh San Rd. It’s hard to keep track of time, even harder since I don’t have a watch – like father like daughter, hate wearing them!
Next morning, time to leave, rooms were OK, air con wasn’t working, felt we could get more bang for our buck and left the boys to it to find us cheaper accommodation whilst Arina and I went to have a wax, (I wasn’t going to pay Jervois Rd prices a week earlier!). Nicole, your Xmas pressie went as far as a wax, eye brow tint, shape, eye lash tint, red skirt and red jandals to match – you went all out sister xox! Stayed at New Siam, a couple of streets back from Koh San Road, a little less people – PERFECT. Although I heard from the boys that when they went to get accommodation for 2 double rooms, the guest house staff were insistent that they only had rooms with 2 single beds. They’d got confused and thought J and Shaun wanted one for them. After some careful communication later, there was plently of rooms with double rooms, once they found out it was for 2 heterosexual couples! Halarious. And I though this was a contry renowned for lady boys????

New Siam was a short stroll to cheap food, drinks and shopping – not that I can do much of that. It became very clear very quickly just how heavy my back pack is. OUCH!
We’ve taken Arina & Jared to see some temples – Wat Po – amazing reclining Buddha (45m x 12m – from memory!) INCREDIBLE, the amount of wealth in these temples, and then you walk out on the streets of BKK to see such poverty. We’ve eaten some very hot food. Most memorable was at MBK, where we had a buffet for 59baht – equates to about $3.00 for a plate of thai food. Shaun of course decided to eat the hottest thing on the buffet. Yes, he went a little red, perspired more than usual, but ate the plate clean with several Thai people watching in astonishment that he ate it without fuss. They’d pre-empted that he’d struggle after the first mouth full. They were giggling and muttering to one another about this white boy thinking he wouldn’t be able to eat this hot food, and they had already got him another plate of mild food to transfer to. But in true Shaun fashion, he pushed it to the side and did us Kiwi’s proud, finishing the entire plate. I’d got a plate of food, avoided the really hot one, asked what one of the dishes was that had dark brown cubes in it, thinking it was steak, they said it was “raw chicken” I decided I’d skip that!!! I think they may have meant to say chicken livers????

We went to the Red light district to see what all the fuss was about. We stayed for 1 drink and left! I won’t mention one more word about it – unless of course you ask for details!!!

Day 3: got a Taxi down to Hua Hin (3hour drive), to spend a week by the beach. Got stopped twice by the Thai police. I found out after that trip down just how much bribing is done with the Thai police!!! We’d seen earlier on Koh San Rd the traffic police stop on the road, and it was an eye opener. A road that is piled with street vendors and tuk tuk’s placed all the way down the road to make a buck off a tourist. Then traffic police come and they just vanish down side streets hiding all the vehicles until the police are gone, and then when the cost is clear sure enough they’re back out is quickly has they’d disappeared. Saw a couple of tuk tuk drivers get in trouble, some got off lightly with an expensive bride, others not so lucky. Sadly, he obviously didn’t have enough $$ so he got beaten and his tuk tuk clamped. Then the thai man just stood up, laughed and walked away like it happened to him all the time. Thai people just laugh even in the most unpleasant of circumstances.

3 hours later and we are entering Hua Hin town ship where we look up and see massive monkeys walking along the power lines. It is now that I am truly grateful for spending NZ$2,500 on vaccinations for Shaun and I – amongst them being rabies! PHEW!

Hua Hin is something else. The beach is absolute madness. Thankfully we are staying a little out of town and the pool is paradise, quiet and remote and often find ourselves to be the only ones around the pool. The beach has horse rides, and loungers jutted up next to each other for miles (and I haven’t used hyperbole in this instance for my Westmere kids reading this!). When its high tide there is practically no beach, I can only imaging how much furniture gets washed away with the tide. Quite a different beach from Kata – South Thailand where we were a few years a go.

We are all loving the Thai food here which is no surprise. No belly upsets either. Glad I had the E.coli drinks back in NZ. I have been introduced to really good beer… Red Horse. Aroy Mark Mark! (Delicious). The few thai phrases I’ve learned are serving me well. I keep getting complimented on speaking Thai so well, especially saying “No thankyou!” Mai Kah Khawp khun ka. That phrase has come in especially handy in BKK. Thanks Shaun – good teacher, those language tapes have come in handy! J

Today we have been to Monkey Mountain. INSANE! I will upload the pics ASAP. Truly spectacular. We had monkeys eating out of our hands. They are everywhere on this mountain. You also go there to see a temple. There were Chinese, Indian and Buddhist temples. Had to walk up about a million steps to see them. Gotta be good for the bum and thighs! We played/fed many of the hundreds of monkeys that love the tourists… for the food buckets monks give you, for a small insignificant fee of 50baht ($2.50).

sTemperatures have been in the 30’s. Hot and loving it. Lots of swimming has been the order of the day and we’ve tried to do the sights in the morning before it gets too hot.

To all of you: I hope you have a great New Year and 2009 brings you all love and happiness,
To Deidree and Arthur, you’ll now be married when you read this, CONGRATULATIONS! Isn’t it just the best day ever! Sorry we missed it, but we both thought of you on your special day. Look forward to seeing the pics on face book xoxo