After getting bitten? by mosquitoes at surantani train station eventually got on the train for Bangkok it was so quiet everyone was asleep not like the trains in India where people are still having there evening meal. Very comfy saw lots of padi firlds in the morning and lots of birds. Bangkok is so hot. It is an experience crossing the road firstly the pavement you may have a moped or motorbike then the road 5 lanes with cars, buses, bikes and tuk tuks. You do not look right and left you look constantly and generally I cross with the locals. I had to give my passport to the travel agent at the hotel? for visas for Vietnam and China. I paid extra to get them done in 2 days want my passport back as soon as possible. It is not much cheaper going to the embassy and it might not get processed as quickly. On the last day of the tour we went to the Floating Market I went on a boat for 30 minutes it was fun but I did not buy anything. Then we went to the Bridge Over the River Kwai, walked a bit of the bridge, we had a guide for the day who was really good. Wish I had a guide for Bangkok. Slowly getting used to it. Went to the Grand Palace today and saw the largest lying Buddha in Thailand. They were spectacular. I went on the river boat it is cooler on the river and cheap 20 bahti, they blow a whistle and you get on and off at floating peers. Had someone try and tell me the Palace was shut managed not to be fooled, but will no doubt get ripped off at some point. Sad the tour has finished on my own for 2 weeks going to do a 4 day tour to Cambodia, it is a bit expensive, but I do not have the confidence to do it myself. I am going to book it at the hotel and I might do a hill trek. I do not want to stay 2 weeks in Bangkok it is so hot and polluted. The tour guide took us to a street stall where you get cheap food it was great until I saw the biggest rat I have ever seen in my life run past our table. The street food is really good, but I wish I had someone like Stella in Penang to tell me what is good. There are so many young backpackers here, I have come to the conclusion that it is a myth people my age do what I am doing. The young girls on my trip were all really nice, last night they all got piercing tongues, eyebrow, nose and lips. I had a good laugh they wanted me to get a tatoo, but I declined the offer. I did eat a grasshopper and grub, to be honest it tasted of nothing.

I love hearing from everyone Thank You all for keeping in touch. TRied to respond to my Mum's email but it keeps failing. I will be staying in Bangkok for my birthday leave the next day for my next trip. I should have my visas for china and vietnam by tomorrow, then I will book for Cambodia, I will leave the details of my trip with someone who I can get an email to. Having difficulty sending emails can anybody send me there email addresses. Cannot send them to my mum and Rory at the moment ( have you blocked me Rory never been able to send you one). Louise in September I will be in New Zealand. Congratulations to Karen and Mr Karen.

Have been on riverboats and the skytrain. The taxis and tuk tuks are pains. Taxis get lost do not know there way around. It takes you ages to find one that will put its meter on and tuk tuks try and take you to places where they get commision. The river is the way to travel. I changed hotels this morning managed to find one in the lonely planet after spending 10 pounds on a grotty one as it was torrential rain this morning and thunder and lightening. Hotel is in the backpackers area. Woke up at 3am this morning with a cold, hopefully my vicks first defence will work. Heared lots of noise in the streets the food stalls were full of people eating and chatting whilst it poured with rain. Had a laugh yesterday for lunch I did not know what I was ordering and staff did not speak English, but the food was really good. Love thai pancakes they are sweet but yummy and having lots of noodle soups. People are always eating from street stalls lots of noodles, meat, exotic veg and fruits. It is very healthy. Would like to do a cooking class but they are expensive. One of the girls from the trip is in Bangkok until Monday so we are doing the sites together. Not doing to much today as full of the cold and it is raining loads. Will write tomorrow.

Well did not manage to get round to writing it is now Sunday. The Seafood Fare is on in Cairndow. I went to Lumphini Park yesterday it is a little oasis of green in Bangkok. I saw the biggest lizard it came out a pond and climbed very quickly up a tree, it also had a hoge tongue. I would not like to swim beside it. Gloria and I went and saw the Royal Barges thay were beautiful and gold and covered in jewels. To get to the barges you have to go down all these little narrow lanes with wooden houses. They have lots of washing outside and some have little stalls selling food which they cook in front of you. I had a drink yesterday some kind of grass but it has lots of noodles in it.

Gloria and I met an Irish guy at her hotel he had done lots of traveling we ende up going out with him. The taxi driver was based at the hotel, his name was Mr T and he sang us Frank Sinatra songs in a thai accent he was very good. Gloria sang amazing grace, paul a john denver number and I flower of scotland but I only could remember a few words. Went to see a live band at central point and they were great. Everyone and for once I include myself was dancing. We got a taxi back and I could not believe it but the guy put his meter on. I do not like the area where I am staying it is just full of backpackers, but it is not expensive to stay there. I will miss gloria ( who is going to Oxford University and will be horrified at the state of the english in this blog, just like Rory) we have had a good time in Bangkok. But one our way we must go ready to meet lots of new interesting people. I did see a white cat with green eyes wearing a green tshirt on the way to the internet place, it ran away before I could take a picture. Shall try and write from Cambodia. Keep in touch.

I have been to Siem Reap I did try and do a blog there, but as usual it sometimes does not work. Really tired took 13 hours to get back to Bangkok. But strangley met very briefly a young couple from Callender and another young couple the girl was from Dublin and the boy from Dunfermiline. It is a small world after all. To tired to write, would someone tell my mother I am back in Thailand, still failing to get emails to her. Maybe she could write to me I need to check my finances with her. This blog is a pain sometimes it works sometimes it does not. I will try and get better at my spelling and grammar, but every minute is money so I would rather write. Will write about Cambodia tomorrow. I was going to do a cycle tour of Bangkok but they need 2 people minimum and there is only me. Well I will just have to find someone and come back to Thailand and do the cycle in a few years time.

I have decided not to call cynthia the women I met on the bus as I think I will have a quiet night I have to move hotels in the morning early. I will celebrate my birthday another time. Might go for one cocktail on my own and try and write my diary. I am sorry the Robertsons have not got there parcel, I think my others got there. Could someone please ask my mum to email me about my finances. I wrote a huge amount earlier and it has not saved AGGH. Thankyou for all my birthday messages. I did a cooking course this morning. Went shopping in the market first ingredients cost 70p that included chicken, prawns, spices, veg and 1 egg. Made soup, salad, green curry and a turnip dessert. As usual I was the only one in the class, but at least I got to do it. I had planned to do a cycle but there was not a second person so it was cancelled. The cooking was fun, I might try it out on people when I come back. When the class finished I went to one of the huge shopping centres they had an orchid show on it was beautiful. I had to get a pair of sunglasses as the others snapped in half. Decided to go to shops as I do not know if the ones in the market would really be UVA proof. It was a lovely sunny day here and I got the river boat back to where I am staying. I really like the river it is so full of life people in there wooden houses on stilts washing on there balconies or eating. Thai people continually seem to snack but it is all healthy fruit or noodles or sti frys. At first I hated Bangkok but it has really grown on me. The thai people are also very spiritual as they go by temples they pray or bow there heads. They have great respect for the king there are pictures of him everywhere. Lots of people wear yellow polo shirts with the Kings emblem.