By Andrew Day

It's been a few days since our last update and I hope everyone is following what we are doing. If you click around on the pages you will see both mine and Mr Bakers entries.

After my eventful few days in Kanchanaburi, we decided to leave and head to the old capital of Thailand a place called Ayutthaya, we had the accomadation prebooked on the internet and the minibus was confirmed to pick us up from the guesthouse. It was a drive from hell, the minibus driver decided to ignore the road markings and just drive down the middle of the road the whole time, he said it would save time. The drive should have been nearly 3 hours and we did it in under 2. As soon as we got off the bus we looked at each other and with pale faces said never again. The 2 nights in Ayutthaya were to be honest 2 nights to long. Seen one old temple seen them all is my new moto. It was interesting to see the old palace but to honest I think we just both wanted more. The only plus I can think off is that one night we went to a very small local resturant that has purely for the locals as the menu was all in Thai and the only know very little English, we pick a meal by looking at pictures and it was a great sucess. The food was excellent and we had to main courses and 2 cans of coke for 80 baht ( just over a pound) bargin or what? After those couple of nights be were booked on the night train to Chaing Mai. This was going to be a first as we had sleeper accomadation included in the price. The journey was scheduled to take 11hours but as you will know by now the major journeys we have taken have all been delayed and guess what this one was no different. The train left a little late, only 30 minutes but we still manged to arrive 4 hours late into Chaing Mai.How that happen is a complete guess as it didn't have to stop anywhere. Once more we had prebooked a nice guest house on the web for 7 pounds a night but meet a nice lady who suduced us with an offer we couldn't say no to. A really nice guest house called Thaphae gardens (more like a small hotel) with large rooms, very clean and a pool, yes a pool and for the bargin price of 8 pounds a night, so we slashed out and are now living in luxuury. After spending the day yesterday (arrival day 12/02/09) working round the time and a very nice but cold swim in the pool we thought it would be fun to go back to achool and enrolled on a Thai cooking course.

Day at Chaing Mai Thai Farm cooking school.

What a brilliant 20 pounds per person. We were picked up this morning at 9am and taken to the local market where we were told about the different foods used in Thai cookery. After a brief 10 minutes on our own we were on the road again off to the farm. We we arrived we were given water and had a work round the organic farm which was really interesting. We had to pick 5 dishes each and 1 curry paste to make and we were away. I made -

Thai green curry paste, Thai vegetable soup, Thai green curry, bananna in coconut mike, chicken with cashue nuts and then my favourite spring rolls.

Then I add the whole lot!!!!!!!!! YUMMY

We were back to the hotel by 5pm just in time for another cold swim. At this time we have no idea how long we are going to be in Chaing Mai but when we know so will you. We have something very excetting planned for Monday but you will have to wait and see, but it involves wild aniamls.

More tales to follow you adventure lovers, and as a foot note,Andy was to busy laughing at the waterfall instead of taking photos of my near drowning moment.