Greetings from Thailand (Sawasdee - Hello in Thai) Tuesday 4th November 03 After the 11 hour flight we finally arrived at Bangkok Airport. Our bags were ready and waiting, so we set off looking for transport to Khao San Road. Having seen the condition of Bangkok taxi's we opted for the airport bus, which took us through Bangkok's rush hour traffic in the heat of the day. This cost approximately £1 each for a 10 mile trip! We were dropped close to our first nights hostel which we had booked in advance of arrival (thank goodness we did!). Later in the evening we took to the street to do some market shopping and try our hand at bartering with the locals (relative success!). We had our first experience of Thai street food - Pad Thai, which is a mixture bean sprouts, noodles, cabbage and lots of garlic fried in a wok - it is delicious!! The humidity and travel took its toll so we tucked in for the evening. However, we were to experience a very rough night. Although this wasn't so bad as we had Sky TV in our room so Dan was content watching Manchester United play live in the Champions League at 4.00 am!!! Wednesday 5th November 03 Today we began by checking into a new hostel for 200 Baht (approximately £2.60) between us, although it lacked the luxuries such as air-conditioning and television, which our first room had. We now have a communal shower to be shared with other back packers and a toilet all in the same cubicle, which has no flush so the shower has a dual role - if you catch our drift! We have booked this hostel for two nights, so we will remain here until we head to Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. We had our first experience in a Tuk Tuk today (see picture) to the local river, which was certainly an unforgettable one - dodging in and out of the busy traffic, with little regard for others. Here we took a river boat to a local town in search of a Thai boxing stadium. However, we were told a few porkies and on arrival we were correctly informed that in fact, the Thai boxing that evening was at another stadium much closer to our hostel, however it wasn't a wasted trip as the river boat was also an eye opener, to the sights and safety in Bangkok! On our return in search of the stadium we went to the Golden Mount - a Buddhist Temple. Today was a religious festival so we were lucky to sample the Buddhists in action!! From here we went to watch the Thai boxing - 7 rounds of mayhem and bloodshed! In the arena, local Thai men created an unforgettable atmosphere, primarily as they were gambling (illegally) on the fights! Thursday 6th November 03 Today we set off in search of the Grand Palace (a must see sight in Bangkok) and Wat Po (the reclining Buddha). These were both amazing sights, and pictures can be found on the photo board. On our way to these sights, we were taken for a ride for the first time since our arrival with a local bird feed seller. He openly placed bags of seeds in our hands and told us to feed the flocks of pigeons, which we did!. However, on doing this he wanted 300 Thai baht (approximately £5!). We said no and gave him 5 baht (approx 8 pence) and walked away with our tails between our legs (Lesson One - Learnt!) On our way back to the hostel we decided to have a Thai body massage. This was an extremely painful experience and one not to forget! We returned back to Khao San Road were we opted for an Italian cuisine restaurant - very nice & relatively cheap!! We also booked our bus trip up north to Chiang Mai. This is a 10 hour journey and we leave tomorrow evening at 6.00 p.m. We managed to strike a good deal - getting the tickets and one nights accommodation for 500 Baht between us (not bad going!!). Friday 7th November 03 Our final day in Bangkok, so some last minute bargain hunting, and relaxing by the pool in our hostel before our long bus trip in the evening. Nat also found time to squeeze in a foot massage, which was much more relaxing and far less painful than the Thai body massage. The weather has been fantastic since we arrived, ranging from 32-36 degrees, although the humidity has taken some getting use to. We're looking forward to getting to Chiang Mai as there is only so much to do and see in Bangkok. Overview of Bangkok - hectic noisy & dirty, but a must see city in Thailand!