After having arrived at Heathrow Airport at 18:00 (on the dot- thank you Cristina!) on the 01st September we had the shock of our lives as we were upgraded (thank you Naj!) for our 11 hour flight to Bangkok. After having watched numerous movies on 'on demand' TV we arrived in Bangkok to the extremely sweltering heat which hit us as soon as we got off the plane. 35 degrees and of course, humid!

The life style here is mad- cars, taxis, tuk-tuks, bikes, heat and massive pollution makes it hard to breathe, even for the locals. Pedestrian crossings, whilst they may exist, mean nothing to those that drive through the city at brake next speed with a goal in mind- to survive! The streets of Bangkok are laden with foreigners at every corner, not surprising when you consider the business mindedness of the country which is so apparent from everything you see even down to the way they care so much about their appearance.

As we tried to find our accommodation (despite having asked so many people directions) i cant describe how difficult it was to try and negotiate our way around a city which has no roadsigns or where there are some they dont correspond with the map! This has been a theme throughout our stay in Bangkok.

The houses here vary from very minimal to extreme luxury, all of which line many narrow streets which can be found all over bankgkok. We found our hotel amist one of them just in the east of the city very close from the main station. On our first day we wandered by the train station to ask about how we could get to Laos in a couple of days to be told 'stand up straight its time for the national anthem.' Apparently at 18:00 every night the national anthem of Thailand is played in all public spaces.

That evening we ventured out to have some dinner to a restaurant called 'cabbages and condoms' which was established to help build communities and raise awareness of safe sex - www.pda.or.th/restaurant. After dinner we left to find the monsoon had started for that evening and after hesitating over whether to take a taxi we ran through the rain back to our hotel- slight fever after having been soaked and having taken the air conditioned metro :.(

On the second day we started to explore Bangkok and got taken advantage of by, who appeared to be a very nice tuk-tuk driver (we later discovered they were all very nice as they all wanted you to take their tuk-tuks!). He showed us around everywhere we DIDN'T want to go and of course to all of the places where his friends gave him commission for taking us there. Many hours later we kindly said goodbye and went on our way.

One thing we learnt from Bangkok- dont get caught out by the monsoon rains- yes we got wet again on the second night and are now waiting for the washing machine in the hotel before we venture off on the night train to Laos this evening.

Until the nest time- Adios!

Pas question de traduire tout le texte en anglais du dessus, ou je vais passer mes 6 mois a traduire de l'anglais!

Nous sommes arrives a Bangkok le 2 septembre 2010 a 15.00 par un vol de Londres qui c'est passe dans de superbe conditions...surpris par la chaleur et l'humidite, nous arrivons dans cette ville folle pleine de vie, grouillant de tout les cotes, fatigues par ce vol de 11 heure, a la recherche de notre hotel.

Le Cozy Bangkok Place est un petit hotel simple qui vous donne l'impression d'etre a la maison, il est situe pres de la gare principal a Bangkok et nous y avons une chambre avec air conditione pour 2 nuits (1500 bath pour 2 nuits pour 2 personnes).

le soir de notre arrivee, Thai Restaurant et pluie au programme...il me semble apres seulement deux jour que le climat est programme a l'avance, 35 degres et tres humide 24/24 soleil de 6.00 a 17.00 et grosse pluie de 17.00 a 6.00...de la pluie seulement la nuit, la grande bretagne devrait prendre des lecons.

A la facon dont s'est deroule la seconde journee, je realise que nous n'avons pas encore pris concience que nous sommes en voyage pour 6 mois car nous courrions partout pour en voir le plus possible...on va se fatiguer!

Bangkok me semble etre un gros bordel et le taux de mortalite routiere doit etre haute! ...ce sont des Fadas!!!

Nous partons ce soir en train de nuit pour le Laos (Pakse) ou la vie devrait etre moin frenetique....les thais sont plus qu'amical...il faudra que l'on reviennent pour visiter ce pays.

A tres bientot du Laos

Cedric et Danni