...Wat Pho. Thai Massage. Bye bye Bangkok...

Its my last day in Thailand and although I've become used to Bangkok now and my surroundings I'm quite pleased to be moving on and the prospects of something new.

Its a gorgeous sunny day and I make my way down to Wat Pho the reclining Buddha. Was having a lovely walk there until I start getting harassed by the lying cheating tuk tuk drivers once again trying to claim its Buddhist day. Its just takes the edge off of the experience when in five minutes you have six different people trying to con you. I don't mind them trying to get my business by taking me places but I hate the fact they'll blatantly lie to my face to make money out of me and worst of all no one thinks of a new idea besides Buddhist day.

However, Wat Pho was absolutely awesome. I can't believe the sheer scale of it. The mother of pearl in-lay feet were absolutely amazing.

Afterwards I experienced a ferry boat bus ride up the canal. I think its brilliant they utilise the canal for public transport.

Spend the afternoon and evening leisurely packing and chilling out as well as enjoying some of my favourite Thai dishes. Had this wicked Thai Tea Shake, well yummy. I finshed the evening off with a manicure and pedicure and a Thai massage. It was a bit vigourous and brutal but oh my god it was fantastic, I felt amazing afterwards. I couldn't believe the amount of clicks she got out of my back. Was nice being pampered on my last night in Thailand.

My overall thoughts on Thailand are very mixed. There was some experiences that were absolutely amazing like the Full Moon Party and Kanchanaburi but in the whole I found it really exhausting. The tourist board have an amazing advertising company as the picture they paint really isn't what its like at all. Being a single girl on my own was really difficult and everyone is so unhelpful unless they're trying to get money out of you, even then they're not forthcoming. Some people even pretend to know less English than what they actually do, its almost like they think we should pay for the fact that we have more money than them, they just don't seem to realise that we have to work hard for this money.

I'm really glad I've done this part of the trip but it was pretty draining. I'm not sure if I'd ever go back to Thailand, I definitely wouldn't go by myself again particularly to Bangkok as it can be a pretty lonely place as you don't have loads of opportunities to meet people because you stay in your own room and not shared dorms and there aren't communal areas like kitchens where you stay. The islands were a lot easier to make friends as people are more in a party mood.

Can't wait to move on and start exploring Singapore.

Photo: The enormity of Wat Pho the reclining Buddha

[Next blog entry: Singapore Tuesday July 10th 2007]