We didn't remember Bangkok as being such a clean and modern city. It may have improved in the 2yrs since our last visit but more likely it just appeared this way after a 3.5 hr flight from Delhi. As the taxi pulled in to my friend PJ's flash apartment complex we couldn't have been further away from the backpacker trail!

Bangkok is a big city with a population of 7.7 million. As with any other capital city we have visited so far it is pancake flat, hectic and heavy with traffic and pollution. The immediately obvious difference with Bangkok is the large ex pat or farang community (as the Thais call them) living here. Unlike many other cities you can't walk down any street without seeing another western face. A high number of them are teachers as is the case with my friend PJ who came out to Bangkok on a 2 year contract. 6 years later he is still here having also purchased an apartment and learned excellent conversational Thai. His modern 2 bed apartment is handily placed for getting around as although fairly central it is off the main tourist trail so we can pick up taxis that will use the meter and therefore travel around very cheaply. With the monorail (BTS) also close by Bangkok's excellent transportation system offers an easy way to get around.

Enjoying our opportunities to travel, this is the 3rd time we have been out to visit so have already seen most of the sites. On our previous 2 visits we had however made 3 unsuccessful attempts to visit the Grand Palace, due to closure or the Prince visiting etc so we were determined to get there this time around. The most interesting way to get there is to take the 20 minute boat taxi down the river. Monks make the most of their free ride and normally fill the 'reserved for monks' section! Interesting Thai river life evident all around including sights of the more basic dwellings on the riverbank where locals wash in the dirty murky deep brown waters of the river. The river itself, a chocolate brown colour Willy Wonka would be proud of, is always fairly fast flowing containing lots of weeds and coconuts, presumably deposited in the rainforest further upstream. A constant convoy of heavily laden barges being dragged upstream from the estuary, in most cases requiring 3 tug boats to battle the strong river current. The tug's engines churning out thick smoke and the front of the boat virtually out of the water, as if pulling a 'wheelie' such is the strain of it's load!

Once departing the 16p boat taxi it is crucial to walk quickly and with purpose the remaining 10 mins to the palace to avoid the approaches from local guides or con artists. The Kings Palace, being the primary attraction in Bangkok is therefore full of sun scorched western tourists, the majority in shorts or vests. Etiquette rules require men to cover their legs and women their shoulders so the entrance gate offers free loans of clothing for this purpose. However, the colourful clown style loose fitting trousers resemble the spare baggy shorts that were on offer when forgetting your PE kit at school.

The Grand Palace and grounds are exactly that- very grand! The temples, throne rooms and other buildings that are scattered within the vast grounds of the Palace have been built with impressive ornate detail. Magnificent gold plating glistening under the intense sun. Closer inspection reveals the walls have been given a tiny tiled mosaic finish, such is the detail. The Palace itself is a large more modern looking building, set in what resembles a British colonial garden. A couple of hours to wander around and take photos is just about as long as I could take in even the thinest of combat trousers in the heat, so the exit door and a return to shorts was an excellent sight in itself!

Bangkok has embraced it's role as a stopping off point for tourists en route to the majestic islands, beaches or jungles of this beautiful country. Signposts contain both Thai and English translation with the majority of Thais in tourist areas speaking English. Bars, hotels, shops and restaurants are plentiful and offer the usual indigenous options such as Subway, McDonalds, O'Briens Irish Bar or Tesco! It is easy to forget you are thousands of miles from home with billboard advertising any product available on the UK high street or displaying skyscraper sized images of the Chelsea or Man Utd teams!

No visit to Bangkok is complete without a walk along the famous backpackers Ko San Road. If you aren't bothered about it being the genuine article, you can get a good deal on a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses, Levi jeans, Gucci Bag or pretty much any pirate DVD you would like. It is even possible to purchase a doctorate, Harvard Law degree, international student card or driving license at a very reasonable price! The new offering is the slightly strange but also rather fun option to have your feet massaged by fish, who are happy to suck the dead skin off your sweaty dirty feet!

Bangkok is an interesting city by day but it's real unique selling point is reserved for after sunset. All it's various nightlife districts offering entertainment until the very early hours. The famous area of Pat Pong although a little sleazy is a fascinating place to sit and soak up the vibrant atmosphere. Once you have avoided the persistent selling of the numerous 'Go Go' bars or 'shows' there are some great bars to sit out in the street and people watch or play 'spot the lady boy', which it has to be said is sometimes more difficult than you would think. The Ko San Road is also full of lively bars and clubs all offering happy hours to entice the willing backpacker. There are also various other night bazaars or more up market areas to appeal to all tastes.

If you do manage to survive a few nights in Bangkok the snake farm is worth a visit during the day. Usefully situated near Pat Pong market it also allows an opportunity to see how desolate and quiet this area can be in daylight hours. The snake farm is attached to the University and unlike many other tourist versions across Thailand is a genuine centre of medical research. It is one of the leading centres in the world along with another in Sao Paulo, where they create anti venom which is then sent to hospitals across the world. It houses pretty much all varieties of snakes native to Thailand including the highly venomous and immense King and spitting Cobras along with many colourful Kraits, rat snakes, vipers and pythons. In addition to the informative museum and selection of serpents, there are daily venom milking and snake shows where handlers (all of who have been bitten at some stage) release and then try to avoid the lunging strikes of the highly aggressive 3 metre long King or Siamese Cobras in front of the gallery of spectators trying to catch the perfect photo.

Bangkok is a central hub of our trip and after a week down South on the islands we returned for a couple of nights before taking our 9th flight of the trip to Saigon or Ho Chi Minh city in Vietnam! Once again boding farewell to PJ whilst leaving our Jeans and big jumpers to collect when we will return after the next loop of SE Asia in early January. So... after a fun and relaxing 2 weeks in Thailand we said a huge Thank You and goodbye and took the familiar taxi route to the airport and on to the next adventure.....Vietnam!!!