3 days in Bangkok - the traffic is as bad as you can imagine and the drivers are crazier! Unfortunately, I didn't know the Thai for "don't worry I am not in that much of a hurry" when the taxi driver decided to squeeze between the concrete barrier at the edge of the expressway and a double decker coach... didn't pay off as we were soon squeezed back behind the coach! Tuk-tuks are a great way to travel, provided that you can cope with inhalling the traffic fumes and the brain rattling vibrations. Also, are tuk-tuks the only form of transport where the driver has the gear shaft between his thighs?!? Something that I didn't remember from previous times here are the pink taxis - they're fab! Pink probably means somehing in Thailand, there is a colour for every day of the week - sky blue for Thursday, purple for Saturdays. Confusingly purple is also the colour for "the gays" or so the Thai girl telling me told me!

Bangkok is renowned for being a place where you can buy anything. I have been trying to resist the temptation, although have succombed to a few essentials on the Koh San Road! Amongst the millions of logo Tshirts on offer - "Same, same but different", "Starbucks", "Chang beer" etc, I saw a Thai girl wearing one with "Cheese is good" - definitely my favourite so far! The thing that I can never understand about Bangkok (and many similar cities) is that everyone is selling exactly the same thing. If you want to buy flowers, you go to the flower market - but there are hundreds of stalls all mostly selling marigolds which they thread as offerings for the buddas and shrines etc. There were huge bunches of roses for 30Baht (60p). Equally, if you want rip off Havianas or ray bans go to the Koh San Road and you will find stall after stall selling exactly the same stuff.

Yesterday, before Rachel arrived, I did a bicycle tour of unseen historic Bangkok. It was really interesting and I would recommend to anyone with a bit of time here. We cycled down very small lanes, dodging people's washing lines, food stalls, small children... We went past a school where they were all marching and playing instruments. The teachers explained that they were doing it to encourage people to come out and vote in the forthcoming election! (Novel, think it would work in the UK?) I then decided that I would take a boat down the river - happened to stop at the Mandarin Oriental and whilst I was there thought that it would be rude not to pop in for a drink! Really lovely place (although the pineapple juice cost me more than my lunch and dinner combined!) Whilst I was there enjoying the view across the river the wind started up and the black clouds rolled in for the afternoon drenching. Stupidly, after carrying my waterproof around all day I had decided to leave it at home - I was totally soaked to the skin and miles away from a change of clothes. When it rains it definitely rains! This afternoon's rain storm brought down a large tree on some power lines on the street where our guest house is!

Thai people are renowned for their friendliness, which I experienced first hand in trying to cross a road when a very sweet old lady basically dragged me across 6 lanes of traffic all the while explaining the you have to just ignore the cars (!), transpired that she worked at the international school in Bangkok so I got her life history and survived unscathed!

Today was spa day Thursday - after a fantastic massage we had a fish pedicure... sounds delightful, no? Very strange sensation!!!

Off to Hua Hin tomorrow where we will meet up with Rols, Nev, Tom, T and Sally and of course the bride and groom for the wedding on Sunday! Can't wait!