A slice of the West in the East, the gateway to Aisa, red light district of Asia, Bangkok has been called a lot of things all of them have an aire of truth. Being so Westernised it is very easy to slot into life here with ease. The infamous Khoa San Road, the home to the backpaker for decades, where we inevitably ended up is lined with souvenir shops, restaurants, bars and clubs. The shops spill out not only to pavement but onto the road any gaps filled with the many scattered food stalls seducing you with a variety of hot delights. To fully accomodate the tourists this place is, of course, open 24 hours. Along with the Mconalds and Burger Kings well established. So we thought it would be rude not to take advantage of all this and had a day of Westernised therapy taking in the cinmas, pizza places wandering round the endless lines of gigantic shopping malls.

Now we thought we ought to do the cultural thing and so decided to look round some temples etc. but having seen so many (most of them identical) we had to single the most interesting out to prevent boredom after all, Thailand's temples are really the same as what you would find in India and Nepal just all 'blinged up'. Anyway we too the water busses (great fun) to see the largest relining Buddah. It was big. I felt small. Some 15m in height (laying down of course), I forget its length.

The highlight of Bangkok has to be going to watch the Muay Thai (Thai boxing) in one of the two old stadiums (old being the stressed word). Boxing is not normally my thing but the 'audience participation' in replicating the kicks and punches thrown added wholey to the atmoshpere and noise along with the furious hand signaling throughout the stands taking and placing bets. We got there after it had started and still saw five matches each with five rounds themselves so given the rip-off tickets available to tourists it wasn't too bad an evening.

I think it has been safe to say that we have now experienced most of what Bangkok has to offer including the must-do ride in a tuk tuk. They're a bit faster than their Indian cousins and the drivers appear to love their jobs. We manganed to get one to race another carrying other farang. I think in the end we one but the others got to experience a wheely. Our drivers later pathetic attempt at one had a lot to be desired! But I digress, we leave Thailand and it's comerciality for Cambodia where we hope to escape the hoards of tourists and see some crazy stuff. Thailand you had to instigate the cray things, a far cry from India or Nepal when getting out of bed you would see something crazy. So to Cambodia...