Howdy doodies!!

You find me in Pai at the moment which is a really cool place in northern Thailand. We've been busy bees again so here goes.....!

We arrived in Bangkok on the 27th and easily found our way to the cheap bus that takes you into the centre. We got dropped off at Koh San Road which is one of the most mental places in Thailand! It felt like we were Mary and Joseph making our way through the crowded street trying to find digs for the night. Alas there was no room at the Inn. Any of them. The ones we tried anyway! It was soooo humid there too so not really the best situation! A guy asked us if we needed a room and after looking at the leaflet of the place and deciding that 4 walls and a bed were all we really required at that point, decided to go for it! We went on a Tuk Tuk which in itself is an experience! (See the picture accompanying the blog!) and we struck lucky to be honest. The room was really big, clean and out of all of the noise! Even the shared bathroom at the end of the corridor was decent. Pretty sure there were some drug dealers on our floor but hey, can't have everything!

We did a bit of temple spotting the following day, we saw the Grand Temple which were reet grand, and the Temple of the Reclining Buddah which was impressive. I found them really peacfull places to be, I love going into them. You have to cover up though. I was suitably dressed but they didn't take kindly to Carolines' leggings so made her wear this funky wrap around floor length skirt. Just what she needed in the sweltering heat! We went into a travel agents to ask for directions and ended up sorting out the majority of our time in South East Asia! Bonus! So...

The next morning we were picked up early to start a 2 day 1 night trip to a place called Kanchanaburi. Our first port of call was the renowned floating market. The boat trip to the market was the funniest thing. We were going so fast in the motor powered canoe thing it was a miracle we didn't get soaked! Then when we arrived we got into another boat that floats down the water past all these other small boats loaded with stuff for you to buy! Enjoyed that experience. Then we went to a random Snake Show as we had time to spare. Here we saw men fighting with Cobras, the Cobra fighting with a Mongoose (don't feel sorry for him, he kicked the snakes ass!!), then a jumping snake at which point I moved out of the front row and back about 3!! and for the finalle a guy caught 3 snakes, one in each hand and the last in his mouth!! The funniest thing was the commentator who managed to make the whole thing sound like a sleezy sex show!! His voice was hillarious - "you wanna touch it, go on, touch the snake!" Or maybe that's just my mucky mind again?! Anywho, after lunch we went to the War Museum and the Bridge over the River Kwai. Reading the stories in the museum really affected me and I had to stop reading them as I was almost in tears. It was just horrible but I'm glad we went there. Then we went to the Tiger Temple where we got to stroke the Tigers and have photos taken with them. We were led around them like children though which was surreal but for our own safety I guess. Gutted we didn't get chance to see the tiny cubs but we had to leave. Humph. We stayed the night on a floating raft thingy on a secluded part of the river which was bliss. The next day we visited the Erewan National Park which has 7 gorgeous waterfalls. We saw the bottom 5 but didn't have time to go right to the top. That was such a peacfull few hours and it was great taking a dip in one of the pools, much needed after walking in the heat. I was a very brave sausage and climbed the rocks so I could slide down into the pool! Memorable moment: Caroline getting freaked out and chased by an evil monkey!!! They take no prisoners there, I saw one steal a bag off a group of hysterical oriental people and take it up into trees!

That was the end of the trip so we got taken back to Bangkok train station about 6pm and spent a very long 4 hours waiting for our overnight train to take us up north to Chiang Mai. We expected to have cabins with about 4 beds in them but it was just scummy bunk beds lining the train and a small gap through the centre. Quite funny when I look back but not so great when your travel buddy is poorly sick bless her. 14 1/2 hours later we arrived in Chiang Mai (yes, 14 1/2 hours!) where we were picked up and taken to our hotel which was really nice. Had a swimming pool and everything. The rest of that day and the day after was just spent milling around Chiang Mai which was heaven after the chaos of Bangkok. Much more relaxed and less hassle to buy tat off every other person. We saw some more temples, released some birds at one and made a wish, found 2 places that served Strongbow. You can imagine my delight. I've never really had a craving before but my god was that first sip gooood!

So on the 5th we began another 2 day 1 night trip. Our group this time consisted of 2 other english lads, 2 annoying french women and 4 Slovakians. First we went elephant riding which I had mixed feelings about. It was a fab experience being on top of a big heffalump and I couldn't stop laughing at first but the place was nothing more than a grotty dirt track and they had tiny amounts of water. Lets just say I preferred seeing them looking happier in the wild in Africa. Then we started our trek. Didn't bank on the trekking being such hard work but in the heat it was really tough. Our mad guide Joshua took us on a really hard route and some parts were so steep. Wasn't impressed when he dragged us to the top of this really steep hill to look at a cave that bears may or may not have lived in, only to have to clamber straight back down again! I so thought I was going to fall. I was brave though and got through it! The waterfall we stopped at for a short while was lovely and a chance to cool down. We trekked on and finally got to the village we were to stay in overnight. We stayed with a small family right in the hills of North Thailand and sat around a log fire chatting to the slovakians!! In total we had walked for about 4 and a half hours and it was hard work. The next day we had another 2 hour trek and by the end of it we'd all had enough. Really glad I did it though and it was fun, even the scary parts. The last activity of the trip was Bamboo Rafting. Literally 10 lengths of bamboo strapped together which you have to sit on while the guy at the front steers it like a gondola. Got a bit wet but managed to stay on and my bum got a good massage when we went over the rocks too! Needles to say I had a well deserved cider with my dinner on our final night in Chiang Mai.

On the 7th we got a bus and came up to Pai which is further North, quite close to the boarder with Burma. It had been recommended to us by a guy we met in the Gilli's and I'm so glad we came here. It's so relaxed and such a lovely place. The people are the friendliest and it is so refreshing to come somewhere you aren't hassled by the shop owners. We hooked up with 2 guys travelling alone who were on the bus with us. One had been to Pai loads before and knew of somewhere over the river to stay so we all ended up staying in the same place, small cute bungalows called the Family Hut. One of the first things we did was get a traditional Thai massage, much needed after the trekking. We floated down the road afterwards!! Yesterday we hired scooters. 100 Baht for 24 hours which is about 2 squid!! Don't worry mom and dad, we were with the lads who knew where we were going and we wore helmets so were safe. After a very rocky start (actually I hated it and couldn't even get off the petrol station!) I LOVED it! They were so much fun and as it's so quiet here it was the perfect place to try them for the first time. We went over to see a waterfall and the hot springs and passed elephants by the side of the road!

Tonight we leave Pai, aahhhhh, but start our 2 day crossing over to Laos, yeeeeey! We have an 8 hour bus journey starting at 8pm tonight and stay at a place by the boarder which we cross the next day and get taken to Luang Prabang in North Laos. Really excited about going to the next country. We then have 2 weeks to make our way down Laos, into Cambodia and back to Bangkok where we have our final 9 days in Thailand and a few of the islands already sorted! It will be nice to get to Australia for a rest! But I am loving every single minute of this adventure.

I know that must have been a bit of a mission to read! If you are still awake then well done you! I wanted to let you know all of that before I entered a new country though! I'll be in touch soon with more news so you have been warned!

Hope everyone is looking after themselves at home and thanks for my messages :-)

Take care and speak soon guys

Lots of love

Nic
xxxxxx