Saturday 14 April

Up at 6 for a very easy transfer to Phuket Airport and then a smooth flight to Bangkok. Bags were left at the Left Luggage area and then we began a series of train journeys / skytrain journeys to Chatachat market.

Chatachat is a hot, bustling, busy, frantic, edgy market full to the brim with small stalls. It only operates at the weekends where hundreds upon hundreds of local traders come to sell their wares.

June and I had been previously and June in particular was looking for an artist she had previously bought from Pornchai Lerttamasiri. The previous time we had been to the market, we had not been able to find his stall. This time, June conducted a little bit more research and quite soon after arriving we found it. Spookily - within 10 minutes we had chose 2 paintings. We had actually fancied 3 but the third was very similar to a painting we already have. And so after a little haggling we walked away with 2 great paintings for 7500 Baht (£150) - Very chuffed. Just hope they survive the journey home. We then traweled through the market - fascinated at the goods we could buy. Dogs! Big Dogs, small dogs, Fluffy Dogs, Bald Dogs. Cats, Hamster, Rats, Mice, Rabbits….. Squirrels ! Snakes, Frogs, Tropical fish (thousands of those) Reptiles….(lots of them but not sure what most of them were). Hedgehogs _ yep. Hedgehogs for sale? Monkeys, Bats, flying squirrels things…. And the list goes on and on. Weird.

To escape from the hustle and bustle of the market we jumped back on the skytrain and took solitude at Jim Thompsons house. Jim Thompson was an American business man who revived the failing Thai silk industry. He built a fabulous home right smack bang in the middle of Bangkok and it really is a small piece of tranquility amongst the chaos of BK.

By this time we were all starving and so of to a food hall where Shelley and I enjoyed a curry whilst June stuck to her Thai food.

And so to the airport o pick up our bags and get changed. The Left Luggage area was next to the toilets and so we made a small camp outside - whilst we nipped into the loos to change clothes ready for the flight. Shelley nipped in and then almost straight away realised she had left her mobile phone in the Loo. Rushing back in but it was too late. Gone! Although Shelley think she spotted the person who had it walk away. Thankfully, next to the Left Luggage and Toilets was the Police office and so we reported it within minutes whilst I phoned Vodafone and cancelled her contract and barred the phone. (Although I had to phone my Mum to get her to Google the phone number of Vodafone - Must remember to take that with me next time). Lets hope it works but you never know.

That was an hour ago. I write this penultimate blog sat in the bar at Bangkok Airport drinking Singa beer whilst my 2 ladies scour the duty free shops for booze, perfume and chocolate.