It all began last night, nothing worse than arriving somewhere by plane at night but at least nothing went wrong on the way. It didnt appear to be starting well, our taxi driver had to ask the lads for directions to the place and then spent about five minutes off the meter sitting in the car with the map as close to his roof light as possible trying to read the number of the place... so our driver appeared to be blind, how bad sure, this is Bangkok and apparently anything goes.

So to start off this series of blogs I would like to start by building it up a bit, just a bit. Everyone has told us to get out of Bangkok as quick as we can. We have to get our Vietnam visas so will be staying for three nights, three nights in Bangkok... more than your typical Cork hurler at least!!!!

Anyway, after we got to the hostel we were pretty wiped out from the day of flying and travelling. Our exit from Australia didnt go to plan as our drivers car broke down and we had to get the train.... dont worry Ruairi we forgive you since we made it!!!! Anyway, the hostel was lovely looking, the guy at the door was very friendly and the place was exactly what we needed to ease back into backpacking again. The next morning we got up early and headed off to the embassy to apply for the visas, collecting them the next day, sound. After the business was done we said we would head off to the massive shopping centre for a look. Let me explain this. At some time in the morning, lets call it early o'clock, the mother of all storms decided to drop its rain on top of Bangkok. Thunder and lighning roared through the window and the rain almost drove itself through the roof. When we stepped outside the front door the street/lane was flooded, we had to wade up the street to get out, this was grand though we have managed to avoid some worse flooding on this trip so far. So thats why we went to the MBK shopping centre. Its massive. Seven floors with a cinema on the seventh. Stalls and restaurants and cafes that do every type of food imaginable and some unimaginable I am sure. There are real shops and fake shops, market stalls and proper shop shops. We just decided to go eat, I had thai curry and it was way to hot and Regina had Yaki Soba which is possibly my favourite Asian dish (it is in Wagamamas anyway). We then went back to the hostel and chilled out. We needed some quick recovery after the walking around the shopping centre.

Later, with boredom on our sides we got the Sky Train back towards the MBK but got off at the Siam centre to go to the cinema there. The MBK had nothing on we wanted to see and the cinemas here are supposedly savage. We wanted to go to one of the VIP shows which arent what you think of course but are just deadly seats and food brought to you, the had none on though, or none we could work out at least. So we picked Red Riding Hood with Premium Seats, it cost us about a fiver. The seats turned out to be the basic seats but they were very comfy all the same. The movie was absolute rubbish, but this still isnt a movie review so google it if ya want. After the movie we went for pizza, Regina couldnt face rice or noodles again so soon, it might be a long month for her, bless!!! After dinner it was back to the hostel for a nine o'clock bed time... we chatted til maybe ten past though!!!

So far, Bangkok is not horrible, we dont hate it, and we are happy to be going sight seeing the next day. That said I was knackered by the end of the day yesterday and with both of the shopping centres being very big and full of weird stuff, particularly the writing which looks like something Doctor Robert would scribble at the end of a Physchology essay, and I admittadly wanted to go home straight away.... I am fine now, I was just tired.....