Hello!

WEll i'm back in Bangkok for the second time, and absolutely loving it. Arrived reallylate on friday after waiting for some of the people i was staying with in Singburi so that we could catch the bus together. Had a nightmare getting to my hostel, as the taxi driver couldnt find it, and we spent nearly 45 mins just looking for this place. Found it in the end though, but i got completely ripped off by the taxi driver. Got into my ten bed dorm, and there were just two other girls, both Danish in there. Got changed quickly then went out to mee the girls i had arrived in Bangkok with, and we went for a few drinks then to a club. i actually had a really good time. The next day i decided to move hostels, as the one i was staying in was really far out of the centre, and i was paying a fortune for Tuk Tuks and taxis to get to the centre, who were constantly trying to rip me off. they also purposly take really long routes into town, so i stopped one of the taxis i was in and decided to walk only to realise he had taken me so far out of the way it was a 30 minute bus ride into the centre! So i managed to find the right bus stop and get on a bus to the centre. whcih was actually quite cool as i managed to get to see a bit if Bangkok that others dont get to see. Also the girls i was sharing the room with left, so i was the only person in a 10 bed dorm! The only reason i went for a dorm was to meet other people, so there seemed no point in staying. So i spent saturday looking for a new hostel, and found this really good little place in Kho San Road (the main tourist road) for about 200 baht (about4/5 pounds), and there i have my own room with, guess what, hot water in the shower down the end of the corridor! Hot water, can you imagine! No cold showers for at least a couple of days, so i snapped up the room. I then bumped into the two Danish girls that i was with before, staying at the same hostel! Small world. I didnt get to do any of the toursity stuff i wanted to do because of all that! i then walked to a park by the river and just walked around and sat there for a while, watching people practice Tai Chi and listened to a thai music concert. Sometimes it is so nice being on your own, because you just get to do what you want, when you want, and i sat there listing to the music because i wanted to, it was beautiful. Sorry, i must apologise for my s*** typing, the keys are in a different place on this keyboard and its pissing me off! Anyway, i went for a meal in a restuarant (the food here is soooooo good. Thai curries here are amazing). Just sat on my own watching the Man U match (everyone loves man u here). then a group of people sat on the table next to me, and after my meal, i just went over to them and said 'Hi, i'm here on my own, do you mind if i join you for a drink?' Best decision i made, as they were some of the funniest people i have ever met. they were all from Oz, and really nice. They'd all done Cambodia and Vietnam, so got some good tips from them. I will upload some pictures. But Katie Heseltine, i took a picture just for you. Jono, used to be in Home and Away (you do still watch that dont you?!) there is a picture of me pointing at him for you, he is the blonde one. now he works in pyrotechnics and worked on the film Australia and also the new X men movie that is coming out. We then all spent the evening together and had so much fun. We went to a bar in the street, only to have the owners come over to us when we were drinking our drinks to make us stand up and pretend we werent drinking and take the chairs away, because it turned out the abr was a bit of an impromptue bar and the police had shown up. We then went to a club before i stumbled home at 3. we then arrange to meet for Brunch this morning, which scuppered my plans for today as well! I wanted to go to the weekend market whcih has 200,000 stalls, buit never made it in the end. After saying good bye to them this afternoon i went to the Grand palace, and a couple of temples on the river boat. on the boat on the way back i got chatting to this guy, Taib, also an Ozzie, and we decided to go to another market together. we couldnt find the market, but came across a random temple where the monks were performing a special ceremony and chanting. it was off teh trail a bit so there were no other westerners and we were allowed to just sit and watch it, it was beautiful. i wasnt allowed in to the buidlign though ecause my arms werent covered. We then went for a drink and back to the park where we sat and did some people watching, and then we went for a meal (amazing Thai red curry. My second today. I have just said goodbye to him now after we shared a banana and chocolate pancake from a street seller. So now i have meal invites in Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold coast. i am building them up slowly. So after meeting Taib my plans for the rest of tody and this evening also didnt happen! So my time here keeps being interupted by meeting randoms and i end up not doing anything i intend to do! Because of my interuptions i have decided to stay in Bangkok another day, as i am enjoying it so much, and go to Cambodia on Tuesday instead. I am going to go shopping tomorrow i think and buy another backpack, one that has a set of wheels! the backpack i have is great, but when you are getting in and out of taxis and buses, it would be good to be able to drag it a bit, as it is difficult for me to put on without having somehting to balance it on before i can hoik it onto my shoulders. so i decided, i either need a different bag or some more muscles, so a new bag it is. Sorry amy, it is going to be coming back to you in the post, although it is a great back pack. I think i need one with a bit larger capacity, as there are too many good clothes here. so i will see if i can find a new one tomorrow before my journey to cambodia. So i think that is it! that is all i have done so far, not that much! But i will definitly leave on the 6am but so the border on Tuesday (providing i manage to get up). I had heard a lot of bad things about Bangkok, but i really love it here, i am sure i will be back here at some point. Dont get me wrong, it is dirty and the air is terrible, i have been wheezing since i got here, but it is also really exciting, and i have met some brilliant people just by going up to them and talking to them. Oh dear, i can see me changing my tickets at some point and staying longer....