Today was all about shopping, shopping, shopping! This was actually quite a novelty for us since we had avoided looking in shops or markets for the whole trip as there was just no point - our bags already bursting at the seams (in my case quite literally!) Anyway since Bangkok was our last stop before Heathrow it was time to get some pressies for family back home. We hailed a taxi and went to the largest shopping centre in Bangkok called MGK. It was an impressive 7 storey building with escalators going off at every angle. Shops seemed to vary from stalls selling food (sweets next to raw meat - nice!) to clothes, ipod and phone accessories, cameras, computers, home living, Thai handicraft etc. Each floor seemed to be largely dedicated to a particular topic so that if you wanted a camera say you could go to level 5 and find all the competing shops right next to each other - a logical approach and one I'm sure that would make finding the best deal easier than wandering around the high streets in the UK.

We ordered a pad Thai for lunch, easier said than done when I realised after queueing patiently that I was meant to purchase food vouchers as I came into the food section (which could then be redeemed at the self serve restaurant of our choosing). Eventually we got out pad Thai which had all of 2 prawns in each dish - generous hey! Still at £1 a dish one can't really moan. The taxi back to our hotel cost about £1.60 via the metre. The tuk tuk driver was trying to charge us £6 and giving us the impression he was offering a good deal! It makes you realise how much they are constantly trying to rip off western tourists. Scott gets very enraged about this, but I tried to reason with him and say that of course these people will try their luck. They are trying to make money for their families and no doubt see us as having a better life. They probably justify it in their minds saying we can afford it and I need the money. Once one westerner pays the asking price they will always try it on.

We spent a little while that evening wandering the street stalls and hustle and bustle of Khao San road, but it wasn't long before we decided to retreat to the relative peace and coolness of our air-conditioned room. We settled down to watch a movie on cable - 'The Tourist' - starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp - a worthwhile watch with a good twist at the end for anyone interested. I thought to myself this is the last time we would be bedding down in a hotel room as the next night would be spent on the plane and then we'd be in our own bed. It seems the excitement was too much for me as I couldn't sleep and was in major fidget mode - a behaviour which eventually led me to sleep on the blankets on the floor as I was driving Scott crazy!