Today is yet another early start (this will be a running theme also) and I am picked up from my hostel to go to my Thai cookery course! We drive a few minutes and arrive at a lovely little cooking school. Two small groups gathered in two rooms (my group was only 5 people). We start with introductions and discussing our favourite Thai foods- my new fave massoman. We then choose what dishes we will make during the day. 5 courses and 3 choices for each. Once everyone has decided they make a shopping list of ingredients and we set off towards the local market each carrying a little bamboo basket for the shopping. In the markets there is an amazing array of fruits, veges, spices, plastic bags of soup (I think it was soup anyway), meat and fish counters, rice stalls and tofu stalls. Our head chef/tour guide then proceeded to show us commonly used foods in Thai cooking talking us through the variety of rice types, chillis, the families of foods that I just wasn't expecting- 4 types of Aubergine all very different from our big purple one at home, varieties of basil, ginger and his friends. It was really interesting- it puts tesco to terrible shame!!
After we collected our ingredients for the day we then head back to the school and begin!
First dish of the day for me was chicken and cashew nuts with my own private instructor. Then we eat, and if I do say so myself, it was incredible! Second dish was spring rolls, mine were top of the class (obviously) then we eat. Third dish was chicken and coconut soup, then we eat, then we napped. Yep, group nap, I loved this place! Wake from our group nap and 4th dish was green curry paste followed by green Thai curry, then we eat. 5th and final dish was pud, deep friend bananas with coconut batter, then we eat- these were insanely good and I can't wait to cook them for all you guys!
So end of the day and I am very full, well rested, educated and very happy!
I then head back to the hostel, wait an hour and head to the train station for my sleeper train to Bangkok to then fly to Phnom Penn. the sleeper train was great too. Big (almost) double bed with pillows and cover included. It was loud and I'm not sure how much sleep I actually had but 10 hours later I wake in Bangkok. From the train station I then go to the airport and wait. And wait. And wait for my flight that kept getting delayed. 12 hours later I board the plane and go to Saigon. Finally.