Hullo from Bangkok!

It's hot hot hot here... but pouring with rain! Ah well, it makes me feel at home.

The journey was fine, far from the budget tin-can we'd expected it turns out Jet Airways is really rather nice! Stopping over in Mumbai was interesting. The airport is quite nonedescript from inside, but just outside - right next to the runway - was a huge slum area. Buildings made of tarpaulin and plastic sheeting, kids running around in no shoes, lots of mangy dogs everywhere. Awful. Bangkok by contrast seems very developed.

We're staying in the backbacker district, near the Khao San Road - it's a bit like Blackpool. Fake designer sunglasses, street meat and lots of cheap bars. When we arrived last night we went for a wander to find something to eat and were invited to see a 'ping-pong show' by about 30 different people. I wouldn't have thought I looked particularly like someone who would want to see that, but there you go... We politely declined. Our hotel is really nice though; handy location, lovely room and a roof-top pool for when it stops raining. Have had a good nosey around today and made our first friend, a nice Kiwi guy called Jono.

There's a gorgeous palace/temple (we're not quite sure - there are lots of both of them here) right next to our hotel. Everywhere we go there are shrines, massage spas, buddhas and images of the Royal family. There's lots of gold everywhere, very bling! We've already become quite used to saying a firm 'No' to the street vendors and tuk tuk drivers (they look fun though so we might give it a go tomorrow), nipping out of the way of the random animals which roam the streets and trying to remember not to let the tap water anywhere near our mouths.

Adventures start in earnest tomorrow when we're off on a tour of the city. We're off to eat noodles now then we're going for our first massage - Cords is keen on one where little fish eat away the hard skin on your feet. Nice!

Hugs x