Breakfast at the hotel before heading into the early morning markets. The stalls were still setting up as we walked through at 9am with the boats in the river not yet loaded for sale. The river flow was quite quick making me wonder how they ply their trade with the river flowing that quickly. Unfortunately we wont ever know.

Onto King Rama II Palace. A large number of buildings surrounding a well maintained garden. Within each building a scene was reproduced depicting a different era of Thailand culture and rule.

King Rama II Memorial Park is on 4.4 acres of land and was created to commemorate King Rama II’s patronage of Thai art and culture. The park area was the actual birthplace of the King. Four Thai style buildings exhibit art objects from the early Rattanakosin period and expressed the ways of life of the Thai people who lived during the reign of the King.

The gardens themselves were well set out and maintained with many plants flowering, making for a nice diversion from the heat.

Leaving at midday for the 1.5hr bus ride back to Bangkok made for some interesting ovservations, traffic wise. The merging of vehicles is nothing less than astonishing. In Australia most of the merging would simply never happen given that the others drivers would not let them in! In one case we moved across four lanes within the space of less than 30m!

A songthew drove up next to us and in the back was a woman cooking on a full kitchen, burners going complete with large pots full of food! Simply never seen anything like it. So disappointed we sped up as I would have loved to get a photo of it.

And then our 1.5hr drive turned into a 4hr journey. Our driver had no idea where our hotel was and after he called someone we are not sure of (turns out he spoke no english) this continued for another 30 minutes before he stopped and I got directions as he clearly had not called the hotel after Phil had given him their number.

After he spoke to the Police, luckily I spotted the hotel and we were here. Not only that he expected a tip! Needless to say he didnt get one.

After an easy check in and a quick coffee, we went downstairs to the restaurant for spring rolls, crab cakes and some drinks.

To the 7-11 for milk, drinks and it was back to the hotel. Crossing the road is interesting in Bangkok. Although you press the crossing button the lights are already flashing orange. How can vehicles know when to slow or stop if they are always flashing orange? I don't have an answer to it.

After waiting for a gap, part of the answer is to just cross with purpose. Vehicles will stop and let you pass, you just have to give them time to stop. On the way back a local was crossing so we just went with him ;)

Question of the day:
What does 'GUTS' stand for? The workers on the roads had this written on the back of their vests and hats. Have never seen it before.

Putting Miss A to bed we had all decided on room service. Within 15 minutes of ordering it was at our room and simply delicious.

Watching 'Hart's War', oh how lucky so many war movies on tv this trip, I went to bed before the end, but i'm sure I can get an ending from Phil.