One night in Bangkok and the world's your... mediocre

Okay, so after an easy Taxi ride into my hotel and a good sleep I was ready to start my day in the stinking hot bangkok. I do mean Stinking coz no offence to Bangkok or anything but dude you smell.

I went for a big walk around town and was amazed how much like China Bangkok is. Except for the rivers, they are everywhere.

From 8-16-2008 - Bangkok

I looked at my map and thought about going to the Golden Mount, a man made hill in the middle of bangkok that has a solid gold idol in the middle of it.

From 8-16-2008 - Bangkok

The view from the top was a really good one of Bangkok but you know, not that impressive. There's really not much going on.

From 8-16-2008 - Bangkok

After that i headed to the Royal Palace, only to be told that it was closed and that i should get on a tuk tuk to go to see other things. Yeah i was scammed into going for a tuk tuk ride all across town. At first i was pissed off until the tuk tuk driver told me that he gets a petrol voucher for every customer he takes around. So i came to an agreement, i go to various stores and he takes me to the sites in between. It worked out well and i saw heaps of Bangkok. Oh yeah, and if you ever go to Bangkok don't buy jewellery it's all a scam.

On my tuk tuk ride around i saw the Standing bhudha, The National Museum and my favourite temple in Bangkok, the Marble Temple.

From 8-16-2008 - Bangkok

It was quiet, understated and littered with bhudha statues all exhibiting the various attitudes (poses)  of Bhudha, i still remember them a lot to this day. Really cool.

From 8-16-2008 - Bangkok

That evening i met the tour group i would be spending the first half of my trip (up North) with. Everyone was really cool, and British. Started the night by going for a quick meal, in which i found out that British people generally don't like spicy food, and then a great night out with lady boys.


Okay, so down below is a little slideshow of my pics from that day. You can either view them there or click on them at go at your own pace. They are saved to my picasa webalbum, in much bigger formats than displayed below. Go on, i dare ya.

Taking off and leaving New Zealand, goodbye stinktown

Okay here's the first of what will hopefully be of many retrospective blog posts documenting my trip to the U.K.

Well, it started at the airport and saying goodbye to my best friend Ed, my flatmate Berit and my Aunty Isabel and Uncle Robert who all came to say goodbye.

According to flight restrictions i am allowed only 20kgs of total luggage and 7.5kgs of carry on. Turns out i had about 28kgs of luggage and 15kgs of carry on. The carry on was fine because they weren't going to catch me with it until i was already through the departure gates. But in a mad panic i had to get rid of a lot of stuff i thought was essential. Warm clothes for a start (which i now regret being in the UK). That kind of sucked but once i was through the gates i then got caught by security and was told to weigh my bag.

"Are you aware that your are only allowed 7.5kg's sir? What is your flight number? Do you have any electronic equipment?"

Wait? What, yeah? Most of my carry on weight is in electronics.

"okay that's fine sir, carry on".

And that was it.

Wow, who would have thought that electronics don't actually count as carry on luggage? Not me. But worked out quite well.

The flight to Bangkok was 12 hours and actually pretty good. The plane was half full so each of us had 3 seats to ourselves. Sweeeeet.

Got to Thailand in good time and thus starts the first day of my Trip.