Westies On Tour: First Real Day in Bangkok

Tuesday 7th Didn't sleep much... as body was convinced it was still the middle of the day. Also Rod feeling bad and coughing a lot. We had breakfast and headed off to find a pharmacy. Doing chicken impersonations, coughing a lot and banging chest, they eventually realised what we were trying to demonstrate and we came away with some cough medicine for the poor lamb. Our next stop was the flower market at 8am, flowers everywhere, piles of them, and people making them into offerings for the thousands of Buddist shines everywhere. By 10am it was 32 degrees and sticky. We learnt the first day that if you want to cross any road in Bangkok, you have to just step out and hope the vehicles all stop. We clocked that if you see a bunch of Thai people waiting to cross the road, you join them and launch yourself across as soon as they do, It's like playing Froggit, but with cars, trucks and bikes. A bit nerve wracking the first couple of times you do it... but hey you have to have some excitement. We then caught a water taxi across the river to Wat Arun, a big temple complex across from where we are staying. The Wat is very high and a bit hair raising as the steps are steep without any rails, but we were intrepid and made it to nearly the top. Fabulous views, but now 34 degrees and quite hot. I virtually had to come down on my bum (not really), big steps, little legs. We staggered back across the river to the hotel, and lay down for an hour with the air conditioning on full blast until I changed from puce colour to my normal pink. In the afternoon tramped to China Town and into a fab market, reminded me of a souk, narrow undercover streets that went on forever. I bought some Thai fabric, couldn't be bothered to haggle as it was peanuts. Back to our bar in the evening, some more Thai food, this time with a few red chillis and my lips have only just recovered. Off to bed. Rod is fast asleep already, so will probably we awake at 5am.