We arrive in Asia!

After changing planes in Taipei and ascending into lightning and huge turbulence, landing in Hong Kong and finally Bangkok we were ready to walk around. Approx 23 hours after we left Seattle we checked into a Hostel called Peachy just near Khao San Road. I don't want to make this a long one as we've been here nearly a week now if you can believe that so here goes: It's really hot and I'm talking hotter than Australia at about 35 C + the humidity which increases it by 5 degrees. It's very smelly (like poo) which I expected. The locals around this area try to wheel and deal you and try to sell you everything. We've fallen for people that were seemingly innocently informing us about the area and then directing us to a tuk tuk or a temple that wasn't open. The food is fantastically cheap and we've been eating Pad Thai for 15 baht which is about 30 cents US. Clothes, shoes, backpacks, souvenirs and all sorts of things are really cheap and everywhere. Some mornings you just wake up and feel sick. You don't eat a lot - I am rarely hungry from the heat.

a) Phad Thai for 30 cents!

Alot of you already know about this stuff so lets cut to the things we've been doing. Ben ate a fried scorpion and I tried some too. We have walked around a lot so we don't have to pay for a tuk tuk for shorter trips. The tuk tuk drivers cannot believe we want to walk. We've seen magnificent temples (they all start to look alike after the first few) and views from the Golden Monument which puts you 370 steps above Bangkok. We've seen real poverty with people living in shacks in alleys with concrete floors and the whole family in one room. It seems everyone is trying to make a living by making some kind of food - I mean everyone. We have walked down the sex street where you can buy girls and boys and watch a ping pong shows.... we did not go into any of those clubs this time but next time we are in Bangkok ( 2 or 3 weeks) we will defintely party it up there to see what its all about. Sorry I wont be able to take pictures there so you will just have to beleive me!

b) Ben eating a scorpian

c) Asian Statue

d)Street Bars along Kho Son

f) Typical bar name in the sex district (Pat Pong)

g) Statues at Wat

h) Grand Palace

j) Wat

z) Monks at grand palace