SE Asia Escapade
Trip Start
Jul 01, 2006
1
18
Trip End
Sep 20, 2006
Bangkok,
Thailand
Sunday, July 2, 2006
Geeting from Thailand, friends & famdamily
Jules & I have met up, after I had to find my own way into backpacker district, Bangkok. Spent two days in B'kok and got our Laos visas after taking six different forms of transport to get there (canal boat, bus, train, walking, tuk-tuk & moped - 3 on one bike). They say that the motorbike taxis are an extreme sport in their own right & they damn right about that. I was on the end with my big western knobbly knees precariously skirting the pavement and passing cars by inches. .....by now mom, you probably going "oh my god", so I wont go on, except to say that B'kok is smog, mayhem, cosmopoliton & CRAZYZZZY!!!
Jules managed to twist my arm into going into a ping-pong show. If you think that's the national sport, it probably is in a way, but not the innocent version.....watching women viscerate razor blades, ping-pong balls and ribbons from nether regions, not to mention being able to blow-out candles and pee shoot ballon bursting pellets, was, well.....interesting ?!? We got budget flank seating, which Julia was very keen to pay extra and upgrade (ordowngrade rather??) to front row pews.....but I had to hold her back.
We then went to Ayuttyha and got "watted" out on the 'whats' - wat. One day was enough temple touring for us. We then took a third class train to Khao Yai National Park where we took a guided trek & tour in the park. We visited the famous waterfall where Leonardo Dipacrio jumps off in the film, 'the Beach'. You will hardly believe this, but they were in the process of filming the Beach II and we got to meet Leo in person when he was on his lunch break. He was really approachable & friendly & we even got our pics with him. We going to make Nix's so jealous, so when we get the next opportunity, we'll upload onto my blog. Unfortunately it rained most of the day (the trail became a raging red river, which was lots of fun) so we didn't get to see too many animals, except for a pit viper (very poisonous) which our guide picked up - have photos of that as well, which I'll u[pload to my blog soon.
We now in the monkey town of Lopburi, enroute to Chiang Mai where we have pre-booked a three day off the beaten-track tour visiting some minority hillstribes and the less touristy national parks (recommemded to us by Cath)
So, that's all fo now. Promise some kewl pics soon.
Cheers
Sarah & Julia
