Asian Adventures #1

It's a few weeks now since I got back from my solo adventures. What sticks in my mind most is the people I met. So this blog isn't so much about travelling but about the journey via some amazing people.

I set off from Birmingham on Boxing Day. Mum was a little too emotional for a three week tour (well I suppose I was a girl going alone somewhere she'd never been before, having not booked anything apart from one night in Bangkok). Dad was possibly even more concerned, to my amusement.

'Don't get in any taxis on your own'. Obviously I did. On the first day.

I arrived in Bangkok at 9am after an overnight flight, making the most of the free wine and movies and only sleeping for about 2 hours. Proudly negotiated the airport link and sky train and found myself in the central shopping district near my hostel. Checked in to prison-like four bed dorm, showered, and went out exploring. The time for sleep was not now.

I spent most of the day acclimatising to the noisy highways and inner-city temples blistering in the sun.

At one of the many temples I got chatting to the Thai guide at the entrance. He said I just MUST go to the river, and just HAD to get a boat trip to see the city from the water. Oh and WAIT, here was a tuk tuk who could take me to this super secret dock where a 'cheaper' boat would leave from!

The boat trip was pretty underwhelming, verging more on the terrifying than relaxing. But as I was quickly learning there were few boundaries in Thailand. The driver was on a mission, ragging the narrow river boat through the winding canals - basically the city folk's back yards.

After two hours or so 'cruising' got back on soil ground. The Belgians who'd been my boat companions didn't seem to much want to socialise, but as we were leaving three rucksack-ed up Aussies strode up in search of an afternoon beer. Perfect. 

I joined the gang and headed in search of the promised land. However apparently Bangkok doesn't sell beer (at least in the shops) between 2-5pm. We walked for way too long, but eventually found a suitable back street with a corner store piled high with everything. A couple of Thai guys were sitting outside on mini plastic stools drinking so they couldn't exactly deny that they had beer. We joined in. For a few hours.