Bangkok

We flew from Hong Kong to Bangkok on Saturday last (Easter Sat). Its hot here also but less humid than HK. We arrived in the middle of the Thai New Year celebrations. One of the traditions is a water soaking festival.... as a results all the kids and some "older kids" simply throw water (sometimes water mixed with talc !) at passing buses, cars, bikes and pedestrians. There was a great party atmosphere in the city and everyone had a water gun (some with backpacks !). Sancha got baptised twice on the first day. It was hilarious.... just the thing though when its mid-30's outside.

As well as many street vendors and markets (as far as the eye could see), we have seen 3 elephants with minders wandering about..... they make money from tourists by allowing them to feed the elephants and take photos.... the elephants even have reflectors on their back two legs - as they are walked up and down the streets in the evenings.

We toured some temples (wats) on Easter Sunday and saw a giant golden buddha.... so while everyone else in IRL was coming home from easter sunday mass to tuck into their cadburys easter eggs... we were sheltering from a thunderous downpour (with lightning and thunder - that would wake the dead) with only a pack of yellow M&M's ( Ah.....) I did miss the Butlers easter egg this year !

Over the past two days we have got drowned in serious down pours and then 40 minutes later - the sky clears ad the temp rises to 35 again !! We found the "Groovy Map of Bangkok" a god-send - pointing out all the nice places to eat and visit ; took advantage of the new metro line in the city - it took 6-7 yrs to build and is v. impressive - a scout from the Luas works would learn a lot here.
We had a very civilised dinner on a traditional Thai boat last night with Thai dancers as after dinner entertainment. It provided some lovely photo ops of the city by night.

Tomorrow (Wed 18th April) we take a 5 hr train trip (apparently on the express train !) north to Phitsanulok to travel to Sukhothai - spot where there is a ancient city !

Dublin - Hong Kong - Thailand - Laos - Vietnam - Cambodia - Malaysia - Singapore - Australia - New Zealand - Chile - Bolivia - Peru - Argentina - Brazil - Dublin