Tuesday 30 July 2013

Week One PART 2: Long Lost Friends and a Long Weekend

Picking up straight from where we left off, my mentor gave me a lift to Chonburi, where I got a mini-van (a legit mode of public transport in Thailand) to Bangkok. I was heading to the capital in order to see two Australian friends, the wonderful Sophie and Tineka, who I was friends with from my first year at Leeds (they came over as study abroad students). I was SO excited to see them as it's literally been a year and a half since we were last together. 

On arrival in Bangkok some two hours later (traffic is be-yond a joke around there), I caught the SkyTrain (which is amazing) to meet them at their hotel. After the inevitable excessive excited squeals/hand flapping on seeing my two babz, we all got showered before heading out for some cheap dinner. And with dinner comes Chang. Oh Chang. This Thai beer is so DECEPTIVE and creeps up on you (the fact the bottles are ma-hoosive also plays a part), so by the end of our second one we were already tipsy and I was sending voice messages back to friends in England lolcringe (SHOUTOUT TO U MICHAELA). Here's a picture of me with my two bottles of Chang, effortlessly cool as ever...:


I mean you just would wouldn't you

We headed out after dinner, not to Khao San Road, which is where most "backpackers" go, but to stylish(ish) Silom. To save you from hearing another "Drunk in Bangkok" story I'll summarise by saying we all lost each other and then proceeded to find each other (aside from Sophie who was fast asleep back at the hotel by this point) on the Khao San Road (where we weren't even meant to be going and is nowhere near Silom). This was always going to happen and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Anyway, after waking up and having that little heart attack moment (where am I/who's next to me/WHAT HAVE I DONE) I remembered I was staying with Sophie and Tineka at their hotel. I also remembered, at the spritely hour of 8am, that they were leaving at 8.30am (with my flight to Chiang Mai not till 9.30pm that night). So I had a whole day to myself, alone, in Bangkok, with 2% battery on my phone, still drunk, sticky and sweaty, with next to no money. My life. 

After catching the Metro (tick) to Lumphini, I tried to sleep in the park there, which is the biggest green space in Bangkok afaik. Retiro it ain't, the grass was all dry and scratchy to my poor delicate legs, and I was attacked by a vicious army of ants, intent on getting in ma pantz. At least someone is I guess....

ANYWHO, I decided the sleep-in-the-park-all-day dream was offically dead, so I just walked around aimlessly for a few hours until it started to rain. Heavily. Again, my life. At this point I decided to check out one of Bangkok's malls, Siam Paragon (this also happens to be the biggest). It was literally incredible and I've never been in a shopping centre as huge as it. I proceeded to eat McDonalds there (my 3rd in a week, 2nd in 24 hours) and then, as it had stopped raining, walked around Bangkok aimlessly for a few more hours.

Eventually it was time to go meet my Chiang Mai travel buddies at the airport, when of course, my phone battery COMPLETELY died, so I had no way of arranging a meeting point. Thankfully I spotted Tom by chance pretty much as soon as I got there, so we all got checked in and through security quickly. We had dinner at the airport (either KFC or Burger King I can't remember which although I've definitely been to both since I've been in Thailand obesity beckons etc) and got on the plane a little later. 

After sleeping the entire 1 hour journey we arrived in Chiang Mai tired but excited. We were staying with Prapasri and her sister at their house, which was AMAZING. After those two nights at school it was so nice to have fast Wi-Fi, a hot shower, and air-con. After arriving we went to bed pretty quickly as it was late and we were tired and we had lots to do and see over the following days.

Rather than yaddayaddayadda on about what I did/saw, how about a few choice pictures with captions to keep you captivated: 


Why am I so awkward?

At da lake wid da galz


ME ON AN ELEPHANT 

Natural shot

Clearly in heaven here..

Posing at a traditional Thai restaurant where we watched Northern Thai Dancing

We went to Prapasri's old school one morning
to teach a class...here you can see us singing Step's seminal classic TRAGEDY

Chiang Mai Crew
All in all, a top weekend all around. On Wednesday afternoon we packed our bags and went back to Chonburi, where our second official week of teaching was due to start the next day (all 2 days of it, or 1, as you will see in the next entry). 

So, you may think my best moment this weekend was maybe riding an elephant, or bamboo rafting down the river, or even visiting some local hot springs, but no. Those who are near and dear will know the absolute highlight of my weekend was getting a m-f-in BANDANA. I have been going on about getting one for months (along with getting a tattoo, piercing, cutting ma hair S H O R T etc) and the moment finally happened where I got not one, but TWO, from Walking Street Market. I don't exactly know why I wanted one so bad but I don't know why I want a lot of the things I want (gr8 English) AND GOD DAMN I WANTED IT. So I shall leave you with an image of me poutin' with my bandana, proud as a peacock.


I don't even care 


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