Entry No.12 by Clare

Day 125- We took a taxi to Siam square and walked around a few malls. We visited China Town later,  full of Jewellers and took a taxi to Khao San for a look around the market area. Later we found some nice food at a place called Ethos, they sold Hummus and Falafals it was really good. We left for Pattaya the following morning only to find it was impossible to find reasonable priced accomodation (as this point we didn't really have any knowledge of Pattaya's rep) we had to settle for a room for about 11 pounds (cheapest by far in town) in a motel which sold room in 3 hour slots and the room was covered in mirrors and had a price list on the wall for different condoms, beer and lubricant, lovely. In the evening we found a bar which had a really good live band playing western covers called 'Tattoo Bar' with a nice atmosphere which made up for it. We went to check out the beach about 12pm the next day (full of fat white tourists) and we read and swam for a few hours. Food was equally as expensive so we had to hunt around for a bit of food afterwards and we went to 'Tattoo Bar' again for the evening. We went to another part of the beach the next day where they charge tourists an extortionate amount for jet skiis and relaxed there for the day, later we watched lots of football at the 'Heineken Bar' with Brighton winning against Portsmouth in the FA Cup Josh was vey happy. We left Pattaya in the morning for Rayong, we hadn't researched to much as our Lonely Planet didn't even have it listed but we had heard it is very peaceful. Once arriving we had to get a map and then find out to get to our guest house on the beach about 10km out of the town. When we arrived to the 'Reggae Guesthouse' there was a note that the gone out and to watch a DVD until they get back, so we did. Once you get out of Rayong centre its a quiet sea front with a handful of small shops and about 20 tourists there at any time, it was also very beautiful. Our room once checked in for 350Baht had a massive balcony over looking the ocean and was hand painted with lots of Reggae designs, the first night we stayed in. After a lie in we caught a bus into the main town to get some food supplies for the next few days from the big Tesco. We bought bread, peanut butter, plastic cheese, few snacks and drink. After returning we went for a really nice swim in the sea, warm clear water and the beach is so quiet you get your own section. We relaxed on our balcony with a few beers in the evening. The next day we spent relaxing on the beach reading, swimming, reading, swimming, it was nice. Our guest house had a BBQ in the evening, we didn't eat at but we joined after for a few drinks with the other guests and Jono the Manager from Exeter. In the morning we wanted to visit the fruit and veg market, we walked about 4km but couldn't find it so we walked back. We realised we hadn't walked quite far enough (most people get the bus there) so we went for another swim and after we caught the bus there and brought some juicy pineapple. We also stopped in on a schools sports day opposite and watched the kids playing a football match (with the school's permission). The evening we watched a DVD with Jono and the German guy. We got up early to leave the guesthouse to catch a bus back to Bangkok. We arrived at 3pm and had to first collect our Indian Visas. We couldn't find a cheap enough room in the area so we headed back to Khao San Road area back to the guesthouse we stayed last time. We had some dinner and had to book our flights to India, we then brought some new books and postcards to send home and read in the guesthouse lobby. The next morning we sent out our postcards and found out pricing to send our package home. We found out the flight was cancelled (stressful) so had to try and find another, we did and sadly 50 pounds more each. We went to our guesthouse and collected everything to send home and went back to the Post Office. On our way back we got some Rupees and got some food. We went for a little look around the markets before dark and went back to watch 'Inglourious Basterds' in our guesthouse. Today we have just been out around Siam square, MBK, Central World and Paragon. We both brought some really cool headphones for about 4 pounds each and are going to watch some football in a little while.

Entry No.11 by Clare

Christmas day,we woke and went to read in our hotel raft restaurant which over looks the beautiful river. Later we wondered out for Christmas Lunch, Josh had Pineapple Rice and i had Green Curry Soup. We went to call home at stuff after. We went and played some pool after. The evening our guest house held a small party for the guests with free buffet dinner and festive music. We stayed for a while then headed out to the bar street and had some cheap whiskeys. Boxing day we had a bit of a lads day. We watched football, played cards and when to the river Kwai and relaxed there for the afternoon. The following day we visited the Bazaar, we got up too late to visit the Erawin Waterfalls as we had wanted so we went for a big walk for few hours. In the evening we sat on a swing bench by the river and relaxed. We got up really early the next day and caught the local bus to the waterfall. It cost about 1 pound for 65km. The waterfalls were really nice, 7 in total all at different levels. Josh went in one which had a cool big rock people use as a slide. I didn't go in as the fish in there nip at you and it doesn't feel very nice. We walked all the way to the last one throughout the day around 2km i think. In the evening we found a cheap restaurant called Tofu Bar, it was good tofu. We left Kanchanaburi the next morning for Ayutthaya. It took 4 hours and 2 buses for about an 8th of the price most tourists pay for a minibus. We arrived and found guest houses expensive. When we found a cheap enough room it was getting a bit late we decided to stay one night and find a new room tomorrow as it wasn't really nice. We went out for an explore and it had got dark. We were walking down a main street and we heard a noise but before we knew it a big dog came up behind me and bit my leg! It was a shock, we hadn't even seen it coming. We crossed the road to some street lamps and it looked a little deep so we decided not to take any risks and go to a local doctor or the hospital. Luckily we found a clinic about 2 minutes walk away and it had an English speaking doctor. I had to have a booster rabies, the doctor thought as i have had all my jabs and it didn't seem to bad, i was going to be OK without anymore medication. He gave me 4 days of tablets and cleaned it up. 16 pounds i thought was cheap and no messing around, hopefully the Insurance will cover. We went back for the night after this. The next day we found a better place to stay with a TV! we went looking for boat and canoe prices for the lake around the island. After we found a Mall, the first one I've seen in Thailand and a market surrounding it. We met a few locals and hung out with them in the afternoon and evening. We also met 2 guys from England, they were fun, Richard and Wez from Birmingham. We went sight seeing the next day (New years eve) around the temples, an elephant rescue park and to a big market complex this was really fun. We hired a dodgy tuk-tuk driver who tried to charge us almost 3 times the price he quoted. When we arrived back, our street is setting up a big street party for the evening. Live music stages, Balloons it looked good. Our hotel were holding a party with free food and drink for 6pm.We started our night there. After we went out to the street and watched an acoustic duet on the big stage. We moved to the street lamp bar where they had a full band playing English covers, other singers joined in and also band members changed. This bar was full of local young people and a few tourists. We had a great night there, met loads of nice people from Thailand and Germany it was a great New Years eve. New Years Day we didn't rise until around 2pmish. today was relaxed naturally. The following day we caught a bus to Bangkok. We headed straight to Khao San Road. Rooms are a lot more expensive here. Bangkok looks really good although full of tourists, more than anywhere else by far. We went for an explore which took a good few hours. Markets everywhere, massive shopping malls, street bars, food everywhere, on the streets you can buy any kind of license or degree. Get tattoos, dreadlocks, braids, piercing and of course beer vests. The first night was watched football in a small bar. Oh and ping pong show offers as soon as its dark. We went out the next morning by taxi hoping to visit some museums, we got out at the area and ended up spending about 6 hour it a massive mall. It was incredible, so big. I took so long to walk around. Josh brought a game boy which has about 500 games on it, it will be really good for journeys as our ipod charger is broken so no music for now. We also visited the stadium. Kids playing sports everywhere, boy/girl band rehearsals, break dancing groups, such a cool place where local kids can go. We returned back to our guest house and watched movies in the lobby/restaurant all night. Today we had to get up really early and go to the Indian Embassy. It was such a hassle to sort out our visas, at least 2 hours of faffing. After we caught the sky train to Victory Monument and walk to a large park area. There was a Zoo there for 2 pounds so we went. It was really good but sadly no pandas but we did see lots of penguins, they were really cool. and here we are now about to spend our third night in Bangkok!