Thailand it is!

Sawasdee from Chiang Mai! Northern Thailand

Hope you’re all going well over in AUS. We’re all loving Thailand.. and sticky rice. Apart from a few acute gastro and respiratory problems, and having our booked rooms in Chiang Mai sold to someone else because we were 3 hours late, we’re all grooving along quite well..

Finally, our first blog from Thailand. Again I apologise for the amazing delay.. between my Macbook not behaving and my new dodgy Thai didgital camera not being recognised by computers, it’s taken me 2 weeks to get this up.. so dig it, yeah?

15-20 Jan 2007

Bangkok – yes, we’ve all heard about the food, the temples, the dodgy dvd’s, and the Took-Tooks.. but I have to show you some compulsory photos nonetheless..

There are more BKK pics to come (they’re on my Macbook at the moment)

21-23 Jan 2007
We dropped in to the Floating Market (on the way to Kanchanaburi)..

Here, Tim, our resident Egg Noodle connoisseur made his first purchase, I bought a spoon for Kelly (our friend from St Andrew’s),

and we learned not to look at anything for more than 2 seconds otherwise they’ll hassle you straight away: “Mister, you buy?”

On to Kanchanaburi and the WWII stuff.. The moving POW cemetery (pretty sobering reminder of the cost of war and the importance and urgency for us to say no to it!!!) and museum,

the Bridge over River Kwai built by Japanese-controlled, starved and sick POW’s (the most deaths were Burmese soldiers and civilians).. Then we made our way to the awesome Erawun waterfall, where foreigners pay 400Baht to get in, but Thais (like me) pay 40Baht - I love my homeland! Photos to come.

24-27 Jan 2007
Bussing back to BKK and jumping on the train to Pitsanulok. This place is the bomb. We really dig this town for its chilled-out, not too touristy atmosphere. And the 100Baht/hour massage by the River didn’t hurt, either. Got to experience what a Temple Festival looks, sounds, tastes and smells like. It’s pretty crazy and I got cheap funky pants.
But the real reason we stayed in Pitsanulok is to do a day trip to Sukhothai, Thailand (Siam as it was known then) ‘s first Capital. Check it.

If you’ve read this far and you’re still sitting there bored in your pharmacy, IT, government, or teaching job, then check out more of our photos on PICASA here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/itspeterb/

And if you’re at uni and it's boring you more than pride and Prejudice then check out some Thai Reggae:
http://www.myspace.com/kaijobrothers
I found out about these guys from RaJahSee, a clothing shop dedicated to the furtherment of peace, love and hash. Jah Bless.
Peter(&Rachel)

PS – I’m taking orders for cheap software, t-shirts and miscelaneous useless sourvenirs so don’t hesitate! Take care, friends.