Show me the ladyboys

OK so i haven't seen any just yet, but bugger me (steady) i'm in Bangkok! Got in a few hours ago, couple of hours' taxi ride from the flash gleaming new airport to Khao San Road (where most of the guesthouses are and where you can see the greatest number of tourists being parted from the greatest amount of their money by wily street vendors of all sorts - my favourite so far is the guy offering to forge you a driver's licence, TEFL qualification, diploma or, why not, a degree, all by the side of the road). Other cities I've got off the plane and it's been like stepping into a blast furnace. This one's a steam bath; the heat doesn't so much hit you as ooze over you 'til you feel laminated in your own sweat (hello ladies), but in a good way... if it does nothing else it gives you a decent excuse to hit the beers ;o)

ok i'm gonna go sweat some more and take some photos, hopefully should be able to upload some for y'all to have a look at in the next day or 2. take it easy all :o)

Chocks away

OK so it's 1pm, the butterflies are fluttering, I seem to have a few gallons of gastric juices more than I need and the day has finally come: started wittering about going on a trip maybe 2, 3 years ago, started actually doing something about it August last year, then saving, reading, jabs, all the rest of it, and in less than 24 hours I'll be there. Don't know what to expect, but I know I'm not going to feel normal for quite a long time. No great loss; in fact probably the idea.

So... the next post will be from 8,000 miles away. Wish me luck. TTFN.

Of all the coups in all the towns in all the world...

...I have to walk into theirs. But no matter: no-one's shooting anyone, the tanks are wearing ribbons and the king says it's ok. In fact if I had to walk into a coup anywhere, seems I couldn't have chosen any better than this one. They've certainly had the practice: this is the 21st coup in Thailand in the last 70 years...

That blip (Ok, that heart-stopping, near-trip-cancelling text from my mum informing me of a military coup, martial law and state of emergency all in one go) aside, all continues to progress with reasonable smoothness. Piss-up and partying over the weekend was great, really impressed by the turnout and glad to see everyone one last time this year. Managed to scrape through my driving test yesterday so if I'm feeling heroic I can try to drive from Sydney to Melbourne when I get to Oz; buying maps, pills and potions today for the less than heroic moments. Packing, probable last-minute panic and dinner with mum and dad tomorrow, then the off. We're under starter's orders.

Why Bangkok?

"The city of angels, the great city, the residence of the Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city (of Ayutthaya) of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated God, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn"

"Bangkok, steamy, hot city of angels and angles, equally brash and brutal, sexy and mysterious, hot and holy, mad and sublime, crazed and cultural, the world's most beautiful women and nastiest pimps..."

You pays yer money, you takes yer choice...

Hullo

Um, this bit's traditionally about the blogger isn't it? Righto: 25, arts grad (English) whose post-uni career seamlessly segued into the dole office, the bookshop and the local Council. At the latter for 2 1/2 years, until last Friday when I quit to go on holiday ('travelling' seems a bit pretentious), which starts on Thursday with a flight to Bangkok. The (very) rough plan is for a month in Thailand, month in Cambodia, 3 weeks Sydney then down to Melbourne for a 42 degree Christmas and turkey barbecue...

This blog is partly to keep people at home up-to-date without having to resort to the dreaded round-robin (altho i'm sure i'll be sending plenty of them too), partly to remind me that I went... with a few impressions along the way I hope.

All and any comments are welcome although I reserve the right to delete them if they're better than mine :o)