Round the world trip- July/August 2008

hello guys

Been very busy lately...so didn't have lot of time to update my blog. on top of that my laptop is playing up so I have to use an internet cafe. Anyway, everything is going fine in Bangkok. The weather has been excellent. Only rained once since I got here, but it's well hot and you sweat just standing. Bangkok is a huge city and you can't really walk everywhere and must take a taxi or a tuk tuk. There is a couple tube lines but it only cover some areas of Bangkok...

Been doing quite a bit of shopping. It's a paradise for tourist as everything is so cheap: food, clothes etc...

But some Thai people will try to rip you off by putting prices up just because you are a tourist. Taxi drivers are the worst. They are supposed to use a meter (it's cheaper) but most of the time they say it doesn't work or some other stupid excuses. The thing is that even if they put prices up it's still very cheap for our european standard of living so I guess some tourist just can't be bothered arguing back and just pay the price, which as a result encourages Thai people to try their luck... it does not work with me though... I don't like to be taken advantage of. EVERYTHING here is for sale...it seems....sex being number one! lol However, vast majority of people work hard to get a living and I can't really blame them too much for trying to get some of our cash from our fat wallet...there is just a minority who are ready to do anything for your cash.

In Bangkok, you have posh shops and great shopping centres and a few meters down the road, you have people begging and living in the street. I have felt very distraught on several occasions...and it's hard to take it. At first you feel like giving them money but then you soon realise that you can't give money to everyone.

Overall, I really love Bangkok and I will certainly come back soon. What overwhelmed me the most was the strong sense of smells you get while walking in the streets...

The people are also generally polite and so helpful...and on top of that I even made a couple of friends ....

I feel really sad to leave...especially when I know it's going to be back to work on Monday...

Tomorrow, I'm off to singapore for one night and then flying back on Friday...

Love,

fab xxx