Suits and Temples..

Hello, the skinny one checking in. Its Wednesday evening and I'm finally getting the hang of the heat and the stink. For some reason I've found it really hard to eat over the past couple of days (think its just the sheer change in temperature and environment, plus a few nerves I guess as I've never been alone in a foreign country this far away...). As a result, I've felt pretty weak and tired the last couple of days but finally seem to be in the swing... Spent yesterday organising my suit @ Mr Om's. Well I say suit. Somehow, he managed to sell me two...and that was after about an hour of haggling... oh well...its worked out at about 115 per suit and that includes 3 shirts and 2 ties (all made to my spec). I go back for a fitting tomorrow so I guess we'll see if he's any good. Had a few decent reviews online so I remain hopeful.

After Mr Om's I headed on the Skytrain (overhead rail system here) to the National Stadium (Wembley it ain't but these guys do seem to love their football). Wasn't really there for the footy though (although someone was training). In fact I think the Thai national team is currently training over in the UK at Manchester City's training ground with guidance for our old mate Sven.... but I digress. I came to this stop to visit MBK(see above pic) - just google it if you want to 'proper' thai name as I can't remember. Well, what a place... totally mental... If you thought the shopping centres like the Shires in Leicester or Selfridges in Brum were big, this must be their mother! Not only are all the outer 'units' in use, every available inch of floor space is taken up with smaller vendors selling everything from fake t-shirts to iphones to TV's. In fact there's an entire floor of just phone vendors, hundreds of them. I'm going back there tomorrow to pick up some more knock off if i get time and maybe some little gadgets too... Will hold off an iphone as I've no idea if it will work back home.

As for today, I went to see the Grand Palace the worlds largest reclining buddha at 43m. Here's a selection of typical touristy photos to bore the crap out of you... don't worry, I'll have plenty more to show you when I get back! Tomorrow, I'm going to try and get up early and head across the city to the river and take the tourist boat upstream which stops at all the floating markets. After that, its the suit fitting (fingers crossed). I'll try and get some pics of that...and my friend Mr Kumar.

For now... Another Heineken please... over and out.

Day 2 - I think....

Well, arrival was a blur..... but let's get the flight done first. Arrived and attempted to check in...got my e-ticket...please report to information desk... ok. I am greeted by a lovely bloke who asks me if i _really_ want to fly today>? He then offers me 450 quid to take the same flight the following day... I decline... the idea of hanging around an airport hotel for 24 hours does not fill me with joy...so I get my seat and eventually board.. as with all BA flights, the leg-room is designed for circus midgets... no matter, so long as the person in front doesn't hit recline for the entire flight I'll be ok....ooops.. to late - I'm pinned in by the tatooed uber bitch from hell and her chav boyfriend. Oh well. Apart from leg cramps and DVT I've survived... maybe I should have taken that cash? Never mind. On the updside I got to meet a cool guy called Dave who's about to embark on a book tour of Oz. Website : http://www.davecornthwaite.co.uk/

If I get a chance, I'll hook up for a drink when he arrives in Adelaide for his book tour. Who knows I may even buy the book.

Anyways, I seem to have slept loads since I got here... think it was the crappy flight and the sheer heat. Wandered around near the hotel last night. As you'd expect the place is full of street hawkers, vendors and bars. Whiled away the time by eating drinking and soaking it all up but was back at the hotel by 11pm and out like a light. I'm now on the hunt for a tailor I found via the web (seemed to be ok according to the reviews so I'll guess we'll see). Will sort out the suit this afternoon and get an initial fitting. Then its off on the Skytrain to MBK Plaza for some shopping. Loads of stuff there apparently. Tomorrow, (hopefully) I'll have a crack at the more 'cultural' bits and try and see the Budhha and temples... so that's it for now.

catch you soon.
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The last minutes...

Well, the tickets are acknowledged, the changes are raised and the remaining gunk in my bucket is finally given out to the deserving hoardes at the office. 48 hours from now I should be getting comfy in my super fab economy seat and checking the inflight movie... only problem is I'll probably have already seen it...oh well. I'll try and put some regular blurb on here along with some suitable pics but knowing me i'll probably ask a passing kid to take my pic and instead he'll just take my camera! We'll see I guess. Feel free to post comments and stuff if you wish. I've never done one of these before so I've no idea how it will pan out. If it all goes quiet then its probably because I've eaten something from a street vendor and am now confined to whereever the nearest toilet is. In the meantime, check in when you can. Laters....Ad.

So the story begins...

Well,
the blog is in place. I travel out of the 27th of January so I've got the next few days to get to grips with using this thing. It can't be that hard can it? Of course I'll need to figure out how to add pictures and other content but I'm sure it'll be child's play... which means I'll probably struggle to get anything even amateurish online and readable...we'll see