28th April 1992 Day 283

The Diary
We caught the bus to Sukhothai and spent a very hot day looking around the ruins. There was hardly a tourist in sight which was a shame as I thought the ruins were every bit as good as Borobudur and Prambanan.


The evening was as exciting as the previous evening but a few guests turned up around midnight to liven things up. As the hostel owner was not around we told them to grab a room!

Hot

27th April 1992 Day 282

The Diary
We caught an air-con bus to Phitsanulok and went to the youth hostel there. The first chance to use the YH card since Kuranda. We were the only guests. I dashed out to try and get a paper and discovered the following results: Sheff Utd 2 Leeds Utd 3, Liverpool 2 Man Utd 0. Leeds were Football League Champions and Man Utd had thrown it all away.

Phitsanulok was remarkable for being dull so we tried to watch Thai TV in the hostel but gave up and went to hide from the mozzies under our mozzie nets.

Hot

2012
It was easier to get the footy scores travelling around remote Thailand than it was to get them in the USA in major cities 2 years later.

26th April 1992 Day 281

The Diary
Oz got up first as he wanted to go and visit a nearby waterfall. I decided on a lazy sunday, got up late and bought the papers. The soccer results went well, Boro won, Leicester lost. If Boro win their last two games they're up regardless of what anyone else does. It's the usual end of season shredded nerves.

I wandered round town and achieved nothing more than buying a pair of sunglasses (300B) and a haircut (30B). I had a thai style chilli con carne for supper and we watched a video about some brat pack actor who killed his girlfriend and married her sister in order to inherit her father's company. Never did find out what it was called.


2012
End of season shredded nerves? Just like this year. 


Anyone know what the film is from my detailed description?


Some Lazy Sunday Afternoon. How's your Bert's lumbago?

25th April 1992 Day 280

The Diary
More Wats but this time a bit further out of town at Doi Suthep and the palace a bit further on. We also visited the museum which at 10B came to about 1B per minute. This was our 20th day in Thailand and we've almost mastered thank you in Thai - Kop Khun Kap is near enough.

Hells Bells

We had a lasagne in the evening. I can't remember the last one I had. Then we spent some money at the night market. I bought a t-shirt and sent a drawing to Christy and Oz bought a couple of t-shirts and a watch for Beth.

2012
Some real Hells Bells

24th April 1992 Day 279

The Diary
The train wasn't due in until 8am so, just like Paul Theroux would have done, we had breakfast on the train. The train was over an hour late but with the greeting party and information desk and free transport we were soon settled in the SP guest house. They wasted no time in trying to sell us trekking trips but even if we hadn't already decided  not to do them then the extortionate ($100+) prices would have put us off.

Oz being converted

After some initial confusion we got our bearings and went on a Wat tour. Wat overdose - they're on every corner and every side-street in Chiang Mai. We reconfirmed our flights to Kathmandu and I had a film developed - eventually. At first I was given someone else's prints and then I asked them to re-print a few I wasn't happy with.


We had a meal at a restaurant recommended by LP but we weren't impressed. The service was incredibly slow. We then went to the night market and spent hours wandering around marvelling at the authentic hill tribe people, the amazing artwork and the ubiquitous Tin-Tin t-shirts and tape shops.

23rd April 1992 Day 278

The Diary
The day we finally got some sight-seeing done. First it was the 32m high buddha at Wat Indrawihan, just around the corner and then, after an abortive attempt to catch an express boat, we caught a bus to the Grand Palace. We eventually found the entrance - a few signposts wouldn't go amiss - and battled our way through the hordes of tourists to look at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the palace itself. 

 We followed a tour group of Welsh rugby players around as they had a tour guide but I don't think anyone could make out what he was saying. "On the right side of your hand....put back the shoe on" etc.


Wat Pho, the oldest and largest Wat in Bangkok and the largest reclining Buddha was next. Then we caught a boat across the river to Wat Arun, the temple of the dawn. We climbed up its really steep steps for a view of the city. As we were told at Borobudur, life is a struggle, hence the unergonomic steps.

We were flying today. Back to the Khao San Road for dinner and then back to the National Museum. Thailand wouldn't have much historical interest without Buddhism. The various kings have been good chaps though. Learning English, going to school in Britain, inventing the post office, trains etc. and trying to follow the western lead without losing the Thai culture. It's a shame they didn't build an underground.


We went back to the River Guest House, got a shower, had some food and caught the bus to the train station. The bus didn't go as close to the station as we were expecting but we made it with plenty of time to spare. The train was as good as the last overnighter and we even got free bottles of water.

22nd April 1992 Day 277

The Diary
The long trip to Nepal again but this time we knew where we were going. A good page in the passport for the visa. I took $200 out as a cash advance on my credit card, we went to McDonalds for lunch and then to Jim Thompson's house. We discovered that we were in the Cameron Highlands 25 years to the day that he vanished there. Wow. The house was overpriced at 100B but was good value if you were into Thai antiques. 

We went to the GPO - no message from Hels and Kate - and then to Wat Traimit to see the 5.5tonne solid gold Buddha. And by that time it was 4pm and all the tourist sites were shut. We had our evening meal on the Khao San Road and then caught the bus to Patpong Road. It was all rather tame and much milder than the Reeperbahn in Hamburg and it had a market like Khao San Road.

We went into one of the bars with the girls dancing in swimsuits above the bar and we soon had two girls sitting next to us. When one started stroking my leg I told her that was enough thanks. We sat there for a while with a beer (first for 6 weeks) and a coke and chatted. The best looking girl by far came over and eventually put her incredible bum on Oz's lap. It would have been great if they weren't expecting to be paid so we finished our drinks and left. We didn't see any sex shows - maybe next time when we've got more money.

2012
The Reeperbahn - that's a story from another trip....

21st April 1992 Day 276

The Diary
I went to the GPO to post Kingdom by the Sea to Christy and then went to the Australian Embassy to ask about residency. 5 minutes in the GPO, 15 in the embassy and 3hrs 45mins travelling. Absolute Hell. Oz meanwhile, had a quiet morning in, wrote letters, did the washing and had a leisurely breakfast.

We put some films in for developing and then set off sightseeing. I had a bad attack of palpitations so I gave up and went  back. Oz went off for a walk.  We picked up the photos, I wrote a letter home, had a meal down the Khao San Road, browsed the tapes and failed to find anywhere showing the Freddie Mercury Concert from Wembley. What a wasted day.

20th April 1992 Day 275

The Diary
The trip to Nepal took ages but we made it before noon. The trip from Nepal to the GPO took even longer and then we had to fight with the ridiculous system. Just hand out all the letters in rubber band bound blocks. How do you know when you've seen all yours? Travellers everywhere, wandering in all directions with blocks of mail.

Still we both got mail from the women and nothing from our families. I got a copy of A Secret Country so my reading matter is well stocked up again. We wandered off via another bus towards Siam Square where I enjoyed the delights of Burger King and Oz had some fries. We bought some malaria tablets for the north and made our way back.


The evening was a Khao San Road meal and a bus to the GPO for some international phone calls. I managed to get Christy out of bed. At least she was in! Then we had some more fun getting back. Travelling in Bangkok is frustrating to say the least.


2012
Not really Nepal, just the Embassy.

19th April 1992 Day 274

The Diary
Train back to Bangkok, express ferry across the river and then a hunt for The River Guest House. We eventually found it and then set off to try to get to Poste Restante by 1pm before it shut. Fate was against us, we missed it by minutes. But it took over an hour to get there - a foretaste of things to come.  

On the river

National monument

 We walked to the railway station to book tickets to Chiang Mai. The booking system didn't make sense at all so I circumvented it by sitting down at one of the desks. A couple of minutes later it was all sorted out. We then caught a 53 bus and by a very roundabout route eventually got to the Tourist Authority (TAT). They showed us where the Nepalese Embassy was and then Oz went back to relieve his bowels.

I went for a walk and discovered the kite flying at Sanam Luang and the traveller's paradise that is Khao San Road. More batik, tie dye, nose rings, second hand copies of shoestring, tin tin t-shirts, dodgy tapes, bad haircuts, more nose rings and bumbags than anywhere else in Asia. We had our evening meal there.


2012
A few Bangkok ditties:

18th April 1992 Day 273

The Diary

We went to the POW cemetery - most of the dead were about our age. The average age was probably about 25. Judging from the JEATH museum the previous day they were about as well off as the Jews at Dachau. Then we made the long walk in the heat to see the bridge. On the way we came across a new war museum - the decor was well done but the English was very poor and there were a lot of factual inaccuracies. 

We wandered over the bridge, Oz got excited about an elephant with a stonker and then we wandered back. We spent the rest of the day in the oasis that was the Jolly Frog although Oz spent a large part of it on the loo. We filled in the guest book and signed ourselves Alec Guinness and Jim Thompson

2012

Apologies to Oz for continually mentioning his illness but it's obviously significant when you are travelling around and wouldn't have made sightseeing in the heat easy at all. Anyway the boot will be on the other foot later on in the diary.

The Dachau reference was there because it's a concentration camp/museum I'd visited a couple of times.

17th April 1992 Day 272

The Diary
Awoke at 5am as officials wandered up and down the carriage saying "Bangkok, Bangkok" so that they could get everyone up early and pack the beds away before we arrived. We decided to head straight to Kanchanaburi. Once out of the station (incredibly busy for 6am) we caught the 53 bus to the river. We then caught an express boat across the river, ignoring requests for us to move our bags down the boat, to Thonburi station.


We bought two 25B tickets and waited for the train. At 8am it left for the 3 hour journey. The wooden seats were definitely not made for sitting on. Just before we arrived a young Thai went along the carriage advertising The Jolly Frog Backpackers. The free ride swung it and we and about 10 others took up the offer. On the way there we realised that the Songkran water throwing festival was still going on - in a big way.


We had a pizza each and set off for the JEATH War Museum with our valuables in plastic bags. We were soaked too many times to count, our faces were whitened several times and it was if we were in the middle of a war zone. The ammo was water and pick-up trucks full of kids patrolled the streets soaking all and sundry refilling from oil drums that the fire-service filled with water. Bus drivers even slowed down so that passengers could be soaked.

The museum was small and a bit tatty but it got across the horror and dreadful conditions that the POWs and coolies endured to build the Death Railway for the Japanese. Outside, the water fight carried on - it seemed a bit inappropriate really. I picked up some photos but had to get them reprinted as they did them too small. We are early and crashed out. And Oz's bottom continues to crash out. And by the way Happy Easter - it's Good Friday.


2012
Kanchanaburi - The Bridge on the River Kwai.


It seems very appropriate to be blogging this on Anzac Day so here are a couple of clips:

16th April 1992 Day 271

The Diary
A day of travelling. On the taxi bus to Nathon Town we chatted to a Kiwi who was having AB style problems with his flight to the UK. He should have gone 6 days earlier. Then it was the express boat to the mainland. Or more specifically, the roof of the express boat. Then a coach to the Surat Thani railway station which was nowhere near Surat Thani. We got on a the train and surprisingly our ticket was genuine and not double booked.


We ate a meal on the train which was overpriced and as good as BR food. We sat in our 3 feet wide seats and watched and repeatedly said no as scores of officials tried to sell us beer, whisky, cola, beer and beer again. Some of the locals seemed to have about 3 meals and gallons of whisky and the no-smoking signs were ignored by just about everyone including the staff.


We chained our bags to the ladder and retired for the night. The seats were converted to bunk beds just like couchettes.

2012
For trainspotters and everything about Thai trains, see here.

15th April 1992 Day 270

The Diary

Today was spent on Lamai Beach and the highlights (lowlights?) were me cutting my hands and feet on the rocks and Oz similarly cutting his back. The walking wounded watched Misery in the evening to remind us that we could be worse off.

14th April 1992 Day 269

The Diary
We decided to try to get to Big Buddha Beach but after 3 taxis we'd only got as far as Chaweng Beach so we decided to stay there. The sand was gorgeous but because of a breakwater-type affair the sea was a pond - no waves at all. It also seemed slightly more upmarket and quieter than Lamai. When we walked back along the beach we realised that was because we were at the quiet end - the rest of the beach had crowds, dogs, surf and litter every bit as good or bad as Lamai. It took us 2 taxis and over an hour to get back.

In the evening we watched the end of Scarface and the whole of Green Card and as usual spent a pittance on food and drink. We haven't had any alcohol since Singapore and we didn't have much there.

13th April 1992 Day 268

The Diary
We had the traditional Songkran Thai New Year soaking at breakfast. Another day on the beach but this time at the other end where there was slightly less litter. Skipped lunch and stayed where we were.

Wet

Wet

Wet

In the evening we picked up our tickets which weren't quite as we expected. We expected to arrive in Bangkok later than 5:40am. We looked around the bookshops and I swapped Roots for Snakecharmers in Texas and we watched a constantly interrupted version of Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. It didn't matter as it looked crap and the beef stroganoff was excellent on its own anyway.

2012
I found a list of the books I read during the trip at the back of the diary:
The Provisional IRA - Bishop and Mallie
Stone Alone - Wyman
Heroes - Pilger
A Secret Country - Pilger
1984 - Orwell
The Great Railway Bazaar - Theroux
The Kingdom by the Sea - Theroux
Riding the Iron Rooster - Theroux
Roots - Haley
Unforgettable Fire - Dunphy
Visions before Midnight - James (Clive)
A Short History of Australia - Clark
Snakecharmers in Texas - James
Falling towards England - James
A Theory of Everything - Ferguson
Animal Farm - Orwell
Chasing the Monsoon - Frater
An Area of Darkness - Naipaul
The Big Red Train Ride - Newby
The Life of MK Gandhi - Fischer
A Brief History of Time - Hawking
Freedom at Midnight - Lapierre/Collins
City of Joy - Lapierre
Video Night in Khatmandu - Iyer
Grapes of Wrath - Steinbeck