• No I don't want a f****** suit!!!!!

    No I don't want a f****** suit!!!!!

    Good day to you. Today is Friday 11th November 2005 and I've been in Bangkok since Monday. Flight was ok, two six hour stints with a four hour wait in the middle ain't too bad at all. I haven't spent my time doing much at all (serious 'long night of the soul followed by a day of sleep deprived lethargy' type thing goin on). Last night I got my first almost normal nights sleep and today I went to see Wat Pho also known as Wat Phra Chetuphon. This is a very impressive place and is where the huge 'Reclining Buddha' resides. I made the trek via tuk tuk (tuk tuks rule!!!!) with a chap called Marcus from Swindon. We spent 2 or 3 hours there then returned back to the guest house just before a torrential rain and thunder storm erupted (good timing ;)).

    Bangkok is a fun place to be and in my experience is full of people from all corners of the world. The most striking thing so far is how buying/selling works. I think anyone that has travelled to this area of the world will be all too familiar with the haggle. I really enjoy it, its a laugh. It seems to work better if you do it with a bit of a smile and by using one or two Thai words. Tuk tuk drivers are artists at this. During my first couple of days I was chuffed if I'd managed to convince a seller of whatever sort to knock their price down by say 50 baht. As you spend more time here you realise that the sellers are starting way over the going rate so in turn, you should go in very low. In fact, when they state their first price the best thing you can do is laugh and walk away (while not showing any disrespect mind you!!!). They (especially tuk tuk drivers) will come running down the street with their next price. You then offer your first price, indicating that you've conceded that business can be done, then its the hardcore haggle, which is pretty quick, until you agree on a price (lord knows what it must be like at supermarket checkouts). On at least one occasion in the last 4/5 days, because there's little else going on, I've bought something just to play the game, it's not as if you have to spend a lot of money to play.

    At the moment I have one prevailing problem... I brought the wrong rucksack. I have 45lt, a 65lt and 25lt. I chose to bring the 45 and the 25, intending to use the 25 as a day sack. This all seemed fine but I also have a quite bulky camera case carrying electrical equipment. I have found that I cannot get all my belongings into the 45lt which is a pain when going from place to place. I think I should buy another rucksack. This presents me with a problem... it would mean getting rid of the two rucksacks that I have brought witgh me. I can just about cope with getting rid of the 45, I've had it for ages but haven't used it loads. The 25 however is like a teddy bear to me. I used to carry it around everywhere (even when there was no real need) and it has been there at probably all the significant events in my life for the past 5 years or so. Hmmm, so I'm very attached to this thing and I'm not feeling too good about getting rid (I dread to think what the Buddha would have to say about that). Pretty much all the rucksacks that I have seen are 'The North Face' rucksacks and I strongly suspect that they're all fakes. I heard someone say that they were on their second of these because the first one fell to bits (though why you'd buy another one after having one disintegrate on you I have no idea). Today the solution presented itself to me. I could buy a second hand rucksack. I have spotted a place that has a range of second hand ones, one of which is a 75lt karrimor, which is cool. I reckon I can persuade the guy to do a straight swap, my 2 for his 1. Then all I need is a much smaller camera case and a shoulder type bag and I'm sorted.

    So that's it for now, because I'm bored with this typing thing ;~)

    ... oh yea, forgot to add the bit about the suit... just in case there are any Thai tailors reading this, then I politely refer you to the title of this post, thank you.