First off the 6 Turkish men from Marmaris I met on the plane from Bahrain. They took me under their wing determined to look after me once they knew I was on my own. This unfortunately involved a lot of poking while I was asleep so that I didn't miss the food/menus/headphones etc. At the airport I was 'picked up' by 3 male nurses from Saudi Arabia, 1 kiwi, 1 canadian and 1 american called Bob. Not bad going for being in the country approximately half an hour. I managed to blag my way into a taxi with them (which they then consequently paid for!) but started to regret this as Bob started swearing at the taxi driver for not speaking english properly (hello, we're in Thailand?!). George the Canadian started taking pictures and making comments about hot girls we were driving past while Bob (who I will point out was short and bald and wearing an armani scarf. Enough said) pressed up against me in the back. Quite amusing really! But a free taxi ride is a free taxi ride and it left me feeling hopeful that I could meet some vaguely normal people.
Not so. A trip to the old capital Ayuthaya (a lot of old rocks and Buddhas with heads cut off by the Burmese) for the day had me stuck with a hippy natural nutritionist who before we had even got there had told me her life story (involving her son being in prison and mentally disturbed) and tried to get me into meditation. She felt the atmospheres in the places pretty keenly and would run off taking photos left right and centre of old rocks. I was almost sorry to see her go though, we had bonded over her life story and the fact she lives in Bournemouth.
Today I have kept myself to myself for the most part (trying not to get involved with hippies again!) except for a charming German at breakfast and some very nice Irish people who gave me directions and tips. I negotiated the Thai buses to go to Chatuchak market which was immense, found some incredible shoes and tried not to buy too much. Braved a food stall for lunch and I am now killing time until my 'VIP' bus down south this evening, apparently there is air conditioning, blankets and reclining seats!
Although I have only been here only 2 days I feel like an old hat at Khao San Road. The crazy hippies and dredlocks everywhere, the shakes for sale at every corner as well as clothes and tat galore. And just for the record, it is HOT! Though I arrived on thursday to torrential rain which left the whole of Khao San Road flooded and most people wading through the road in bare feet. I sat there with my pineapple shake and watched the world get drenched around me and thought, this is the life hey!
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