Bangkok - again!!

Put quite simply, Bangkok rules! Fourth time we've wound up here - well if you like to party there aren't many better places that we've seen. Then there's the food found on every corner of countless bustling neighbourhoods. And if it's shopping you like, shit, it must be heaven - fortunately we don't have the bag space!

Started a decent 18hr run in Pakse. Three hours across the border toUbon Ratchathani where we wasted several hours stuffing our greedy little faces with street food and Singha beer - hmmm. Overnight toBangkok - Krung Thep Maha Nakhon to the Thais - where we pitched up shortly before five, downed a coffee, found a hotel and hit the town.We finally crashed about 6.30am the following morning after a crazy night on the tiles.

There's something about this city that's just so addictive. We've seen some smart cities on this trip but, for us, it's Bangkok every time. So, where were we? Oh yeah, that's right, the all-nighter. Started with good western feed - previous night's gluttony was bound to have consequences, and did, grave ones - then hit the malls. And hell are there some malls in Bangkok.

Most recent is the Central/Zen mall, the largest in SE Asia. You name it this place has it, twice. Left the "beauty" department smelling like a poof's armpit. Couldn't stop dribbling in the food court. Bagged countless books, nearly bought a tele - 32 inch Sony Bravia flatscreen, 1100 quid - and classy watch but money had run out by then courtesy of Kris's new wardrobe. Finished afternoon off with a film at the centre's space age cinema, the likes of which we'd not seen before.
What we weren't prepared for however was when the "future features" were brought to an abrupt end with an advert giving it up for the Thai king - prompting the entire audience to break into song! Can you imagine cinema audiences in Holland or England dancing in their seats as pictures of Beatrix and Elizabeth were beamed onto the big screen. Us neither!

And, with daylight fading fast, we nipped into one of the city's amazing supermarkets (supersupermarket is more befitting) to grab a nice bottle of red to wash down the fresh seafood and strong as hell cheese.

Stuffed our faces, again, and then beer-hopped our way to Patpong, home to some of Bangkok's dirtiest birds and seediest bars. Great! Enjoyed a good'ol session into the wee hours, rounds of cheap Chang punctuated by heated haggling in the colourful Patpong market. Wondered why Marit was constantly encouraging more drink, and discovered the answer when I inadvertently agreed to join her in a Go-Go bar (like a supermarket except all the meat is alive).

We left, rather hot and bothered, some time later! Made the hotel's breakfast - we were staying at Bangkok City Inn, right in the heart of Siam, the retail hub and half way to everywhere- when we stumbled through the doors in search of sleep. Five hours later we were up doing the same thing, just different bars in different areas of the city. Even somehow manged to squeeze time in to book a flight to Hat Yai, down south (see Air Asia website for cheapas chips flights), from where we plan to orchestrate our overland run into Malaysia without running into the separatist rebels responsible for hacking off Buddhists' heads and, who have been causing a general nuisance of themselves since early 2004.