Farewell, Bangkok…

So, it’s been a couple of days since I last posted. And I know I said I was taking the day off yesterday to just chill out but, well… I didn’t 😛
After a pretty hefty lie in, I got some seriously itchy feet and decided to just go for a wander and see where I ended up (armed with a map – just in case!); I actually wound up having a pretty eventful day!
Upon wandering down Sukhumvit Road, I stumbled across a BTS (SkyTrain) station, and thought I’d visit Siam Square  – well known as the biggest and, arguably most popular, shopping district in Bangkok. After a few hours of walking around the myriad of shops (and almost being ripped off for jewellery by a dodgy man in a suit), I was forced to admit that I couldn’t quite afford to put my money where my mouth was. With stores including Prada, Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs, this area is certainly not for the penniless (or those with absolutely zero space in their suitcase!), and so I travelled back to Asok with my tail between my legs. It was here that I thought I’d try the local street food, but had some pretty bad luck with that too (in the sense that it may have still been living – ew!). So I hailed the nearest scooter – and had the ride of a lifetime for a mile and a half back to my hotel – where I enjoyed delicious traditional Pad Thai instead, before hitting the sack pretty early, ready for the next day 🙂

I’d booked my Grand Palace and Temples tour a couple of days ago, and couldn’t contain my excitement when it finally came around to visiting them! Despite being knackered after a crappy night of sleep, we arrived at the Golden Buddha (officially ‘Phra Phuttha Maha Suwan Patimakon’, the largest solid gold statue in the world) at 8am. The temple itself is incredible – with hand-painted walls and such detailed decoration, it’s difficult not to just stand open-mouthed in awe. After this, we visited the Grand Palace (Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang), a complex of stunning, bejewelled buildings and murals spanning 60 acres of land. Here, and the Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho), are really not to be missed. They boast some of the most intricate detailing on each and every building, and sparkle in the sunlight – something that I may have appreciated more had I remembered my sunglasses! As it was such a hot day, I did spend the rest of the afternoon by the pool (alas, still white and pasty as a sheet)… What a perfect day to end my time in Bangkok!
Tomorrow, I fly to Chiang Mai, and then off to the Elephant Conservation on Monday for the week. I can’t guarantee that I’ll have Wi-Fi, but I’ll keep you updated ASAP!
TTFN!
Xo.