Bangkok, Thursday

1104 Just had Spanish lesson. Woke up about IIRC 6am feeling really hot - I didn't leave the air conditioning on overnight, but this felt a bit much all the same. Went back to bed and didn't really want to get up for the class at 10. Maybe was a bit of a hangover.

Not exactly looking forward to going out - it's going to mean getting a taxi over there, and for some reason I have formed an irrational distrust of taxi drivers (I haven't used one yet). Still, might as well finish getting ready and get on with it.

1235 At Chao Phraya pier hoping to get boat to palace. Not a fucking clue how to tell bwhat boat goes where or when or how much it is supposed to cost. Fucked off, I hate this feeling of having to rush about because you "have" to see things

1256 At Wat Pho, more luck than judgement. Continuing rant, when I'd rather be having a relaxe lunch or something. Also, how the FUCK can I be on a boat full of tourists, loads of who get off at the stop for THE tourist site in the centre of Bangkok and yet as soon as I get onto the street I seem to be ONLY FUCKING TOURIST IN THE COUNTRY. I need to be with my herd to feel safe.

I think I am going to have to officially give up. Guide books, friends, smug cunts I might meet in the future can all officially go fuck themselves sideways. Let's practice:

SC: Oh, you were in Bangkok? Wasn't Wat Fuckit absolutely astounding?
Me: I don't know, I didn't go.
SC: Guess you were out late partying, eh? The Bhanglamtwat district is just amazing isn't it, you meet so many people from all over the world!
Me: I wouldn't have a clue.

I'm going to do what I can when I can with what I have and "must'" can go fuck off. I don't care if I do the equivalent of going to Egypt and not seeing the pyramids. As long as I don't spend all day every day in bed, job done.

I also need to worry less about getting ripped off. The chances of a taxi driver stinging me for more than about twenty quid is pretty low and I can afford that. Let's wait until I do get fucked over before being pre-emptively cautious.

Anyway, 1302 now, let's go in.

1435 Walking around outside of Grand Palace trying to find the one entrance. Obviously it would kill them to put a fucking arrow pointing to the entrance on the 'no entry' signs around the building's other entrances. It's OK, I think the perimeter is only something like 2km and it's not hot and muggy and the place doesn't shut super early. (I should have done this first then Wat Pho, but I was feeling harried.)

Wat Pho quite interesting, reclining Buddha is indeed huge. But I'm a littl Buddha-ed out. The best one was a sitting one wearing an orange robe in some littleish room. Was quite tranquil in there, and there was a fan. Not sure I saw the whole complex as frankly the layout is confusing but I think I saw a reasonable amount.

1504 You know, I'm not enjoying this. I'm in the Grand Palace. THB 500, yes, ten quid, to get in. An audio guide is THB200 *and* you have to leave a credit card or your passport as a deposit. Yeah, right. I'm fucking hungry. I just managed to lose my shoes - you're taking them off left right and centre here, I don't mind not wearing them but the off-on is tedious, why can't they just lend you a shoe bag at the entrance and you carry it round, anyway I couldn't remember where the fuck the shoe rack I'd left mine on was.

Wat Pho was OK, it wasn't insanely expensive, it was interesting. I don't want to be here, I want to be sat in a restaurant with some food, but becuase thise closes so frickin' early I had to come here. It's really not ideal to be going round in this mood but fuck it, I'm here so let's really not enjoy it for my money's worth.

1741 At Swagath Indian Restaurant opposite hotel. Might possibly see if I can get some street food tonight but not sure. In any event I need to go back to hotel and look into the onward trip. Frankly given it would mean a taxi there and back and the traffic is horrific I doubt I am going to the backpacker kind of area tonight or tomorrow. I may just try the street food round the hotel, or I might get the metro over to Soi Cowboy and walk up and down it and see if there's anything to eat round there.

Was actually in emerald temple whatsit when wrote earlier rant, the grand palace itself was after. It was OK but do feel it was rather pricey. Finally got something to drink and a Magnum at a 7-Eleven after I left. Walked round through some street market back to the boat terminal, got boat back to same terminal I left from but took different meandering route back to hotel this time. (Not been back yet.) Had a chicken sausage in a sort of bun from 7-Eleven when left hotel this morning, otherwise only had the Magnum and the drinks. I got a corn-flavoured green tea in one place and an actual nothing-but-green-tea in another, the latter being disappointingly but logically un-sweet. ;-)

Ordered chicken dopyaza and lemon rice here. It seems slightly pricey but I don't think it's insane, I expect this with a diet coke to come in at about 3-400 THB. I just couldn't faff around any longer, I wanted to eat and I wanted to eat now!

Obviously I am Doing It Wrong by eating here instead of waiting to eat at the night market, but as per earlier decision, anyone who says that can go fuck themselves.

Apart from having to sort out the onward trip, which may involve trekking over to train or bus station to make a booking, I think I've done all the obvious major stuff or I'm not doing it. So although I hope to get up earlyish tomorrow, I also hope I can have a more relaxed day and eat properly and not be trekking around all over the fucking place.

I have no idea if I will have any beers tonight, it depends entirely on what comes my way if and when and where I go out.

1813 Food not bad, though chicken was on the bone. Will get bill soon and go back to hotel via corner shop, need to get some more water and if I can I might also see if I can get a carton of fruit juice and/or even some fresh fruit. Loads of tempting looking fruit sold in various markets I've seen today but not sure if it would be a good risk.

O Fortuna! playing softly in background.

1820 Fucking hell. Bill is 423 and I don't think that includes a service charge. Considering I paid about 140 for that meal in Deen restaurant the other day this is pretty expensive. I wouldn't have come in had I not been desperate, as there were no prices showing outside. Meh. It's not massively expensive in absolute terms, though I am not sure if I'm going to get any change - they are taking their time collecting the money. Guess a 10% tip is 42 so I'd only be looking to take back 20 or 30 out of my 500 note change.

Feel I've been manipulated by their selection of change but am leaving a 50 note as tip. Meh meh meh.

1849 Back at hostel. Withdrew some cash with extortionate fee. No fruit juice at the tiny 7-Eleven about 5-10 mins walk from hotel; two on other side of road in that distance, but crossing it is such a fucker didn't bother. Hot, bit tired, hacked off. Everything seems such a fucking chore. Got to sort out the onward travel. Where do I go? How do I get there? What sort of accomodation should I choose? I appreciate I 'should' be really jolly but I'm not.

2102 OK, heading out 'soon' to the area round Patpong night market again. Will leave phone behind just to be safe. Guide book says it is one of the main nightlife areas and so why trek halfway across city to go somewhere else when I can walk there? Will try Radio City and/or Barbican; these are mentioned in guidebook and presumably therefore safe and (given its prudishness) not sex show places.

Have had a little look into onward trip. Basically I think the rough plan is to take my time heading up to Chiang Mai along the railway line. First candidate stop is Lop something, about 3h north by train. Have e-mailed a potential hotel to see about a room and hope they reply by tomorrow morning so I can go buy a train ticket. Guide book says a lot of people get train in in morning, leave bag at station and get night train out after seeing town during day. I think that sounds a bit hurried, there is *some* stuff to do there, so I am proposing two nights. Anyway, we will see what happens.

2112 OK, off out then.

0030 Just got back. Couldn't find either of those bars, despite knowing the streets from last night. The description of the Barbican as having Japanese hostess bars outside was bang on for the street, but no sign of the bar. Ended up at Flann O'Brien's (named after the author of At Swim Two Birds? probably not) at the end of Thiyaya (sp), the street Barbican supposedly on. Had four pints of Carlsberg at a reasonable THB100 a go (10% tip on the last pint, I am so generous) and they had a live band on, who were certainly competent but be it me or the place didn't deliver the sense of boozy togetherness I got in that place in Tbilisi last Friday. I may go back there tomorrow night for all that, though I should probably have a day off the beer.

Bought a pack of grilled squid flavour seaweed snacks and a litre of orange juice at a 7-Eleven on the way back. As I walked back through the street stalls on Silom one placed had a T-shirt with Hangover repeated on it in blurry type. I was just pissed enough to be genuinely disturbed by the blurriness and wondered if I was seriously drunk. Quite clever in its way.

0202 Stayed up stupidly late writing draft e-mail to Rab. Anyway, bed.