Happy 21st Birthday Megan 🎁🌻🎉🎈💝

Well 21 years ago I wasn't in Bangkok that's for sure.  I wanted today to be special, so one day I can tell Meg all about it. Last year, when I come to Bangkok the first temple I went to see was Wat Arun - the Temple of Dawn.  Someone told me to go there first as they knew I would get it; and I did. I remember seeing it across the river and thinking how magnificent and stunning it was. I also remembering looking into that cradle 21 years ago and thinking how did I manage to create such a beautiful baby. So it was only fitting that I should go to Wat Arun today ...... For my Meg.  Because wherever she is and what ever she is doing, I gave her life and she will always be my baby and I will always love her to the moon and back. 

So I thought I would be smart and take the boat, yes boat to the Temple.  So off i trot to the boat stop and I wait, and I wait ..... More people come and we wait.  Nothing.  Now I know this isThailand and things are different here but I knew there was something not right when the boat with the orange flag drove straight past!  Off I go back to the hostel and was oh looks like it's not stopping there anymore, you better go go the next stop! So off I go.  The good thing about returning to a city is you get to find your way around a bit.  In all this mayhem I find this

Now this is why I need to move to a city I mean this is never going to happen in Wetley Rocks.  So to the boat - yay! It is so cheap to use. Any journey, none of this zone 1, 2 3 malarkey any journey 15b (30p)!  Off that boat on to little ferry to takeme over to Wat Arun 3b (6p) lol.  Today's transport 66p lol.

I quite like the look of these flats Andy ..... If you are interested.  So to the beautiful temple that captured my heart.  Next time you watch the King and I, right at the beginning, on a dodgy backdrop, you will see this magnificent temple.  

I decided that today I would make an offering for my Meg.  So I made a donation to buy provisions for a novice Buddhist monk.  I had it blessed and had to laugh as he bashed me so hard with some sticks lol, water was flying everywhere.  Then, when it was over, he goes back on this phone, I guess to play Candy Crush or to look on Grindr 😉 lol. But it was a lovely moment and I am sure Meg, if she let herself, would agree it was a good thing to do to celebrate her birthday.

Spent quite a bit of time here as I do like it here, but it was so busy.  Then back on the ferry and ready for some lunch on the go.  Honesty, the Thai's don't stop eating! So today I had some prawns on sticks with some really hot spicy sauce - they were lovely.  Cooked fresh in front of me.  No chips, no burgers, no Subway.  Just fresh, healthy food, they were delicious.

Then looked what I found!  Mangosteens.  I have been craving these all year and I swear, if I could find a man who can sit and meditate in a park, in a city and could bring me mangosteens, you might, and I mean might, just have to buy a hat Andrew Murphy. I don't think Bet 365 will take bet on that happening lol. But I live in so much hope!

They were quite expensive but that is because they are just coming into season, but I had one when I got back to the hostel, and the girls were giggling because I liked them so much.  I decided then, as I was near, I would return to Wat Po and see he reclining Buddha.  Again very beautiful, but so busy.  This year the Korean's have selfie sticks 😱!  They are every where. Do they take just one photo? No, click, click, click bloody click on this stick that gets longer and longer lol.  It really is bizzare when you see 8-10 Korean's doing the peace sign in front of a Buddha lol with a smart phone perched on a bloody long stuck - it's a crazy mixed up world.

By now I was getting quite tired.  I walked 8 miles - just call me Eminem lol yesterday.  Which may not seem a lot but in this heat and humidity it's a lot.  Today, so far, I have walked 15000 steps which is 6.22 miles! As you can see, it's not much of a relaxing holiday.  Lovely shower and dress on for a night out in Bangkok lol. Alas no hot date .......... Yet! But there are lots of beardy European men to look at.

Jenny's for dinner.  It does not matter how much I have lol it's always 100b (£2.00)! I always give her a few bhat more and honestly anyone would think I give her a hundred quid lol.  Tonight I had my favourite mossaman curry, brown rice and water.  I know there are some foodies out there who like to look at what there is on offer, so here you go.  The dumpling things were gorgeous and the guys so funny - street food at its best!

So here I am sat in a bar with a Bacardi and coke, I wanted a mojito but they didn't do them.  I will go in search in a bit.  I have to have a cocktail to celebrate my Meg's special day.   It's so strange - it's 20:30 in January and I'm sitting outside, in a sleeveless summer frock, drinking Bacardi and coke writing this and watching the world (literally go by)!  I saw a trailer the other week for the next Marigold Hotek movie and Dame Judi made me cry again.  I am so her in that film lol.  She said something like 'how many new lives do you think we can have?' And she replied by saying 'as many as we like' that is so true.  My doctor said to me this week, if you keep repeating the same thing you will only get the same results.  I think my doctor and Dame Judi sum it up a treat.  People say to me 'oh you are so brave, going all that way on your own!  I don't stay in swanky hotels just a £7 per night hostel (with the most delicious golden yellow eggs on toast for breakfast lol. I eat on my own, I go to bars by myself lol I hop on and off boats and argue the fare with the tuk tuk drives - but that is not brave.  What's so brace about that lol.  I like to think I'm adventurous, slightly bonkers and spirited lol.  I'm so pleased I was born under a wandering star, there is so much to see, experience all there waiting.  I like this life, this path I am on.  I don't know where it's going (well obviously to London lol but not sure about anything after that lol) but it's an adventure! A crazy, mad, exciting adventure and that's just ok for me my friends.

OK this woman need a cocktail. 

Now if only a bearded European mediating man bringing mangosteens was that easy lol lol. One Singerpore Sling!  Happy 21st Meg wherever you are, what ever you are doing!  Cheers sweetheart!

Ha ha see what I did there.  Picture of Singerpore Sling and gorgeous bearded antipodean man lol!  Lol took it for you girls lol enjoy 😉

Day One - Bangkok Meltdown

Greetings from a very hot and humid Bangkok.  The one thing I have noticed this year is the air quality is really poor.  Too much pollution.  So today I have the girls in the hostel their presents.  They were so happy.  The older woman was beside herself and kept thanking me, it really was quite moving. So breakfast of eggs on toast and plenty of coffee I decided to get a taxi to the first temple. Song Sung ....... I want to keep singing that Neil Diamond song all together now lol.  Anyway Song Sung the girl with good english was back and she told me how much I should be paying for a taxi. Then I don't get ripped off.  Well he tried but I stood my ground.  There are a lot of scams here this time too.  Tuk tuk for 40b (80p) all day but they take you to jewellery places, I don't think so.  I got stopped on the way out by a woman trying to 'kidnap' me.  I tell them either a. I live and work here or b. Flying out in three hours - the girls were impressed with my stories.

So first place I visited was Wat Ratchanatda.  Such a beautiful place.  They had a market in the grounds; it was like a Primark for Buddhists lol.  They sold everything a Buddhist would need.

I must admit some of it was really tacky and others quite scary and a tad disturbing lol, but the Thais loved it.  So here are today's bargains from Buddhist Primark.

Firstly these

 I asked the woman how much they were a box and she said 130B (£2.60) I said no too expensive.  In Camden Market I paid £1.50 a box.  She then said that it was for the whole box i.e. 25 small boxes!  Happy days.  I explained to her how much they were in the UK and she didn't believe me lol.

Next bargain ..... Four Buddhas for £3.  Cone incense for 80p and I only wanted three or four new cords for my Buddha necklace I wear but they wouldn't sell me a few. So I had all these for £1 lol.

I then went to the Golden Mount Temple.  You could pay a few bhat to go to the top but to be honest I thought with the recent back issue I best not. I went into one of the smaller temples  and made an offering.  The girl there was so lovely.  Do you know, I have spoken to more people here in 24 hours than I have since New Year in Wetley Rocks! And I am being serious.  A little girl yesterday wanted to practise her english on me, it was so sweet.  Her parents stood there so proud as she said hello, how are you?  Like I said last year, I have something the Thai's want; I speak English. 

It has been very hot here today and I have giggled when I have read about the snow at home lol, how I do not do sniw lol.  So I have had plenty to drink today but was not hungry at all.  Mind you I failed to say about last night.  

I went to Jenny's for dinner and she remembered me 😊 she said 'oh you come back' and beamed.  I told her about Daniel and how he sends her his love and that he is Cambodia now.  It was so sweet that this woman had remembered me. So I had my usual Mossaman Tofu Curry, brown rice and water - two bottles.  I think if I had to have one last meal on earth it would be that.  I told jenny that I had bee dreaming of that meal for months.

So back to today.  I decided that after the temples I would go for a walk and see what I could find aka get lost!  It was so funny.  I ended up down this little street just full of Thai people and Thai street food.  I don't speak Thai; they didn't speak English lol.  So I'm looking at pots and pots of goodness knows what and guess what was in one pot? My old friend ....... Children's hands otherwise known as stewed chickens feet - yum yum!!!!! I'm so pleased I'm vegetarian.  Needless to say I gave them a miss and stumbled across a little cafe.  So more iced coffee and a bowl of some sort of chilli, spicy noodle thing. Very tasty.  I'm all out of sync at the moment. I fell asleep, literally with iPad in hand, at eightish last night.  Woke at midnight, wide awake and hungry with a stinking headache. At one I had a couple of paracetamol and slept round to half seven. But to be honest I have no real concept of time at the moment.  Jet lag is such a strange feeling.

So back at the coffee shop across the road from hostel again watching the world go by.  Bangkok is a mismatch of old and new.  It's a crazy city but the people are just so friendly.  But they feel for you today lol as many of them are wearing sweatshirts lol. They must be cold in this heat!  Also, I have never seen people eat so much. Stereotypically, the Thais are very petite but can they polish off food or what! Everywhere you go there is food! I swear no one cooks here; they just go to the street vendor and get their dinner there.  I wonder what it will be like in Cambodia? I am expecting to see dog on the menu there 😕 which I guess makes the chicken's feet seem favourable.  Any one for Lassie and rice?  You will see me on the BBC News - mad english woman runs amok in Cambodian market, releasing all the dogs lol.

So just been for a walk near to the hostel, which I forgot to mention has taken over the hostel next door too.  It now has 19 rooms.  I like to think it's my recommendation on Trip Advisor lol.  So here are some random pictures of my travels - enjoy?

Manchester - Doha - Bangkok

Well here am doing my Dame Judi Dench bit again (Marigold Hotel), sitting in the little cafe opposite my lovely hostel, drinking an iced coffee writing my blog.  Nothing has changed, just I am a year older but certainly no wiser 😏

So the flight lol.  I was sitting next to a woman from Sheffield who was a dead looker for Whoopie Goldburg. Seriously.  She was returning to Zanzibar as she plays the ukilalie in a band and is in tour.  She originates from Zanzibar. So I have learn how took cook okra so it tastes lovely and not slimey.  We had a good old natter.  I must say, I was impressed with Qatar airways. Lovely, planes, plenty of leg room, curteous staff and good veggie food.  So me and Roxy (that's her name lol) had a good chat.  Then as I'm getting off the plane there were two blokes behind me going back to Sydney via Malaysia. I do like the Australians lol. Anyways, it turns out that they live in Port Douglas.  Some of you may recall that when I went to Australia I stayed at Port Douglas and totally fell in love with it and was quite happy to stay there. We talked about the Sunday market lol and the dog treats I bought my dear, sweet Hetty back lol. The. He says to me do you know where Coles supermarket is in Port Douglas? I did as I went I there to get nibbles for a day out.  I mean, how random is that lol.  He run the bar opposite lol.  Crazy, crazy.  They were dead impressed that I had gone snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef and laughed their heads off when I told them my fear of stingrays.  They said that they had never met any british person who had heard of Port Douglas, let alone been there or knew where the supermarket was lol. It really is a small world.  We said out good byes; Roxy and her ukilalie to Zanzibar and the Australians of to Sydney via Malaysia.  But they are moving to NZ Jackie in July but the South Island but they knew where Lyall Bay is ....... Apparently north of Wellington.

So Doha mmmmm.  These Arab countries might have oil and wealth in abundance but they don't have deodorant 😟 what a pong.  For goodness sakes, get some deodorant. I dread to think how it is going to stink when the World Cup comes to town lol.

So it was a quick Dush across the terminal to my connecting flight.  I saw the first leg by drinking gin, taking ibuprofen and cups of black coffee and one hours sleep.  The second flight again was a lovely plane and this time I was sitting next too love lasts dream - oh well.  So there we are are sitting on the plane, waiting and waiting and waiting and then the police come on and then some more police.  Cabin staff are handing out cups of water (alas no gin at this point)! One hour, yeas one hour later, three people are escorted off the plane.  The. We have to wait for their baggage to be taken off.  So we eventually take off from Doha just over an hour late! 

So no one to talk too on this flight except a young Vietnamese girl I was talking  too as I boarded the plane.  She said she had seen me at Manchester.  Once seen, never forgot lol.  I finished watching Bruce Willis save the world in Armageddon had an hours kip then Andy you will be impressed, watched Batman lol.  Well if I am going to be 'living' with a geek I better start learning.  It was the Batman film where I was the body double for Catwoman lol in my leathers on a bike 😉

So eventually Bangkok.  I was out of that seat like a greyhound out of a trap. Good job, immigration was very busy.  I asked a Thai airport worker if he would lift my case off the carousel for me, he was lovely BUT I do not like not having my independence.  Then downstairs to get a taxi.  Bit of bartering with taxi driver as he tried to rip me off (only by a couple of quid but I am not having it lol)! Actually he was ok started talking football lol they always talk football well Manchester United or Chelsea, nothing else.  I said old Jose was easy on my eye and he laughed and laughed.

It was so good to get back to Bangkok and I started to recognised places and I was so excited and had that silly contented smile.  Arrived at the hostel and the girl who was there (who I only met once before) was so pleased to see me.  I had a quick shower, logged on the wi fi.  Then I saw the older woman lol she smiled and smiled and hugged me, I was made to feel so welcome.  They really are such lovely people.  So I have thrown some clothes around, sprayed myself with mosquito killer (remember last time on my last night in BKK and how I got bit terribly) and here I am, across the road writing this and drinking iced coffee.  I'm very dehydrated and can feel cramp coming and going in my calves so I need to take on board some fluids lol, but don't mention my back 😊🙏

So I think I will have another iced coffee (it's 30 bhat = 60p lol)! Then I will go for a stroll to the temple down the road then I think it will be Jenny's for dinner.  I have been dreaming of that food for months oh and mangosteens, lotus apples, papaya salad, mossaman curry, brown rice but alas no Thai massages this year.

So on second ice coffee now.  The time here is 15:30 so it's 8:30 where you are. Considering I have had two hours the most sleep, I don't feel to bad.  The best thing with jet lag is to just go with the time where you are! So I'm telling my body it's 8:30 but to be totally honest I haven't a clue lol. As I am sitting here, women are going by with carts of vegetables and fruit.  Nothing is wrapped in plastic or labelled or probably washed. I'm hoping the pancake omelette man comes round in a minute, they are lovely.  Not quite sure what the are lol but they are tasty.  Oh and the two dogs are still here but no sign of the cat/kittens.

Wake up Pippin, it's time to fly

I used to say that to my Meg when we used to go on our annual holiday ........ Wake up Pippin, it's time to fly (it was a programme on TV that she liked to watch)! So here I am, again, packed and ready for my travels.  Not sure how I'm feeling about this trip, I'm not excited as I feel Bangkok is a place I feel comfortable. Also, this back injury has made me slightly cautious about the trip, but I will figure it out ........ I always do 😏

So all checked in.  I got a rather nice man to lift case on check in desk.  He was rather nice, young as he had hair.  He's travelling to Perth and staying for 12 months.   Oh if only 😏.  It's really quiet at the terminal, it's like a ghost town.  Perfume and lipstick duly purchased and now sitting in Nero's having a coffee.  I'm trying to dissociate myself with time now as it all comes irrelevant and my body clock does not know if it's a flag or balloon.  Mind you, I'm like that must of the time without flying lol. So it's a lovely day, weatherwise, to be leaving the UK.  Manchester us its usual wet and windy self and I guess this is the final time I will fly out of Manchester. So thank you Manchester, you have served me well.  Fight just going out to JFK NY ....... Note to self, you must return one day.

I have to giggle.  Behind me in Nero's is a member of staff having their supervision lol.  It doesn't matter who you work for it's the same old rubbish being said.  Everyone is just winging it lol.  

Right that's your lot now as I have a flight to catch and a very long journey ahead of me. Catch you in a bit.

Two weeks and counting ............... well not really

Well here we go again my friends.  However, this time it is different.  This time I have not prepared a thing.  I am sitting here at my desk, in the cottage with raging backache and thinking that I will probably see Thailand and Cambodia through a haze of very strong pain killers.  I have prepared absolutely nothing for this holiday.  I have a few US dollars already (that is the currency for Cambodia) and a few  Thai Bhats left over from last year.  Oh I have my flight to Bangkok booked and a flight now, well almost, to Phnom Penh which is the capital city of Cambodia.  I have my accommodation booked in Bangkok - I am returning to see the girls again, this makes me very happy. And I have now booked my accommodation in Cambodia but that is it.  Still it will all get done in the end.  I fly on 28 January but I will have to check the time, I think it is 14:00.  So here we are.  I am not broadcasting this Blog to all this time, personal reasons. But those of you who have the link, I hope you enjoy the rantings again.