Pat Pong = Ping Pong

It's now our last real day in Bangkok! and i must say just a little bit sad! it's been such an amazing place to stay. Can't say we've done much except sun it up and have some good nights out, but that's what Thailand is for! Anybody who has traveled to Thailand will know where I'm coming from with that statement.

Having said that, on Friday we decided to do something slightly cultural! we booked ourselves into a day trip to go see a province just north west of Bangkok. Our trip included going to see; Allied war cemetery, river Kwai museum, the bridge over the river Kwai, travel over the bridge of death on a train, elephant riding, waterfall and finally tiger temple! our only problem was the 7am start - considering Bangkok does not sleep until 2am!

Having little or no sleep we headed out on our trip, we got onto our very quiet and very small minibus and drove 2 hours to our first stop The Allied War Cemetery. Buried here were the POW's that built the bridge or died trying.... for any one who doesn't know the story, you should look it up. Having only one day to see all the sights we we're quickly moved on by our guide to go and see our second stop, A 'Museum'. Granted it was built overlooking the river Kwai. But this was not a museum!! We then walked over the River Kwai bridge alongside some of the other members of our group.

We then headed off to a Train station to board the train over the death railway. Was as it's name suggests. Most of the track was from it's original wooden beams put down during the second world war, quite a beautiful journey! Having finish our ride and sat down for a very large thai meal we were ready for the second half of the day and the best. We headed out to an elephant riding camp. We climbed a small wooden structure to be greeted by an elephant! 18 year old female from Burma (the elephant!) and her 16 year old Thai Guide! Getting on top of an elephant was a brilliant experience and we headed out on a little trek, our guide had been with his elephant since he was only 11 and their teamwork was amazing! She would lift him up to her head from her trunk, or put out her leg for him to get down! We got some amazing pictures, and had a unforgettable experience, we even got to feed her a basket full of bananas!

We next headed to a waterfall, which in fact was a Thai amusement's park, well it looked like that anyway?!? unfortunately we got there in dry season, so I can only expect the place to look even more magnificent with some prior rain! Our next stop was the Tiger Temple! Having heard a few rumors as too why the predators at this temple were able to be on such a close proximity to humans, i gad my worries; including drugging, a way of life, being too hot and my favorite Monk Power! We began at Tiger Canyon!!! sounds dramatic right! as you can see from the pictures we managed to get really up close and personal with the tigers. Some of them were huge and really quite playful! I know that I wont be able to be so close to a creature as magnificent as this again! that is unless Ponty zoo opens up?? The tiger temple was really living up to all expectations! We headed over to the tiger cubs next, and they gave me the answers to my questions as to why these creatures were so docile! The cubs were full of life and well up for a fight, had a little scuffle with one! Makes me pretty scared to think of meeting one of these guys in the wild! These little guys were amazing, some even got told off for getting to rowdy! Got to get one of those for myself! After such a brilliant ending to our day tour we headed back to bangkok for some well earned rest.

The tigers made it all worthwhile!

Last night we finally ventured onto Patpong Street, esentially the red light district of Bangkok and Thailand. In the day we spent our time in MBK, it's pretty much a big shopping arcade looking for presents. Heading out on the bus to Patpong with our new American companion Maddie we were full of excitement, me more than them I guess! Arriving onto Patpong was strange to say the least. We first walked past the Thai boy stretch, we'll come to that later.... Patpong red light district also has a night market, a good cover for anyone who doesn't want too look like a right perv! We came across loads of guys trying to sell us shows. and loads of men trying ti act as if they were there for the market!! DIRTY!


PRIOR WARNING!!!


Here are some ideas. Sorry if I offend anyone; (they all came with pictures)

• woman opens bottle
• women blows a whistle
• women smokes a cigarette
  
• woman eats banana
• woman writes a letter... Sorry!
• woman plays ping pong! as you can tell this one is a little more popular than most!

We headed for our first bar, not much going on and we didn't last long. Next bar which turned out not to be a ping pong bar, but just a brothel with drinks.... and after I ordered the only drink we made a quick exit! Again a little disappointed with our next adventure, only dancing! After some deliberation we finally decided on WILD CAT! sounds good right??

Having been tempted in by the very cheap prices and good oppertuntiy to see a live show we couldn't wait! drinks were 100 baht or 1.50p (there are no pound signs on these computers) again we had one each, after some confusion we got brought 5! Anyway as they say the show must go on, and good god it did! Our first act showed us how to keep a bunch of flowers hidden. our second act played some ping pong, which landed at me feet and brushed Maddies leg. ewwwwww.... next act opened a bottle of soda water! Susy got a good splashing.... i'm really sorry i'm going into so much detail! and finally we saw her blow a whistle and you know the magic trick where they reveal lots and lots of cloth from their hand..... you know the rest.

Now for the fun part, having felt we'd seen enough we thought about leaving and wanting to pay our 300 baht/3.80p bill...... we were handed a bill for 3,600 baht/58 pounds!!!! from two very stern women! claiming that we had drinks costing 900 baht, watching the show cost 2,100 baht and buying drink for the ladies on stage 600 baht!!!!! To say I was a little pissed off is an understatement!!!! claiming all these prices were made clear to us as we arrived. Luckily we knew about scams in this area and I refused to pay, I handed over 300 baht for drinks and left to a tirade of abuse! FUCK YOU!! Charming!

What a night! Could it get any better! We'll we went down to the Thai boy street, made me very scared, sorry Simon! and after a look inside a club I made a very quick exit!!! That's where my Pat pong experience ended. Won't be forgetting that one too soon!

Anyway after this enormous blog, we're now in Vietnam. Flew over today from Bangkok to Hanoi! check this space again soon!

Geth!! xx