WC

Can you believe I only brought film for my camera the other day (yes, film, they still exist). It is old-fashioned of me to have not joined the digital-camera age. I am stuck with an APS camera (planning go digital and buy one when in Japan) and haven't taken any pictures since being away. Unbelievable I know, but it's all in my head.

Am still in Bangkok - leaving tonight to go to Chiang Mai in the north. Planning to go trekking, see elephants and finally get a massage (can you believe have been here for this long and no massage, me massage lady).

Been in Bangkok for 3 nights and I do really like it here.
Was staying at this place near Khao San road (which is a road that all backpackers stay/live/drink/shop at). The place is the cheapest I've stayed in, shared bathrooms were clean but my room was like a prison. It was like a cell (the walls were grey, no windows, length of room was the same as me stretching my legs once and then taking 2 extra steps added to that). But actually wasn't that bad. I don't think you come to Bangkok to stay in your room.

Following on from last email, around 8am, after just arriving in Bangkok, I went walking around the city for 7 hours. It was great to see everything and get a sense of how people live and work here. Bangkok is not dirty (KL, Malaysia was worse) but the traffic is constant regardless of where you are, whether its a tiny side road or the main thing. A relentless stream.
How to cross a road in Bangkok? Step out into the road with conviction and go for it otherwise you'll grow old by the roadside and your gran kids will start asking about you.

It's nice to see so many Thais smartly dressed, the girls in their white shirts and fitted skirts, fresh as a breeze and me sweating and carrying bucket to collect it all. I love seeing the university kids in their uniform (not like ugly London ones). The boys look so smart and presentable. Boys you would take home to your mother. There was something almost old-fashioned about it that I can't describe.

The noise where we're staying was of cock-a-doodle all day (what is this that it only happens in the mornings, a lie I tell you). Food vendors on every corner, more cars than scooters, stray dogs and skinny cats. You can also hear the sounds of the temples nearby with the chanting echoing around the city.

First day in Bangkok I met S (she's staying in the same prison place as me) I was returning from my 7 hour marathon walk and we've been hanging out since. It's strange to be travelling with someone after being on my own. Simple things like when to eat, what to eat, when to get up etc. take longer and there is consultation. But after the initial hold-up and getting your head around this, it its the best thing to travel with someone else. You don't have to make all the decisions and worry about how to get from A to B on your own (it's very addictive being able to share the trial of finding accomodation when first arriving at a new place) and to actually get to know someone. It's also cheaper as you don't have to pay for the whole room yourself.

So about Bangkok: if you stand around Khao San road for a while, you will bump into all the people you've met in Thailand on your travels. That's exactly what happened to me. Saw everyone I had met in the southern islands and it's comforting to see them again. You do not feel such a stranger in the country, there are people you know. Regardless of whether you only sat next to them on a long-distance bus.

We were on our way to a posh bar across town and we happened to see a baby elephant being paraded around the city. So strange to see this sight. Foremost, it was the first elephant I've seen in my life and secondly, it's the last place you would imagine: the streets of Bangkok (elephant: amazing). We incidentally were not allowed into the bar as I was the culprit wearing shorts and flip flops, although I had called beforehand explaining the attire and it had been ok-ed. I would like to add that the shorts are cute and I only have flip flops to my name.

We went to the floating market. Apparently one of the things to see when in Thailand. It's actually outside of Bangkok (2 hours journey) so we stayed the night around the area to wake up early for the market to beat the tourists coming on the package tour buses. It was cool, smaller than I expected, there's only fruits and souvenirs on sale. It's like that Walkers Thai Bites commercial, women paddling along, not upsetting the goods piled on their boats. I question who actually buys from them, surely not the locals. You feel that its all for the tourists and come 9am, there are more tourists' boats than sellers.

I have to digress and tell you about the place we stayed at. It's the only one in the area really and mentioned by Lonely Planet (South East Asia on a Shoestring, 2006 ed.) It was like the hotel in 'The Shining', so creepy I think we were the only ones there (so glad I had S with me). And after all this time, I encountered my first cockroaches, flying ones, they were huge, almost the same size as the small rats you get in the tube in London. I've heard so many stories from other travellers about this, so it was bound to happen to me sooner than later. I killed one (screaming the whole time) and trapped the other one with a bowl. I don't know if this is true but I've heard you're not supposed to kill them, can someone Google this for me please.

I spent the whole night thinking they were taking over the room, could not sleep, had legs curled up the whole time. And then screamed around 3am, because I felt something small and moving on my face, it was a damn hair clip I had not taken out and I thought it was the cockroach cousin coming to say hello.

So they sell bugs here in Bangkok, 'I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here' food, scorpions, frogs, ants etc. After a lot of debate, procrastination and drink, we brought some crickets and I ate them (crunchy, salty, I think they put vinegar on it) horrible after taste. Spent 6am on the toilet, not sure if purely due to the cricket, but that probably didn't help.

About me:
Mosquitoes count: on average about 4 a day. I have so many scars, my legs are destroyed. I've been told Marmite works as a deterrent (when consumed regularly).

Greatest fear - cockroaches, their friends and family. And toilets. Toilets are my new acquired phobia. I refuse to pee until its a 'nice place'. I've been scared into this state. I cannot express how deep this fear is; I am deadly serious about this.
I am going to write a book about 'The Worst and Best Places to Pee in Bangkok' and may follow it up with other Asian destinations. Although, I'm afraid people will find out about the good places, word will get out and it will become shit. I am not being posh or fussy, S has recognised and accepted this as part of who I have become.

I have to go now but words of advice: be thankful for flushing toilets and think of me when you see toilet tissue in your local Sainsbury's.

I hope to kick this obsession with peeing soon and force these emails to not become just 'stories about urination'.