The Grand Palace is closed

 As part of your travel prep it is always advisable to research the local scams. As a tourist, especially in Asia, you will stand out as a mark however contrasting your tan lines are, illustrating the length of your travels, like the circles on a tree. 

Yesterday the Grand Palace and Wat Pho were closed. The tuk tuk drivers told us so. But they always tell you so, as they want to whizz you off to conspiring gem stores with the offer of awaiting riches and all you have to do is invest in the gems and sell on. 

However today they were telling the truth. Coming to an end of their year long leadership of APEC, the weekend long gathering was commencing in the Thai capital and leaders of the Asian Pacific countries were going to be gathering at the Grand Palace, meeting the King and then going to see the incredible golden reclining Buddha at Wat Pho. A national holiday was given and Bangkok was quiet, locals heading out of town for a long weekend, leaving behind the 30 degree winter heat to the throngs of police lining the streets, preparing for potential street demonstrations. Bangkok was quiet and we swiftly embarked on our new sightseeing plan. 

Be quiet in the temple

I’m in Bangkok with my friends, friends who I have know for 25 years.  Ou lodged with me for a year in 2000 when she was doing her MA at SOAS. Match was my project office in 1997 when I travelled around Northern Thailand for Help Age International and she was also at Warwick in 2005 completing her masters and Bea popped over to London in 2005 on a year sabbatical and was my flat mate for 8 years. Our friendship spans a long time and it’s amazing to be all together again. We last met 11 years ago, on my last trip to Thailand. 

We are quite a formidable bunch, and have just reverted back to a giggly group now on a constant drive to outdo our last group selfie I front of whatever we choose. This resulted in our hysterical squeeze of laughter of finding the best backdrop of a giant wooden temple door with a carved very pale soldier standing guard by the temple. Too much noise for the temple as we were quickly instructed to be quiet, but it was worth it for the great group photo: 

Toast or Duck noodles for breakfast?

 Everywhere seems to have been gentrified, it’s all too standard to pop the words boutique hotel on to the end of your hotel name.  And yes I am staying in a boutique hotel, but questioning the benefits as we don’t even have a kettle in our room. It’s in my favourite area of Banglamphu, near the river and full of temples and great restaurants. We were directed to have breakfast on the canal edge at the restaurant linked to our hotel. Yes the coffee, eggs and toast did look appealing but the bigger draw was the duck noodle restaurant on the other side of the bridge. We ate a really hearty breakfast, including squares of boiled ducks blood and this couldn’t have been a better first breakfast of my trip! 

What a warm welcome

 The reason for coming back to Thailand now is to mark the 25th anniversary of me having worked here and undertaken some amazing project visits with Help Age International. Here I met Match and Bea at the central office in Chiang Mai mid 1997 and with Match embarked on incredible adventures of visiting a lepar colony, hill tribes where they had only ever seen one other white person, and other local projects. 

Apparently I have not lost my enthusiasm or zeal for life! And I am so proud to have these wonderful women as friends, along with Ou, who lodged with me in London whilst she completed her MA at SOAS. Our reunion is going to be fun, as we have not been altogether since my last trip to Thailand 11 years ago. 

It’s always the underwire

 Going through security is always tricky. My camera equipment can sometimes cause an alert, but the biggest issue is always the substantial support of the underwire in my bra that sets off alarms. Had to have one of the special arms up body scan and was then swiftly ushered through to pick up my shoes I’d had to remove and collect my carry on luggage. It’s appears I am no longer a threat to airport security! 

Leaving Cornwall tomorrow

When I lived in London, getting away was a breeze. Book a taxi and then in 40 mins I’ll be at the Heathrow terminal! So now I live 280 miles away, so there’s room for an adventure in between. I’ve almost packed and am now back from the pub. Thank goodness my car has been repaired from my recent crash (first time I’ve ever hit another car in 35 years of driving!). So I’m ready for my early morning swim, work in the morning then drive to Winchester for my stop off adventure. Will I miss the button handbrake of the curtesy car?