Emergency haircut

 Living in the small micro climate in Cornwall, we never experience the extremes of heat. Rarely is there snow and frost and even in the extreme summer heat experienced this year when some of the country was baking in 40 degrees, we were in late 20’s. It’s been quite an adjustment to acclimatise to 33 degrees heat and very high humidity. My Thai friends were really alarmed at seeing sweat pouring off my arms! I was not made for such warm climes, so yesterday I headed to a fab hairdressers in the old town and got a great short Bob haircut. Now I feel cooler, and added an interesting day to the salon, when a large sweaty farang (Thai for foreigner) appeared, motioning with her scissor fingers to cut off loads of hair. 

For the majority off my trip I will be north, eventually heading to Chiang Rai and the Northern Hills of Thailand, so might even need my fleece again - I hope so! 

You can buy ticket tomorrow

 I do love the dreckly approach here. This morning I wanted to buy a bus ticket for two days time, and was told I needed to come back and buy it tomorrow. It makes no sense, it is nonsense, so I politely insisted on buying it today! So now I have the ticket sorted for my onward journey and no understanding of why it was problematic to buy it! 

Table for one

 Now I’m on my solo travels it’s table for one all the way! It does take a bit of adjustment, especially after spending time with such great friends in Bangkok and then travelling with Bea. 

I always take a book to read, but now I have an esim for my travels it’s just as easy to chat on WhatsApp or do some travel research. Technology has changed everything. I remember calling my folks every couple of weeks when I lived in Australia 31 years ago. Then when I did a long stint of travel again in 1997, the internet was not widely used. Now we have everything in the palm of our hand and as I look around there is less chatter, just replaced with solitarily endless scrolling. 

Crikey, three monks in a row

 I can always tell when I’m really settling into travelling when I get my Olympus camera out and get into my travel photography. 

Exploring the ancient ruins of Ayutthaya is fascinating and a latest twist at one of the main ruins is that after it was used in a historical drama, it is now full of tourists dressing up in ancient costumes, having their pictures taken. There’s families, couples and friends all walking round as if it’s 500 years ago! 

There’s one very special place in Ayutthaya, in Wat Marahat, where a Buddha head is engulfed in tree roots. Everyone wants their picture taken there, and we waited patiently for a coach of South Koreans to all be snapped! After our portraits in front of the tree, three monks arrived and sat down to have their selfies taken and of course we couldn’t miss the opportunity to photography them. Not just one monk, but three in a row. 

Friendship is a weird thing

 My friend Match posted about our friendship and I have completely stolen her word “friendship is a weird thing. It can happen in an instant and last a life time”. 

It has been so much fun to spend time with my friends in Bangkok. We have laughed so much and shared so much, catching up since our last reunion 11 years ago. I feel my Mum would be so proud that I keep these wonderful friendships. 

It will feel weird when I embark on my solos travels. I have been with friends constantly since leaving Cornwall last Tuesday, but I love the challenge and the solitude of solo travel as well, so let the adventure begin! 

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: