And so it ends...

Well, almost...

I'm sitting at Bangkok Airport, with a cold, not particularly looking forward to spending 12 hours on planes but what can one do!!

So, it's hard to believe that it's been 7 weeks that I've not been at work!

What else did I do in Bangkok? Well, surprising not a lot - it's been rather blobby here really.

I did things like:

Go to the movies and see Harry Potter - it's ok and a lot darker than the first films;
Hung out a bit at the night markets (crap and later discovered that the better night markets at at some park - I can look up the name if you're interested);
Become more disinterested/disenchanted/dis-something/dis-everything in the sex industry (let's just say there were arguments, disagreements and sometimes people have to agree to disagree);
Chatuchuk Markets - which was just massive. Apparently there are in excess of 50,000 stalls - and it seems to just go on and on and on... It's pretty amazing really. Clothes, souvenirs, household items, food, animals, decorations (pictures etc) - it's all there. A lot is "fixed price" and who knows whether it's meant or not - but we arrived around midday and it was so hot and stuffy I don't think people were particularly interested. Didn't find the wet market, didn't see half of it really - but it was huge. They've pulled down a whole section of it and are building a big mall - so I guess it's being cleaned up. Although when that happens who knows where the thais will shop - apparently the average weekly income here is about 1500 baht - that's about $75 a week. So, we are incredibly incredibly wealthy by comparison. At Chatuchuk I saw an old woman who was selling tissues for 10 baht - that would've been her only source of income; it really is heartwrenching (and yes I did buy some for 20 baht - no change).
Shopping - did a bit of shopping but got kind've sick of it. The prices are impossible to work out (is it fixed price or not) and whether the good are originals or not (everything is an original!) is impossible too - I spend most of the "shopping time" in the MBK Centre - it should be real but it's hard to tell - impossible actually. There is just sooooo much - it really is consumption, consumption, consumption. The other difficult is that a Thai XL is different from a Cookie X, as is Thai 36 - I tried on a pair of jeans that should've fitted - but I couldn't even get them up my legs - go figure (pity too - they were quite nice!). The shopping is over the top though, clothes are pretty good (if you can get them to fit and you can get around that it's all hot weather gear and we live in a cold weather environment) but electronic stuff is way more expensive (get it in Germany - cheap cheap!). The night markets are not good - to the extent that there was one guy trying to sell me DVDs and I inquired about how much; he stold me, I said that I off to dinner first he then started yelling "f... you" as I walked away - it was quite aggressive here compared to Phuket.
The heat - it's really oppressive, maybe not helped by getting a cold. But seeing the size of the aircon ducts on the MBK Centre you can see how much heat is being pumped into an already hot atmosphere. And being over airconditioned is as bad.
Managed to go for my first swim in 7 weeks - lol! It was the pool at the hotel which is part of the Olympic Club which is apparently one of the best gyms in Bangkok - managed to swim 70 lengths. Funny! Thought I was going to sink though! Was told, too, that the showers in the Olympic Club have a sign that if more than one person is found in a shower cubicle they will cancel your membership. A sign of the Bangkok mentality. It's a nice pool though, nice hotel and really handy to the skytrain - which is great.
Met some German guy who ended up showing us a very cool restaurant down in Patpong (Bug and Bee) and we spoke for ages - he lives here and I think he was enjoying having some Europeans to talk to. As we read in a mag in Phuket, the Thai people are naturally reticent and shy; if they come up to you in the street it's for a reason (ie money) and it's really hard to actually meet Thai people on a friendship level. Having said that, generally people were really lovely, a smile goes a long long way - as does quietly quietly gently gently....
Ate far too much - I've put on disgusting amounts of weight and so the philosophy of "eat whatever" is going to have to stop! Although the food is very nice here - and you can eat very cheaply. One night we went to a great restaurant called Sphinx - took a bit of finding (which doesn't sound that much of a hassle until you're wandering down little alleys, it's stinking hot and if you ask directions people want a tip. But we found it and I can thoroughly recommend it!
I did suit shop. Enough said. Lol!
Looked around. Saw a different Bangkok this time I think.

Generally though I enjoyed Thailand - maybe though, and I never thought I'd say this, after 7 weeks, I think I'm ready to come home (and to sleep a little bit - I'm due back on Wednesday at work - if anyone is reading thing, I might either be late or not there for long! And my experience of Bangkok was different this time. Why? Many reasons - ask me about them.

So, my big holiday is now drawing to a close. I've been away and turned 40, discovered a few things (some things really shouldn't be discussed on a public blog now should they), certainly decided that lieflat beds on planes are really nice, completely miss my nephews, think that new things to see are great but it's even better catching up with friends whom I've not seen for like ever but it was like it was only yesterday that we last saw each other, eaten some wonderful wonderful food, kind've gotten over Haagen Daaz (it's nice but so expensive for what it is), found that one can burn by a pool even if it's cloudy, climbed mountains, saw ancient castles, roman ruins, palaces and towers, walls and torture chambers, went on trains and gondolas and sleds, played in snow, had barbecues, spoke different languages, didn't send nearly enough postcards and far too many txts and just enjoyed myself! Did I mention loved hanging out with my nephews? And friends? But all in all it has been a rather most excellent time. Have spent silly amounts of money, seen some amazing things and discovered that the world is a pretty magical place!

Well, I might go have a drink of water and think about meandering to the plane...

Home here I come...