Chiang Dao

The 'nest' we are staying in is fantastic, yes it is rustic but our own wee bungalow on stilts high up in the hills is serene. It is a tiny complex with a new pool and lots of little open air huts for all sorts of hippyish things like yoga, mediation and stuff like that (we have bypassed all that nonsense and taking some R&R by the pool).

Having discovered Steph's phobia of all things small and creepy I am re-considering his recent proposal!! Having said that, we will have another few months of getting used to bugs and the likes when we are camping in Oz!!

K x

p.s (from Steph) I do not have a phobia of small and creepy things (unless you mean Gary Glitter) but I do admit to being a bit scared of dying from Malaria - and just "not really liking" small creepy creatures eating crisps next to the bed at night. ;o)

Chiang Dao (rhymes with now)

Hi folks,

We have now moved on from Bangkok through Chiang Mai (a one hour flight from Bangkok and then a local bus then a really basic truck/taxi) to Chiang Dao (rhymes with now) We are staying in a really secluded place called Chiang Dao Nest which isn't exactly luxury (but it isn't exactly roughin it either) and there are all sorts of bugs but it is still really nice.

Funny story - Last night I couldn't really sleep, a combination of not enough Chang beer, it being too hot and me being quite scared I may get bitten by a mosquito in the middle of the night and die from malaria before sunrise - another reason I couldn';t sleep was a rustling from the side of the bed - it was a plastic bag that contained about two crisps and some empty bottles of coke. Well, I feared the worst and thought "huge poisonous spider" so I barely slept - when I woke up we checked the bag and trapped inside was a ghekko - needless to say we let it go and reminded ourselves maybe leaving food around wasn't the best thing to do. ;o)

will write more later - we are in Chiang Dao for another two nights before heading to chiang mai.

Steph

Final days in Bangkok

Hi folks, we are in our last 24 hours here in Bangkok - and it is still hot. Sorry I haven't been able to upload photos yet but I am hoping to fix that as of now - unfortunately using the free internet in the hotel means that people sit and wait for the computer and there isn't really a rule about how long you should stay on for. I will see if it works - alternatively you can start checking out a flickr account I have set up at http://www.flickr.com/photos/katieandsteph88 and this should at least show you some of the photos but I will try and get them all on when I can.

All the best, Steph (IT support)

Bedsupper club

Hi guys,

We are just back from the Bedsupper club and Jose Padillo was playing his Cd's - apparently he has played his cd's sometimes in Ibiza and he had an album out called chillout sessions or something - apparently he is famous or something - it was funnier when the ladyboy was dancing on the stage ;o)

goodnight, speak soon,

steph




p.s. the night was great and the dinner was fantastic - highly recommend it (sam and emma)

BKK Hot Hot Hot

Too hot infact.... The hotel is super cool so opting to spend a lot of time here just catching up on a few months of lost sleep.... Went to Grand Palace, Wat Arun and various Buddas/temples today though. Got the measure of those pesky tricksters and taxi drivers who try to fleece you at every turn - kind of panto-like but also frustrating because it makes you trust no-one. Just back from having a full body Thai Massage, quite precarious finding a place that only does massage if you know what I mean!! We did find an amazing one though, off the beaten track and very traditional. I got the beautiful little Thai bride and Steph got her bigger sister (or mother) Quite funny really, but they were excellent, it was quite sore at times and before we went in Steph joked that he hoped she would walk on his back and she did!! Off to Bed SupperClub tonight.

Love K x

Bangkok Days 1 and 2

Hi everyone, arrived safe and sound in Bangkok and we are staying in the Dream hotel (which I am sure you could check out online of you googled it.) It's really nice and just what we needed - but it is expensive for Bangkok -it's 40 quid a night!!! But that's pretty cheap really and dinner tonight only cost about a fiver. ;o)

The flight was pretty good and for the record

Steph - Watched three movies and drank three gin and tonics
Katie - Slept most of the way as predicted

Bangkok is hot and sweaty, there are really impressive building etc but we've not really got out to see all the major sights yet. Hopefully tomorrow - and tomorrow night we are eating at the world famous bed supper club (which you should also look at online)

We will also hopefully be able to upload pictures in the next few days to show you what's going on - watch this space.

All the best,
Steph and Katie.

And we're off!

And we're off - its the 23rd of September 2008, we haven't slept properly for a month and we are just about to leave everything behind and step on that plane to Bangkok.

Not sure everyone knows our other exciting news but on the 19th of September I (SB) proposed to Katie (KO) and after asking "are you kidding?" she said yes. So we'll have a wedding to arrange for when we return which will be exciting but due to the cost of this trip it may just be a few pints down the local. ;o)

Thanks to everyone who has sent us cards regarding the engagement and our impending trip - we are very fortunate to have so many good friends and you will all be greatly missed. (although you will all be probably glad to see the back of us with our poor chat recently) 

So, please visit this blog when you can - we will try and update it as often as possible and hopefully you will find it interesting/entertaining. (We are also open to other ideas for blogs if anyone has found something that might work better than this one.)

Bye for now, will write more from Bangkok hopefully as long as the protesters haven't "burnt the internet down." ;o) steph and katie.