Bangkok

Before we knew it we were in the Thai capital of Bangkok. Known as the city that never sleeps I had read and heard so many stories that I was excitedly keen to experience it for myself. Tragically only a week before we arrived there had been a bomb planted at the Erawan Temple in one of the more touristic areas, killing many people so naturally that played on my mind.
Our time in the capital was to be a short one before we went south to the islands so on our first day there I hopped on the battered, hot public bus and after what felt like a lifetime in traffic, eventually arrived at the legendary Jatujak weekend market which has over 8000 stalls covering 35 acres! Here I spent a few hours browsing the stalls selling a menagerie of wares from clothes and jewellery, fake flowers and candles to live animals!! Like the frugal backpacker I am, I only bought a fridge magnet before picking up some food and retreating to the shade in the neighbouring park to read my book and, my favourite pastime, people-watch. All in all a pleasantly relaxing day in the midst of the buzzing city of Bangkok. The next day I spent cooped up in the Indian embassy applying for my visa, and then it was time for the night bus which would mark the start of the island hopping chapter of our story.