Bangkok

Another hot day in the capital. It's amazing how you meet people... Wandering down a market alleyway in chinatown I see another fellow traveller taking a photo of two hanging fish heads. I thought that would also make a good photo and stood beside Ally. We got chatting and discovered a shared interest in photography. We were also travelling in the same way - alone, no shared dorms and doing cultural things instead of clubbing. We decided to keep each other company for the morning; 5 tonne gold buddha, flower market, amulet market and even time for a cold drink in between. And having a ball working out the sometimes confounding water taxi system. It was so enjoyable. Short but sweet in every way.
In the afternoon I returned to the bloody Myanmar embassy and after more queueing I was finally reunited with my passport. The room was full of insufferable backpackers; 'yah, so we're like 'doing' south east asia, just have no plans, like going with the flow'.
Overnight train to Phitsanulok - lower berth again, score.Read more