Bangkok, Thailand

It's 9.15pm and i should be getting some sleep before my 3.30am wake up call. I am back at Reflections hotel and have a lovely Shitake Mushroom soup and duck with rice waiting for me back in my room..my last meal in Thailand.

It was sad to leave Laos but i was glad i made it in one piece. I had spent the whole time scaring people who were flying Laos airlines because they have a terrible safety record only to find that i had to fly them as Thai Airways back to Bangkok were sold out. The landing was sketchy but all in all it was a good flight.

Ventiane was great. I wish i could of spent more time there. It was very like some European cities but then it has been heavily influenced by French culture. It is a long weekend here so finding a hotel was horrendous, everywhere was booked out but i was saved by an Aussie knight on a motorcycle who carried me off to some plush place for $20 a night. We had dinner but then i was in bed asleep by 10pm being so tired from my kayak trip.

Today i got a tattoo. Not the best timing because i have to sit on my arse for 20 plus hours and that is where it is. I had a tattoo 12 years ago in Indonesia so decided to get it touched up and expanded while back in Asia...it hurts.

So, a quick shopping spree, stuffing my bag with fishermans pants (Lisa i have you covered!) and another Thai massage and now i'm off to bed.

It has been a fantastic trip, much of it i could not write up in here as both you and i will of been at the computer for hours. I shall miss the people i have met both Thais, Laotians and westerners. I will miss the food of both places along with the landscape much of which has been breathtaking. I won't miss the ridiculous money, the Kip especially which is 17,000 to a single pound (the dollar is doing terrible here). I won't misss the language because i find it frustrating and cannot speak a word. Thank you and Hello are even painful for me. I will both miss and be glad to see the back of the tuk-tuk and i won't be eating rice for a good few weeks. I also can't wait to get rid of this Eau De Mekong that has been lingering on my skin the last few days. Goodbye to organic pineapple shakes in the mornings, i will miss thee.
Saying all that i wish i was staying and could easily keep going for months as i'm quite good for this kind of life but reality beckons.

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