Day 6 - First evening in Ao Nang

After the Elephant trekking trip we headed down to the beach to have a look around. Ao Nang beach is not the greatest beach in the world. It acts more like a port for the many Long-tail boats that operate to Railay and other local Islands. However, many people laze about on the eastern end of the beach. If you walk down the road that runs parallel to the beach you will be stopped every two seconds by locals asking if you would like a massage. This end of the beach is home to dozens of massage huts. It also hosts the "Last Fisherman’s Bar", a nice spot for a drink and observe the Long-tail boats sailing to and from Railay.

Monkey at Ao Nang.

It seems that the Monkeys enjoy this beach to. On the cliff there is a walkway that connects the beach to a resort behind the rocks. The monkeys live in the trees around this walkway. A local woman spends her day selling food to the tourists who then entice the monkeys on to the beach. You need to be careful, as the monkeys are not just interested in the food on offer. Anything that attracts their attention and they will make a grab for.

Eastern end of Ao Nang beach.

In the evening we headed to the western end of the beach to try out one of the several restaurants set alongside the beach. It would have been a great place to watch the sun go down. However, seeing that you would need to be there at 6pm and the weather was not that great we decided to eat at the more reasonable time of 8pm. The only things we could see were the occasional sky lantern drifting out to sea.

Monica's meal.

Day 6 - Elephant Trekking

Ao Nang was going to be our base for the several trips that Monica had selected for us. We booked all the trips with Pok who gave us at least 150-200 Baht discount on all of them, but of course it was to be our little secret. Speaking to the French Lady later we found out that she to had received discounts on trips, 20 Baht off each one.

Our first trip was the afternoon trek in the jungle by Elephant. We were picked up at the hotel and driven about 30 minutes inland to the elephant trekking base. We were in luck apparently. The weather had improved and we had clear blue skies. It had been chucking it down just an hour ago we were informed. It had been lovely all day at Ao Nang.

We were led to a wooden tower in order to board the elephant. We sat in the basket on top of the elephant whilst the guide was perched up front wielding a menacing looking cane with a big hook on the end. The elephant lurched forward and we were off heading across the river into the jungle.


Elephant trekking across the river.


Riding an elephant is very strange. The sheer size of the animal commands your respect instantly. You wonder why the guide has a sharp metal hook, surely you wouldn’t want to piss-off a 3 tonne beast. It soon becomes clear that the elephant is in charge of the trek. It would move 3 or 4 steps then stop for a bite to eat, before another 2-3 steps and finding something to eat. This stop-start walk would continue for the hour’s trek through the jungle. In ever increasing intervals the elephant would stop, and its whole body would shake. The call of nature is a long process for an elephant, it must have gone through this process 6 or 7 times before anything was produced.



Controlling the beast.


Monica riding the elephant.

The power of the animal was demonstrated whilst it was picking a path through the dense jungle. At one point there was no obvious path through. A massive tree trunk was leaning across our path at a 45-degree angle. We couldn’t go around it, over it or under it. No problem the elephant gently nudged it with her head and timber, the giant tree was felled. Not long after this point our guide asked if we would like a photo. What I didn’t know was that he intended to take it from the ground. He jumped off the elephant and left us stranded on top. He then asked me to climb forward on to the elephant’s head. Sure why not as I fearfully moved forward, trying not to upset the elephant. Monica had a go too but this time the elephant decided that it wanted to walk. A moment of shear panic for us and a good laugh for our guide.


Feeding time!

Back at the base camp and our ride was over. Now it was time to feed the elephant. I had no idea what you fed a 3 tonne elephant. Hadn’t she eaten half the jungle on our trek around? Must be desert time as we fed her bananas. There was still time for our guides to scare us with the sight of a huge spider which I wouldn’t go within 20 feet of, leaving Monica to get a close up shot of it.
The programme for the trip included a refreshing swim in the river. I had visions of crystal blue water in an idyllic plunge pool. The swimming area was on the bend of the fast flowing river with a piece of rope tied across both banks for you to grip hold of to stop you from being swept away. It was freezing cold and fighting against the current was too much. We were the only ones daft enough to give it a try. We soon gave up and headed back to base.


In the freezing cold river.

Day 6 - Off to Ao Nang

On the road again. This time a short trip to the nearby resort of Ao Nang. Backpacks on and we headed to the crossroads to find transport. This would be in the form of a Sawgthaew, a pick up truck with two benches bolted down on each side of the truck. At the corner of the street we met up with our old friends the boatmen. Whilst shouting "Railay Railay" at passing tourists they were eager to chat to us about football. The allegiances amongst the group were towards the London clubs Chelsea and Arsenal. One boatman supported Man City and was confident they would finish in the top 4 next season. Not one amongst the group supported Man Utd. I like Krabi Boatmen!

Sawgthaew to Ao Nang.

Our lift soon arrived and looked worryingly full. The Thai lad at the back of the truck assured us there was room and threw our rucksacks onto the roof. The other locals and tourists shifted down the truck as much as they could and made just enough room for the two of us. The young Thai lad had to stand on the step at the back, clinging on to the ladder as we sped off towards Ao Nang.

Monica enjoying the trip.

Twenty minutes later and 100 Baht lighter we arrived at Ao Nang. Luckily its not a complicated town and there are basically three roads that join together to make a u-bend. We got off at the eastern end of town and walked up the road in search of a new hotel.

Ao Nang Beach.

This time we headed for our first choice hotel from the guidebook, the J Mansion. In Ao Nang the custom seems to be to leave all footwear outside before entering any hotel. So, barefoot and weighed down with backpacks we checked out the first room. Not bad but Monica thought it was a bit pricey at 1100 Baht. We were going to stay in Ao Nang 6-7 nights so we tried getting a discount. Nothing doing as we were approaching the high season and prices were going to go up further. In deed, we would only be allowed to stay for 4 nights, as the hotel was fully booked after then.

We played the game and went to look at a few more places. The same story elsewhere but the rooms were not as good as the J Mansion. I wanted to take the deal at the J Mansion but Monica was determined to find a better option. So we headed up the road to the sister hotel, the J Hotel.
Here we met the instantly likeable Pok, the hotel manager. We arrived at the same time as a French couple and Pok tried to deal with us at the same time. He had to contend with the very fussy French lady who wanted a twin bedroom, south facing, not too close to the reception or ground floor because of the noise but not too high. At the same time Monica was into his ribs for a discount for staying 7 nights. His handling of the situation sums up the phrase "Sanuk" which we had read about. "Sanuk" is the Thai word for "Fun", and Thai’s love to do everything, even backbreaking manual labour, with an element of Sanuk. Pok would check his reservations book, try to juggle bookings to accommodate us, all whilst giggling uncontrollable to himself.

Pok found us a place, but we would have to move to another room after the 4th day. A Dutch couple was moving out early and heading to Ko Lanta for a more relaxing break. Pok was busy arranging their travel plans as well as agreeing a discount for us, 900 Baht per night but its our secret he winked. Still chuckling to himself, he dealt with the French lady who wanted to see another room as she could still hear us chatting at reception with the door closed.

We spent nearly an hour relaxing at the hotel reception waiting for our room, looking at all the trips we would be booking, and watching the ever increasingly busy Pok deal with everything with a smile and the frequent giggling fit. His finest moment came when two groups of backpackers arrived. The German couple was attempting to haggle with Pok, who had stated the room rate was 1000 Baht, firing a quick wink at us. The American couple had apparently been to see Pok earlier but wanted to check out further hotel rooms. They had come to take up the offer of the room at 1000 Baht. Sensing real danger the German guy quickly stepped in and announced that he would take the room for 1100 Baht. Pok informed the Americans with a smile on his face that the room had been taken, pocketed the Germans money and couldn’t stop the giggles as he wrote the details down in his book. Sanuk indeed.

Day 5 - Loy Krathong

Tonight is the night for the national celebration of Loy Krathong. It is celebrated throughout Thailand on the canals, rivers and the sea and is held on the full moon of the 12th month of the traditional Thai lunar calendar, which is normally November.

People make their special Krathong, which is a floating boat made from sections of a banana tree trunk and decorated with banana leaves, flowers, joss sticks and candles. Everyone gathers at the waters edge, lights the joss sticks and candles and makes a wish. They then careful place the Krathong in the water and watch it float away. The belief is that all their sins and bad luck are taken away by the Krathong, whilst it also contains their wishes for the start of the New Year. It makes for a spectacular sight as hundreds of small Krathongs float away into the dark night.


People getting ready to lauch their Krathongs.


Krathongs in the water.

Unfortunately, the weather had not been too kind for this year’s event. It had rained heavily before and the threat of more rain hung ominously above, obscuring the full moon. The street market along the front and the special fairground area were still busy but it was extremely muddy under foot.


Krathong in the Competition.

They were holding a competition for the best decorated Krathong. The table was filled with large offerings that were way larger than anything we had seen being launched by the river. I think they were more for show than the practical use of being put to sea. Further along the road and they had the traditional fairground stalls such as the coconut shy and my favourite the shooting range. I was pretty pleased with my efforts but alas did not win a prize.


I think he would be dead.

We left the fair behind and began to explore the back streets of Krabi Town. The road running parallel with the sea road appeared to be the main hive of activity for the locals. Indeed, it was home to the rather English sounding "Crazy Bar" which was packed with locals enjoying the loud disco music. The place had the air con on to the max and it was freezing cold. Too cold for a beer so we left them to it. We continued along the road back towards our hotel to find the strangest of crossroads junction. Large monkey statues were holding the traffic lights. They appeared menacing in the dark night sky.


Gorillas in the mist!

We headed back to the Old West bar to have a nightcap. A great bar playing decent music rather than the techo pop crap being played in the Crazy bar. The insides of the bar were decorated with various "Wild West" images and we had become used to lounging on the deck, lying on the floor cushions and drinking bottles of Heineken housed in an insulating holder. The place was a wooden shack built between two large trees that sprouted out of the roof. It all created a great atmosphere.


Relaxing in the Old West Bar.

On our way home and a few locals were launching another "Loy Krathong" special, a sky lantern. This is basically a cylindrical frame built with bamboo strips and covered in a natural fibre mulberry paper. At the base a kerosene soaked rag is attached and set alight. The lantern is held down until sufficient heat is generated for it to ascend into the night sky. The sky was dotted with several sky lanterns as they floated away on the breeze, with the belief that they were carrying all the problems and worries away of the people who launch them.


Sky Lantern launched.

Day 5 - Hat Phra Nang

Having spent a relaxing morning on the beach it was time to explore Railay. We took the path back to Hat Rai Ley East and went to search for the other beach, Hat Phra Nang, and the view point to see the hidden lagoon.


The muddy beach at Hat Rai Ley East was now clearly visible as the tide had gone out at least 100 metres. This left some of the boats anchored high and dry. At the south end of the beach we found a path that led through the forest, presumably to the other beach. We past a young couple who were attempting to clean themselves up. They were caked in thick clumps of red mud. What the hell have they been up to?

Along the path there are various small caves in the limestone cliffs. At about the halfway point there was a hut and several benches pointing towards the cliff face. It seemed an odd spot for it until we saw the path to the view point. It was up a sheer vertical cliff, covered in thick red mud. At least that answers one question today. There was a rope hanging down to aid the climber and a few signs that seemed to indicate that you needed hiking boots or at least covered shoes to climb the route. We were only wearing flip-flops and had no change of clothes so we decided against it.


Way to View Point.


A few minutes walk along the path brings you to another beautiful beach, Hat Phra Nang. If anything, this beach had more spectacular views than Hat Rai Ley West. Two limestone karsts formed islands just off the shore, Happy Island and Ko Rung Nok also known as Birds nest island. An easy swim across and a number of people were on the other side exploring the island.


Hat Phra Nang.


At the eastern end of the beach is Tham Phra Nang, the Princess cave. The legend is that an Indian princess drowned here in the 3rd century BC during a storm. Her spirit remains in the cave and it is believed that she will grant favours to all that come and pay respect. The local fisherman took to placing offerings to the princess in the form of sculpted penises in the hope that the princess would provide them with a good days catch.


Penis offerings at the Princess cave.


View of Happy and Birds Nest Islands from the Cave.

Hat Phra Nang is also the location of the most exclusive resort in the area, the Rayavadee. This five star retreat along the beach is seriously expensive at between 42,000 and 55,000 Baht per night (£840 to £1100). Unfortunately, they wouldn’t show us a room as the security guard informed us "Sorry full".

We decided to spend the rest of the day lazing on the western end of the beach. Here, a series of rocks formed a barrier, but with the tide going out it looked possible to walk around to see what was on the other side. A few minutes of exploration later and we found our own secret beach, now known as Mon Ka Dea Beach.


Discovering the secret beach.

The scene across the water to the Birds Nest island was becoming surreal. You had a Long-tail boat anchored just off the beach serving cold drinks. The odd kayak or two were paddling between the straits. Some people were swimming to and from the island. And then there was this bloke who appeared to be walking across. How deep was it? I had to find out so I waded in to cross for myself. The deepest the water got was waist high but I realised why so many people had swum across. The sea bed was covered with broken coral that made it painful to walk. Still I managed to get across without swimming. There wasn’t much on the Island to explore without having any shoes to climb across the rocks. So with mission accomplished I headed back to the other side, this time I swam!



Mission to Birds Nest Island.

The weather looked like it was going to turn nasty. It was approaching 4pm and Mr Doy said he would be back to pick us up at 5pm. We decided not to wait and headed back to catch the next available boat. The start of the path back was now the playground of the local monkeys. They enjoyed jumping off the cliff on to the tree tops, making a crashing sound as the branches buckled under their weight. I am sure they did it to scare the unsuspecting tourists walking underneath. Back at Hat Rai Ley East and we found a boatman to take us back, after a German couple with two kids and a baby managed to successfully haggle the price down. We arrived back in Krabi Town at around 4:30pm. Perfect timing as no sooner had we stepped into the hotel the heavens opened and it lashed it down.


Older monkey watches on.

Day 5 - Railay Railay

Woke up fearing the worst this morning. I had consumed at least double the amount of alcohol than the other nights in Thailand. However, I felt great with no headache whatsoever. The local brew Chang will remain off the menu from now on for sure. A peek outside at the weather, blue skies. Looks like were off to see Mr Doy and a Long-tail boat to Railay.

Our Captain Mr Doy.

Walking down to the pier and several Thai boatmen are posted on the cross roads. "Railay, Railay" they shout to any foreigner they see. At the pier and Mr Doy is chatting with a group of girls haggling over the price. The trip would cost 150 Baht. I pointed out to Mr Doy that the guide book says it should cost 100 Baht. The German girls agreed and demanded the price be 100 Baht. Mr Doy just smiled and replied "Fuel cost up up". Rather than waste valuable sunning time over a quid I agreed but the Germans were not having it. Another Thai boatman came over and explained that the price is written on the board at Railay and if it didn’t say 150 Baht, we ride for free. The Germans still complained but they soon came running across as we had already climbed aboard and Mr Doy was revving the engine.

My first trip in a long-tail boat and it’s a bit of a shaky start. Firstly, you climb on board and immediately the boat rocks and it feels like its going to capsize. Then you find a seat across two planks of wood, hardly comfy. All aboard and its time to manoeuvre out of the pier, again the boat verges on tipping point before Mr Doy puts the propeller under water and off we go.

Hat Rai Ley East.

Its about a 30 minute journey to Railay from Krabi Town. Railay is a remote peninsular that is cut off from the mainland by mountainous limestone cliffs. The only way to and from Railay is by boat unless you fancy getting your climbing gear on and tackling the cliffs. The views are spectacular, the mangrove forests, the craggy cliffs on the mainland and several giant limestone karsts that jut out of the sea, some making small islands.


First dip in the Anadaman Sea.

We landed on Hat Rai Ley East, where sure enough there was a board stating the cost from Krabi Town was 150 Baht. The "5" having been clearly added over the top of a "0" but it looked like it had been done some months before. The guide says that this is a muddy beach and is generally not for bathing. However, a short 5 minute stroll and you are across the peninsular on Hat Rai Ley West, a stunning beach. Magnificent white sand, crystal blue sea and dramatic limestone karst cliffs frame the location. Walking along the beach barefoot is a pleasure that Burriana Beach simply cannot match. We set up base camp and headed for the sea. You normally dip your toe in and inch out into the freezing cold Mediterranean at home but the Andaman sea is different, its lovely and warm. A truly wonderful experience. A great way to relax and enjoy the sun for the day.

Hat Rai Leh West.

After a long spell of lazing on the beach we headed for the Flame Tree Inn for some refreshment. The boast of Black Canyon coffee on the boards was too much for me to resist. Monica felt more tropical and went for the young coconut milk, served in the coconut. We sat enjoying our drinks and watching life on the beach. A perfect setting and would soon become my favourite place of the trip.

Monica enjoying a Young Coconut.

Day 4 - Bolero's

A quick aperitif at the Old West bar across from the hotel before heading down town for something to eat. The bar had floor cushions scattered around on a raised deck. You had to take your shoes off before getting on the deck. It was advertised as happy hour but we soon realised that this only means that cocktails are priced at 100 Baht, not buy one get one free. Still a couple of Heinekens and the first signs of a Thai food rebellion. Monica demands that we go eat a pizza!

At the Old West Bar.

We found Bolero’s, an attractive looking Italian restaurant on the main road close to the hotel. It had the added benefit of live music, the local band already playing as we entered. They were playing a good mix of old rock and roll, blues and the occasional pop song. The band were excellent so we will forgive them the aberration of following up Pink Floyds’s "Wish you were here" with the truly awful "When you say nothing at all" by Ronan Keating.

The band at Bolero's.

The food soon arrived and it was surprisingly good. More towards Bella Roma standards than that of Jimenez. We decided to stay on and have a few more Heinekens and listen to the band. Most of the tables had cleared off as it approached midnight. A local guy sat near the front decided to get involved, he grabbed a guitar off the wall and joined in the fun.

A change from Thai food already!

We were soon the only people in the restaurant and the lead singer asked what song we would like to close the night. A little U2 perhaps? Sorry, they had already performed the only one they knew, an excellent rendition of "With or without you". What about another Pink Floyd? The band launches into playing "The Wall" which was fantastic. So good, passers by stopped and came in to have a beer. The place was full again so the band carried on. Monica had early said we should tip the band, now she was asking for commission. We decided on another round of beers and enjoyed the rest of the show.

The Band keeps on playing.

Day 4 - Krabi Town

Arrival at Krabi Town. Luckily, I was able to get my bearings relatively quickly from the Lonely Planet guide book map. This would be my first adventure as a backpacker with no accommodation booked in advance. Monica was used to this. I was a little anxious to find a place quickly.

The game is a little like Allá Tú (Deal or No Deal in the UK). You check out the first place you find and demand to see a room. You haggle over the price and then decide whether to take the room or chance your luck finding a better deal elsewhere. The hotel receptionist plays the role of the banker with comments like "high season, room gone soon". I was ready to cave in at this but Monica is made of sterner stuff and we moved on.

The second place was the same price but was awful. No chance of me staying there. The next place was the one we had earmarked from the guide book. Before even asking to see a room the lady sang "sorry full". Alarm bells rang loud in my head or was it just the remnants of the headache. We quickly marched back to the first hotel, quickening our pace as we saw a group of backpackers up the street bearing down on the same target. We got to the entrance before the others and checked in. The German backpackers that arrived a split second later got the dreaded "Sorry full".

View of the limestone karsts.

Having dumped our stuff it was time for a stroll around town before the sun went down. Krabi Town is normally a passing through place for tourists. This is mainly due to the fact it is set on the river rather than by the sea. The views along the river are spectacular, two limestone karsts dominate the view to the North, the other side of the river are the expansive mangrove forests. We decided to take a stroll down the promenade past the outdoor market, heading south to see if we could see the beginning of the sea.

Monica on the Promenade.


Traditional fishing village on stilts on opposite bank.

We soon reached a pier where several Thai boatmen were sat enjoying a smoke break. One of them approached us, the friendly Mr Doy. He wanted to take us to Railey beach on his long-tail boat in the morning. We hadn’t finalised our plans yet but a trip to Railey would depend on good weather. Not a problem Mr Doy told us, "Tomorrow no rain". We promised to see Mr Doy at the pier the following day, weather permitting.

Parking the boat Thai style.

The promenade attracts all the keep fit fanatics of Krabi. Several joggers ran by taking advantage of the cooling conditions. A number of locals were busy constructing bamboo huts at the side of the road. Probably gearing up towards the national festival "Loy Krathong". The joggers increased in numbers as we approached a large sports complex at the end of the promenade. Here a pathway was turned into a jogging track with outside gym stations placed at regular intervals. We passed tennis courts, football pitches and badminton courts, all being fully utilised. The lighting became poor and with it all ready being dark we turned back to get ready for the evenings entertainment in Krabi Town.

Day 4 - Leaving Bangkok

Got up early for breakfast with another banging headache. What’s all that about! Today was check out day and a flight down to the South West coast to the Krabi province. We had seen a weather broadcast on local TV the previous day. Didn’t understand a word but the map showed a big black cloud, rain and lightning smack bang over where we were going. Time to check the weather on the Internet.

It was not good news. It showed the same nasty graphic for the next 5 days. Should we miss the flight and go elsewhere? Monica’s standby plan in case of rain on the South West coast was to make the short journey to the other side where it is affected by a different weather system. Not this bloody week though. An emergency plan was considered. Chaing Mai in the North was showing nothing but Sun for the next 5 days, but Monica hadn’t properly prepared for our travels in that area. Just like the current chancellor’s VAT hike bombshell, the plan was rejected at the last minute. Just like the chancellor we will do it in the next year or two.


I'm a true backpacker now!

So backpacks on and off we marched past Khaosan Road to the express bus station. No arrival at the airport in the relative luxury of a taxi. Its not the backpacker style. The bus cost 150 Baht (around 3 quid) and was comfy and more importantly air conditioned. We were soon loaded onboard on off we went. Our driver must have been a tuk tuk driver earlier in his career. He was a lunatic on the roads. We had stupidly taken the front row seats which were in an elevated position over the drivers seat. I had a Birdseye view of all the near misses, daring overtaking and undertaking manoeuvres, and the drivers obsession to be within an inch of the vehicle in front if he was boxed in and unable to overtake. The blood pressure could take no more so I reclined the seats, closed my eyes and preyed that we would soon see the glorious beaches of Krabi.

Miraculously, we arrived at the airport an hour later. Now we had to find our check in desk. Not as easy as it seems when the driver drops you off at the ground floor and there are no signs anywhere for the departure lounge. Worse still, the departures screen at the end of the lounge failed to display our flight to Krabi. Surely I hadn’t cocked up the times and dates? We marched over to the other side of the lounge to find another monitor. This time our flight was listed. Check in at desk E4. Great, but where is E4? Not a sign anywhere. Must be upstairs but how many levels. The building had at least 6. Up and down the lounge we marched. On attempting to go up a level on the moving walkway we were stopped by a helpful guard. He informed us that we needed level 4 by lift, on the other side of the lounge. Two more helpful staff told us the same thing on what was now our fourth trek across the lounge.

The Suvarnabhumi Airport is an impressive building. Everything looks fitting for the 21st century. That is except the luggage trolleys. A slight technical fault with the design. They don’t go backwards. This doesn’t appear to be a problem in the vast acres of open space in the lounges. But getting in and out of the lifts? Sheer comedy. One gentleman was stuck in the lift because he couldn’t reverse it. He tried lifting it up on to the front wheels to reverse it. Not a great idea with three heavy suitcases, hand luggage and duty free weighing the thing down. A 7-point turn the only way out. We were still laughing when we entered the lift only to see another passenger enter with a trolley. Cue same comedy exit routine except we were stuck at the back of the lift making the poor guy do a 9-point turn.

Having finally reached the check in desks, everything else was relatively hassle free. We had paid the extra couple of quid for express boarding on our Air Asia flight. For that we had the privilege of wearing a "Xpress Boarding" red sticker. Still it worked and even though we turned up at the gate late after a wrong turn or two, we were led to the front, past the check-in desk that was mobbed with passengers fighting to get an advantage in boarding the plane first.
The flight to Krabi was just over an hour and was pleasant enough. The signs were ominous on approach as we descended through a rain storm. Krabi looked grey, cold and miserable.


Spot the driver.

After getting our bags we needed to make our way to Krabi town. The plan was to then head for a long tail boat and get to Railey. However, we decided on changing plans and staying at least one night in Krabi town. We bought tickets for the express bus, a snip at 90 Baht. The bus was not as comfy as the Bangkok express but had the advantage of not being able to see out the front window. That’s because all the luggage was piled up at the front, virtually barricading the driver in his seat. More good news as we headed towards Krabi Town. It had stopped raining.

Day 3 - Evening sponsored by Lonely Planet

After our traditional Thai massage it was time for a more European traditional form of relaxation, a visit to a bar. But not just any bar, a bar hand picked from the Lonely Planet guide, over looking the Chao Phraya river with excellent views.


View of Wat Arun.

The Bar is called Amorosa and is located on a rooftop over-looking the river with spectacular views of the Wat Arun and its 82 metre high prang, Khmer-style tower. As the daylight faded the views got better and better. Wat Arun dominated the scene, with several brightly lit dinner river boats sailing up and down the Chao Phraya. The views were simply too good to just have the planned one beer. A second one was required. It would have been rude not to.

Wat Arun at night time.

For our evening meal we decided to try a place from the Lonely Planet after the earlier success of the river bar. We went for Jey Hoy. The guide describes it as "…this open-air restaurant has the best ad campaign around – an ice tray laden with seafood and the hypnotic manoeuvrings of the wok cook.". Plus the guide explains that there are plenty of other places nearby if this place is packed to the rafters. We thought we were on to a winner.

We arrived at the street where the restaurant was located, but no sign of the place. Monica poured over the book to make sure we were on the right street. A helpful Thai girl came to our aid. Apparently, the Jey Hoy had closed down ages ago. We will just have to try another place on the street.

Street eat style restaurant.

The street in question was a typical Thai street. We decided on a corner, street eat style place. Our choice was given the thumbs up by an Englishman already seated and tucking into his food. The chef was cooking everything on a street-side wok. The food was cheap. We ordered several dishes to try. The first round of dishes were excellent. Our attention was attracted to a young Thai girl sat in the corner. She shrieked and jumped out of her seat. Monica screamed a split second later "It’s a rat!". Apparently, the rat had took a fancy to the Thai girl and took her bite out of her ankle. My appetite for the food soon diminished and was completely finished off when I tried my Thai green curry. It must have been he single most spiciest dish I have ever tried in my life. The half bottle of beer was finished in a second as I tried to put out the raging fire in my mouth. 2 minutes later and we had paid the bill and heading back towards the relative rat-free suburbs of our hotel.

The evening was finished off in a lovely bar a couple of streets away from our hotel. The waitresses were wearing rather skimpy dresses advertising San Miguel light. We decided to stick with the local brew and had a couple of Chang beers before retiring for the night.