Lighter and heavier - back to England and home - 1 & 2 September

A very easy night flight - we all slept fairly well, and Joseph elected to sleep rather than watch TV.

Quick transfer between terminals 3 and 5 at Heathrow and our flight to Newcastle was bang on time, arriving at 11.15am  when we were pleased to be met by Rosemary and Ben.

Before leaving the UK we all weighted  ourselves. The aggregate weight of our family on return home was exactly the same as when we left!. The only thing that is considerably lighter is our bank account, but our life experiences we all agreed are considerably enhanced.

Overall our jet lag was not too bad, although Jim and Joesph had a afternoon nap before a refreshing walk on the beach.

Despite the 6 hour time difference we all slept pretty well, and after breakfast in Newcastle we had an easy run down to Leeds arriving just in time for lunch, and to the wonderful surprise of a full fridge thanks to our neighbours Mollie and Keith.

The family consensus is - no regrets!

Joseph at Heathrow

Leaving Warkworth

Arrival back in Leeds

Last day in Bangkok - 31 August

Our last day!. After a leisurely breakfast, we took the time to pack our bags for the flight home and checked out of the hotel at around 12 noon leaving the bags in the hotel store, including a bag for swimming and travel home clothes. We left a significant number of no longer required clothes and shoes (etc) which the hotel agreed to donate to someone more in need than us. We took left over food and gave it to a beggar by the river boat terminal.

Then it was off in the river bus. We agreed as a family to return to the Ko San Road (backpackers area). Loads of things we could do - if we had the time - lots of lovely food, opportunities for foot massages, market shopping etc.

It was very hot on the last day, so we wandered through the markets, and the kids picked up a few last minute items - some "stock" birthday presents for their friends, Eleanor some badges representing  countries she had visited to sew onto a blanket, Katherine a mobile phone cover and Liz some cushion covers.

Then it was time for our last meal - Jim had a lovely snapper, Liz her last Thai green curry.

By the time we had eaten time had started to evaporate , so the idea of massages etc disintegrated. Joseph of course was mad keen to return to the hotel for his last swim, and the girls for a fish spa experience. In the event we split up. Liz (plus camera) took Joseph back on the river bus back to the hotel. Jim (minus camera) took the kids for a 20 minute fish spa. Basically this involves putting your feet into a tank of small fish who nibble away and give a fish pedicure. They enjoyed it so much that Jim regretted he did not try it too - but he was keen to preserve cash in case it was needed later.

Then it was back to the hotel for us too by river boat. We arrived in at 6.05pm, and postponed the taxi that we had booked to get us to the airport by an hour.

We all had a lovely swim in the fantastic hotel swimming pool, a shower, got changed and then took a taxi to the airport. Economies of scale means that for 5 people its cheaper to take a taxi than the airport bus.

At the airport we checked in, send a couple of pounds on snacks, brought a few bits and bobs with our last £5 or so.

The plane was bang on time, boarding at 11.30pm  for a 12.10am departure - this time the carrier was British Airways.

We were sat to be leaving, but excited to be retuning home. We reflected what a hassle free holiday we had had!

Hotel breakfast (picture at insitance of Eleanor)

Hotel breakfast

Hotel breakfast

View over Chao Phraya river from hotel room 

View over Bangkok from hotel room balcony

Packing up in hotel room

View from kids room

=

Joseph and Barnaby Bear on river bus

Wat Arun

Joseph on river bus

Hotel from river

Last swim in hotel "infinity pool"  (on 6th floor) over looking river

Enjoying pool as sun sets

Enjoying pool as sun sets

Bangkok airport - about to board flight

Blogging in Thai!

Since arriving in Thailand, and logging on to Wifi, the blog page has automatically changed into Thai. This makes editing adding photos (etc) somewhat harder - and its just from memory that Jim knows which buttons to push!

Snap happy in Bangkok - photos from 30 August (part 2)

Grand Palace (former residence)

Outside Grand Palace (former residence)

Making a donation at Wot Pho (idea is to put a coin in each bucket)

Head of giant reclining Buddha

Body of of giant reclining Buddha

Foot of of giant reclining Buddha

Foot of of giant reclining Buddha - pearl inlay

Some of the more than 1000 Buddha images at Wot Pho

Workers restoring Buddha images - tiny mosaic pieces placed on with tweezers

More Buddha images

Eating out

Wot Arun - one of the oldest temples in Bangkok

Snap happy in Bangkok - photos from 30 August (part 1)

View from river boat

Wot Arun accross the busy Chao Phrao river

River scene - transport designed for the small canals

River scene - fast moving vegetation from upstream markets

School girls who we assisted with their English project

Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew

Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew

Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew

Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew - re-enactment of phot from 20 years ago

Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew

Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew

Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew

Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew

Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew

Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew

Hand painted wall paper

Which wat is what - 30 August 2011

On our penultimate day of our 60 day travels, we all mutually agreed that the focus should be on culture.

Thus we set off after our suburb hotel buffet breakfast (in which Jim and Liz had an Asian breakfast including dim sum, and stir fried fish) for the Grand Palace and Wat Kaew (both on the same site) - one of the "must see" sights in Bangkok. Its the former residence of several kings of Thailand, and still is used for diplomatic activities and as the accommodation for visiting heads of state (etc)  to Thailand.

To get there we needed to take a boat, and wished to get on the local ferry which is half the price (30 pence) of the "tourist boat". We were therefore knarked when the local ferry drew up to be told it was "full" - it clearly wasn't and steered towards the tourist boat.  It was hard to push our way through with the tourists who had been presold their tourist boat tickets. (Both boats are run by the Bangkok authorities). Anyway we felt it was poetic justice when we got on the boat (you can pre-buy tickets or buy them on the boat) and never be asked for a ticket - so we got our ride free! (Small victory for us!)

On the way from the ferry to the grand palace we stopped in a park outside the palace for a drink in the shade  (the park being the Bangkok equivalent to London's Horseguards parade). Here we  were approached by some delightful 16 year old school children who had been sent out to "interview" foreigners about their visit to Thailand as part of their English project. Most amusing of all, was seeing them trying to decide who would dare approach us - they are all very shy and incredibly polite!

The grand palace is massive. Its also very strict on dress rules - and we thought we had planned for this by taking appropriate clothes. However when we got there, they were not appropriate enough so we had to join the 15 minute queue in the heat for a (free) clothes loan - so our best laid plans failed. The girls in particular enjoyed the Grand Palace - especially the famous Emerald Buddha housed in Wat Phra Kaew - they were a bit disappointed  not to actually go into the kings former accommodation quarters within the Grand Palace.

After a good three hours in the grand palace (which fortunately had a few museums within the grounds that had airconditioning) we moved on to Wat Pho. This temple (or series of temples) is over 20 acres in size and house more than 1000 Buddha's in various states of repairs. Its the largest temple in Bangkok. We saw workers restoring some - a huge job as (in the same way as the grand palace) many are made up of huge number of very small mosaics - put on with tweezers.

Wat Pho houses the large reclining Buddha some 46 metres long (150 foot) and 15 metres high (50 foot). Its incredibly impressive.

From there we all got more ambitious and ate at a street stall. Our friend Jackie in Australia swears by street stalls providing they don't have a linen tablecloth and you can see the food being cooked in front  of you. This passed on all accounts and we had some delicious and cheap stir fried rice and pad thai.

Then it was back on the public river boat  - again we were never asked to pay- probably on account of it being full and the conductor not able to battle her way through (although we were more than willing to pay the 30p). We decided that this particular  boat had a learner driver at the helm such was the way he  slammed into the various piers en route!. From the boat terminal stop we then took our hotel ferry shuttle as ever - by this time, after a hot, humid day  it had started to drizzle. We politely declined the offer from one of the hotel doormen of an umbrella from the hotel pier to the hotel - all of 20 metres or so. To satisfy Joesph we all went for a swim in the rain.

Tomorrow we have our last day in Bangkok before heading to the airport in the evening. Our plan is to check out of the hotel mid morning, leave bags in the hotel bag store and go up to the Ko San Road area (backpackers area)  for food and a mooch before returning to the hotel for a swim then get changed into clean clothes and take a taxi to the airport early evening. The flight for London departs at 12.20 am.

Photos Hua Hin - 28 August

Pretending to enjoy a coconut - not top of the list to reorder!

Spontaneous late night pedicure &  manicure

Result 1

Result 2