Welcome to Bangkok

I took this picture of the street where I was staying on 14th...Love Lane, in Georgetown, just like home (where the horses are) and the buildings are in a similar state of repair. At night the street was frequented by some ladies of the night. Well I say ladies but they were certainly not that and I don't think they were even female, scary!



Also got to use my mossie net for the first time. There was one in my room and we fought a battle of wills as I struggled to hang the net from the overhead reading light before it got me... I won. This was the view from my window, corrugated iron comes in a variety of degrees of rust.



Caught the ferry back from Penang in the morning to Butterworth, desparately hot and 5km to the nearest aircon, so I went there, to Pacific shopping plaza, parted with none of my Ringits but at least I was cool until the train left for Bangkok at 3pm. Another eventful trip, the journey is from 3pm to 10.45 the following morning so the seats are arraged like this during the day....



But the numbering is a bit odd. They convert to an upper and lower bunk for sleeping (2 people) but during the day they let day travellers on between stations on the route and everyone has a ticket with a seat allocation. So there can be a total of 6 people trying to occupy the 4 seats. Possession is 9/10ths of the law, don't move once you have your seat! (Not sure I explained that too well)

A major disaster along the way, the camera I borrowed from Helen has stopped working and needs to go back to Nikon. Bugger. Don't think I can manage with just the camera in my phone so I will have to buy one for this trip.

Almost another disaster coming in to Bangkok this morning. I thought the two kids at the side of the line were just waving until a rock they threw hit my window. This was the result.



Fortunately it was double glazed and only the outer skin was broken but the train crew were not impressed. I like to think the aim was not good enough to target the "farang's" window but welcome to Bangkok indeed.

Spent the day trying to get the camera fixed and trying to find the best deal if I do buy one tomorrow. Will have local help as Miss Tussanee (more later) is taking me sight seeing tomorrow before my train out in the evening. Have decided to change plan because I need to stop somewhere for a few days and chill out. The advice is head to Laos, so I am changing my route and going to take the sleeper to Nan Koi, cross to Vientianne and then to Luang Prabang to hole up for a a while. The advice is all on from "the man in seat 61" again. Thank you.

Chickened out of the real budget accommodation on Khao San Road, 300 Baht, (about 10 dollars), but a real cell. Didn't think Tussanee's hotel at 2,400 Baht was in the spirit of the trip so settled for the Atlanta, 600 baht, with aircon, warm shower and Lonely Planet recommended.

Hope to have some better photos to post if I get sorted but can anyone tell me what this tree is with the most wonderful scent? Hope the phone's camera picks it up OK.