Part 1 - Bangkok & Myanmar
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Part 1 - Bangkok & Myanmar
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I got up late with all the sleep problems and not having much sleep through the flights it wasn't surprising but I rushed up and downstairs as it was 10.20 and breakfast finished at 10.30, managed to get some though and they didn't clear it away on the dot so it was ok. When I'd been here 10 years ago I'd gone to a weekend market and bought a Che Guevara dancing t-shirt (there are probably pictures somewhere) and as it was Sunday I decided to go back there so took the train to Mo Chit station as the girl on reception told me to do, got off and there was a park there right next to the market which I decided to go to afterwards. The market was as I remembered pretty big, lots of stalls one after another 6 or so deep in a covered area and then a road before another covered area 8 stalls deep another road and then a few more stalls, at least that's how I remembered it, here's an actual map I took a photo of: The map was in the middle of the market and I only saw it near the end when I was looking to leave but after I saw the map I went to try to find the blue stand which didn't seem to be what it said it would be. I saw a lot of stalls in the market including some books in English language and some antique type things, but not too much electronics, I did almost buy some loose fitting patterned trousers but thought I could get them somewhere else instead where I could try them on. So I left the market and headed to a nearby park which was fairly big with a boating lake, bridges and a fitness area with equipment like you get in quite a few parks these days. After that I was heading back to the hostel but decided to get off a couple of stops early and go to the victory monument. Turned out there wasn't too much to see or do as the monument is on a roundabout which is fenced and there is about 4 lanes of traffic, but I walked around and got shat on by a pigeon since they didn't have any spikes on the rails above. (picture below of monument - not pigeon). So I walked back to the hostel grabbing some food and water on the way from a 7 eleven dodging some motorbikes on the pavement which is normal here. [picture below of motorbike] I think I had a shower and a rest before using one of the computers a bit more and found that the Gadventures hotel was just next to where I'd been so I pinned it on google maps before heading out. The map the hostel had given me had some recommendations on the back and one was a night market (open Thurs to Sun) so I went to have a look. First stalls were all food and it reminded me of the Marrakech market at night with people sat around with food cooked quickly for them or a barbecue put on their table so they could cook a heap of food themselves [picture night market]. They did have a fair few other stalls as well selling phone cases, t-shirts, touristy things but maybe I was shopped out or just as normal too fussy and didn't buy anything. Heading back I took the MRT (underground) to near the gadventures hotel and went to see who was there, but it turns out my guides where not there which is a shame as the one from Thailand 10 years ago I'd also seen 3 years ago doing my Cambodia trip.
So I walked back to the hostel, passing a Tesco Lotus on the way and got back having done 28,000 steps for the day. However as I'd had a nap and got up late I was fine and there was the Chelsea v Man U game on in the hostel so I grabbed some beers from the fridge and watched it. Afterwards some people came back to the hostel so I sat around chatting and met 2 girls from Runcorn near Liverpool, a guy from Bangkok who was not staying at the hostel and his friends at the hostel an Indian guy and a Korean girl (I never did find out how they knew each other). Went to bed and two American girls were in the room and as it was pretty cold from the air conditioning I wore a jumper and trousers which helped me sleep ok despite the bed bugs and the guy snoring even more. At some point the girls also complained of bed bugs so they must have colonised the room somehow. Question for the day is which of these shops is not in Bangkok: Boots, Marks and Spencer, Woolworths, Pizza hut? Answer in tomorrow's blog
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