Sunday 24 October to Wednesday 27 October - Bangkok – The good, the bad and the ugly

Bangkok is a completely and utterly mental city that never sleeps. You will never find any peace and quiet, and walking through the pollution filled streets is uncomfortable to say the least.

However, Bangkok is one of the most unforgettable places I will ever go. Most of it is good, some of it is bad, and I have noticed one very ugly thing about it. So here it is, Bangkok – the good, the bad, and the ugly

The good

It is hard to pinpoint a few good points about Bangkok. It is a crazy city – how anyone lives here I will never know. However, it is also an amazing city, and an absolute must on any trip to South East Asia.

One of my favourite parts was the river, which was the main connection to the west side of the city. The east side is connected by the metro and skytrain, however the west is stuck with a more traditional form of transfer, and I was thankful for that.

The boat journeys that go along the river are an amazing way of seeing the city. Whilst taking in the sights, you can jump off and visit the spectacular Grand Palace, or many of the beautiful temples. Just sitting on a boat watching Bangkok pass by you is interesting in itself.

On our last day in Bangkok, Matt and I decided to get off at a random stop. There wasn't much there, however over a drink we noticed there were hundreds of fish right by the dock. At first we thought they were dead, but they weren't, they were just slowly swimming nowhere. The next thing we know, we heard an almighty thrashing. A girl was feeding the fish bread, and they were going mad for it. No wonder they don't bother going anywhere, they get fed ten times an hour here, and it is quite a sight!

A second part I love is the architecture. I particularly enjoyed the Grand Palace, which is a magnificent display of temples and art. There is gold everywhere, and a massive Budha where hundreds of Buddhists can be witnessed praying. It truly is something to behold, and it is more a place you would need to see yourself to truly appreciate how amazing it is.

Similarly, I thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Jim Thomson's house. Jim Thompson moved six traditional Thai houses, and put them together to create his beautiful house. It is full of Thai antiques, paintings and beautiful furniture. He has a particularly interesting collection of broken Budhas, traditionally a sign of bad luck in Buddhism. Some of them date back to the 7^th century, and give an interesting insight into the history of Buddhism.

Finally, I think the food is one of my favourite parts of Bangkok. It was a relief to come here and not find fish head soup signs everywhere! The best, tastiest places to eat are where the locals eat. We didn't do this one night, and the food was so bland. In Thailand they keep the places they eat immaculately clean. The tables and chairs might be plastic, but you get standard of cleanliness here you wouldn't get in the UK. The food is amazing too – fruit that is actually juicy (not chalky bananas or watery pineapple here), dishes where every mouthful is different. There is so much to try, and at £1 a dish it is easy to get a good variety.

Of course, there are plenty of other things I loved, and I am sure when I go back I will find plenty more. However, I think the above is my top three, closely followed by the people (constantly giggling), the completely politically incorrect t-shirt slogans (Mr Jihad, with a picture of a Mr Bump with a bomb attached anyone?!) and the fact it never sleeps.

The bad

As with any place, there were bad sides to Bangkok. Far fewer bad than good, but the bad tended to be really bad!

Most profound is the scammers. I have put this as worse than the sex industry for reasons I will explain later. Scammers are everywhere, and any Westerner going to Bangkok will encounter one at some point. On our way to the Grand Palace, Matt and I encountered 4. The situation goes something like this:

Scammer (S) – (at traffic lights) Hey, where you from?

Us (U) – London

S – Ah England! I teach English at University. I off today as it is Buddhist holiday.

U – (thinking, here we go) Oh really?

S – My father teaches at King's College London.

U – Oh really?

S – You going to Grand Palace? You know, it Buddhist holiday today so palace closed. I could show you other place?

U – No thank you, we will go and have a look anyway, even if it is closed.

Firstly, if that man teaches English, then I am fluent in French. This is one of a few variations on the scam – we also got told that we wouldn't get in with what we were wearing (you can hire clothes). It is the lead up the infamous gem scam, where you agree to go with the scammer on a tour. They talk to you, gain your trust, and take you to a gem shop. You end up being pushed into buying some low value gems at an inflated price, or worse, some coloured glass.

It is a shame that this happens in Bangkok, although if you know that these scammers exist, they are incredibly easy to spot. Be polite, but firm, and they will get the hint in the end.

Another popular scamming situation is the tuk tuks, or taxi drivers, who try to provide you with a highly inflated price. On the one hand, I can see why they do this. Wages are pitiful here, and they know they can make a bit more money from ignorant Westerners. However, my patience and understanding grew very thin after a while!

If using a taxi, always insist on using the meter. Don't let them “forget”, and don't agree a “special” fee – it will be grossly inflated. With tuk tuks, I have no idea. I am sure Matt and I paid too much for ours, even though we haggled I am sure after six months here you might know how much to pay. At least a tuk tuk is an incredible experience – exhilarating and utterly terrifying. Oh, and don't think you are onto a good deal if they offer you a ride for 10B, they will be planning on taking you to a gem shop, much like the above.

The second bad part of Bangkok is the sex industry. I don't think this is as bad as scamming for two reasons. Firstly, it is in very particular areas, so easy to avoid. Secondly, the sex industry in Bangkok helps uneducated women support themselves. No, it isn't nice, but most of them are not drug addicts or being forced into it like in the UK. Uneducated women can earn a decent wage this way, although we can all wish it didn't have to be like this.

On our first night in Bangkok, we decided to go for a drink and accidentally stumbled across the most infamous red light district, Patpong. Other than scantily clad women everywhere, I suffered very little. Matt, however, was accosted by people offering him all manner of services. I don't think he is quite over the experience, and we will be avoiding Patpong on our next trip!

My final bad point of Bangkok is the river. I know I put this in the good, but the bad is one particular thing. As with many rivers in South East Asia, the water is a horrific brown colour. It is akin to an open sewer, and knowing that makes it a bad experience when you get splashed. There are entire islands of rubbish floating down the river, and the thought of falling in is utterly nauseating.

The ugly

The thing I found ugly about Bangkok has actually very little to do with Bangkok, Thailand, or Thai people. It was the Westerners.

I get the impression that South East Asian citizens have a somewhat love/hate relationship with Westerners. They know that they need them to visit, as they are good for the economy and provide small businesses with a lot more money than they would earn from locals. However, I think there is a very fine line between the love of the money Westerners bring, and the impact they have on the country.

So far, Matt and I have only been to big cities; Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. In these places, the locals are a lot more open, and you will not find yourself stared at, or even particularly welcomed by the locals. They are used to Westerners.

However, whilst sitting and observing everything around me, I noticed that Westerners bring with them a very ugly ambience to South East Asia.

I would not say I have done lots of reading about South East Asia. I have my copy of the Lonely Planet's South East Asia on a Shoestring, and yesterday Matt and I bought their book on Thailand. Other than this though, I have done no reading on the culture, or what I can expect from my experience.

The Lonely Planet provided me with a good insight on a number of things though – how to dress where, how to behave in certain situations, a bit on the etiquette of each country etc. I would argue that the majority of people around me have not done the same.

I saw two very good examples of this at the Grand Palace. As with any building related to Buddhism, you are expected to wear clothes that cover your entire body, with the exception of your arms (not your shoulders) and your face. In some places, this meant that they hired sarongs, trousers, and baggy shirts.

Did Westerners respect these rules? Of course they didn't. Most Westerners put on the clothes to gain entry, then soon took them off. One woman, in front of the biggest temple, saw it appropriate to remove her shirt and sarong, revealing her tight, strapless mini dress, so her boyfriend could take a photo. This caused obvious outrage amongst the Thais there, who shouted (and Thais NEVER shout) at her for being so blatantly disrespectful.

The second example happened inside the temple. In Buddhism, it is considered incredibly dishonourable to point the soles of your feet at another person, or worse, at an image of Budha. I witnessed one woman lounging with her feet pointed directly at the large statue of Budha. Outraged, the guards told her off. But how did she not know this? Ten minutes in the Lonely Planet and she would have done.

Both of these situations were incredibly painful and embarrassing to watch. I simply cannot understand how two people who are visiting a culture so different to their own did absolutely no reading before they went. Their acts of disrespect and stupidity reflect badly on all of us, and means that we all get tarred by the same brush.

Please – anyone going to Thailand, just spare ten minutes to read up on the dos and don'ts. Respect for basic Thai principles will gain us all a lot of respect in the long run, and will provide you with a fascinating insight to a culture so profoundly different to your own. It is probably best not to get me started on the Western women who stand next to monks, and I will leave my rant here.

Overall, I have really enjoyed my time in Bangkok. After three days here, I am absolutely exhausted, and my lungs need a break from all the pollution. I look forward to returning here though in the middle of November, before our trip to Hong Kong. For now, bring on the paradise beaches on Phuket and Ko Phi Phi!

Bangkok

Kuala Lumpur

Thursday 21st October to Saturday 23rd October – Kuala Lumpur

To say we spent our time in Kuala Lumpur to explore the city thoroughly would be untrue – we had some excellent trips but spent most of the time recovering from the jetleg.

Matt and I managed about 9-10 hours sleep every night, and we woke up every morning with a cracking view of Kuala Lumpur.

We spent a lot of time during the Thursday and the Friday by the pool, however we did venture out a couple of times.

On Thursday, Wilma treated us to a foot massage. As soon as I was in the chair I was relaxed, and by the end I didn't want to get up. I hope to have plenty more of these during my time in South East Asia.

Thursday evening, Wilma took us to the Skybar, at the top of the Traders Hotel. I enjoyed a delicious pineapple cocktail there, but even more delicious was the view. You could see over the whole of Kuala Lumpur up there, and with the lights in the night time dark it was quite a sight. We then went to a chinese restaurant, where Wilma knew the owners. There was no menu, you just named some food you wanted and they told you if they had the ingredients. It was delicious, and we had an interesting conversation with the owner and her son about Malaysia.

Friday was a very lazy day, however Doug came home so we had a lovely dinner chatting to him and Wilma. I think we can say that Matt and I are now truly over our jetlag.

Saturday was far more eventful. We were up at a reasonable time, and we headed to the park near Doug and Wilma's for a wander and to see some sights. We got a taxi into the main part of Kuala Lumpur (don't think we got too ripped off – although he did try not to use the meter!), where we enjoyed some exceptionally cheap but delicious lunch, before wandered near the Petronas Towers, which are truly jaw dropping the first time you see them from below.

Saturday afternoon we met Doug and Wilma, who took us to see the silver leafed monkeys. The monkeys were certainly entertaining, and I think Matt enjoyed them climbing all over him when he bought some beans to feed them. I was particularly amused when they pulled the entire bunch ouy of his hand – they certainly aren't stupid. We had some dinner before going to see the fireflies when it got dark. This involved a river trip and lots of fireflies which sparkle from the river side. It looked amazing, although Wilma said she had seen it a lot better than that.

Matt and I have thoroughly enjoyed our time in Kuala Lumpur. We have had the opportunity to rest and catch up with the time difference. Having someone to show you around is great too, we enjoyed restaurants that I doubt we would have found by ourselves. We hope to come back to KL in December or January time, when Mark will be there. I am sure it will be a much welcome luxury by this point.

Bangkok tomorrow, and the start of a long stay in Thailand, hopefully broken up by a trip to see Michael in Hong Kong.

A few pics from Singapore

Wednesday 20th October – Goodbye Singapore, hello Kuala Lumpur

Today it was time to move on from Singapore. We had an afternoon coach booked to Kuala Lumpur, where we will be staying with Doug and Wilma, friends of Matt's family. Catherine is friends with Wilma, and Matt is friends with her son Mark, from when they all lived in Aberdeen. Mark is currently living in Budapest, and Doug and Wilma were brought to Kuala Lumpur with Doug's work.

So before I move on, what did I think of Singapore? My final opinion is that it is almost exactly like London, if London was slicker and actually, well, worked. It is not the police state that its reputation will have you believe, but at the same time it is obsessively clean and very ordered. Only when I stepped into Chinatown or Little India did I feel that I was actually in Asia.

However, it was a very good place for as to start. Daniel and Jenny, the hostel's owners, were friendly and helpful, and they kept the hostel in an immaculate condition. The wide use of English made it easy to get used to quickly, and the air conditioning meant that we have adapted well to the climate. I am however looking forward to moving on to Kuala Lumpur, although we will hardly be living the traveller life in Doug and Wilma's penthouse apartment!

We made our way to the bus station, and were pleasantly surprised by the bus. It was air conditioned, has wide seats and lots of leg room, so it definitely wins against the plane!

We were on the coach for 30 minutes when we reached the border. Our coach driver smashed through the barrier, earning us an hour wait in 'no man's land' whilst he was interviewed by Singapore customs, however we were soon at the Malaysia check point.

The drive to Kuala Lumpur through Southern Malaysia was amazing. It all looked completely different to Singapore – so disorganised, so individual, so what I was expecting. We drove past trucks with ten men in the back, there are vast patches of forest everywhere, and every building is different.

The bus driver's driving was... different. Almost literally pushing motorbikes off the road, driving faster than any of the cars and getting so close to the car in front that if they braked, he had to swerve to avoid hitting them.

We did manage to arrive in Kuala Lumpur in one piece, and Wilma was waiting as the bus pulled up. She drove us back to the penthouse, and to stay we were impressed would be an understatement - this place is pure luxury.  Not sure even the best hotels in the city would be this good!

Wilma cooked us a lovely meal, and we spent the evening chatting. Wilma showed us the complex's pool, and we have soon decided this is where we will be found tomorrow. We had better enjoy the luxury whilst it lasts, as peace and quiet is certainly not what we will find in Bangkok...

Monday 18th October – A zoo, some Chinese, and a trip to India

Matt and I woke up at 8.45am (12.45am UK time) very much ready to start the day. After another much needed shower, we went to have our complimentary breakfast of tea and toast.

We decided to visit the zoo today, and before we left, Jenny gave us a map and circled everything that we needed to know. Against their advice of using a tour bus to get to the zoo, Matt and I decided to make our own way there.

We stopped off at the mall to get cash and water, and it was here that we truly realised how clean Singapore is. Within the mall there is no litter, everything is so clean and sterile. Even the supermarket was spotless, and after much looking around, we were amused by the price of things. For example, an iceberg lettuce will set you back a cool S$7.50, or £3.75.

We made our way to the MRT, and whilst on here I noticed the various fines you can obtain for things. Littering will set you back S$500 (£250), smoking S$1,000 (£500), and possession of firearms (!) S$2,000 (£1,000). Seeing how clean everything was, and how little everyone smoked, perhaps these fines aren't such a bad idea! However, not being able to have a drink of water seems a tad extreme.

At the appropriate station we got on the zoo shuttle bus, and we were soon there. We stopped for some lunch, where Matt braved the devilishly spicy curry, however I opted for the Singapore favourite of toast (no joke, they have entire shops devoted to the stuff!).

The zoo was amazing, and I am not sure I will ever be able to go to another zoo and look at it in the same way again. The animals are not kept in cages, instead there are paths around the zoo that have a simple one bar wooden fence on either side; more to keep the people out rather than the animals in. Even the lions, tigers etc only had an additional deep moat, although they are pretty disinterested in the people staring at them. The only animal with a cage was the cheetah, I presume because of its extraordinary jumping abilities.

My particular favourite moment was hearing a bell ring, and upon further investigation, we discovered some elephant walking with their trainers. It was a lovely, natural sight, and summed up the zoo precisely.

After an enjoyable few hours wandering and soaking up the heat, we made our way to Chinatown. After wandering through the various markets, we made our way to our first hawker centre for dinner.

Hawker centres are a South East Asian tradition, although they are especially popular in Singapore, where they love to eat cheaply. After enjoying a good dinner for only £1.50 each, we were feeling quite tired so we decided to have a quick wander through Little India, where our hostel is located.

Little India is completely different from the rest of Singapore, it is disorderly, chaotic, and never sleeps. It smelt absolutely amazing, all the different types of incense and spices spilling out onto the street. A truly remarkable place.

After a long, but enjoyable day, Matt and I made our way back to the hostel for some much needed rest.

Tuesday 19th October – A man made wonderland, and the irresistible call of India

The plan for today was to go to Sentosa Island, Singapore's man made entertainment island, specifically to go to Universal Studios.

Upon arrival at the monorail which takes you over to the island, we discovered that Universal Studios had sold out for the day. I am not quite sure how that works, but as it has only been open roughly three months it was no surprise. Still, we were minutes away from the island so we decided to make our way over there.

Sentosa Island is a very strange place which reminded me of Disneyland. Everything was so man made and strange; I could not decide whether I liked it or hated it. It is certainly the sort of place you could spend a long weekend, although you could very easily have got on the monorail at Singapore, and stepped off in America.

We made our way to the edge of the island, where there was a beach and lots of beach bars. We enjoyed a South East Asian favourite, Iced Tea, whilst making some plans for Kuala Lumpur and Thailand.

We wandered about the island for a while, but eventually gave up as everything was so expensive, and there was no way we could justify spending the same amount on a cable car ride as we will for an entire week in Laos.

We decided to make our way to Chinatown for some lunch, before heading to the harbour to look at the iconic Merlion. We could also see the newly built Skypark from here, but decided against going over there.

We did consider going to Raffles to enjoy the tourist favourite of a Singapore Sling whilst eating money nuts, however, being dressed in shorts and flip flops, we decided it was best to wait until our return in February.

We made our way down Orchard Road, caught sight of the absolutely huge designer shops (Gucci, Dior, Chanel – you name, they have it), before making our way back to the hostel for some rest. The jelag certainly kicked in today.

We decided to go back to Little India for dinner, and it was as brilliant as yesterday, but with the added bonus of the Hindu temple being a hive of activity. We enjoyed a much needed curry before heading back for some sleep.

Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th October – A punishing arrival

After not just months, but also years of waiting, the day to leave for travelling had finally arrived. After spending the week saying my goodbyes for the next few months, Catherine dropped us off at Heathrow airport, Terminal 3.

We had heard many complaints against Terminal 3: unbearably long check in times, no seats, dirty toilets; so we ensured that we were there early. After an unbearably long check in, a lot of standing up and an avoidance of the toilets, Matt and I boarded our Emirates flight; first stop, Dubai.

I found the initial first flight an absolute breeze. It was six hours, fifty minutes long, but did not feel it. The toilets were clean, the inflight entertainment good, and even the food was enjoyable. Upon arrival at Dubai airport, Matt and I were in good spirits as we went to investigate.

Dubai International airport is amazing. People flying from Dubai to Heathrow Terminal 3 must be absolutely appalled as they are welcomed into our country! Dubai International was spotless, there were seats everywhere (including part horizontal ones for sleeping), the toilets were clean, there was a vast selection of food outlets at a reasonable price, and everyone was incredibly friendly.

After some food and a coffee, the time to board the next flight approached quickly. By this point it was 4 in the morning UK time, and Matt and I were still in surprisingly good spirits. Little did we know how punishing the second flight would be.

The second flight was a mammoth nine hours, with a one hour stopover in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where we stayed on the plane. The plane was unbearably hot, the food pretty grim, and the entertainment dull – I should not have used up all the good films and programmes on the first flight! I was too tired to read, yet the heat kept me awake. Matt had better luck sleeping, and he managed to drift off for a few hours.

After what felt like forever, we finally arrived in Singapore. After going through security (a breeze with a British passport, I was a bit scared after witnessing the grilling a Sri Lankan man received), we went to baggage collection. It was here that I was horrified to find my first squat toilet.

To be honest, I have absolutely no idea how you use a squat toilet. That might sound stupid, as common sense would dictate you just squat. But there were no bars to hold onto, and, to be honest, I was a tad scared I would end up with trousers covered in wee. In the end, I decided to get rid of the trousers, and hope I wouldn't be faced with one until Thailand – perhaps I could ask Wilma for advice before we arrive there!

After collecting our bags, Matt and I tried to fathom out the Singapore version of the underground system, the MRT (Mass Rapid Transport). After considerable use of the MRT, I can confirm that it is a slick, ultra modern method of travel that puts our tube system to shame. However, after 36 hours of no sleep, I had some serious issues working out how we needed to get where.

The MRT and airport were air conditioned to the point of almost needing a jumper, so when we exited the MRT station, the heat was a shock. So hot, so humid. We made our way to the hostel, and arrived in sweat soaked t-shirts.

The hostel owners (the delightful Daniel and Jenny Wu) checked us in, and we were shown to our room. As with all hostels, the room was simple: a bed, a locker, and a desk. Most importantly though, a lovely air conditioning unit.

After a much needed shower, and cooling the room to a temperature more familiar to us, we finally managed to get some sleep, very much ready for our first day in Singapore.