Thailand
Oops. I've just pretty much cleared out my bank account (pay day was two days ago so I'm on MAJOR budget street until I get my next pay - 3.5 weeks from now - but to include my end of second year work bonus thankfully).
Anyway, the reason for the clearout - money for my loan and I've, er, BOOKED A HOLIDAY TO THAILAND FOR XMAS AND THE NEW YEAR.
Well, I've been getting a little stressed with the TESOL, and I haven't left Tokyo this year so I felt I deserved it! Also, it's been raining, cold and miserable here for the last few days, so it's nice to have something to look forward to. Plus the tickets are disappearing fast. I had hoped to get a couple of days extra holiday from work but that wasn't possible. Still, I've taken the best deal I could find.
I'll be there from December 23rd to January 8th. Will anyone else be there then? I'm not sure where I'll be when but I'm thinking at the moment of doing a Bangkok and around thing, and a Chaing Mai and around thing.
ie -
Bangkok
Bridge over the River Kwai / Death Valley and Erawan falls
Ayuthaya
Sukkothai
Khorat (Nakhon Ratchasima)
Chiang Mai
Chaing Rai / Mai Sai / Chaing Saen
Pai
Doi Suthep
Koh Samet or Ko Pha Ngan - maybe but probably not.
Elephants and cooking are definitely on the cards (though not together) and lots of other things.
Any thoughts or suggestion?
posted by Jo at 23:23
9 Comments:
find a nice beach and try to get back the energy that has been drained with your hectic schedule. It's nice to have a few "do nothing" days while on holiday! Have a fab time though, sounds like a great way to spend the holidays!
4:18 am
I have loads of photos from my honeymoon in Thailand earlier in the year, and can show you where we went if you'd like... Not sure that emailing over 300 pics is really worthwhile though!
I'm sure you'll have a great time! An opportunity to do nothing on holiday for a couple of days is very important, especially with your very busy schedule...
Ben J x
7:59 pm
terrific! Happy Hollidaying to you.
I just booked my tickets to London for C'mas & New Year! Not exotic to you... but tres exciting pour moi!
Any suggestions for me?
2:33 am
Dont go to Ayuthaya, it's a dump. Especially compared to the vastly superior Sukhothai.
Erawan falls is a bit of a let down.
Khanchanaburi (River Kwai) is ok for a day or overnight,
Koh Samet is nice, but getting too crowded and I havent been there for 3 years. You might want to take longer and make your way down to Koh Tao, which really is nice. Its the island next to Koh Pha Ngan. I don't recommend Koh Pha Ngan as alls it's known for is the full moon party.
The best elephant place is up at Chiang Mai, it's a legit sanctuary, but I forget it's name.
it's kinda nice to get the train from BKK to Phitsanulok (Sukhothai) which is 6 hours, see all that, theyn get the train up to Chiang Mai (6 hours).
12:03 am
Cooking school in Chiang Mai is awesome - that was my fave memory of Thailand. I did a one day course at this one: http://www.thaicookeryschool.com/
I would recommend that you don't eat breakfast before you go since you cook a LOT of food and get to eat all of it too.
12:15 am
I recommend you to spent one day in Bangkok at least. cos there are a lot of fab Buddhist temples which warth to visit even if you aren't interested in them. View of Wat Arun at Sunset from a river boat is owesome. Laying Great Buddha(I don't know correct English name) at Wat Pho is also fab. Both of them are famous tourist sights, but I still remember my impression when I saw them.
11:35 am
Hi jo, just a quick check to see if I've got the hang of this message board, then I'll comment some more.
Mostyn
9:06 am
Ok, when I stayed in Kanchanaburi I stayed at the Ploy guesthouse (it's in the book I gave you.) Lovely rooms on the ground floor in a kind of garden setting. The breakfast area was on a n outdoor terrace overlooking the river...lovely and peaceful. I rented a bicycle from a place across the road, well worth doing. I actually went off cycling to find some caves...which I never found, but anyway. From the guesthuose I booked day tours to the waterfalls and elephant ride and the tiger temple, you can just book a place on the tour the afternoon before you go and the bus picks you up from outside the guesthouse. Didn't do the floating market, but I've heard it's very commercial and touristy now and not very authentic anymore. Go to the big flea market in Bangkok, though!
Have a great time!
9:15 am
cheers all. and keep the comments coming!
11:27 pm
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