BANGKOK - BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

Khao San Road by night, Bangkok.

Bangkok is the banging heart of SE Asia. It's where most SE Asian treks begin & end. And Khao San Road is the backpacking epicentre for Bangkok budget accommodation, cheap fares, live music, street bars & $2 cocktails. At night it's a carnival of bright lights & non-stop entertainment. There's something always happening. A stroll down the crowded Khao San Road takes longer than thought because of this. Peddlars are selling fake branded watches, fake tattoos, T Shirts, jewellery, deep fried scorpions & bugs. Tribal people from northern Thailand, dressed in costume, sell their crafts & wooden frogs that make a croaking sound. l know l am back in Thailand when l hear that sound. Massage chairs spill out onto the street so it's possible to get a leg massage and a cocktail and still people-watch. Value for money, it's hard to beat, and tourists are eager to part with their baht.

On my first trip to Asia many years ago, l arrived in Bangkok about 5 am and l was admittedly very frightened. Forced to go out looking for bottled water, it's a bad sign when your hotel has no drinking water! The night was morphing into morning & the grotty remains of the night were being hosed away. It felt so seedy & sordid. But l survived and l now chuckle to myself  about that night. Khao San Rd is far from dangerous. But l do suggest to anyone considering going to SE Asia on their own for the first time, to begin in Singapore if possible. Singapore is extremely safe & alot less of a culture shock.

From Bangkok, the rest of Asia is open & easy to get to. For about $20 there is an overnight train to Chiang Mai in the north. Or there is an overnight train to the Laos border. There's a night bus down to Surat Thani where there is access to all the party islands & resorts. Or there is a $10 day bus to Siem Reap in Cambodia. There is a bit of a scam at the border but it can be avoided by paying for a visa in advance.

Sight seeing is simple by tuk tuk or organize a city tour. The ornately beautiful Royal Palace is a must & epitomises Thai culture. Also the floating markets are a unique example of life in Bangkok. The Golden Buddha has an interesting story. For centuries it was covered in colourful plaster, hiding its 5.5 ton of gold beneath it. It is believed that monks covered it in plaster to protect it from marauding armies, possibly the Burmese.  Somehow the secret was kept & then lost. The 3m statue of Buddha was well revered & honoured and when moving it to a new location in the 1950's, the plaster cracked & revealed the 5 1/2 ton of solid gold!

Food is fabulous in Bangkok from banquets to street food. And as someone once said, 'There is no such thing as a bad Thai restaurant.' Street vendors nosh up a $1 pad thai and the backpackers favourite, banana pancakes. Green papaya salad is a lunch time mainstay.

Accommodation ranges from extremely affordable 5 star suites to a cupboard with a mattress & a fan for 7 bucks. It's one of the few places in the world that l book in advance. No matter what's happening politically or in the economy, Bangkok is always buzzing. And no matter what time of day or night, people are arriving & departing. And the best part about Bangkok for me, is meeting some of these people from all over the world. It really is an international city. And unlike the movie 'The Hangover,' a night out in Bangkok with new friends is usually an unforgettable experience.

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