Sleeper Train to Chaing Mai

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

29 June 2005

We left Bangkok on Wednesday night & got a sleeper train up to Chiang Mai. The train was fantastic - $40 NZ for a 13 hour train ride. You even get seats which fold out into bunk beds!! Was fantastic - we both slept most of the way (night time so nothing to see anyway).

Sarah asleep on the sleeper train from Bangkok to Chaing Mai - This is before the beds are even out! Sleepy girl...

posted by Maarty @ 11:00 pm, ,

For you special price….

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

28 June 2005

This place is HUGE, how can I explain 10 million people squashed into a cardboard box… From every angle your hearing – TUK TUK? Or come look, keep looking, Special price for you…. Not to mention the 35 degree heat!

The hotel was very nice, has a good feel to it. Breakfast is amazing, anything you could imagine. Feels like our little haven from the chaos out side. There is so much pollution and congestion in Bangkok, really feeling out of sorts, everyone is sooo dishonest and out to scam you. we want to get to Change Mai, tomorrow really not easy when you can’t speak Thai. Anyway the hotel has a “Limo service” that the hotel employs to run you around Bangkok. not to sure how free it really is, like every thing in this country its all about how easy it is to get the money off you!!!

Sarah above one of Bangkok's busy streets.

One of the many temples that we visited in Bangkok.

posted by Maarty @ 1:55 am, ,

Sleeping on Planes…

27 July 2005
The truth is I never really did travel to good on planes, that’s one of the reasons that we went for the larger seats. Not to sure just how much more room we got in the end but it seems quite a lot.
Right, I’ve been awake now for quite some time on hardly any sleep. Its now 7pm Thai time which is three hours out from Sydeny time which is two hours out from NZ time… so I guess that makes it midnight ish. Sarah is trying to sleep beside my and we are in a little cocoon of our space. We left Sydney behind, It really wasn’t the best airport in the world to spend 4 hours hanging out in, it only had one duty free shop – with a few rando shops and noly two cafes. To be fair the duty free shop was really large but only if you wanted booze.
Anyway I can see lights out the window and the screen is telling me that we are flying over or close to Bruni. Its been a relatively easy going flight so far. No dramas apart from Sarah dropping a can of coke on the floor. Not a too bigger deal – just didn’t tell anyone! Food is scarce but what we get is really good and the staff are fantastic. So far I’ve watched a quite good Pierce Brosnan film, half of oceans twelve and Pacifier – not Vin Diesels best by a long way I tell you! Oh also watched the latest John Travolta film, was kinda odd really, not your normal John Travolta film at all.

Just saw lightening out side, looks cool from above – slightly scary tho. Will tell Sarah later I think.

Well that’s it for now, we will write more when were on the ground and are in the 35 Degree heat that they tell us it is!!

Till next time

Maarty and Sarah

posted by Maarty @ 1:46 am, ,

Looking out the window in Sydney ...

Monday, June 27, 2005

Hi Everyone!
Well we got up early this morning after a fairly sleepless night (thanks for the snoring Mum!!!) stressing & just thinking etc. We had a fantastic flight over - the smoothest flight I've ever had & we had tonnes of leg room 'cause even though I was just joking when I said 'lot's of leg room would be nice' to the check in guy, he gave us the emergency door seats! Well worth it. We've been in the transit lounge at Sydney for a few hours now & are getting a bit bored. The food is expensive & there aren't many shops. Oh well. The main problem is though, that I can't get on to my Gmail account on any of the computers here, because of internet security restrictions! GRRRR! Hopefully I'll be able to check my email at the next internet place...
But time is almost up, so better go. Will write soon! (and you'd better too!)

Love Sarah & Maarty

posted by Maarty @ 3:19 pm, ,

Zion Wildlife Park - Up Close with the BIG Cats

Sunday, June 26, 2005

One of the three new white lions from South Africa - was a bit thirsty (it was really raining and dripping off the fence). They have recently come out of quarantine.

Maarty with a wild lion - one of the so called 'Wild 5', Not hand reared. Even Craig (The Lion Man) Doesn't spend Much time with these Guys...

Two Cubs