Kho Phi Phi to Khao San Road Bangkok

Having left still Tsunami-recovering phi phi island, I feel I've left the SE asian beach scene for the rest of this particular asian sojourn. While I feel that the back packer travelling curcuit is, to varying degrees, inevitably hedonistic, phi phi island was a little too much for me. After 5 days on the island I find myself now in Bangkok, along the packer's nexus, khao san road. During a 5 minute's saunter one will hear at least 6 different languages, buy on average 2.3 t-shirts for less than 6 dollars each (dependant on the purchaser's bargaining prowess) hear about 3 minutes worth of Jack Johnson discography and likely stop for a 60 baht chang beer. Only slightly unexpectedly, friends met 2 months ago were re-met and stories were swapped over subway sandwiches and street-squeezed mandarine juice.

Yesterday Justin, Alicia and I visited Wat Po, an inner city temple complex and were diminished by the emmensity of the reclining Buddha, something like 46 metres of golden enlightenment-in-waiting. The evening found us ring-side at a muay thai tournament: thai kickboxing. Certainly one of the most kick ass (literally) experiences I've afforded myself during this trip. Woke up feeling like I' taken a few elbows to the skull myself.

Tomorrow should prove to be yet another fairly epic on-the-road day. We're packing up and heading across the thai border to Cambodia, towards Siem Reap and the remains of perhaps the greatest temple complexes on earth. I expect flash backs of Bhaloo the Bear and Moghli dancing to "i wanna be like you, shoo boo doo di bap doo wap" but I should really reference that scene's locale for accuracy of this statement.



Sometimes friends meet and pass so quickly, like a cloud's shadow over the plains, but this does not diminish the sweetness of the shade that is offered.