After managing to arrive at Khao San Road a little after 1pm we were greeted with the hustle and bustle of a thriving street that in parts doesn't appear real. We had been advised to head for the Rambruttri Inn which was just off the main road so we asked a tuk tuk driver whether he knew where it was. Instead he suggested we go to the tourist office across town and he would be happy to take us for a mere 20 Baht so we decided to hop in.
When we arrived at the office we were met by a rather chubby, cheerful character who then sat us down and began to tell us what we can do whilst in thailand and how to get to Laos. However as time went on we became more and more aware that we might have fallen for one of the common cons with minutes of arriving on Khao San road. The chubby man then began to price everything up and was willing to book everything for 18000 Baht and couldn't understand why we didnt want to do it.
We managed to finally get out of there and the tuk tuk price had shot up to 250 Baht so instead we got in a taxi and paid about 150 Baht and upon arriving back on Khao San for the second time we realised we had indeed fell for a con as every tuk tuk driver came up to us suggesting we go to the tourist office for a small fee of 20 Baht... oh well we've learnt our lesson and it didn't cost us that much.
We finally found the Rambruttri Inn which comes complete with air con, en suite and a roof top swimming for the small sum of 800 Baht a night for two of us. We booked ourselves in and headed up to the room where we dumped our stuff and then decided to go and do some exploring. So we walked around for an hour or so looking at all the stalls and marvelling at the sights before deciding to head to MBK shopping centre on the other side of town. We enlisted the help of a moped taxi and on we went.
The two mopeds went their seperate ways and we raced through the manic streets of Bangkok weaving in and out of cars and running several red lights on the way. At one point I managed to get my camera out and record some of the journey and it has to be seen to be believd. We then spent a few hours at MBK looking at things and haggling with shop owners and then after Jack destroyed a double Big Mac we headed home.
By the time we got home it was dark and Khao San Road had completely transformed into a party central so we hurried back to the room, had a quick shower and heading out hitting a street side bar which promised 'Extra Strong' Cocktails for 80 Baht. After having this we then walked across the road where we drank a couple of buckets full of cocktail. As you can imagine we were feeling pretty merry after this. We then got chatting to these two guys who were from england and started drinking with them before moving on...
The next stop was to be a ping pong show.. something again which has to be seen to be believed! By this point we had met two girls as well and so we divided into pairs and rode tuk tuks there persuading the driver it was a race which he seemed to listen to and continued to run reds, weave in and out and drive in a mental type of way. The show was a little strange (i've never seen candles on a cake be blown out in such a way). Afterwards we headed back home and again raced through the streets and Gareth and were then crowned champions of tuk tuk racing!
We then had another couple of hours drinking and chatting and then went our seperate ways promising we would get up early and go see some sights. 3pm the next day we woke up with a knock on the door saying we have to check out so in no fit state to move we both agreed to stay another night. Promptly after this we got up, had something to eat and then walked around. Eventually we bumped into a thai man who we walked with to the temple on the other side of town and then went to sit in a park which was very busy with people exercising.
A short tuk tuk ride later we were back at the hotel and we parted ways with the old man and that is it for day 2!
