Mango is scary!

Yes well it's a very good job we had a week in Sydney before we came here. They weren't kidding about 'fast like instant noodle'!

Got bus into town this morning and located considerably more budget place to stay - am currently holed up there trying to pluck up courage to go out again later... may need to dig out sleeping bags - cotton sheet but interesting nylon bed cover that has me seriously concerned about static shocks.

Went for walk this afternoon and then confused right and left and was blowed if could find hostel again but managed in the end. Admittedly we only made it back because we ducked into a travel agent to book some day trips and when we filled in the form to say where we were staying she said 'ahh yes, down that way'. We nodded knowledgeably but with some relief as we now knew which way to go!

Day trips booked and back to hostel for discount price lunch but we'd forgotten voucher. Stayed for lunch anyway as it was only two quid and we were bit relieved to have found the place again to be honest :)

Felt more confident after food so decided to try another wander. Scared ourselves witless again as some bloke hassled us into a tuk tuk for a boat trip along the canal. Not really any idea where we were going but we went there quite quickly in amongst stops in the middle of various junction where one or other of us was hear to mutter 'I'm going to die' as the traffic hurtled toward us!!

Some other tourist were equally suckered but unlike us didn't seem to realise they had been had but hey they managed to haggle much better price and we figured if there were four of us we were far less likely to encounter dark alleys and nightmare scenarios so we went along. Although I confess some of this was due to a slight feeling of responsibility to make sure they were okay - the woman was dressed entirely in pristine White with pastel green pashmina and they were both flashing cameras and videos all over the place. Still no harm done - hope they are ok tomorrow though - I'd read the guide book about the canal water so we ducked and covered mouths everytime there was spray and a wake. They obviously had not read guidebook!

Good fun on longboat in the end - interesting to get another view of Bangkok.

Wandered back to hostel braving the roads yet again. Some of them have pelican crossings not that it makes any difference - mad dashes all around! Getting back into the swing of SE Asian travel now. Sensible heads back on and ability to say 'no thank you' much improved!

Oh dear - may now be motivated to go out again - budget hostel was going well but heinous fan noise has just started up from somewhere - now where did I put those ear plugs???