quite an adventure already. those thai airways people really have the forumla worked out; feed us quick, give us lots of alcohol, and most of the plane sleeps through the flight! when we got to the cab rank in bangkok they gave us a taxi with a gas tank in the boot and not enough room for even one bag let alone four. They had our bags 1/3 in and 2/3 out of the boot and the cabbie was looking eager to use his occy strap to tie down the boot. After much protest from me that we wanted another cab they made us go back to the end of the que and ignored us when we got back to the front. We ended up going back to the limo section and paying $40 to town which seemed pretty good as the Sydney cab had cost $60.

the hotel is 3 star in age and price but 5 star in service, food, cleanliness and friendliness - great place called Classic Place Hotel, recommend by the super amazing Edwina Chambers from student travel in Canbera.

today we caught a fast long boat up the canal behind the hotel to the markets. I'll be uploading photos later but for now imagine a long boat with rows of seats, each row fits 6 adults and you climb in and out over each other and hold a rope while you jump off to the jetty. Not quite the 9am jetcat. You are so low in the brown dirty water that you would get sprayed if not for a tarp which is pulled up buy a rope and pully system operated by the passengers sitting next to it.

in the afternoon we were at the elephant park so the kids could ride elephants, a thing they have long looked forward to. they loved it but not much there fo the over 12 set.

the thai massage place up the road (nice_massage@hotmail.com) has wonderful 60 min massage for $8 plus free internet which is why I can write now.