Thailand in April

OMG. Did I say in my last blog that we are going to Thailand to escape the madness from Cambodia over Khmer New Year? Well, we didn't really expect THIS for Thai New Year! Pure Madness!

We started our journey form Siem Riep where we then booked a bus to take us to the border in Poipet. There we walked over the border, along the huge casinos in no-mans-land.
Then it was a rather comfortable mini van ride to Bangkok. It took all day though and we arrived in Bangkok after sunset.
We booked us into a little Guest House (LampuHouse, recommendable), which is basically not far from the well known party street: Khor San Road.

our guest house in Bangkok

Already when we arrived, there was no way of staying dry.
People, tourists and locals, were pouring buckets of water over every pedestrian or were involved in heavy water pistol fights. Gosh, everyone had a water pistol. And of course no small ones, no giant ones!

madness on Kroh-San street

tourists with water pistols

On our first stroll at night we not only got dripping wet, but also marked in our face, arms, clothes, everywhere, with a paste made of flour and water. I got really angry when they threw a bucket of ice cold water at Oli still with a can of beer in it which hit him hard on his back.

wet, smeared and hurt by this bottle of Heinecken

no one stays dry

During the night I got sick. D+V for 24 hours, the worst I ever had. I suspect it came from something I ate at the border.
I ordered Oli to get me a course of Antibiotics and so after 3 days I was more or less fit again. So we did some sightseeing in Bangkok and what I saw was really impressive. I really liked Bangkok, apart from the water madness!

one of many Thai spirit houses on the street

a giant checked duck

Island dance in Bangkok

she was from Maui

the strong lads

So we did travel on the river, rode the sky-train

waiting for the Sky train

visited the Royal Palace, ate delicious food and even met Tom Cruise!

who is more handsome...

at the impressive Royal Palace in Bangkok

my new hat especially bought for visiting the Royal Palace

the air smelled of perfumed candle oil and incent sticks

she had hair that reached to her knees

making little sand castles

blessing the Buddas on Thai New Year

the biggest Budda in South-East Asia apparently

After 3 days we took the bus to Pattaya. Of the party crowd had to follow us from the capital and it actually got worse. Whole trucks full of water drove along the streets with people on it, ready to give you the full blast with big water pipes.

also a victim of getting blessed

Fortunately we booked ourselves into a lovely and quiet little bungalow resort and we could really relax once we were there.

at least some privicy in Le-Prive

there was an Elephant shower

nice pool.. all to ourselves

at least some beautiful Thai art

But the actual reason we came to Pattaya was for me to do the bungee jump. So on Saturday afternoon we got picked up and brought to "Jungle Bungee jump".

Looking forward to it...

OMG, do I really want to do it?

I payed my 2000 Baht and then went to the jump teacher. He took my weight and then put really tight bandages around my lower legs. They were so tight that it really hurt!

putting it so tight that it hurt

It all went very fast and I mean it is not difficult to know what to do when you do Bungee jumping but I must say at this point I felt a little nervous.
Never the less, I got up and hoppled towards the lift.

very very tight bandages around my calves which saved my life

you could also choose the option of dipping your fingertips into the pool

The crane was 60 meter high and as soon as I realised that this is for real now, I was already on my way up.

up it goes!

looking still forward to it!

Up there, it was quite windy. Nice view, looking down no problem. I could see Oli with the camera, taking a video of me.

nice view from the top of the crane

ok, I'll do it!

not so sure anymore...

But then it kicked in. Jumping down? Blimey, I felt a little trapped as I knew now there is no way back. The palms of my hands got really sweaty, my mouth got so dry! And the guy with me just said now I count until 3 and then you let yourself fall forward. Easy!
It took me another 3 minutes up there to overcome my fear but then I thought that Oli is waiting and the battery of the camera might run out soon and I thought that I have trust in this rope that is tied around my legs and nothing will happen. So I just let myself fall down.

ahhhhhh!

juchhu!

It was a terrifying experience. I still can feel it when I am writing now about it. It doesn't take long though. But it is such a relief when the rope caught up and I started to bounce up and down. It really felt good.

what a feeling!

achja!

Then after hanging for a little while upside down they got a long stick and I grabbed it and they pulled my down and onto a mattress. There I lay and couldn't stop laughing.

I want to do it again!

I am so glad it all went well...

yes, landed safely

It really gave me a confidence boost. I feel like I can do everything now, because I was brave enough to do a bungee jump.

This is the evidence!

After all this adrenaline-high, we still hadn't got enough and threw ourselves in the evening into the never stopping party crowd at the well-known 'Walking-Street'.