The one with the pickled slugs

Just a couple of hours since touchdown in Bangkok and I'd already befriended (aka latched on to) a lovely group of guys from the hostel. We headed out to the local night market for the evening where I had the realization that I'm an extremely stingy traveller; A snack for 16p? I don't think so, I'll go hungry until breakfast! What do you mean let's get a taxi? We're walking back even if it does take us an hour and includes a near-death experience with a stray dog.....

So, as you can imagine, I was more than frustrated the following day when I ended up getting off my train at 'Rathchadamri' instead of 'Ratchathewi' and having to pay double to get the train back again...No evening meal for me tonight!

After an evening of planning, we decided to take a day trip to the Maeklong railway market which, according to trusty Google, would be a 1-hour journey. I can now confirm that it was not a 1-hour journey. About 40 minutes into our ride in the metal box that the locals called a "minibus", I just about made out a sound over the growling noise of the overheating engine. This turned out to be the unsettling noises of the boxed chicken that was sat in the seat adjacent to me and I soon got the impression that this chicken was not going to have quite as an exciting day as we were about to...

On arrival at the market, we thought we would give some new foods a try and using the cross-cultural sign language of pointing, we asked the lovely salesman for a selection of stewed fruit from his collection. It turned out to neither be stewed nor a fruit but rather a substance that I can only describe as tasting like 'pickled slugs'. Strangely enough, I think I'll stick to Pad Thai for lunch thank you very much.

The following morning, I ensured to wake up in time for my "all inclusive breakfast" at the hostel. However, I had clearly gotten this phrase confused with one that we use at home as this was not the fry-up I had in mind. Oh no, this "all inclusive breakfast" consisted of one tinned sausage, one chocolate biscuit, one piece of salami and jam on bread spread delightfully with a fork. I mean, I won't complain - if it's free, it's for me!

On a not-so-full stomach, I headed out to book my sleeper train to Chiang Mai, calling at a cash machine on the way, only to discover that I couldn't withdraw money from any of my cash/debit cards and only had 600 baht left in my money belt (equivalent to £13.42). I spent the rest of the morning panicking, and walking aimlessly away from shouting taxi drivers asking for money that I just didn't have but was relieved after finding myself on a 6 baht bus to an STA store where the staff kindly solved my problem for me, praise the lord.

Once accommodation was sorted and my train was booked for the following day, I went into Siam centre which was. again, completely overwhelming. The contrast between the local backstreets, where I had been previously staying, and the most upmarket shopping centre I have ever seen was crazy. Funnily enough, after spending days with markets coming out my ears, on deciding I could do with some new t-shirts, there was not a market insight....typical.

My evening was spent with 2 Chinese girls with huge appetites.