30 years on

Phew, more people and less smog. More cars and no Vespa motorbikes but lots of Japanese bikes. Cars on lpg and not so much smog. NO horns tooting evrytime the driver wants to change lanes. No Tricycle rickshaws. Lots more beautiful women with old whitemen!

Airport is great- lots of glass and joined to the city by an incredible motorway system with toll roads.

Sky train is wonderful and the walkways that link to it are above the footpaths and over the busy intersections. great to get out of the rush of people and pestering taxi and tuk tuk drivers. No stall holders are allowed on the walkways so it is heaven above 6 million people!

39 degrees today and 3o percent humidity! All new modern stores are great for refuge and iced tea and coffee go down a treat.

Bangkok is a shopaholics paradise. Not our thing as we cannot carry so much stuff in our light back packs.

Spent first two nights in an upper class hotel to aclimatise but are now in a backpackers as recommended by the Traveller's bible! It has an air conditioned room with hot shower and Sky TV but no lounge where we can meet others and exchange travel news. Hardly see any travellers as they come and go all the time. Not like the olden days!