Bangkok

Buffet style breakfast in the restaurant. Toast is actually brown and the juice is real! All left at nine o'clock for a half day tour. Walked to the river and caught a fast barge down the canal. Transferred to a bus and alighted at the Royal Palace. Saw the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the model of Angkor Wat to remind the Thais that they once ruled Siem Reap, the Golden Stupor, some terrific paintings on the wall galleries, the Audience Hall with the throne and boat shaped altar, and the throne hall where members of the royal family lie in state. Also saw the central throne hall from the outside. It's where important receptions are held -- heads of state receptions, APEC summits and the Miss World pageant. Our last pagoda!


Visited the temple of the reclining border. Pretty massive. Back on the bus, then another trip on the ferry back to the hotel. Hopped in a cab and straight off to the train station to sort out the tickets. Turned out to be easy if I was prepared to pay the 100 Baht fee. Cab to the Hard Rock cafe where we had a hamburger and the largest salad ever seen for lunch. Cost 850 Baht which was about $25. Quite reasonable until you work out that last night's tea only cost 100 Baht at a local restaurant. Then spent the afternoon wandering the seven floors of the MBK centre. Bought T-shirts and a couple of discs.


Hurried back to the hotel to join everybody for a farewell tea at another Thai restaurant with an identical menu. Bade a sad farewell to most of the tour group. It's been a great tour, and I think it's been terrific value. There has been a good balance of guided tours and free time to explore, with all of the difficult bits of getting transport, accommodation and border crossings done for you. The demographic of the tour has been good without too many whingeing oldies.