"The industry that caters for these men-acting-like-boys is a diverse social phenomenon"

So two guesses what this blog post is going to be about? - The Lonely planet guide book describes certain areas of Bangkoks nightlife with the description provided above...wow can certain things really open your eyes. (it's ok mum, I am no where near closer to bringing ting tong home for a marriage),
However the first bit of this blog will explore what mine and Adams poor eyes have had to endure over the last week...

I guess when people go to Amsterdam there is a fascination and a must see feeling to head towards to the red light district, I guess maybe due to the whole feeling of "this would never happen at home" you become lured to see how some women,men, he/she's go about making a bit of money.

In Bangkok you are bombarded by street punters trying to sell what they call "ping pong shows," - something that me and adam and many other people from our hostels wanted to go and see out of curiosity...so before we knew it on a dark evening last week a group of us (I must add there was equally as many girls withus as there were lads) to help reduce the seedyness, however what we witnessed is simply mind bogglingly disturbing, a show of different "talents" shall we say that certain 'women' in bangkok possess...these range from erm shooting ping pong balls out of their lady parts, blowing whistles, shooting darts, pulling razor blades, flowers, birds, fish, writing messages and smoking cigarettes. I must admit, it wasn't as exciting as it sounds, the constant dribbling of middle aged western men drooling over these women, makes it hard to think that these girls enjoy what they do...however I am not naieve enough to think that one protest will bring this industry crashing down, so instead of winging about the outrageous demeaning manner these girls are treated with, I guess I have to fall back on the old saying "when in rome", and just accept that there is a booming industry for these pretty disturbing shows...

Wanting to delve deeper into this really random culture they have out here, we, as a hostel group of people headed for an area of Bangkok, known as "nannas Plaza; a 3 storied "shopping mall" of prostitutes, so basically a smaller version of say like meadowhall where you can go and sample all breeds of life. Again a massive eye opener, mainly due to the equally large population of middle aged over weight western men who actually believe that these girls will fall madly in love with them and their disgustingly seedy manners. - It is a pretty repulsive and equally depressing realisation that these women are working in a very dark world, fueled by what are probably very respectable western men if they were in their own environment back at home.

Shakespeare must have been a backpacker.

So I guess we all know it, the famous scene in Mcbeth where the witches are making their disgusting cauldren of potion...the whole "bubble bubble, toil and trouble" - well I now think that Shakespeare was actually just describing what his stomach felt like after eating lots of thai street food, - either that or my stomach feels like what I imagined this cauldren to have tasted like. The vast majority of food in Thailand comes from street vendors who sell a range of all types of food, I must add that I absolutley love thai food and I have fully thrown myself into eating food form these street vendors...however, stagnant chicken that has flies buzzing around it and sitting in a humid high 30's temperature is not a recipie for a happy tummy. Now the food I have tried out here has been exceptional, I can't explain the explosion of different taste you get for a disgustingly cheap price, however after being back on the proepr backpacker trail for less than a week, I can happily admit that I once again have a very tempromental stomach. Thank god for Imodium!

So we have now left Bangkok as well, currently living it up in a pretty swanky twin bed hotel room for less than 6quid a night in Phukett. However what we failed to realise is that obviously its the monsoon season at the minute, so after a 24 hour long ridiculous bus jouirney from bangkok we are now here chilling in a massive electrical storm...good one!.

However the next few weeks should deliver plent of beautiful beaches, island hopping, scuba diving and plenty of drinking!