If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much room...

My last day in Bangkok! Spent most of the day shopping for pressies and souvenirs. Went to the start of Sukhumvit Road and explored the large hotels and shops around that area—very different from the little oasis that we're living in! Checked out a few massage parlours here. In one of them, the girls wait in a "fishbowl", identified by names or numbers, behind a two-way mirror, so the client can pick the girl of his choice. Over a drink in the bar, the owner/manageress will advise on any special requirements the client may have. The massage is similar to the traditional one, with extra services, including a bath with the girl, thrown in. A two-three hour massage in a large, clean, well-appointed room with stacks of fresh towels and a battery of lotions costs around 1,000 baht for the facilities, plus 500 to 1,000 baht tip for the girl, so the whole package should be under 50 Euros.

Mae West was right: too much of a good thing can be wonderful!

Another close escape!

That evening there was a motorcycle and scooter rally in Bangkok. Hundreds of the participants ended up in Khaosan Road.

I spent the evening hanging around with the scooterists—almost all were customized Vespas. Then walked around the corner to the hotel. I stopped directly across the road from the main entrance, just outside the main entrance to an Israeli-owned office block, trying to decide what to do. It was 11:00 exactly. There was a bar a few feet away, but it looked empty and dead. Should I check my email, have a beer in the nearby bar or return to the hotel? I stood there for a few minutes, then decided to head for the hotel. No sooner had I crossed the road and reached the reception, when there was an almighty crash from behind me. A window had fallen out of the office block, on to the spot where I had been standing a moment before!

Well, I'll be leaving Bangkok tomorrow!