Chiang Mai to Bangkok on the train

We could have done with another day in Chiang Mai - a great town with plenty to see and do, but we don't really have time to just wander. Fi's on a mission from God to buy some clothes so it's off to Bangkok on the overnight sleeper train.

We're dropped at the railway station after the cooking course and settle down at a bar for fruit smoothies and juices before the train departs.

We find we're sharing our cabin with a couple of California girls, one is Thai but was born in the States, so is really struggling with the language. Whenever a guard barks out a message we turn to her expectantly for a translation. "Um - I didn't quite catch that...". She's quite embarrassed - more so when Thais unleash a torrent at her and she flushes blankly.

Fi and I have the cheap upstairs bunks - all that were available when we came to book. A warning for fellow travellers - on Thai trains the lower bunks are definitely worth the extra 100 baht. They're wider, and don't rock and roll as much as the upper bunks. Inexplicably the lights are left on all night, and shine directly in to the upper bunks too. The aircon is ferocious, and we need to rug up in sweatshirts as well.

And this is where my little problem starts. At 1am I wake up and my insides are boiling. Something I ate didn't agree with me. I rush down to the toilet and make it just in time. I'll spare you the details of the next five hours, but be assured that D&V is not pleasant, less so when combined with a train toilet.

In the morning I cast my mind back - something I cooked at the cooking school? Probably not - Fi and I shared our meals and she has no problems. Perhaps the smoothie I had. Who knows.

Off the train and we head for the famed Khaosan Road - Bangkok's backpacker area. We've arrived at a good time in the morning - while a few guesthouses are full, Fi scouts around and finds a good one just off the main drag. Close to everything but not too noisy. As it happens it's pretty sedate anyway - the elections are in full swing and there's a booze ban in place, even for foreigners.

I lie in the coolth of our air-conditioned room (with private bathroom) taking a nap and trying to regain my strength. Fi heads out on her own to hit the shopping malls, but comes back disappointed and empty-handed. Everything's too expensive, but the street markets in Khaosan Rd are more promising. We're staying in the right place.