All set for Laos. Visa should be ready this evening; trainticket is bought (combined total of 30 squid). I'd been worrying about contact lens solution - after checking as many pharmacies (including two branches of Boots) and opticians as I could, I've concluded that gas permeable lenses don't exist in the Far East - any amount of soft lens equipment but nothing for me. So I've just spent the last 30 minutes in an opticians getting my eyes tested and getting a pair of 1 year disposable soft lenses with solution for a mere 30 pounds. Rather good.
Just spent the last day or two wandering aimlessly around Bangkok. I've finally got the hang of directions here, almost. Even though the maps never seem to coincide with what's around me, I can now guess reasonably well where most things are, partly thanks to the blessed watchstrap compass I was given before leaving (now on my list of essential items. Also wish I'd brought a brolley for the heavy sudden storms - but couldn't be arsed to buy one). It still doesn't help with tuk tuks though - even when you know how much it should cost to get somewhere, after 5 in a row have refused to come down to the correct price and insist on the quadrupled 'farang' (foreigner) fare, you tend to give up - after all, it is only 30p difference.
I'm still not enamoured of Bangkok, mainly due to the groggy humidity and almost-solid exhaust fumes. The markets are great - all sorts of weird things there; tubs of live eels and frogs; electronic gadgetry; monks' robes and religious iconry; fruit and vegetables unlike any I've seen; food stalls serving fried duckling next to baskets of fuzzy ducklings (rather offputting, that). I haven't tried the nightlife much, give or take a couple of bars in the evening; lively enough, from what I've seen. Finally found the backpacker hotspot of Thanon Khao San - strange to see so many white faces again; most of the places I've been walking around, you wouldn't see a tourist an hour. I'll probably stay there if I come back to Bangkok - more convenient if you want clubs, bars, and the cheap tourist facilities like cheap international calls (20p a minute) and web (50p an hour). Probably cheap hotels too but I've decided not to check since I don't want to annoy myself by finding equally good facilities at a tenth the price.. (actually, given it's aimed at backpackers, I could probably get a tenth the price alright, but for a dive instead.)
Anyway, it'll probably be a few days before I write again, don't know what the facilities will be like in Laos. I'm going up via the north-western end - Chang Kong crossing point - and then down the Maekong river to Louang Phabang (Laos' second city; lovely by all accounts, and the slowboat downstream is said to be wonderful). But at the moment, things are only sorted as far as Chang Mai, a hundred miles south of the border, so could take time to sort it all out. Should be in Louang Phabang for my birthday, though. Be a bit different from all the other birthdays I've had!