Islamabad - Pakistan - Climate

Hi again everybody!

It's 30th of April and the hottest months in Pakistan are coming. The hotttest months are May and June where average highs routinely exceed 38 °C. The climate of Islamabad has a typical version of humid subtropical climate, with hot summers accompanied by a monsoon season followed by fairly cold winters. In the hills there is sparse snowfall.

The monsoon season is from June to September, with heavy rainfalls and evening thunderstorms with the possibility of cloudburst. Winters are lasted from November to March with temperatures variable by location. In Islamabad, temperatures vary from cold to mild, routinely dropping below zero. 

Some numbers:

• The weather ranges from a minimum of 3.9 °C in January to a maximum of 46.1 °C in June.
• The average low is 2 °C in January
• The average high is 40 °C (104.0 °F) in June.
• The highest temperature recorded was 48 °C in June
• The lowest temperature was −4 °C in January.
• On 23 July 2001, Islamabad received a record breaking 620 millimetres of rain fell in just 10 hours.

A tidbit:
On 23 July 2001, Islamabad experienced the record breaking 620 millimeters of rainfall, which was the 24 hours heaviest rainfall in Islamabad and at any locality in Pakistan during the past 100 years. Continuous downpour lasted for about 10 hours which caused the worst ever Flash Flood in the local stream called “Nulla Lai”. According to the official figures, at least 10 people died, 800 houses were destroyed and 1069 houses were partially damaged in Islamabad.

We are lucky because we haven't had any rain so far! Hopefully it stays that way! Toi Toi!

Phir Milaiyin ge! (see you later)

Greetz Klaas

http://www.myweather2.com/Holiday-Destinations/Pakistan/Islamabad/climate-profile.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Islamabad
http://en.allmetsat.com/climate/pakistan-afghanistan.php?code=41571

Pakistan - Islamabad: Economy

Hello everyone

This week  we are in Pakistan and I will tell you something more about the economy.

Pakistan has the 27^th largest economy of the world in terms of purchasing power parity and the 44^th largest in terms of nominal GDP. Pakistan has a semi-industrialized economy which encompasses textiles, chemicals, food processing, agriculture and other industries. The economy has suffered in the past from decades of internal political disputes, a fast growing population, mixed levels of foreign investment and high defense spending. Due to inflation and economic crisis worldwide, Pakistan's economy reached a state of Balance of Payment crisis.

There is a lot of poverty in Pakistan and the government have spent over 1 trillion Rupees, which is about $ 16.7 billion, on poverty alleviation programs during the past four years. They have cut the poverty from 35% to 24%. Pakistan is a medium development country, it has a large informal economy which the government is trying to document and asses. High inflation and limited wage growth have drawn more women into the workforce to feed their families, in spite of cultural resistance and domestic abuse over the issue.

poverty

 

Tourism in Pakistan is stated to be the tourism industry’s next big thing. Pakistan has diverse cultures, people and landscapes. This has attracted 0.7 million tourists to the country, this is almost double to that of a decade ago.

 

The tourism industry is still growing. The country is popular because of the ruin of civilization such as Mohenjo-daro, Harappa and Taxila but also the Himilayan hill stations. Pakistan has several mountain which attracts adventurers and mountaineers from around the world. Before the Global economic crisis, Pakistan received more than 500,000 tourists annually. Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore are major attractions for authentic Pakistani food and culture.

 

So that was it for this week

Talk to you soon

 

Xoxo

 

Mieke

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Pakistan

Week 9: Pakistan

Hello everyone

It’s the 9th week of our road trip and I’m really enjoying it. Today we go to our next destination Pakistan and we will stay in the city Islamabad in the Marriott hotel.

our hotel

 

We left at 10 o’clock and after  a 7 hour cab drive we arrived at our hotel. It’s so beautiful here, I can’t wait to share our experiences with you guys!

Talk to you soon

xxx

Mieke

Celita, Klaas, Marco, Mieke

http://www.tripadvisor.nl/Hotel_Review-g293960-d299771-Reviews-Islamabad_Marriott_Hotel-Islamabad_Islamabad_Capital_Territory.html

India- Sights

Hello everyone

This week we are in India in the city Ludhiana and there is a lot to do here.  We’ve visited many things and it was e very busy week. We’ve visited some museums, religious sights, architecture sights, some gardens, monuments, palace and we went shopping in china town.

We’ve visited 2 museums: the Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya and the Tibet Museum. The Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya is a safari park. Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya has a hillside complex and this complex gives you the change to get a taste of India’s 450-plis tribes without visiting an Adivasi. The hilltop has a mythological trail and conventional museum on the hilltop.

Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya

The Tibet Museum is situated inside the main entry gate of the Tsuglagkhang Complex. The Tibet Museum tells the tragic story of the Chinese occupation and the subsequent Tibetan exodus through photgraphs, interviews and video clips.

                                                    The Tibet Museum

There are a lot religious sights here in India, we’ve visited 2 religious sights: The Sri Meenakshi Temple and the Mother Teresa’s Mission and Motherhouse. The Sri Meenakshi Temple is the abode of the triple-breasted, fish-eyed Goddes Meenakshi Amman. This temple is considered to be the height of South Indian temple architecture. The towers are carved with staggering array of gods, goddesses, demons and heroes.

                                                             Meenakshi temple

                                                          Goddes Meenakshi Amman

                                            staggering array of gods, goddesses, demons and heroes

The Mother Teresa’s Mission and Motherhouse has a small museum that displays Teresa’s worn sandals and battered enamel dinner-bowl. The visitors pay respect at Mother Teresa’s tomb that is situated within the Sisters of Charity’s Motherhouse.

 Mother Teresa

We’ve visited this week also 3 architecture sights in India: the Neelkantha Mahadev Temple, Gurdwara Bangla sahib and the Kapaleeshwarar Temple. When you visit the Neelkantha Mahadev Temple you can follow the pilgrims who take water from the Ganges to offer at Neelkantha Mahadev temple. It’s a 7km, three-hour walk along a forest path from Swarg Ashram. Neelkanth is another name for Shiva. Shiva drank poison churned up from the sea by gods and demons which turned his throat blue.

                                                           Neelkantha Mahadev Temple

Gurdwara Bangla sahib is an important Sikh shrine and a constant hive of activity. It’s topped with gold onion domes and it was constructed at the site where the eighth Sih guru, Harhrishan Dev spent several months in 1664. This guru dedicated most of his time to helping the destitute and sick and was revered for his healing powers. At the back of the temple is a huge tank. The tank is surrounded by a graceful colonnade. The water have curative properties.

Gurdwara Bangla sahib

The Kapaleeshwarar Temple is Chennai’s most active and impressive temple. It’s constructed in the Dravidian style.

                                                         The Kapaleeshwarar Temple

The weather is very hot here in India so we visited 2 gardens: the Thread Garden and the Flower Exhibition Centre. The Thread Garden has a lot of irony and kitsch. The Thread Garden has 150 species of plants from around the world which are meticulously re-created using ‘hand-wound’ thread. The work took 50 craftspeople 12 years to complete it. The Flower Exhibition Centre is a greenhouse full of exotic plants.

                                                           Thread Garden outside

                                                          Thread Garden inside

The last things that we visited were the Gateway of India ( which is a monument) and Maharaja’s Palace. The Gateway of India faces out to Mumbai Harbour. The Gateway was built to commemorate the 1911 royal visit of King George V. Today the gateway is a gathering spot for locals. There are giant-balloon sellers, photographers, beggars and touts rub shoulders with Indian and foreign tourists. You can also ride in a Victoria one of the horse-drawn gilded carriages that ply their trade along Apollo Bunder.

                                                         Gateway of India

                                                        Victoria ride

Maharaja’s Palace is the official residence of the Wodevars, the erstwhile royal family of Mysore that ruled the princely state of Mysore for over seven centuries. It’s one of the most famous tourist attractions in India. Tourists are allowed to visit the palace but they aren’t allowed to take photographs inside the palace. Visitors must remove their footwear before entering the palace.

                                                                Maharaja's palace

                                                           Maharaja's palace by night

We visited the Shopping Centre China Town and this was of course my favorite sight of India. There are a lot of Chinese restaurants with the traditional Chinese and Indian Chinese food and there are a lot of markets and clothing shops with typical Chinese things.

So that was it for this week, I’ve really enjoyed my stay at India and I’m looking forward to visit Pakistan.

Talk to you soon!

Xoxo

Mieke

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/sights?sort_dir=desc&sort_order=popular

Ludhiana - India - culture

Hi Bloggers! 

My new post is about the culture in the city Ludhiana in India.

We are already the second day here in Ludhiana and the culture here is wonderful. Especially the food is amazing!

Ludhiana cuisine

The people of Ludhiana are very fond of spending their lives by dining and wining. They tend to appreciate sumptuous eating and lavish life. By this the general people – especially the higher-class section of Ludhiana’s overall population gets exposed to the high risk of serious health hazards. The problems of overweight and obesity with high cholesterol level are commonly found among the citizens of Ludhiana.

Besides the food there are some strange habits that are totally different from the habits we have. A wedding for example. Being mostly Hindus, the traditional mode of wedding in Ludhiana is a big deal. It's quite unique and grand by nature. The wedding usually tends to stretch over number of days with all the special relatives and friends staying and enjoying together. Until a very recent past it was a strictly maintained tradition for the brides and the grooms to meet for the first time at the wedding ceremonies, while the prevailing generation believe in personal penchant of the couples prior to marriage.

The people of Ludhiana have both money and taste and usually try to lead a stylized life. The general surveys have shown that these people never mind to spend money in order to get the best. They generally maintain the style and grandeur in all occasions and festivities. Ludhiana is the hub of cultural activities in the state. Every week, more or less, one cultural event or another takes place in Punjabi Bhavan, Guru Nanak Bhavan, Nehru Sidhant Kendra Auditorium or an educational institution. Hindu festivals and celebrations such as Dussehra and Diwali are celebrated as enthusiastically as the birth and death anniversaries of the gurus and saints.

Diwali: The Festival of lights

At another front, although on a lower key, Viraasat Bhavan is fulfilling the needs of the people of the city. It is mainly the venue of art exhibitions and on-the-spot painting competitions. Sometimes there are shows of clay modeling and spinning wheel competition (charkha), which provide a new dimension to the cultural activities of the city.

It occured to me that we haven't talked a lot about sports through our journey. In ludhiana, Killa Raipur, is very famous for the Rural Olympics held there. People from different corners of Punjab come to observe the village youth demonstrate their sporting skills. The event is held in mid-February. The competitions are essentially of three types in the rural meets. Purely rural games are Kabaddi, Wrestling, and Weight lifting. The performing sports are Acrobatics, Twisting an Iron-rod by placing it on the Adam's apple, passing a tractor over the rib cage, cracking a big stone slab by place it on the chest. There are even more off beat feats, as seen where a young lad applied surma (kohl) on his eyes, with a knife held between his legs. 

But then there are also the modern sports like Athletics, Hockey, Football, Volleyball, Handball, Cycling etc.

Kabaddi

Kabaddi is a South Asian sport were two teams occupy opposite halves of a field and take turns sending a "raider" into the other half, in order to win points by tackling members of the opposing team; then the raider tries to return to his own half, holding his breath and chanting the word "Kabaddi" during the whole raid. The raider must not cross the lobby unless he touches any of his opponents. If he does so then he will be declared as "out". There is also a bonus line which ensure extra points for the raider if he manages to touch it and return to his side of the field successfully.

I hope you still enjoy our blog and see you soon!

Grtz Klaas


http://www.ludhianadistrict.com/ludhiana-culture.php
http://www.whereincity.com/india/punjab/ludhiana.php

Kathmandu - Nepal - Economy

The location and terrain of Kathmandu have played a significant role in the development of a stable economy which spans millennia. The city is located in an ancient lake basin, with fertile soil and flat terrain. This geography helped form a society based on agriculture. This, combined with its location between India and China, helped establish Kathmandu as an important trading center over the centuries. Kathmandu’s trade is an ancient profession that flourished along an offshoot of the Silk Road which linked India and Tibet. Other traditional occupations are farming, metal casting, woodcarving, painting, weaving, and pottery.

Kathmandu is the most important industrial and commercial center in Nepal. The Nepal Stock Exchange, the head office of the national bank, the chamber of commerce, as well as head-offices of national and international banks, tele-communication companies, the electricity authority, and various other national and international organizations are located in Kathmandu.

Manufacturing is also important and accounts for 19% of the revenue that Kathmandu generates. Garments and woolen carpets are the most notable manufactured products.

Other economic sectors in Kathmandu include agriculture (9%), education (6%), transport (6%), and hotels and restaurants (5%).

Tourism as an important part for Nepal

Tourism is considered another important industry in Nepal. This industry started around 1950, as the country's political makeup changed and ended the country's isolation from the rest of the world.

In 1956, air transportation was established and the Tribhuvan Highway, between Kathmandu and Raxaul (at India's border), was build. Separate organizations were created in Kathmandu to promote this activity; some of these include the Tourism Development Board, the Department of Tourism and the Civil Aviation Department.

Nepal became a member of several international tourist associations. Establishing diplomatic relations with other nations further accentuated this activity. The hotel industry, travel agencies, training of tourist guides, and targeted publicity campaigns are the chief reasons for the remarkable growth of this industry in Nepal, and in Kathmandu in particular.

Since then, tourism in Nepal has thrived; it is sometimes called the "third religion" of Nepal. It is the country's most important industry. Tourism is a major source of income for most of the people in the city, with several hundred thousand visitors annually. Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world visit Kathmandu's religious sites such as Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, Baudhanath and Budhanilkantha.

for more pics: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/nepal/kathmandu/images/pashupatinath-temple-kathmandu$25463-12#content

Hope you've enjoy the blog! 

Namaste

Klaas

http://www.kathmandu.nl/outdoor-en-travel/home.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathmandu#Tourism

Nepal- Climate

Hello everyone

This week we are in Nepal in the city Kathmandu and the weather isn’t like the weather we have in Belgium. The weather here is very extreme. When we have summer in July and August they have their rain season. In Nepal the tropical southern part of the country has a hot and humid climate that can rise above 45 Degree Celsius during the summer. The mid-land regions are pleasant almost all the year round. The northern mountain region has an alpine climate with lower temperature in winter.

Nepal has four climatic seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.  In spring the temperature is mildly warm in low lands. In the summer or the monsoon season the weather is hot and wet at times. It rains almost every day and in the evening there are thunderstorms. Autumn is the best tourist season in Nepal with the summer that gone by and the winter that that sets in. This is the perfect season for trekking and festivities. In the winter the weather is cool and the sky is clear with some snowfalls at higher elevations.

We are here during the spring season and the temperature goes between 16 and 23 Degree Celsius here in Kathmandu.

The monsoon season starts at the end of June and ends at the middle of September. 80% of the annual rainfall is during that period so during the rest of the year it’s pretty dry.

When you’re visiting Nepal in June, July or August you should wear lightweight and tropical clothes with an umbrella because it rains a lot that time of the year. When you’re visiting Nepal between October and March you should wear lightweight clothes with a coat for evenings and warm clothes when you’re visiting the mountains. When trekking in the mountains, high quality trekking gear that can handle minus temperatures is recommended all year round.

So that was it for this week

Talk to you soon

Xoxo

Mieke

http://www.visitnepal.com/travelers_guide/when_to_come.php

http://www.worldtravelguide.net/nepal/weather-climate-geography

Welcome in Kathmandu - Nepal!

Kathmandu

Kathmandu is the capital and largest urban agglomerate of Nepal. The agglomerate consists of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, the sister cities Patan, Kirtipur, Thimi, and Bhaktapur. 

Some numbers
Inhabitants: 975,453
Area: 50.67 km2
Time zone: Nepal Time (UTC+5:45)
The city stands at an elevation of approximately 1,400 metres

Languages:

Nepali is the most commonly spoken language in the city. 

Nepal Bhasa is the indigenous language spoken by the Newar people.

Hindi is widely understood and

English is understood by Kathmandu's educated residents.

Kathmandu is the gateway to tourism in Nepal. It is also the nerve center of the country's economy. It has the most advanced infrastructure of any urban area in Nepal, and its economy is focused on tourism

The city has a rich history, spanning nearly 2000 years, as inferred from inscriptions found in the valley. Religious and cultural festivities form a major part of the lives of people residing in Kathmandu. Most of Kathmandu's people follow Hinduism and many others follow Buddhism. 

We hope we will have enough time to visit the entire city because there is so much to see and to do here!

More news in a couple of days!

Greetz and kisses Klaas!

Problems in Thailand

Problems in Thailand

Hello dear followers,

Our next destination is Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand. It’s not always rainbows and butterflies in this very hot paradise. There are several problems that overshadow the city or affect the tourists.

Tuk-tuks

On the picture you can see what I mean by a “tuk-tuk”. We thought it would be a great alternative for a taxi to take us through the city. We were wrong! This was a very bad decision. First of all tuk-tuks cost as much as taxi’s. What we also didn’t know is that tuk-tuks are related to certain shops and they don’t take you to your first destination but the first stop will be the shop. The driver will pick up a commission if he gets to the shop. You can’t do anything about this but visiting and take a look into the shop. It’s better if you don’t buy anything there because the prices are very high. What we do recommend and actually works is telling the driver that you know what he’s up to before you get in and you don’t mind going to a couple of shops in exchange for a free ride. That's a cheap solution!

Pollution

Unless you've been to Bangkok, you can't imagine how bad the pollution is. Bangkok’s millions of cars and other factories have spit out a lot of pollution and we felt it. You can smell it when you go outside and if you stay out too long and you’re not used to this kind of air you can create breathing problems. Here’s a little fact: The famous tuk-tuk drivers (who I mentioned earlier) have some of the highest cancer rates in the world and that’s from spending every day into the streets.

Traffic jams

No matter what time of the day if you drive a car in Bangkok you will always be stuck in traffic jams. At rush hour you can walk five times faster than the cars. So it’s not a very good idea to move you in the city with cars, taxi’s or  busses. It’s better to just walk. One of the main reasons for these jams are the lack of traffic lights. Not only give the traffic jams a lot of frustration but it also brings a lot of pollution.

Prostitution

The sex industry has grown at an alarming rate over the last few years. More than 10.000 girls are prostituting themselves.  However it goes on unhindered in many areas of the city, and takes many forms prostitution is illegal. It is very sad to see these girls on the street. You can find them everywhere . In every pub, every corner of the street, bar,.. They are very easy to find and to pick-up. I think the government really should do something about this problem.

These problems doesn’t mean it’s not worth to visit the city! We really did have a great time here.

You’ll hear from us next week!

Marco 

Thailand - Culture

Hello everyone

This week we are in Thailand in the city Khon Kaen and this is the place to be for people who are interested in culture.

Religion in Thailand consists of more than 90% of Theravada Buddhist. Thai Theravada Buddhism is supported and overseen by the government and the monks receive some government benefits. They can use the public transportation infrastructure for free.

                                                                  Monks praying

The most Thai people own spirit houses and miniature wooden houses in which they believe household spirits live.  They offer food and drinks to these household spirits to keep them happy because when they aren’t happy they will inhabit the larger households of the Thai and they will cause chaos. We’ve already seen a lot of these spirit houses because you can find them in public places and in the streets of Thailand.

                                                         Spirit house

There are also some customs here in Thailand. A custom that you see a lot in Thailand is the wai. This is showing greeting, farewell or acknowledgement, it comes in several forms and each forms reflects the relative status of those involved. The salutation involves a prayer-like gesture with the hands and it may include a slight bow of the head. The salutation is often accompanied by a serene smile that’s why Thailand is often referred to as the “ Land of Smiles”.

 

                                                                   Thai wai

                                                                          Thai wai

Now the customs that you have to keep in mind are: public display of affection is not common, especially between lovers, touching someone on the head is rude, pointing at or touching something with your feet is also rude. This is because the head is the most respected and highest part of the body and the foot is the dirtiest and lowliest part of the body.

In Thai culture when they have disagreements or minor mistakes with someone  they will smile and say “ mai pen rai” or “ it doesn’t matter”.  Disagreements and disputes are handled with a smile because the Thai have the idea that life should be fun.

In Thailand they have a lot of respect for hierarchy, this is a very important value for Thai people. They have a lot of respect towards parents, guardians, teachers and caretakers. It’s also very rude to step on a Thai Coin because the king’s head appears on the coin.

There are also a lot of customs relating to the special status of monks. Thai monks are forbidden to have physical contact with women. Women are expected to make way for passing monks so that there can’t be accidental contact. When you visit a temple here in Thailand you are expected to point your feet away from the images of the Buddha. You also have to remove your footwear before you enter a home or sacred areas within a temple.

The funerals here in Thailand last for at least one week and crying is discouraged during the funeral, so as not to worry the spirit of the deceased.

This week it’s Thai New Year, it’s from April 13 to 15. Elephants spray water over tourists and residents in Ayutthaya, marking the first day of the Thai new year. They painted drawings on the animals before getting involved in a water fight. The three-day festival, also known as Songkran, symbolises washing away bad luck while beckoning in a new beginning . You can find the video below.

 Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2013/apr/12/thai-new-year-elephant-water-fight-video

 

So that was it for this week, talk to you soon!

Xoxo

Mieke

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultur_of_Thailand

Khon Kaen - Thailand - Sight seeing

Hi Followers!

I'am back! You know we came from Cambodia, but we have justed travelled 18 hours and are now in Thailand! We find ourselves in Khon Kaen.



It's really beautiful here and there is so much to see and to visit! The first site we visited is Non Mueang Ancient Town. This ancient town is located at Ban Na Pho and legends say the hill, known as Non Mueange, was the location of an ancient town. Archaeologists have found sandstone Sema boundary markers in Dvaravati style in the town and nearby. Potsherds were scattered around and some were even painted in red, others are decorated with incising and cord-marked patterns.

After the ancient town we drove to Tham Pha Phuang Forest Park

Tham Pha Phuang Forest Park is in Ban Dong Lan, Tambon Pha Nok Khao, 123 kilometres from Khon Kaen. Tham Pha Phuang is a huge limestone cave. Inside, is a large chimney-shaped rock and lovely stalagmites and stalactites.

The next day we visited the city center of Khon Kaen. Our first stop was at Sala Mai Thai

Sala Mai Thai is part of the project to celebrate the 60th birthday anniversary of Her Majesty the Queen. The silk centre was established to support Her Majesty the Queens mission to promote silk and silk products from Isan as well as conserve the traditions. The centre feature the silk production process from dyeing to weaving, tools for silk production and rare equipment, and different ancient silk textiles various pattern. The centre also exhibits the world's most expensive Mudmee silk textile woven by the people of Chonnabot people. 

To continue we entered The Khon Kaen National Museum. The museum was opened by His Majesty King Bhumiphol Adulyadej on the 20th of December, 1972. It has a diverse selection of antiques, precious art pieces and archaeological finds from the region.

The more popular tourist destinations in Thailand are Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, and Chiangmai, but these places tend to be overly commercialized. If you want to go to a place where you can experience some of the local people, customs, and traditions, Khon Kaen s the place to be. The real Thailand is outside the popular tourist destinations. Northeast Thailand is often neglected by tourists so what better reason do you need to come!

To end our visit in Khon Kaen we relaxed a couple of hours at Hat Sawan. It is the scenic beach by the lake over Ubolratana Dam and it is an ideal place for recreation among the locals and tourists.

Thanks for your support!

Grtz Klaas




http://www.khonkaenlink.info/eng/#03
http://www.khonkaen.com/

Khon Kaen: Climate

Hi bloggers!

This time our trip took us to Khon Kaen, Thailand. This hot and vivacious city had a lot to offer and so we were blown away yet again. As the weather was magnificent I’ll talk some more about the climate and nature of Thailand.

Khon Kaen has a tropical wet and dry climate. Temperatures are rather high and so it’s never really cold in the city. Temperatures in the city centre are even 2 degrees higher than those outside the city. The highest ever registered temperature is 40.8 degrees and the lowest is 9.9 degrees. Temperatures peak between March and August. The period between November and February is the driest. After this period the humidity level start to raise slowly and reaches a peak in the months April and May. If you want to experience a rainy Bangkok you have to be there between June and October as this is the rainy season.

The reason why people walk around with masks before their mouth can also be explained by the climate. During the dryer periods there is a lot of smog in the air that actually hangs as a brown cloud over the city. Especially people working outside have to wear these masks.

Thailand itself is a very busy city with a lot of buildings but besides that there is also a lot of nature to be found. If you leave the city centre you can discover nature parks and mangrove forests. The city is built on the eastern shore of the river Menam. This is the biggest and most important river in Thailand. This river is so important because of its great trading opportunities it offers.

Thailand was a splendid city and we had a blast! On to the next city!

Celita xxx

Sources:

http://www.travelfish.org/weather/thailand

http://www.thailandtravelplan.co.uk/when-to-travel-to-thailand.htm