Earthquake, bichus and jazz: our honeymoon pt I

We're currently in Cha Am, a very quiet beach resort 3 hrs south of Bangkok. The hotel itself (consisting of individual chalets scattered about a large, well designed garden and resort complex) is not exactly what we had in mind but it's not bad either. We are going to ask the holiday rep if we can return to Bangkok early and stay there for a few nights as there's not much to do here but eat, swim and drink.

Last night, I was awoken from my fitful sleep (I'd taken an anti-histamine to help my body deal with the mosquito bites it had been subjected to) by the entire chalet shaking in a most disconcerting way. The earthquake only lasted for about ten seconds and probably didn't score much on the Richter scale but it was an unpleasant experience.

Bangkok is a great city. Though we only spent 2 1/2 days there, we managed to see all the major sights, eat in a very swish modern Thai restaurant and party in one of the best bars we've ever been to. The city has a population of about 6 million andÂ has no real 'city centre' but we were lucky enough to be located within walking distance of some key sights and spots.

For dinner on Friday, we ate at 'Curries and More', a smart, modern restaurant with delicious food. After that, we walked to Brown Sugar, Bangkok's main (only?) jazz bar and had an awesome time, ending up dancing with the band and their mates, followed by chatting with UN employees.

The country seems to be doing fairly well for itself. I've got lots to say about the political situation here but that can all wait until we return. Having a great time though!