Up bright and early this morning, left the hotel at 7am to go to Wat Bang Phra to get a Sak Yant tattoo. This is a tattoo performed by a Buddhist Monk, he chooses which sacred magical tattoo you have and where you have it. It is created using a steel rod with a forked tip and then blessed by the Monk while he blows magic into it to protect you.
Arrived at 7.45 and the was already a queue of over 25 people, so I sat and waited, watching him deliver these amazing blessings with such speed and skill it was amazing. Watching the locals wince with pain wasn't what I wanted to see as they're used to it and I have never even had a conventional tattoo. Finally got to the front of the queue and he went for lunch. Waiting another 30 minutes was the last thing I needed. He got back and it was my turn, I bowed 3 times and turned my back on him as 2 locals held me so I didn't move, facing about 30 locals I didn't want to show the pain on my face as the only westerner in the room. He started and I think he eased me into it because the first few strikes weren't that bad. The whole thing wasn't that bad to be honest, the thing that hurt the most was soreness as he went over what he'd already done.
So pleased I've had this done, it was an amazing experience.
Back to the hotel to wait for the night train down to the South as we make our way to the national park. Said our last goodbyes to Lewis and Hadyn. A nice night having a beer or two with the tour leader and getting to know the newbies a bit.
Harry wanted to know why there weren't any flags on the top. Think he thought it looked like a castle.
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