22 April 2006

Welcome to Kuala Lumpur. I am in the southeast of asia today. Guess what the
weathers been like??

Yes really really really hot.

You what the difference between here and Thailand is - AIR CON is
free!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So you all cry what have you been doing for the past week.

Lets see........ eating, drinking, sweating, travelling and sweating,
managing 3 countries money, getting lost and taking photos...............
such tough adventures

So my dear friend tony departed (no hes not dead, he sends me a text every
bleedin day) not like his great i love em parents, (hi mum, hi dad - you
adopted son is good and well) on the saturday gone and this has been
mentioned already in the letters from the moon.
Sunday was too a strange day a ( I have just realised how long these things
are, fantastic, I should get a coffee this could take some time
hahahahahahahahahaha) lot of things could have happened but never, I slept
some and I met up with Jo and the guys (becky was doing a course in Massage
and Maltilda was doing a thai cookery class). I was supposed to meet this
thai girl (who I might go into later, but will leave that description to
your imagination!) at 3 for a trip around the market and for a bit of food,
but forgetting we on thai time it never happened, I waited 20 minutes in the
sun and nothing, so not really that upset I went and got all the songkran
and elephant trekking photos on to disc, walked to johns gallery spent a
fortune on my friends (dont worry big guy, I am back there in the week so
will pick you out something pretty) maybe and headed back to base.
Now unbeknown to me our french friend ze lovely carole has me awol all day
and matilda was still concerned when she returned from cookery school full
up and happy. So we had some drinks and then this smile appeared followed in
time by Carole who was smiling so so much it was possibly one of the most
happiest things ever seen. Carole the dirty stop out had been out all night
with a thai guy doing well lets say things that make you smile in the
morning (not unlike you Joe?, oh no remember!!). It was great.
The sunday night market was on so off we all went a little later to buy shit
and stuff and eat in the stalls which was good and the food hot and safe.
Sticky rice and Mango - is delightful. I just hope anyone joining me out
here from the uk likes thai food cooked on fires in front of you.
Rain - Rain is strange. In Thailand rain is signalled not by dinner ladies
shouting its spitting but by tanny announcements which when done sees
flurries of activity as the stalls pack up.
It rained the market cleared the people left. I went to watch the footy,
Liverpool vs Blackburn, bit of a snore event but good to watch with a few
chang.
Spent some time on the internet talking (hi stacey) and then back to Cherry
bar and for those who have been to the bar know why I was there. Still they
shut at 1am and we had a lock in till 4 when I was dragged out and back for
oh la la. However I learnt that if you ring the bell in a thai bar it means
drinks on you. I suggest ringing it when it has been shut and there are no
more than 8 peopl e in there.
Monday was my last but one day there and a sad day and a happy day in many
ways for me. The happy ones as it was another day in happy land and the sad
days was that the whole gang - Jim Becky, Joe were off to another hotel to
stay, Garrett, Ryan, Carole and Matilda (who is very sarcastic apparently)
were off to Laos. So a big hug to all now and a big hug to everyone when
they left although the brits were still in the city so not too sad. I had so
much fun with you all so thank you so much and stay safe and keep laughing,
I have done some crap poems so will send them on if i ever stop writing this
letter to you all, oh yes when you send me you email, christ the heats got
to me, you wait to you hear about singapore.
So anyway monday was final shopping, sleeping and photo day so I went to the
big WAT in the old city and lit some candles and laid some flowers in front
of a great big buddha and asked buddha for safe travels onward through the
year. The place was amazing with elephants carved out of stone in the
temples as well. I carried and walking all the way around the old city and
back to base. I then went after some gin and tonics to the night markets for
a bit, but could not be bothered to buy anything as it was all same same and
i did not have anywhere to store it.
I found the guys in  a sports bar watching yet more footy which suited me.
They hung around for a bit and left I watched Chelsea play and then said
goodbye to wan and then had an early night (midnight)
Breakfast with Joe before his trip to the dentist. Changmai has some of the
best medical facilities in asia and dentists are supposed to be great. So it
could pay to fly to thailand have 2 weeks in the sun and get your teeth
fixed as well. Sounds like a plan.
I left Nois house about 12 midday even though my train was not until 4 as I
had nothing else to do. I go to the grotty unwelcoming railway station that
is changmai and sat about. It was not hot luckily as I can cope with hot, it
was really dammed hot and I was not sweating I was pissing sweat.
Dad, got some photos of some trains and stuff your be so proud of me.
My carriage was bejou in a filthy 1 fan per 8 people kind of way, with a
stoned woman waiteress who delivered food.
My herion or knight in shining armour came in the way of a dutch girl called
and really have no idea how to spell it or say it but I left my email
address with her so maybe she will email and I can ask her, Henzekley or
something, still she was very nice, happy chatty and friendly and hot like
me so that was good. We were also joined by a New Zealand girl called
camille who had managed to be in Chang but miss then night bizarre, sunday
market most of songkran, china town, ladyboys and spicy,how could that be,
she had been there for 2 weeks!!!!! Still as I was on the top bunk, and she
wanted to sleep at 9pm good night jon boy etc
Mr Opie, if you ever wanted an excuse not travel by train I found it. I was
by th toilets, the end of the carriage and there was no bar on this train.
The fan did not reach me and the noise and boredom was very apparent. Thank
christ / buddha for IPOD
I slept for 4 hours of the 14 hour journey. Sweated 14 hours of the 14 hour
journey and never needed a wash so badly.
At 5.30am camille left us and got off at the airport station, I stayed with
my dutch friend and we got off at bangkok station (no photos too tired and
pissy to take any, maybe monday) and she led me to a bus stop caught the no
53 to the back packing place for 6 baht a ticket, we booked into a room for
500 baht and then the best thing that could have happened happened, no not
sex, a shower and change of clothes.
I even got to sleep while dutchy went to the pool and sun bathed.
Now 500 baht a night is a lot of money but cheap in bangkok. But 500 baht
for 5 hours for me was a lot but we split the costs so not too bad.
At midday i was in bangkok airport in the air con world of travel and had
the biggest sized everything burger king had to offer, i am off rice
currently........
I met a canandian girl in the q for singapore and so we went for a coffee
and I spent the majority of the afternoon chatting to her before boarding my
flight and going to Singapore.

Singapore (sorry the flight was a flight, sat by a door and slept, had to
pay for food and water so never had any) looks amazing at night when you
land.

Singapore is the largest container port in the world and has the busiest
shipping lanes in the world and I have been there, seen it and need to go
back. I will do the shopping aspect along with Kl.

Now singapore is expensive, as in very expensive so my friends visa and
american express got a bit of a running out. My room was 45 pounds a night
in a 3 star double with fridge of beer, tv and air con.
I stayed in the grand central hotel and very grand and central to nowhere it
was too except a big mall called the og. It had marks and spencers and all
the designer names you could list there. Oh and McD's which I had as it was
western, late and I was tired. I borught 2 cans tiger lager here in the 7 11
(about 2 pounds for 2) and so pringles which interestingly enough are
smaller in size than western ones, but you know the best thing you can get
in 7-11 in singapore, yes thats right you guessed vibrating condoms, condoms
you wear that also vibrate for enhanced pleasure, my only regret not getting
any!!!
So I had an early night to catch on sleep
The next day what ever that was, maybe thursday was the day to arrange train
tickets to KL (done) and sight see. I wanted to catch a bus and do the city
but kept missing them so I went on the MRT (the mass rail trasit or
underground) to the harbour. The MRT is so clean and new and good and cheap
and easy and the opposite of london which is not any of those things. For 2
dollar of which 1 dollar is a desposit you can go many places. It was great.
So then I went to the island of Sentosa brought a pass to do many a thing
you know visit butterfly farm, museum etc. I went up something called a
merilion and had a show about singapore got its name, yawn but the views
were ace. Then I went a show called pictures of Singapore which again was
yawn but cool as the heat was too much even for me now that I can stand it!!
The carlsberg sky tower, so lets all do the jokes, Carlsberg sky tower,
possibly the best tower in the world and if Carlsberg did sky towers etc.
Still the views over the harbour and the island and the sea lanes and the
city were outstanding and then things changed.
As I was next to carlsberg tower I decided to have one. Then some english
types arrived ( a family ) to be fair and I asked to sit with them cos I had
not seen any english for 24 hours and they said yes. Then we got chatting
they were from south london and on way home and 3 pints later I had a n
address of their friends in New Zealand to stay and had not brought a drink
bless them. They left and I met a guy called Will from cornwall so jon you
must know him or be related to him. We then sat in the afternoon rain
together (it always rains in singapore about 3pm daily this time of year)
and drank our way through 3 jugs carlsberg and 4 doubles of bourbon
upsetting some aussie girls on the way and making friends with the bar staff
and the icre seller aptly named by us as the ice cream girl!
About 8pm we headed toward the city, pissed and I got the MRT to somerset
rd, how homely and got to the hotel.
Then after some phone calls homeward (yes i was pissed) I phoned will and we
met by the mall. He had managed to a taxi driven by a woman, who he not only
had with him but banged already!!!
I never met the driver of the MRT!!
Karaoke Bar singapore -we cant go on together etc, hotel california, take it
easy, we sang for about 2 hours drinking jack and clearing the place. Then
we left, they left for the toilets! and went back to the hotel for sleep as
I had a long day the next day.
I have said little of singapore so here it is, best get the kettle on again
I have not got to Kuala Lumur yet
Singapor is lovely, expensive and lovely, very colonial, english named
streets, english speaking people, english shops, western ideals. You cant
jaywalk, spit, chewing gum is illegal, there are signs of people being
approached by armed men near secure places but the best thing was when we
arrived the captain of the plane said - welcome to singapore ladies and
gentlemen, may i remind you that drugs are not tolerated in singapore and
the consequences could result in your execution, have a nice stay. Ah bless
him!!
Singapore needs another visit, maybe 4 days max, it is definately worth it.


My train to Kuala Lumpur (KL from now, it helps you, it helps me) was good.
First class infact. First class seats with reclining turning seats, great
view, quiet and air con. Free drink on way as well once you get passed
immigration, which involve getting off the train, getting told off for
having long hair compared to my photo on my passport and then waiting and
getting back on the train. The train journey was long, I have seen so many
trees now its boring, they should chop them down and replace them with
cattle its far more exciting when looking out of a window.
Anyway sat with aussie family and we talked and laughed most of the way. I
have rice and egg sandwiches and lunched with a malaysian guy who hated bush
and blair and knew about premiership footy and more importantly tottenham
than many people i know back home, oh and me.
About 1pm we had announcement that the train ahead had derailed and so we
were to continue the journey for some of the way on a bus. So from the
controlled orderly train to the masss scrabble for the bus then a 1 hour
trip through malaysia to get another train which had been sent from kl to
get us.
We get on the train (the bus journey was a journey on a bus) and then after
20 mins, we are told that the loco had broken down and from time to time we
would be told when we would leave once they had another engine to take us.
Free food and drink was not avaialble so that was good, noodles tuna
sandwich and cola.
About an hour later we left the station being an 2 hours late. We arrived in
KL at 5.30.
Tired and hungry and without a room for the night I ordered a taxi and asked
the driver to take me to the Grand Central hotel KL which he did.
Now the exchange rate here is the opp scale of Singapore and better than
thai. 100 pounds gets you 664 ringets.
My hotel for the night (3 star, air con, tv, beer fridge, double bed, phone)
was 90 ringets or about 1.50. wow cheap cheap
Get your head around that.
I could have stayted in the Shangri la for 30 quid and had a maid all night
if I desired, but for 90 ring who cares
Food cheap, jewellry cheap, my camera I spent 200 quid on in thailand was
about 90 quid, Paul that stuff you got in chang is half the price here.
Forget singapore for shopping KL is the place its so cheap. Cheap cheap. Oh
I have not brought anything as no storage.

I am getting bored now with
email.....................................................................
are you?

Anyway no beer in Pizza hut, seen no bars, they dont drink here if they do i
have not found it.

I went for a walk around the city in the dark on my own and got lost and
ended up maybe where I should not have been, saw the locals night market
where I was the only white face there, mind still am today really and it was
ok.
Got back to hotel at 10pm, really need a gin and Tonic, I will have one
before i leave this place.

Saturday morning, up bright and early, get to the petronas towers the
highest building in the world so I get up them as they only have 800 tickets
a day. At 8.30 all gone. FUCK IT. not angry or disappointed or anything,
what the fuck is all that about. So do the next best thing the single tower,
slightly lower than CN in toronto but still cheered me up, great views and
no worries.

And this is where my adventures really end for the week I feel. KL could be
a great place. My train for Butterworth and then onto Bangkok leaves soon. I
need a g&t and a large starbucks i think.
4 weeks in and its been an amazing place and still having so much fun.

I would like to welcome all my travelling friends who have hopped on the
travel letters from the moon list - Joe, Jim, Matilda, Kev, Marta. Hi to all
the late comers, Mark Carter, My cuz Lyn, Stacey, emma and Brina.

I have a mystery guest for the next part of the adventure with me so it all
changes again.

So enjoy yourselves and play nicely. I go now (where you go,) and I will
catch up real soon promise.

Living the dream...............................

Hugs, smiles and kisses

April 16 2006

HAPPY HAPPY SONGKRAN, but I will get to the party and movin and groovin and
dancing to the music.

Its hot today so that makes a nice change and its about 10.30am on Sunday
morning. I am half asleep again from another absolutely incredible day.
So you all ask what has happened to me this week in Thailand, well apart
from practically having another best week of my life not a lot.

I last sent you a letter on Friday and that was a very long long time ago in
many ways and you will have to forgive me if I miss out on some stuff,
because a I cannot remember it b, you aint getting told it and c my
cherished journal (the adventures of a life not yet lived) is safely home in
England after being packed away.
To be honest I have no idea what happened on Saturday or Sunday so Tony when
you read this can you remind me and so I know of the events that did happen.
We had a final meal with Paul and Judy as they were off to Bangkok for their
second leg of their tour and then we went drinking.
Lets talk about the Sunday night market I was more than likely sober then.
Now I have mentioned markets here in Thailand before. The sunday night
market is something again different and far bigger.
If you can imagine the main shopping street in bath from Jollys at the top
to Boots at the bottom, remove all the vehicles and people painted blue
standing about not doing much, fill either side will stalls, turn the lights
out and then fill the streets so there is about 9 people wide walking up and
down it for over 4 hours, and these all different people not the same ones
then you maybe will have an idea what I am on about.
If you have visited ringo you will have seen the photos from the china town
market and then pigs heads etc now that was good, the photos in the dark are
the night market and they do little justice to the actual event. There are
all sorts of stuff there, paintings, carvings, silks, cottons, bags, all the
food you could ever want, clothes, western clothes, laterns, bed spreads,
night lights, candles and so so much more. And its cheap cheap, far cheaper
than the other markets. The majority of it is hand made. It is a real social
event, there is music and off the main streets there are courtyards with
food stalls or  picture galleries. We stayed in there for about 2.5 hours
before giving in to lager and the need to drink ourselves stupid.
But due to the fact that we were off to Pai again on the road from hell and
3.5 hours of it sensibility came along and we stopped about 2am.
Ah the journey to Pai, a roller coaster ride in a mini bus, a roller coaster
ride at 40kpm in a mini bus with air con turned off over hills and mountains
and bends and curves no roller coaster designer could ever compete against.
Songkran is here and below is some offical words about it.

Songkran is a Thai traditional New Year which starts on April 13 every year
and lasts for 3 days. Songkran festival on April 13 is Maha Songkran Day or
the day to mark the end of the old year, April 14 is Wan Nao which is the
day after and April 15 is Wan Thaloeng Sok which the New Year begins. At
this time, people from the rural areas who are working in the city usually
return home to celebrate the festival. Thus, when the time come, Bangkok
temporarily turns into a deserted city.

Songkran is a Thai word which means "move" or "change place" as it is the
day when the sun changes its position in the zodiac. It is also known as the
"Water Festival" as people believe that water will wash away bad luck.

To us farang it means water fight with anyone and everyone in Thailand, no
one escapes. So here we are all on the road to Pai, the air con is off cos
is helps prevent the engine from exploding and I know what that is like cos
that has already happened on the way to pai to me. Windows open everyone
dozing or asleep, when all of a sudden whooosh a bucket of cold water
through and this makes me feel so good, Tony's window hits us and soaks us.
Now I am not a racist, but the 2 israeli girls on board got drenched. Good.
They deserved that.
So first bucket now we are prepared maybe.
Getting to pai was fun then, the van getting splashed and opening and
closing windows quickly. Getting to the accomadtion in Pai was a little more
complicated. The last photo I sent shows these lucky israelis getting soaked
by some little buddhist monks, (there were 8 of them all fully armed to the
teeth with water and buckets) We got wet then really wet and then we met Jo,
Bekky and Jim from Ko Tao so got really really wet.
Cool
With this in mind we organised some fun for the afternoon and then well
perhaps the worse thing to happen happened.  My camera broke, how pissed off
was i? no camera no shop to buy one, well fucked off.
So annoyed to hell, went and got a large water soaker and prepared to do
battle. Kevin ex marine decided to treat it like goose green and all he
needed was some water bombs and camo paint and would have been in heaven.!!
The afternoon dear reader is something you may want to try. Now I rode a
horse once. I sat on a frame over and elephant and fed it sugar cane. But
bare back riding through jungle is far far more fun. But even better than
that, swimmng with elephants. Ok hands up who has swam with dolphins, and
again elephants. May I suggest you swim with a 3 ton monster who at any
moment in the river is going to just roll over throwing you at least 50cm
clear of it. Then climbing back on only to discover it is going to do it
again. This is a top ten moment, captured as well with water proof camera
and the pictures are good, although not sure when I will be getting them to
disc, its a little complicated at the moment, as in the thai dont want to as
its hard and they are being stubborn.
So swimming in a river with grey beasts is a fun fun thing, thankfully I
have dangerous sport insurance and I feel that was money well spent.

You may want a break now this is going to be a long one.

Sorry Auntie Janet, but this needs to be said. I will some difficulty
describing how you ride an elephant except for all you girls out there and
to be fair I am 5000 miles away so I dont really care. Imagine being astride
a 24 stone man with thick course hair on his thighs bouncing up and down in
120 heat for 1 hour with no break or respite. Your inner thigh hurts.

Pai is cool, like the islands without the sea and sand. We went to a great
thai restaurant and then to a live music club called be bop bar and then to
a hangout called bamboo. All good
The second day we went on a tour round Pai avoiding at all costs the water
fight although we did get drowned getting to our hired 4x4.
The thing about songkran is that no-one escapes. So anyone of a motorbike
will get a face full of water as will a cyclist or pedistrian so that makes
it extremely dangerous for some ( more on that later) so a guide driven
pickup def the right thing.
Ok so we went to a temple and got blessed by a monk, went to a 3 pool
waterfall without much water as there is none. Mind last year most of the
area around Pai got washed away by floods and you could see the damage
caused and when I get back to england I will add that to my advetures as
they are there as well. It was ok
Then a spot of lunch, a temple overlooking Pai, something a little more
interesting. Hot Springs where the water comes out of the ground at a stupid
heat then wanders down the hill collecting in pools where you can bathe. But
one of the best things about Thailand is there are no safety barriers,
health and safety rules and no enforcment. I was as close to the hot spring
as I am to the monitor in front of me as I type this email. So if I fell bye
I am dead.
Then off to a canyon where there were thin upright rock you could walk
across again no barriers help so that was cool and a long way down.

More water fights at the lodgings until dusk then beer and pizza and
eventually I got to sleep about 2am ish after chatting on line to some of
you.

The road back to chang was again as good as getting here, except the van was
not full so it was a little more comfortable, windows closed the water
fights had begun.
Chang was changing into a war zone, big blue buckets outside every bar, shop
stall, green pipes full of water feed the buckets. We got off the taxi about
a 1000 metres from base and like black hawk down we had to run through the
backstreets and dodge and wait and run to get back to base dry which in
reality we did although once at base the girls working there drenched us but
that was good.
My camera had broken so I needed a new one, so off we went again not too
wet. I brought a sony camera 219.00 well tony did my visa was declined due
to a security check, wankers, I phoned them and told them what I thought of
that. Anywau great deal great phone. Then Tony needed a bag to carry all his
stuff home so again with ex marine kev leading we dodged in and out of the
streets haggled and bargained like mad all brought new bags and got back to
base safe and secure.
In the evening there were 8 of us by then, Kev, me, Tony, Matilda from
holland, good old carole from france, jo, jim and beckky went for BBQ then
to Tam Nam Folk, a thai club for drink and dance, then to a place called
PornPing, no not a sex show another thai club where they had live music acts
which were absolutely fantastic, and very funny. Spicy on the cards so we
got some tuk tuks and we were in a race across the city with all the drivers
giving it what for through chang as we held for dear life to get to the club
which was 10 mins away , got there in first place.
Spicy was spicy so came away about 3am. Slept
For reference, Tony when did I meet Wan? off to the markets today at 3 with
her....... but thats a separate email to you......... oh i remember now, but
wont let ruin the fun!!!!!!!!

Thursday and Friday really blur into 1. We had special t-shirts made for
Songkran. We all brought the biggest water pistols we could find and we all
set out from base, the songkran commandos up to the old wall.
Hi Jill and Jon and Lez....... you know Oh My God

Well OH MY GOD or for carole OH MY BUDDHA

wow really wow. 10000 people all armed with water some on 4x4, tuk tuk,
every bar, all the road, on bikes, ice buckets, blocks of ice 2ft square,
music, sun, smiling soaking. We did battle on both days for 5 hours each.
Ice cold water is not a problem any more. I love it. Mum you would be so
proud I have never been so clean for so long. There was water coming at you
from every angle. From 3 year kids sat in paddling pools, spiritualists
blessing you, truck loads of people emptying buckets on you, bars fighting
bars, single people getting surrounded and drenched, dry people beiing
stopped and then not being dry people.

Some scary facts lifted from somewhere else for you

Motorcycles are involved in 86.43 per cent of the total road accidents.

The total number of roadway accidents from April 7-14 stood at 4,435,
resulting in 393 persons dead and 4,979 injured.

Happy New Year.

The water festival is actually very dangerous as everyone is drunk and
motorcyclists get hit full force by water, I saw severall crash.

So the water festival was fun.

Tony my guide for 3 weeks and instant backpacker Kev (just add rucksack)
departed Saturday am and cheers guys it was er.........
emotional.........Danielle said you never said goodbye big boy as did a few
other thai girls.

So went to the market with some US guys that had joined us, Ryan and Garrett
quickly before the war of water again, then for a treat bangers and mash for
breakfast with hp sauce and a cup of tea. Lovely
Water Water Water everywhere. Mental. 2 of the guys jumped into the moat
from the old wall during the party and we all learnt a new trick. Opening
car doors and soaking those inside. We stayed in one bar and just fought the
water there and it was a very good good laugh.
By the way john, after you rang Apple called me and called me and called me,
I had 3 hours sleep bet you cant imagine what she wanted, anyway she never
did get it!

In the evening we went to the riverside inn which could well have been
really good but as we were in the middle of  a huge electrical storm it
rained and rained and rained and an hour later still no table so me and Ryan
jumped in aTuk Tuk. Big Mac Meal 99 bar. Lovely, then did some bars and had
some fun.
2.30 am tucked up in bed quick chat to ma and pa and there we go.

I apologise for not really describing songkran, the photos are excellent so
that will be something to wait for.

So whats happening now then. Well its food time. Then a sleep me thinks then
the markets then bbq then night market, some beer and some chillin and then
well tomorrow is another great day just waiting to happen.

Anyone who wants to joined me, I am about in Thailand from the 25th as I
leave Thailand for Singapore and Malaysia.

My Thai mobile number is +6646876200. I never have any credit so ring me why
dont you.

For those in Somerfield, stay fresh and hopeful.

I am off, signing off so cheerio cheerio cheerio.

March 31 2006

Morning Eveybody and isnt it the best day ever in youur life, sun and smiles
and heat and sleep and no worries and stress free and oh sorry, thats
me........... haaaaaaaa

Any way wow what a week. I have spent since Sunday in Ko Tao with is an
lsland north of Ko pha nang full of sand and trees and is one of the best
dving sites in Thailand ney the world.
We travelled on the ferry and the sun was so strong that just from walking
from the ferry to the taxi 4x4 my shoulders were red and this is factor 30
on so just imagine the heat, still it was a lovely place and there looks
like lots to do.
We headed to a place called Ban Hat Sai ree which is about 2.5km from the
port and found ourselves a lovely place place to stay at the simple life
bar.
The Simple Bar resort along with every other bar is a diving resort which
offers diving amongst other things.
But lets talk about the room!!!

For 400 baht I had a double room with fan, toilet and shower and a place to
hang my towel. Inlcuded in the price were moths, spiders, cockroaches,
lizards and other unspecified creepy crawlies which at certain times of the
night were up and about and wanting to chat. How cool was that. Well
speaking of cool, considering we had 100% humidity, hot sun, no rain, no
wind and no air con, it was not cool at all. For 3 days I sweated then
showered then sweated and then sweated some more, so much so the rehydration
powder came out and was in full effect, despite eating drinking constantly I
was still suffering huge. By the way the temperature was in the very high
90's in fact when we left to go Chang Mai it was 83 at 8.30 in the morning,
so thats hot. Between the hours of 10 and 6 it was really really really hot
(i have omitted swearing but fuck me it was hot) and at all other times it
was really really hot. Sleep was impossible except between the hours of 4am
and 8am although I did pass out a few times during the day, maybe that was
exhaustion I dont know.

So I hope you gathered it was hot, Tony even Tony said this is hot and went
and lied in it and then got red so sat with me in the heat of the shade with
fruit and iced fruit shakes.

There was plenty to do there with lots of little shops, the port area (sea,
wooden gangway, maybe a boat) was quite interesting but hot. As for
nightlife, we found a very cool reggae bar where beer was ice and the ganja
was available should you be of that disposition, for me that was a no but it
was still a great base to start the evenings. We attended a birthday party
there where we sang happy birthday to a girl while she blew the candles out
on her cake and then she gave us all a piece of it which we ate with Singa
beer.
The bars and restaurants on the sea front were superb with lots of different
themes and music blaring out. Every evening after sunset (they were amazing)
the beach was filled with tables and chairs and laterns were placed in the
sea alight, holes dug and parafin laterns were placed in each one and there
were lots of candles every where. However romantic that was, Tony was not
holding my hand whilst we wandered down through it all.
There was a bar here which was a converted Van which sold cocktails and the
like and was very cool to look at,
Brought a necklace and bracelet for me there from a guy called Tek, yes i am
turning into a hippy you know shoulder bag, linen shirts, necklaces with
shells in, its ace, who was constantly stoned always joined us for a beer in
the evening at the reggae bar. He made all his wears by hand and in an hour,
anything you needed was sorted and very cheap.
I also had my first full Thai massage which however seedy it is in England,
Chang Mai and the rest of the country it was very nice and relaxing apart
from hearing bones click and crack as all the pressure points were prodded
poked and massaged through a very relaxing hour. I am looking forward to the
extras in chang which Tony assures me are well worth it (sorry tony, I will
get more shit about this than you so dont worry too much).
Drank lots and lots and lots of Samsung through the evenings really to get
through the heat and one night stopped drinking and talking to some girls we
met by about 5am where I fell asleep on a sun lounger and then woke at 7 and
staggered back to HQ where I awoke amongst my friends about 2pm.
We left for Chang Mai on Friday which hopefully was yesterday otherwise I
have lost another day and we travelled by the following methods

4x4 pickup
Cat Ferry
Taxi
Propeller Plane
Very big Plane
Taxi

We left Ko Tao at 9.30 and go to Ko Samui for 12.00 at 12.30 we got to the
airport and then flew out at 12.50, at 14.10 we landed at bangkok and at
15.15 we took off for Chang mai. So it was a really hetic but fun day and at
Bangkok we were rushed through the airport to get to the plane. We booked
the majority of this in Ko Pha nang with a turkish travel agent and we were
not sure whether we would get any tickets and I booked the flights from
Bangkok to Chang over the Internet which was far more straight forward
although Etickets are always fun.

Chang Mai is ace. I have been here 24 hours. It is slightly humid and hot,
it poured with rain last night, something you miss but I guess you lot dont,
In fact as it was less than 80 at night I was practically freezing to death.
We are staying in a guest house for 350 baht a night and the room includes,
wait for it, HOT WATER SHOWERS (tony not had one of these for 6 weeks, only
cold), a western flushing toilet and air con and towels and a fan and its
nice and its cheaper than the petting zoo I had left behind.
Food great, laundry 30 baht and its ironed, clean and smells nice. So I am
happy with this, I will be here for about 15 days.

Last night we had a thai meal which was great, then went to some bars and
watched the kickboxing which was quite poor but entertaining and then Lady
Boys, Ahh Ladyboys. Yes thats right seen my first lady boys ladyboy show
although Tony was slightly disappointed as they normally go topless at the
end.
5 rather strange looking he/shes can on stage (boxing ring) and sang awful
songs about being a woman, yes whatever, with outrageous dresses, but were
immaculate and freaky. They all wore long gloves and must spend hours
getting made up. All thinner than george they were quite disturbing to look
at, but considering where I was I could boom boom long time, get drugs,
drink beer and watch chick boys it was perfectly normal. Tonight I will get
some photos, cos it needs to be done.

It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen.

There we go so far, 10 days or so in, bitten to hell, hydrated, dehydrated,
burnt, tired, having the time of my life, every day so far despite being the
same has been completely different, or as the t-shirt goes (remember this
stan) same same but different.

I am off for more advertures tonight and then some exploring of the city
tomorrow and then markets on sunday.
Tonys parents are over for a week and we met today and are off exploring
with them early next week but until then readers

However cold, crap work is, life is, poor, unhappy, drunk, bored, frustrated
things get, I am having a great time and continuing to live the dream but
not the lady boy dream.............

Have a great week and be lucky, its a big rollover on the euro lottery, if
you win it come and visit me and join me if you dont, come and visit me and
join me,

You would love it, I am.

March 27 2006

>Just to let you know that despite being bitten to death by mosquitos (will
>explain all) , coping with drinking till 4am every night so far and 30
>degree heat I am still alive and still having fun.
>
>I stayed on Ko Pa nang until yesterday when we moved upto Ko Tao, about 1.5
>hours north on a ferry. Still it was a lovely journey and only 30 degree in
>the shade so guess who never burnt, (ok for the record I put on factor 30
>every day, reapplying when required on all areas of skin that the sun can
>see) but still the colour is coming everyday.
>
>Since the last email I have been introduced to sights and sounds and all
>sorts of things that mother need not know but as she is reading this with
>Dad then now she might. For those more travelled I am have new favourite
>drink, samsung and more importantly samsung buckets 200baht, remember those
>stan.
>
>Run or Whiskey or Vodka, coke and redbull in a bucket for sharing and
>drinking, lots of ice and the good times commence!!!
>
>I ended up at a beach party on Thursday night, with a fire and music and
>great laughs and we all went swimming around 3am as there was phosporus
>algae in the sea which when you splash and swim light up. So it was kind of
>like swimming in a flourescent tube.
>
>The next day we had at some point decided to go over the mountain through
>the jungle to hadrin and on the advice of my constant travelling friend
>tony decided not to wear long trousers but shorts and deet. However after
>about 15 mins trekking up a unmarked path going vertically up through
>jungle, I retired and returned back to the beach and caught a boat to
>hadrin which was easy and allowed me to recover. But the scary thing was
>that when we stopped for water, our legs went black with mosi and so I have
>about 100 bites, all which now dont itch as I have found a pharmacy and all
>is ok and healing well.
>The 1 hour trek took them 3.5 hours and they arrived weary and thirsty
>where as I was cool and rested but it did nearly kill me.
>
>That night we went to guys bar up in the jungle (about 10 mins stagger) to
>a all night rave, where it was explained to me that it was similar to what
>would be seen at a moon party, every one dancing to trance or pysche dance
>wearing luminous clothing and drinking lots. We stayed and danced till
>three where we proceeded to return back to the huts, I managed on the way
>back to cut open my big toe on something as the 100 baht flip flops are not
>really up to the job of trekking in the pitch black beleive me.
>On trying to wash the wound and cover it in plasters the village power went
>and so my phone then was the most useful it had been for about 6 moths, as
>it turned into  a torch. With it so dark you could not see your I heard
>something and flashed the phone around and a saw shadow moving about the
>verdana with me, it was a dog and it promply fell asleep as I washed and
>made good my toe which is nearly fixed.
>
>So then we moved to Hadrin for the night and watched Liverpool V everton as
>they show all the football and rugby and other sporting events here so that
>was good although the food was rubbish as it was in an english bar!!!
>Then we met some girls and spent all night with them which was good again
>on buckets.
>
>And there we go almost up to date with everything. Ko Tao is cheap and a
>little same same however I love it. The heat is unbearable at night and in
>the bars and the stagnant pools of smelly mosquito filled water scare the
>living S*** out of me, but so far no runs and the imodium is safe at hand.
>Oh you will be pleased (well some will) to know that I have invested in a
>hammock bag (a handbag for men, but not a man bag as these are cheap cool
>and definately required) to carry all the crap you need to take round with
>you daily, books, money, camera, passport, sun lotion, mosi spray, tiger
>balm, water, sarong, etc etc
>As for photos, going to take a load today, its about 1.10pm here so really
>hot and bright but if I keep oiled and moving then it will be ok.
>
>I am off to Chang Mai on Thursday via 4x4, catamaran, taxi van, aeroplane
>and more areoplane so that will be a different day. Upto then maybe some
>scuba diving and a trip around the place to see more of it.
>
>I trust that you all well and I will update you later in the week ie friday
>or something like that.
>
>Off to live the dream some more and stay lucky.

First letter from the moon March 2006

Hi guys

I will keep this short as I have sun bathing, swimming, eating and sweating
to do.

I am in Haad Yaun in a Blue Bar lodge for 300 baht a night (take off a 0 and
divide by 7) so thats 4 pound a day for double bed, toilet of sorts and a
shower and fan.
I can hearand see the sea and its ace.

I am on a island called Koh Phangan and it is so far the most beautiful
place I have ever seen with great beaches, grils, beer and views. I was on
Koh Samui for half of yesterday and then got a boat here.

My first night was spent on Koh Smaui in a bar on the beach with Tony and a
couple of swedish girls who were very nice!!

I am off to the other side of the island tomorrow for a couple of days and
then back to koh samul to catch a flight to chang mai.

Its hot and hotter so today its hot and tonight its hot.

Met some interesting people so far and had a great flight in with a lecturer
and a another guy, spent the entire flight chatting.

Well I think that is really it for now and I will correspond when I can,
however I suggest that you need to come to Thailand, its quite literally
living the dream, which if you will excuse me is what I need to do
now............


Keep lucky and mind the cold

Hope all is cool,

A history in the making

Over the next few days, weeks, I will add blogs to this site of my trips around the world and the stories I have to tell.

They are from my world trip from 2006 and the emails home to friends and family, I don't have any shame or regrets with whats in my emails home, my mum got them all so thats good enough for me.

They last in some shape and form all the way up to now and will continue to grow.

Enjoy