Arrving at Pudong International Airport, the meeting point for the teachers I got a little confused on where we were meeting because confusingly it wasn't at the meeting point : ) but it didn't take me so long and I relaxed and chatted to some of the teachers I would be spending the next two weeks with. They had initially planned to have an evening welcome meal on our arrival in Yangzhou however as our arrival was now expected to be about 9pm we believed the day had been changed. So as many of the teachers had just arrived from long haul flights then a 4hour bus ride we were a little surprised to say the least when we stopped by a very nice restaurant for dinner! The dinner was amazing and everyone was very hungry ... read more

My flight was to arrive in Hangzhou around 10pm, I have never taken local currency into a country and never had a problem until arriving into China!! The ATM machines didn't work, there were two and neither of them would accept my cards, there was no currency exchange open and no western union!! This had never happened to me! The buses to the city obviously would not accept card, problem! Luckily a lovely guy gave me the money for the bus to the city, I was then hoping I could either take money out in the city or I could walk the 1.5km to the guesthouse. Unfortunately I couldn't get money out and eventhough I had an address in Chinese and a map I was given the wrong directions. Then I met another very lovely lady ... read more

I didn´t realize there were two parts to the bus station and for half a second thought I was completely at the wrong bus station and was going to miss the bus. But I worked it out and travelled VIP style arriving early in KhonKean. Taking the bus to Nongkhai was relatively easy apart from the waiting on the bus for half an hour then moving 2km to sit and wait again for another hour. I eventually got across the border about half past nine and had met a Spanish guy who was also heading straight for immigration. So together we caught a bus into the city and quickly bought a delicious baguette sandwich before taking a tuktuk to immigration. For some reason this time you didn’t get your number from a machine but it worked ... read more

It was time to make a quick trip to Chiang Mai to get my 30day visa extension. Tawee took me to MaeCheam on the motorbike and it was seriously cold! But i prefer his driving on the bike than in the car. After getting my noodle soup breakfast i took the sonteyo to Chom Thom then onto Chiang Mai without problems. On the way into Chiang Mai there is a Tesco Lotus, my first shop calling before i arrive : ) Oo it was going to be an expensive few days. I bought some brownie making stuff to make with the kids as i had promised, then loads of other stuff for them and supplies for me. Then i started to think it could be an interesting trip back carrying all the bags especially if i ... read more

Just for a change Chiang Rai's bus station is actually in the town, this you think would be normal but is a rarity! Usually having to take a tuk tuk 'very far' to get to your guesthouse. After first going the wrong way we found a 'local' English teacher who showed us to where the guesthouses were. The first two we checked were full! But we still found one no problem. After checking into the guesthouse I went in search of a Western Union to send money that I been trying to do for four days but it was Saturday afternoon and everything was closed. I gave up in the end and with Emily walked to the night market. I never noticed but when you are walking around a very busy market you walk slow but ... read more