9 January 2013 "I am worried about you because you are foreigners, the only foreigners ever to sit down at my shop", says the serious young man who is hovering around our table nervously. "It may not be good for you. You should be careful." His rice with mango salad is delicious, but he is petrified that it will not be good enough for us or that it will make us sick. His English is excellent and so we order another tea just so that we can spend more time and chat. Another university graduate who has had to make a career of working in the family tea shop as there is no other work to be had. This is a common story here. Unless you are "connected" to someone important, you stand very little chance ... read more

4 January 2013 4 more days in Bangkok in preparation for Burma, to sort out any last minute shopping, work stuff, etc.Day one spent at Pantip Plaza as usual. It is the only place in the world that has iPad minis in stock, ready to go. Memory sticks, batteries, new phone covers and an iPad mini later and we have had enough of shopping; so we stop in at Terminal 21 (a massive shopping centre that carries Thai labels instead of the usual international fare). On day two it is time to do the tourist thing for a change. We get an email from HT our foodie friend recommending a restaurant in China Town. We were planning to go that way anyway, and it sounds too good to miss so off we go. China Town is ... read more

When I did the last entry Travelblog was having some picture uploading issues, so here are some of the pics which never made it. These are all from Koh Mak and I hope they eventually upload so that I can title them. Unfortunately this is all happening in a bit of a hurry as I have only just managed to get them onto the right device for publishing here, and they are quite large for uploading.... Fingers crossed.... read more

31.12.2012 Suksanwanpimai!! (Happy New Year) It's New Year's Eve and we are sitting by the pool sipping mango and coconut shakes in the shade of an orange umbrella. We've just come off the beautiful Khlong Hin beach where we've been swimming, playing frisbee, and generally relaxing since after breakfast. Are we really the luckiest people in the world right now? Yes!! The feeling is Sabai Sabai. We decided to spoil ourselves with three nights, to include New Years Eve, here at Cham's House. (Couldn't face the vodka fuelled techno pounding revelry expected at the lower budget Russian oriented resorts). Cham's House is currently under construction, and though surreptitious, they are willing to do good deals for this period, as they are still snagging and training to become the 4.5 star resort they are claiming to be. ... read more

It is 02h30 and the coughing starts. It's like they are in our room. I start by feeling empathy for someone who must be really ill. It gets worse and I eventually turn on the ac to try to mute the noise, but it gets cold and we have no blankets in the room. By 04h00 there is a lot of activity in the room next door. I am convinced they must be taking somebody to the hospital. He must be very sick. Pneumonia perhaps? I am expecting to hear the dying rasps of an old man, but instead, it is the children who come out past our window. Just talking, but they could be sitting in bed with me they are so loud. Oh, it is only one child! The morning ablutions start - coughing, ... read more