There and back again

As I write this post, I am surrounded by beautiful green fields stretching as far as the eye can see. But these aren't the rice paddies of Cambodia to which I have been accustomed to of late, but the corn fields of Essex.

Although my trip was originally planned for 4 months, which would have seen me returning in mid-August, life - as I should know by now - doesn't always turn out the way you plan...

Beautiful Cambodia

As soon as I crossed the border from Vietnam to Cambodia, my mood lifted as if by magic. The landscape suddenly became lush and green, the roads  clearer and the people 'smilier.'

Still traveling with Louise and Floor, our first stop was Sinhoukville; a standard stop on the backpacker circuit. We were planning on heading down the coast to Otres beach but the rain was torrential, so we decided to hole up in Serendipity beach where there was more going on - i.e. other people to talk to and lots of bars in which to while away the wet days...

Vietnam continued...

I had a really good time in Nha Trang - I was with Isaac and a couple of other friends; Floor (female) from Holland, and Zu (also female) from S. Africa. We went to some mud baths which was a lot of fun, and also a huge water park - where of course I was too chicken to go on many rides. The one slide I was brave enough for, I burnt my bum and gave myself a wedgie on the way down, so wasn't keen on a repeat performance!

A story with no pictures...

Apologies yet again. I have been terrible at keeping you updated regarding my trip. But you'll be pleased to hear that it's because i'm having such a fantastic time, not for any other reason. However, my camera SD card has a virus so I can't currently upload any pictures, so will attempt to relay enough imagery with my words to make you imagine you are right here with me...

The Land of a Million Elephants

Apologies for the radio silence - since I last wrote I have been very busy in the beautiful city of Luang Prabang in Laos (if anyone reading this has been there you will understand my reluctance to spend my time in internet cafes.), or else travelling through some very non-touristy areas where internet has been very hard to come by - i.e. non-existant. But i'm getting ahead of myself...

A bit of culture

After leaving Koh Samui I caught a boat, 2 buses and then another boat to get to Koh Phi Phi on the west coast of Thailand. On the way I text my friend Trang to see where she was - she was in seedy Phuket and within a matter of minutes had booked a ferry ticket...

The Islands

Before I came to Thailand, I was being a bit of a travel snob and had said I wasn't going to bother with the islands, as they were bound to be full of gap year students getting drunk. Well, there is some truth in that...

Songkran

Wow - it's going to be very difficult to try and put into words how incredible Songkran is... I arrived safely after a good flight, on Tuesday evening into Bangkok feeling a little disorientated but ready to explore, I headed into Chinatown...

Preconceptions

Finally it's here! A cyclone of nervous excitement is whirling in my stomach. I'm impatient, scared, unprepared but, conversely, totally ready for my adventure. However hard I try not to imagine what to expect, it's impossible not to have a picture in my mind. I can't wait to have my preconceptions blown out of the water...

The final countdown

In one week today the dreaming will be over and I will be en route to Bangkok. Having spent the morning (and much of the last few weeks) surfing the internet and reading endless blogs, articles and travel advice about S-E Asia, it is starting to dawn on me how illprepared I am. This trip...