Well here's the first official entry of our travels! We're currently in a place called Ao Nang in the Krabi region of Thailand. It's a beach resort similar to Canary Island resorts but a bit nicer! Today and yesterday is all about chilling as we've been so busy in the past few days.

We arrived in Bangkok after a not too bad 11 hoursflight from Heathrow. First problem was instant as my (Chris) bag wasn't on our plane! So we headed on to our transfer with just one backpack and a little panic. There were two girls on our transfer, Christine and Anne-Louise, who are also from NI and on our tour so was cool to meet people straight away.

After checking in we ventured out into the 30+ degree heat of evening Bangkok. I had jeans and walking boots ondue to lack of luggage so first mission was shorts and sandals! Got both and shades for less than 20 quid in the Kho San Road markets. An amazing street full of bars, restaurants, street side food stalls selling anything from sticky rice with mango to fried cockroaches. We had noodles and a drink for about 4 quid each, excellent!

Next day, after a quick hotel swap to start tour, we visited the Grand Palace in Bangkok (photos to follow when we have time), had our first Tuk-Tuk ride and metup with our tour in the evening. There are only 6 of us, which is a little disappointingand I'm the only guy except for the tour leader Vaughan. After dinner we came back to hotel to change and my bag had arrived, sweet! Once sorted, went for drinks at a bar called the Fuel Tank, petrol station by day, bar on the forecourt by night! THEY HAD CANDLES ON THE TABLES!! Somehow though, we all forgot our cameras, shame.

We left Bangkok the nextmorning the head to the bridge over the River Kwaiand the museum of how the railway between Burma and Thailand was built during WWII. It was built using Asian workers and Prisoners of War from UK, US, Australia and beyond. About 1/4 of all workers died due to warm weather, poor conditions, malnutrition and disease. That night we were on an overnight train to Krabi. Quite an experience! We had beds and blankets so it wasn't too bad just unusul for us!

We arrived here in Ao Nang yesterday morning and spent the day on the beach, and the girls all had a one hour Thai massage for 200 Baht, 4 quid each! I had a beer instead! We went on the piss last night and from 10 to 12 I watched Middlesbrough tank the Scouse! Ha!

It's a beautiful place here, hard not to love it. Thailand generally has been a nice place, if a complete culture shock first night in Bangkok! We've had lost bags, insect bites, slight sunburn and I've even had a mild jellyfish sting, bit like a nettle sting, but we're loving it! We're going to the island the film The Beach was shot on, might not swim though , and then on Tuesday its amngrove kayaking and elephant back jungle trekking. Should provide some good snaps and memories.

Next blog probably won't come until we reach Malaysia in a few days, and hopefully we'll get some photos up then! In the meantime the girls are all at the beach so I think I'm going to go join them. Hope everyone is well and please leave any messages, emails etc along the way! Be in touch...