Back in in bangkok again after three day trip to kanchanaburi to see the bridge over the river kwai. Really interesting stuff, loads of history about how the prisoners of war were treated by the japanese and made to suffer terrible conditions in order to construct a railway between singapore and the burmese coast. Of the western soldiers kept there (australian, american, dutch and british) it was the british who lost most men to the conditions (disease and starva...

Made it across the border and back into thailand yesterday. Its incredible the difference - proper roads, people, traffic - it really is stepping back in time going to Laos. Only spent one night in Chaing Mai, its mainly a hill-trekking place and I seem to have done loads of that - got a flight down to bangkok this morning. Its nice to be in the city again if only for the food (Thai food is definitely my favourite), the convenience/availabilty of everything (inc...

Awoke for the third day running to a CNN special about Steve Irwin (we'll get to the travel thing in a minute - I'm short of people to grump to..where are you Piers?) They kept going on about how it was such an irony that a man who made a living putting his head in crocodiles' mouths died wrestling with a kipper in 3 feet of water or something - I couldn't help but think of a double irony here - the one being that even though he's dead, I'm still marching across ...

So, ventured into some backpackers bar last night on Khao San Road (the equivalent of Watford on a Saturday night). Pretty full on, felt a bit of a d*** on my own so managed to force myself to speak to some other people - I think that holidaying brits abroad thing makes it a bit easier, its funny though once you've talked about your trip (and theirs) and "do you know the walkabout in Shepherds Bush" with the Australians thats it, time to leave, nice crowd though....

Missed free breakfast then went to the Gym in the hotel (I'm easing myself in gently into the travelling thing). Managed to undo weights on one side of bar leading to said bar rising up and hitting me in the lip - much blood and dabbing later managed to venture out. Pretty amazing sights really, fantastic architecture and so many bleedin buddhas - he's lying down, he's smiling, he's standing up, he's telling jokes, he's made of gold, he's made of jade, I th...