Hello there friends and family

Alman: So we managed to get up at 4.00am in order to get to Heathrow ariport from the house in Cambridge. We were both extremely excited and insisted on the taxi driver taking our photo together before we left- he wasn't quite as excited, but that didn't matter. The flight was LONG and the stop off in Doha (which Hattie pronounces 'dough-aah') felt even longer as there was no bar!!!! :-( Hattie was set on the fact her herbal sleeping pills would work a charm and she would sleep peacefully throughout the night...this unfortunately backfired when she was sick on the plane and had to use 3 sick bag...yum. Al was as ever the supportive friend. Bangkok was just as busy and lively as I remembered, we got a taxi, which we shared with a friend from the airport, straight to Koh San Road - the backpackers heaven! Filled with vendor sellers, food stalls, tatoo parlors, hostels, cocktail bars, clubs, massage palors and SO much more. We checked into the D&D hostel into a double with a window over Koh San. THIS was a huge mistake as when we eventually went to bed in the wee hours - the noise from the street was so loud we couldn't sleep. Naturally the next night we changed to a windowless room, which we called 'The Tomb' where we never had any idea what time it was, as we slept blissfully in pitch darkness.

We had a fantastic time exploring Koh San Road, getting a Thai foot massage, drinking buckets of Pina Coladas, visiting the Temples and Royal Palace, going to Tuk Tuks (motorbikes with little carriages on the back) getting lost in China town and making Thai friends. We also met some nice boys from Belgium who were very respectful and polite. We pre-drank with them on the roof of the hotel before going out into Bangkok and to Pat Pong....;-) We went on a river trip along the canals of the city, which ended in the flower market - which was increadibly colourful and lively, but the highlight on the trip had to be the shopping center of MBK. Hatman didn't know what had hit her! A massive shopping center of 7 floors packed with stuff. We bought fake bags from Buffie's special woman on the 2nd floor, new clothes, sushi and gifts of the family. We also went to see the Hangover 2, again. Set in Bangkok, we felt it was appropriate, and Hatman LOVED it when we stood before the film to salute the King. We love the King.

On our last evening we went out for dinner with our family friends from Venezuela - Sarah and Wayne Mackay and their daughters Ellen and Catherine. They had American friends staying so we were a big group in the Mexican restaurant! Lots of margaritas and tequila later when went to Dad (Steve's) favourite bar, The Londoner! There was live music and dancing - was BRILLIANT!! We then went clubbing with the other girls, but kept drinks to a reasonable minimum, as we were leaving our hotel at 4.30am to catch our flight to Vietnam, Hanoi at 6.45AM! We very good fun and so great to see our good friends again, I wished the Wilson's could be there, but Hatman and I definately held our own with the loud, lively Americans!

Off to Vietnam, Hanoi where the adventure continues!! Keeping our sillyness to a mininum and behaving impecably. Lots of love to everyone xxxx