A long day. A lot of travelling. I'd started yesterday on Chiang Mai and arrived in Bangkok the expected two hours late at 8:20am. Over to @Hua Lamphong where I had previously stayed to steal a bit of Internet and get advice on travelling to Ranong for a very special island nearby. Off to the southern bus station via the 507 (not "5 or 7" as I thought she'd said). Bought a ticket directly off a chap on the bus and waited with a Thai bloke who bought me two beers...

As I write this, I'm on a bus from Ranong to Krabi. Just. I dumped my bags and myself on just as the bus was ready to pull away. Storm like clouds are overhead. It's Sunday 28th November, and I arrived in Chiang Mai on Thursday 18th. I have a lot to catch up on. For this reason I won't go through the usual "I did this, I did that" blurb. It's dull, you're busy and I only have three hours on this bus... Let's do lists. I like lists. I also like people, so here's ...

Given that my night train ticket said "Ayutthaya - Chiang Mai" I had very little choice as to where I was going today. I got to the train station for the scheduled 10:50am train to Ayutthaya, but the ticket was around 350 baht. I probably would have paid it had I not been told that it would be 20 baht a few days ago. The ticket officer then produced an entirely different (presumably local third class) timetable and booked me on the 11:20am train for (wait for it)...

As I write this, I'm on my way back from a tour, the itinerary of which was almost entirely different to the one I booked. I'm sure when I get hold of my Lonely Planet I'll be able to pad out the details, but today I went to the river Kwai (the death railway), saw some elephants, had a Thai meal, saw some waterfalls and went in a cave, then took a train ride along the death railway. And sweated. A lot. Just like yesterday, and just like the moment I stepped off t...

I am disgusting. I am sick and dirty. I am the lowest of the low. I am not worthy of being called a backpacker, nor am I fit to scrape the dirt off the feet of those who are. I am all these because of three horrible words. McDonalds. Loyalty. Card. Yes, I actually possessed one of these things while I was in Hong Kong. In my defence, I had a semi-good reason. Food here is very, VERY expensive. McDonalds is not. The coffee is cheap and the Oreo McFlurrys are addic...