Have to look back at what had happened last time I wrote, as yet again, lots has happened since my last entry!

That weekend, we went to Surin again... Bus got in, we got a tuktuk, but none of the drivers knew where the apartments were that we were heading for, so ended up back at the Big C. Went to MK restaurant, but rice and meat wasn't doing it for us, so we had some KFC as a top-up, followed by an amazing icecream from Swensen's (had a good few of these last year!). Nang came to the rescue again, and got us a tuktuk to the right area... the driver still got lost, but we whipped out our vodka, diet coke, and camping cups, and just had a drink while he found the place! (All squished into the back of a tuktuk!)

That night, we found the karaoke bar, which anyone who knows me will know that I loved! Spent most of the night choosing the tunes... I think we started with a bit of Backstreet Boys, for those interested! After, went to a club, but I need a 7-Eleven toastie and water firstt. Lost everyone, had to try to communicate with some Thais to tell me where the club was (took quite a while!), fought my way through the club, couldn't see anyone I knew. All the while, I have my weekend bag with me! Anyway, I found some white guys outside ("you look like you speak English...?") and chatted to them, while the others came to find me! There was a Thai rockband playing, and free cake, and tables and chairs everywhere. Not your average British nightclub, but fun anyway. People way too keen to dance with us too!

Next day, we went for breakfast at the place with Western food - everyone else was going for a Full English, but I had been craving Lasagne all week, so that's what I went for! We spent the afternoon at a local hotel using their swimming pool, which was good. Then got take away pizza before heading back to Tha Tum.

That week, I was meant to be seeing Nang, but things kept changing. Eventually I am told on Wednesday that I have to pack up my things because I am leaving in half an hour... Luckily, they realised that was impossible, so I went to visit the school that day (2 hours in the back of a pick up truck, sat on nothing but a cushion and a load of beach mats! - and that's just one way!). I met the English teacher Ni, who seems lovely, and we had to speak to the Vice Director. I say "we", mostly they just talked about me in Thai, and occasionally someone translated something to ask me a question. Very bizarre.

As it turned out, I had to go back again the following day to meet the Director. So another 2 hour journey back to Tha Tum, drinks and goodbyes with my new little family! (I never said goodbye to Emilio!) Packed up my stuff again, ready to leave first thing in the morning.

Only the previous night I had been in the cafe where Niall and Yasmin live, using wifi to talk to Jo, and the locals were pointing out Chinese Lanterns to me... then, when I got off the phone, everyone else had gone to bed but they persuaded me to stay for a drink. I said I'd have one coke... Bearing in mind, they don't speak English, and I don't speak Thai, I spent a good hour or more with these guys "chatting"! They threw away my coke, and said I had to drink with them because it was full moon. I felt rude, so went ahead and drank the 'full moon wine' they gave me (it gave me ribena/purple lips!)...

Anyway, back on track, I left with On in the morning (had a seat this time), and went back to the school. Just as the previous day, I got a lot of stares and smiles, and some wais as well (they do this to pay respect - when you put your hands in the prayer position and bow your head). I met some of the teachers, and this time had to go to the Director's office, and had much the same situation as I'd had the previous day with the Vice Director. Lots of talking in Thai, which I didn't understand!

It wasn't long before Ni said "welcome to the school" (she said the name, but I don't remember it/couldn't spell it anyway!) so I took that to mean I had a job! On (that's the lady who took me to the school) then had to go and sort out my contract to sign, so I went to Ni's class with her, and they asked me some questions. "What's your name?" "Where do you come from?" "How old are you?" and "Do you have a boyfriend?" was about as far as we got! She then wandered off, and I had to entertain them... so just spoke to a few, and looked at their books etc. It's so strange because their English textbooks seem so difficult, and yet they struggle to understand questions like "How old are you?"

I went to the next lesson with Ni as well, which went much the same, though I think I had a new question "What's your favourite colour?" Then, Ni said she was busy and asked me to cover her class... I'd thought I was going to the school to sign a contract, and here I am doing the same as I do at home. Except noone speaks my language. And I don't know where I'm going, or what I'm doing. Anyway, I got them to tell me their names (and nicknames, which they all have - things like Porn and Touch are common... easier to remember than the Thai names I guess!) and asked them a few questions. This group were older, and some were good. One girl (Rat, I think) was asking why I came to Thailand, and what I liked about Thailand, which was much better!

Managed to gather from them some of their hobbies - volleyball, football (particularly Liverpool!), shopping, music (Justin Bieber) and a couple others. Anyway, I guess if I can make it through that with no planning, I'll be ok.... :S !!

I had lunch with the teachers, who all seem nice, and the food was pretty good too (noodle soup, followed by some mango). Then, Ni got me playing Crossword (Scrabble) with one of the students. She was good! But pretty sure she's just memorised a massive list of words! And the list includes words which definitely don't exist....!

So that afternoon, I went back to Surin, as I had an early start on Friday. Met up with some of the others, visited their new accommodation, and went for dinner (chicken and chips!). That evening, I figured I needed a early night, as we had to leave at 3am for Laos. Pam and Laura came over though, and then Anna arrived at 10.30pm (she was coming to Laos with me), we got chatting... anyway, we ended up just getting a beer and some sweets/crisps and hanging out in their new house instead. Got back at 2ish, and 2.20am I get a phone call to say it's time to go (Thai people being early - unheard of!!).

We slept (or tried to sleep) most of the way to Laos. Nang had got us a nice minibus, complete with our favourite driver! But the bumps in the road, meant that I was literally flying in the air, and so struggled to sleep at times...

Got to Mukdahan, where we went through the Thai border, then a bus across to Savannaket, for the Lao border. Loads of forms to fill in, then had to go into the town, where we had to sort our visa. Got a hotel, and then On left us with a few instructions on how to make it back to Surin, and left us to it!

Our weekend in Laos consisted of: good noodles, lots of wandering, an amazing cafe (Lin's) with tuna baguettes and chips! and Lin, who I would like to be my tourguide in every city I visit. Also, every single family gets their children to say hello/"Sabaidee! to us, and the children are ADORABLE. So cute. Everyone was super friendly, despite the language barrier. We spent the rest of the weekend at a hotel with a pool, renting bikes (and taking a long time walking in the heat to find the place!), wandering round a massive market (where everyone wants us to buy their things, and about 5 people follow us round everywhere with a calculator - so they can tell you a highly inflated price!), as well as a night market, where I bought a few things.

Found ourselves at a bar called Sabaidee restaurant, with a beautiful barman called Jonny (guessing that's not his ACTUAL name), and some Lao men got chatting to us. We spent the night drinking Beer Lao, teaching them English, listing car brands ("you know Land Rover?!"), Premier League footballers, and generally taking 10 minutes to have a conversation that should be 1... but all fun and games! Most of you will have seen the conversation we had about facebook.... Too funny.

The last night, we found a French restaurant (Laos used to be a French colony) that did European food, so Anna and I shared a Lasagne and Pizza, which was incredible. For reference, we did have Lao food too, which was very nice... but because all I eat is rice and noodles over here, the pizza is more of note for me!

ANYWAY, made our way back to Surin the following day, having collected our passports, complete with visa. Side note - I saw a monk on an iphone at the immigration, which I found a little weird. Plans changed, and I ended up staying in Surin last night. Was meant to be picked up at 8am and teaching today, but there was a problem with another school, so Nang and Khim were late, and we left eventually around 10.30am. (But that's how Thailand works, and Nang and Khim are lovely, so I can't complain!) So I am starting teaching tomorrow instead....

You'll be sure to find out how that goes next time!

Over and out, and lots of love xxx