Well, after a number of failed attempts I am finally able to update you how I'm getting on! Since my last post I've travelled through Malaysia and Thailand, up to Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand. And it's been great fun along the way.

The first tour group got on really well, we travelled, ate, swam and drank together all the time. We visited a Muslim homestay in Malaysia for 2 days - the family lived on an Island in Malaysia's first dam, we trekked through the surrounding hills and swam in a waterfall lagoon, relaxed on the island and ate dinner with our hands sitting on the floor. Bizarre! But very enjoyable.

Then we travelled into Thailand, watched shadow puppets and spent 3 days on Ko Samui. The thai islands were beautiful and very lively - we took a pretty bumpy boat ride out to the marine park off the mainland - people throwing up everywhere and when the crew hurridly handed out the life jackets I decided it was time to pay attention! All was well though, we couldn't snorkel along the reef but the islands that we visited were picture-postcard stuff. I also had my first jetski experience back at Ko Samui, brilliant! Especially falling off...

Following Ko Samui we arrived in Bangkok and ended part 1 of the tour. Bangkok was nicer than I expected it to be, although the seedy side that I was expecting was on offer all over the place to those that wanted. Kohsarn road, the main backpacker area, is a bazzar of market stalls selling fake wallets and clothes, but the restaurants and bars along the way served delicious food and provided a good atmosphere.

From Bangkok half of the tour group departed and were replaced by a younger group - we are all 30 and below this time. It's quite a different trip - the guide doesn't engage us as much but that doesn't mean it's any less enjoyable. We travelled through Thailand, cycling around the remains of the original Thai capital from the 12th century, I had my first thai massage and we took a turn teaching english at a village school. Getting towards the end of the trip - this part is just a week - we have arrived in Chiang Mai today where the night market is supposed to be lively and sure it will facilitate celebrations for the end of the trip.

On Saturday I expect to travel to Laos for a week before heading to Australia via Bangkok. It's going to be strange travelling on my own again but I feel revitalised and ready to go - a massive change from India :)