What have I been doing? I'll tell you what I've been doing.....

I sung the National Anthem to a school full of children. It was like 3 angels in unison.

Taught an English lesson at a school, during which I forgot to say sit down, so they were standing for 15 minutes. There was also a girl who waited outside for 5 minutes for me to tell her that she could enter. opps! It wasn't my fault honestly, it's just so different, why didn't she knock? Surely she could have at least tried to get my attention.

I have travelled almost the length of the country using bus, van, car, plane, motorcycle, boats and my feet. (the last mode of transport hasn't been used that much actually).

I tried to go to Malaysia. They wouldn't let me leave Thailand. Well they would let me leave but if I did then I would have to pay them 30,000 baht (around NZ$1200) which was probably more money then I actually have. That turned out to be a very expensive trip to the boarder and I still had to get a new visa.

The problem was solved (eventually, after many phone calls), thanks Tui. All I had to do was leave through Bangkok airport and it should be alright. So I went to Cambodia for the day. (yes it was all very expensive, but not nearly as expensive as 30,00 baht) While there I went to the killing fields and that was about it. I would have stayed longer but I had some work that needed to be finished and also had friends arriving in Bangkok that I wanted to see.

At this point I would like to point out that the reason I was being fined is that the person in Bangkok airport had stamped my passport wrong and old me it was fine. When I got to the Malaysian boarder they told me that I had overstayed my visa and had to pay 500 baht per day. We argued for a while about how the stamp in my passport said the 15th of Jan 2007 and it was only the 11th but they were saying that the stamp was wrong. It was all a little frustrating. The final result was to go to Bangkok and try and sort the whole thing out there. Hence fleeing the country to Cambodia.

It is all sorted out now. I think.

I have driven up and down the Andaman coast too many times to count (one day I will work out the kms and we will all be shocked).

I am now the "proud" owner of a Thai Drivers License.

I have seen at least 15 snakes in the wild, only one of which could have killed me.

I saw birds fly into a cave to sleep just before bats came out to feed. It was quite spectacular. No the bats did not feed on the birds. Or us.

I have seen enough Wats (temples for the un-educated ones out there) to know that I don't need to see one for a while, despite how spectacular it might be. Same goes for waterfalls.

I have honed my bargaining ability to the level of getting a fair price most of the time. Louise on the other hand could make them pay her to take it away from them, she it outrageous.

I can order a beer, and pay for it then order another one completely in Thai. I think I learnt that in my first day or so actually.

I have been fishing lots (Dave, you would like it here, the boats don't have gears). Mostly for shellfish but we did go out with nets several times.

The number of barbecues is roughly corresponds to the number of times fishing.

I have bumped into 2 people on the street that I didn't know were here.

I am currently in Pai, north west, for the second time. It's lots of fun cos almost all of the fun people that I met here last time have either returned or are just still here. I spend my days sitting around reading and having a chat. The evenings are spent having a quiet refined beer at the local establishment that my friend Matthew plays at. Some days we have dinner parties as well, if someone decides to get creative. Some days I go the the pool (to work on my "Sweet Tan"). Other days we go on big rides on our bikes, mine's called Rattles. In fact there are plans in the making for spending a few days riding up into the Golden Triangle which would be very fun. Sadly I don't think that Rattles would make it, I might have to get another.

But yes, I am up here till the start of February then to Bangkok to tie up some loose ends and catch up with Teva when he arrives then off to the UK for winter, nice.

Well, that's all for now hope you are all well.

C