My first entry...no pressure

I'm finally away and it's great knowing whatever I've forgotten now I will either to buy or live without. Although it was quite strange realising I'm away for three months.

I arrived in Bangkok yesterday around 2pm local time and after a short taxi ride I was in the city centre. It's 100mph 24 hours a day. I found George and it wasn't long until we had our first beer of the trip.

Our hostel, which is just off Khoa San road, is basic to say the least but for 300thb (approx £5), I shouldn't complain! The room which is advertised as having air con and an en-suite is really just a fan and a tap which I'm sure is a toilet roll replacement!

There is no escaping the heat or the relentless Thai salesmen on every street of Bangkok-all of whom I'm sure are related in someway. Our tuk tuk driver yesterday persuaded us to visit his cousins suit shop which we had to spend 15 mins in, looking at catalogues and trying suits on, just so he could get a free tank of petrol and so we could get a free ride home.

We met an interesting Thai English teacher yesterday who kindly showed us the way to palace and a Buddhist temple- very thirsty work! After sightseeing for most of the afternoon it was then back to Khoa San road for a hearty dinner of a roasted scorpion and a juicy grub worm, washed down with a few more Changs. The rest of the night is a blur.

Today we are nursing our bucket-induced hangovers at the floating markets and somehow we've got to plan a route into Cambodia which will hopefully be slightly more cultured...

P.s no ping-pong to report....yet