A combination of jet lag and sensory overload had me wide awake at 3.30am and am now cross eyed with tiredness and walk like a reeling drunk as we await 8am pick up.... ....The Grand Palace was spectacular, gold and coloured glass, mirrored and brightly tiled towers, Chinese style figures and a small solid jade buddha who is given gifts of water, sticky rice, eggs, fish and lotus flowers. The sun is out and it is really hot now, 36 but feels like 44 they say bu...

I do love travel. What a contrast to Brazil but still the same buzz. Arrived in Bangkok yesterday afternoon and our room overlooks the river, sky misty with pollution from the constant traffic jams and cooking on street stalls. A variety of boats ply the river, small oriental boats are the hotel ferries, fancy for the tourists, plainer ferries for locals and longtail boats, long and sleek with the long trailing rudder which i assume givs them the name and long di...