Starting to believe more in the elusive bigfoot than the Chinese visa it is time to say goodbye to Bangkok where we have made visits the embassy twice and the closest we have reached to our intentions has been a mere 70 people away from the paying counters. Chang Mai might give us more positive results, might. I have a week left on my Thai visa, no proof of banking because my 'worlds local bank' wont recognise that travelling means I do not own a bloody secure key... I have to arrange a skype date with mummy (my personal financier), type in the numbers that she receives on a calculator in England onto my computer in Thailand to see my balance. This is the same bank who locked me out with a mere 20 US Dollar because they didn't question their own spelling, Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, Tasmania and Mozambique, hmmmm. Oh, and I'm not flying into china so lack an air ticket, so far the greatest advice is 'You buy one but don't use.' Great!

So the bus is booked, a mere 10 hours north north north (plus late-ness, the rule of thirds still applies). Thats it for Bangkok, goodbye to our haven room with air co; to the city streets filled with smog and barbequed meats; to cocktails in cushy chairs where you can watch the lady boys dance as the rain pours; to a diet comprising of eggs florentine and deep fried morning glory in the same 24hr period and to the pushy 'many p**** for you' ping pong entrepreneurs.