We set off for Phuket at 10.30am this morning, via taxi to Chiang Mai airport. Our flight was with Thai airways at 1pm and everything went like clockwork.

During the 2 hour flight, I was reflecting on the past couple of years, and how I let work totally take first place in my life working late evenings, weekends. Basically, I felt like I was on a hamster wheel and couldn't get off. It was my fault really for letting things get that way. The more I did the more that was expected and I could never (despite trying harder and harder) deliver to the degree that was required. I absolutely drained myself in the process and started to question my own abilities - NEVER AGAIN.

I've learned a lot of lessons from this experience and work will never ever take hold of me like that again. It's amazing how time away puts new perspectives on things - how nice it is to be in the position to be away for longer than a normal holiday. Anyway enough of that back to my travels........

We landed on Phuket island and it was pouring down with rain. Obviously, still hot but very wet and very humid. We hitched a ride from a tour company to our guest house with is pretty near to the beach in the Patong area of town. We dumped our backpacks and started to explore - first impressions are that there's loads of beach bars and it's very geared to tourism. The weather cleared up pretty quickly and we took a nice walk along the beach which is lovely and clean (I also had a paddle and the sea is warm). Harnaik then went his way and I went mine to check the place out. That's it for now - hoping to take a boat tour of the bays sometime in the next couple of day and see what Phuket really has to offer.