Hello. I have been told that i need to update my blog page...i did manage to put a couple of photos up the other day but the Internet cafe was rubbish so i had to do them indiviually - i gave up after about 15. More soon. I left you in Bangkok where i did a lot of shopping and chilling out. Anyway, i sent tonnes of pressies back w/ Lynsey and Fiona (see last entry) and then after they left for the airport and Laura departed for Cambodia, i went to the hotel in Chinatown where i was to meet the Intrepid group i was to be travelling with for the next month. Our group comprises Jane (our leader - English w/ a weird Aussie accent), Mark and Nic (from Manachester), Luci and Quinn (from nr. Manchester), Clare & Hannah (from Nottingham), Rainer (from Berlin), David (from "Tuson, Arizona" Lol!), Karen (from Sydney), Lousie (a Kiwi who has lived in London for 10yrs) and yours truely...we are VERY varied! :o/ The following day we went round the Khlongs of Bangkok by boat, visited Wat Po (the largest reclining Bhudda) and the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Bhudda...Bhuddas EVERYWHERE! It cant be good that i'm bored of the things already! Caught the sleeper train to Chiang Mai and on arrival some of us had an action packed day. First Elephant Riding, and whist i was sat on his head and supposedly 'driving', our Elephant (seemingly called "Bible"!) pulled a tree down on top of Hannah and i! The rest of the group just saw a Bamboo tree fall and lots of screams of terror mixed w/ laughter! We then went Bamboo Rafting down the river which was hilarious as we all became wannabe "stunt men" and tried all sorts of vaults and flips into the (far too) shallow river. A trip to Doi Suthep Temple above Chiang Mai followed and we all got soaked when a friendly monk drowned us all with 'holy water' and gave us good luck "bracelets" which look more like pieces of dirty string to me! :o) We then watched some of the monks chanting (from a respectful distance) Quite amazing to see/hear. To kill the atmosphere, as we left i tripped over a dog 'grooming/cleaning' itself and thought i was going to get mauled! We deserted Chiang Mai the next morning after sourcing Cream Cheese and Bagels in a bakery! :o) Lunch in Chiang Rai was at a place called "Cabbages and Condoms" a place which puts much of its profits into promoting 'Safe Sex' and family planning around Thailand. The 'live' entertainment was provided by a man half dead with a voice that needed burying! (Obviously compared to Charlotte Church here!) Ended up in the border town of Chiang Khong for the night in a fab guesthouse overlooking the Mekong River and Laos on the other side... ...and i shall leave you in Thailand. Look fwd to hearing from more of you - thanks to those who have emailed, it's always nice to feel remembered! I can receive but not always send texts; but i'll try! Much love. Liv. xxxx FOOT UPDATE: Don't know if i mentioned before but my foot is falling off...figuritively speaking. I bashed it on the Perhentian Islands (not my NDE*!) but on some concrete - by the time i got to Bangkok it was infected - post river it seemed as though i have worms in my second and third toes on my left foot. Itched and oozes like mad; cannot even wear flip-flops! Will keep you posted! ;o) x *Near Death Experience! Lol!