My alarm goes off at 6:10am. I have set 3 alarms, but I am up instantly. Staying in Phuket is like being trapped in a room with the Eastenders omnibus playing. The birds are tweeting, possibly Thai, but maybe those too are imported from the west. The taxi arrives early and I quicky throw my bag in the boot. I pass a signpost pointing to "Happy Place". Surely a reference to the airport. Its a 2 hour flight to Chiang Mai and at £45 a bargain. I have do...

I get up and after researching decide to meet Sam in Koh Lanta. It will be nice to catch up. Unfortunately a tropical storm has hit the west. I'm stuck in Phuket and he's stuck in Phi Phi.It's pouring with rain so I have a Thai dish at the hostel called a "continental breakfast". If a sequel to Hell comes to Frogtown is made, it will be set in Phuket. If they ever made a sequal to Hell comes to Frogtown, it would be set in Phuket. The only person in my ...

I tried to get money from a cashpoint and my card was not returned after receiving the cash. Very frustrating day trying to locate the bank. Once I get there the power is down and I have to go to the other side of town to another branch. The lady will have to phone head office and is unsure when an engineer will get to the machine. I go back to the machine and there is no card jammed in. I have no choice but to call the bank and cancel it. I find a local re...

Once packed I grab the free breakfast. Check out and get the taxi to the airport. It takes ages getting through immigration. Weird to be back in Bangkok even if only for a transfer. The internal connecting airport lounge is a salute to the corporate west - McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, Starbucks. This is what Vietnam has in store for it in 10 years. A slim nation replaced with a spotty fat one. I get my flight to Bangkok and transfer to Phuket.I turn up at ...

I explore the side streets, so much to feed to the senses. Locals playing chess in the small cafes, small tailor shops, street barbers, mobile vendors with fruit or other foods, ice cream style music plays when they pass. Saigon has a lot to absorb. I find the mopeds fascinating. With so many of them, the pavements are either full - boxes, parked vehicles, people, or used as a way of driving the wrong way down a street. I've got used to it but road crossing ...