We left Cambodia to cross into Thailand ready for the horror stories we had heard about corrupt border officials, extortion and hefty "exit" fees....the border crossing was pretty uneventful except for shock of hearing the deepest voice you have ever heard from a very convincing ladyboy talking to the border police!

So we arrivied in Bangkok, a big, dirty city, where everyone is out to get your money and every bar around Koh Sarn Road shows The Beach everyday, which you cant watch because all you can look at is the rats running around the tables where you are eating and drinking. Added to that, the biggest scam in the world, that everyone in Bangkok seems to be in; on involving dodgy Tuk Tuk drivers, "Tourist police" with badges sewn onto to designer shirts, fake "government tourist offices" and a whole load bull**** from pretty much everyone you talk to...well your onto a winner there!

That said, Bangkok does have some great street food, thai red/green curry or pad thai for 30p a meal and circkets in soy sauce as a little late night snack. Armed with full tummies and some VERY cheap new clothes we set off from Bangkok on a 15hr bus journey overnight to Phuket....

....22hrs later we arrived, tired, hungry and grumpy, but it didn;t take long for the lovely, smiley people to make us feel at home in the middle of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival and let us try lots of tasty treats. We checked into a lovely little bungalow, our home for a few weeks, with an acutal garden in the bathroom, its very nice, and signed up at Tiger Muay Thai and MMA training camp.

So tomorrow we begin training on the beach at 7am, followed by a football match between guests and trainers, then the BBQ Beatdown, an all you can eat/drink extravaganza with some fighting thrown in for entertainment and karaoke....

As of Monday it 7am combat conditioning, followed by either 3hrs of Muay Thai Boxing or 2.5hrs of MMA (Cage fighting). A brief rest from the midday sun and a chance to get to the beach, training resumes at 4pm with another 3hrs of Muay Thai or MMA, and thats us for the next few weeks! Miss you all, hope your still enjoying reading these, really appreciate your messages on the board!!!!

Rich and Em xxxx