Travelling is never easy, but I thought I had started to perfect it, I can pack for a month in the rainforest, 2 weeks working on a cruise ship, two consecutive weeks skiing to completely different continents, but about 11pm on Thursday it became clear that I could not pack to move round the planet for two years.I had packed and repacked, but my essential list still came to two large bags (baggage allowance one).So we arrived at Heathrow and I went to plead my case with the airline's customer services, a little birdie had told me that excess baggage would be around £6 a kilo, so imagine how hard I had to fight the faint when a very smiley rep announced it was £33 a kilo.Had one go at repacking, but gave up as Dad had the camera out and I though it wouldn't be that over.Went to check, hoping to try again, the bill would have been over £300, you do the maths.Anyway the long and short of it is that my baggage will arrive next week sometime as excess baggage ( I say will with confidence, as no one at Bangkok airport seems to know what I was talking about). The flight was half full-loads of room for my extra bag!

Mental note to self #1 - do some research before you travel, turns out the flight was 10 hours and not 7 or 8 and that due to BST Bangkok is only 6 hours ahead of the UK and that's no matter how, so my timings were a little out. Got an extra film and some sleep.

Was met at the airport by Martin Kneath, Head teacher.I was the first to arrive, closely followed by a bubbly red head called Lynsay, from Leeds, Dave, teaching Year 6, smiling Angela from Glasgow, Craig teaching Year 4, then there were a couple of couples (Peggy and Ad and Dan and Louisa) and finally Gordon, Maggie and their brood of three. All collected we got our first taste of the outside, not quite as bad as I thought. At least it certainly wasn't a Cool Runnings moment (the bit where they go back inside).

The apartments are lovely, I have the most brilliant view over Bangkok, I am on the 12th floor so way higher than anything around us. Perfect for helping raise the level of my Geography geekiness as I can see some slum housing, might earn some brownie points with Becky, Liz and Kate if I can get some decent photos.

Spent a little time while sorting out the two rooms I have and running around between apartments like a Year 9 on their first school trip. Angela, and Lynsay are in Eakthanee (pronounced Ektarnay). Really just checking that I didn't get the worst apartment, but there was no competition, everyone has the same lovely just off yellow sofa and king-size bed.

Set off with Angela and Lynsay to explore the local area.

Mental note to self #2 - Don't turn left out of Eakthanee, there's nothing there.

We went left and walked until we came to the big expressway, we turned left again thinking that we could do a big square - wrong, we walked for a good 25 minutes and didn't come across another road turning left, we gave up and to the amusement of the locals we passed twice we walked back the way we came.Won't be going that way again. Did get a toothbrush though!

Dinner was good, but I think I might avoid Thai red curry paste until my taste buds have acclimatised.Thank god for Tiger beer - I know not the best thing for a burning mouth, but I have only been here half a day and don't yet know how to ask for milk!Plus drinking milk in public doesn't make you look too good in front of your new colleagues.