An update from the northern part of Thailand in Chiang Mai. I have had a great start to my backpacking travels, sharing the last few days with two girls from Plymouth, great times and many giggles. Chiang Mai is a great city, very relaxed and with so many great things to do. I started my trip here with a look around the city temples, being covered up with interesting cloaks. The girls and I treated ourselves to a thai massage, scrub and facial all so cheap, ama...

So since my last blog I have had a few interesting experiences, eating bugs, teaching at a secondary and joing locals on a temple day. Over the weekend I joined a local Thai teacher on a trip to collect 17 piglets. I would have never have thought I would be frightened of pigs, but these mother pigs were colossal and very hungry. Warin (an english teacher) collected the piglets which were sweet but created an awful squeal. They managed to fit them into one crate ...

So I have had a nice few days. Thursday I went on a school trip with the older children joining 15 other schools. Where I met two other Thai english teachers whose english skills are to prefection! Wairin managed to translate everything for me throughout the day, she is so lovely. I went to Kampheng Phet the capital of the Province I am staying in, it was still a 2 hour journey to get there. We visited 700 year old temple ruins, which were all very interesting to...

I am now settled a little more after a bit of culture shock and realising I am quite a distance from any normal civilisation! I have settled into teaching and it hasn't been too much trouble, even though I have to rely on the english teacher to translate instructions to the children. I have a few free periods in the day which is ok but not what I was expecting, I would rather be teaching all day. Today I taught some of the children the names of the animals they ...

Hi all, I have arrived safely and well after a long 11 hour flight and only 2 hours sleep even though I did have a whole row of seats to myself! I arrived late in Bangkok so didn't really get to see it. Met up with organiser of the volunteering company and had pad thai and a drink for only 70p amazing! Yesterday I went on a day out with the school to the coast which was a very long drive in sticky hot weather, thank goodness for air con! We went to a naval base ...