Well, here I am, currently in a hot, sweaty Cambodian internet cafe with poor signal!

A smooth journey to Bangkok was made even easier by the fact I was éscorted'to Dubai by Mum and Kela - any excuse for a hoilday! I was a nervous wreck the morning of my flight, but as soon as I was left to my own devices everrthing was great - the transition felt even more smooth due to the fact Bangkok airport is so welcoming and modern - a polar opposite to Colombo.

As I sat in my taxi, the bright lights of the city flashed by, and again I couldn't help but compare it to that of my first few hours in Colombo. The difference is immense. There are no obvious signs of poverty, but a vibrant, buzzing city, which I immediately felt comfortable in.
I was however feeling more than slightly dubious about my first two nights of accommodation, due to some horrendous reviews I had read the day before on Trip Advisor. A porter ran out to seize my bag from me and I was ushered to reception, where I was pleasantly surprised to find an open, light and clean lobby. I wasn't going to relax just yet thopugh, I was expecting to be robbed in the night and have bed bugs in my room, if the reviews were to be believed. As I stepped into my rrom, I acutiously scanned every nook and cranny in search of a cockroach, spider, bettle or, well anything really. I was certain I was bound to find something, but thankfully the coast was clear. Still deluded by the words 'bed bugs', I frantically sprayed my sheets with permethrin - a kind of insectiside for clothes and fabrics, which claims to kill everything.
After a quick bite to eat and a drink in the bar downstairs I headed to bed, but being alone, the thought of been robbed overtook me, and who says the imagination can run wild. My mind certainly wasn't put at ease, when as soon as I went to lock my door, thew lock came off in my hand. I mildly panicked for a bit, but decided I needed sleep, so attempted to drift off...this seemed impossible - however easier with the TV on, so I watched the only chammel in English for the remainder of the night, yet woke up every two hours to check on my bags!
Hving had very little sleep, I headed down for breakfast - a combination of pancakes and maple syrup, as you can tell, I'm really getting to grips with Asian delicacies. I slumped back into bed for again periodical moments of sleep, having vivid dreams that people were walking into my room to attck me or something. I couldn't take it much onger, so decided to venture out into the streets in search of the Khao San Road - a ledgendary backpacker's haven, which I had heard was nearby my hotel. Having had no luck finding this road, I sheepishly headed back to my hotel, cautiously crossing the roads which area minimum of four lanes of traffic either side! Not so great when I have a fear of roads and traffic...

I was however, pleased to find a handyman in my hotel room fixing the lock on the door when I arrived back..began to put my mind at ease, and shorrty after that my roommate arrived - Kate: 25 British and lovely - even better!

Kate and I did manage to find the ledgendary road thatis the Khao San, which lived upto expectations - a lively bustling mecca for tourists selling every item imaginable, I'm looking forward to heading back here to shop for a new wardrobe and jewelery!

We met up with ourt fellow group members that evening, who are all lovely. However, not all of them are doing the whople 'Indochina' experience, just certain segments of the trip, and we will get other group members along the way. After becoming better aquainted and having a brief overview of the itinerary, we all headed out to dinner followed by a few drinks on the Khoa San.

A fellow traveller, who has been away for some time, made me a proposition I couldn't refuse. Now, he has been travelling for some time now, and has tried his fair share of exotic foodstuffs including testicals, yak c*** amongst various other things...he aid I must try something while I'm here, and he would buy me a local delicacy along the way..how's a girl to refuse such a charming offer? I didn't however expect this proposition to be taken up that very night. After passing a street seller selling cockroach, crickets, flies and maggots, he propositioned me to a cockroach, which I downright refused. Perhaps somewhat foolishly, I offerd to eat a cricket instead, why I did this I will never ever know. The beer had clearly taken hold by this point. He had already eaten his cockroach within seconds, which was massive by the way, and he ate it whole - nice. I was then stuck with the prospect of this cricket which was staring me out, which suddenly seemed huge. I became slightly freaked out by the fact that this bug was staring me out so Mark pulled off the head and ate that. I was left with body. Great. The insides of this creature exposed, which I was meant to eat. Mark held it, as I couldn't possibly, I closed my eyes, not before jumping around on the spot for several minutes then ate the body. A cruch. Then fine. I ddn't really taste of much at all, and then I was rediculously proud of myself, and now feel I have some sort of story to rewrite...and there we gp that's y bizare culinary experience to date.