Hey hey hey - how is everybody back home? Hope all is well in Blighty and the run up to Xmas and all the parties are keeping you all warm.

So, slightly confusing since this blog is from Thailand but I'm currently in Cambodia chilling out up in Siem Reap and getting proper 'templed up'.... Already had a few adventures in Cambodia but that can wait until the next blog.

Let's tell you about Thailand...... after a brief stop for the night in Bangkok, I made my way down to Koh Chang, an island South East of Bangkok in the Gulf of Thailand near the Cambodian border. A fairly painless bus journey got us, (me and a lovely Swiss couple called Iri and Christina who were later to become good drinking buddies) to the ferry terminal and soon we were on Koh Chang. Jumping on board one of the many share taxis to take us to Lonely Beach just in time for the Sunset with a beer....

Lonely Beach is not so lonely anymore..... I was there in 1999 and there was one set of 6 bungalows called Treehouse. Treehouse is still there, check out the place on stilts and where most of the evening photos were taken, but now there are many bungalows along the beach. It's still stunning and the sunsets with a couple of beers were pretty amazing.

I spent most of my time on the beach, but did feel adventurous on one occasion and trekked up to the waterfall. We, (Andrew and Rosy who I hope to meet up with again in Sydney, and Iri and Christina), christened my frisbee, (a gift from Jess), but in the sea so now I fear it no longer flashes at night, (not so waterproof it would appear), played footy with a couple of girls from Norway, (they were pretty good too), drank beers watching the sunset. It was tough going and I did think about all of you on many an occasion.....

We had a couple of chilled evenings meeting people and then there was the Full Moon party. Not anywhere near the scale as on Pha Ngan but by this point we were a group of around 16. Was an excellent night apart from drinking all the Tuaca Kate gave me AND losing my Tuaca shot glass in the process, (along with the playing cards from Jess which translated things for me). Gutted on all counts so anybody wishing to replace anything can ask Gary for my address in Sydney....... Or give them to Joe if he hasn't left already. Or I can wait until Kate, Emma and Andy join me in Bolivia - yes, if you didn't know my travels will be shared with these lovely people in March / April time. I also very much hope somebody else may join me at some point.....

We had another excellent night following the Full Moon but I missed my transport off the island the next day. However, determined not to get stuck at the first place I went I winged it to Cambodia which took forever, (my taxi I had booked and paid for which I missed should of taken me 3 hours). Going local took me the best part of 6 hours to get over the border. I was then driven and dropped off at the picking up point for Rainbow Lodge where I was hoping to meet Gerard and the boat. By this point, it was dark, I could not get in touch with Gerard and I was standing on the side of the road and river in the middle of nowhere. Fortunately, Gerard turned up and I made it to Rainbow Lodge after an interesting trip up the river in the pitch black. It was great to see a familiar face after 7 hours going local and even better to be chilling out in Rainbow Lodge with a beer!

Anyways, that will be that for now. Another update will come following Cambodia where I can let you know all about Rainbow Lodge.

Missing home a little but it's getting easier and I'm meeting people all the time, (had a party in the luggage compartment of the overnight bus to Siem Reap with 3 Cambodian dudes - that was an interesting 6 hour journey, will embellish next time). Hope to catch up with some of the Koh Chang lot in Phnom Penh who are then also heading to Vietnam.

Keep the messages coming and thanks to those who have posted already! More to come soon - will he find a replacement Tuaca glass, can he beat the Norwegian girls in the Vietnam rematch, will he manage without the translation playing cards, can he manage to persuade Jonny and Rob not to play 21's everynight and insist on international drinking rules and how will he play night frisbee now?

Wilson - good luck with your interviews, I won't miss you in Vietnam at all......

Gary - I hear you're having a party for New Years in the flat. It has a lot to live up to after last years Xmas party but I trust you will do your best. I'll be watching 2ManyDJs in Sydney.

Kate, Em, Andy - will be in touch re: South America. We probably need to sort out picking you up from the airport. I may also need supplies of some description or another..... Plenty of time though!

Shona - hope you had fun in Argentina, thanks for the tips. If you have anymore then let me know.

David - how goes it at EDF? Met up with Gerard and we managed to not talk about work for 2 days.....

Joe - have you left yet? What are your plans and will I see you in Sydney? You kind of went of the radar there before I went away.....

Everyone else; be good, be safe and look after the place while I'm gone.....

Cheers.

Matt.

P.S. Some of the photos have 'me bird', (I'm travelling with 'me bird''), in them, (Mine Mine Mine as some of you might know her). It's like a where's Wally but with an inflatable seagull. Childish but amusing all the same.