This is my first post from half way across the globe and so far so good. Thailand is very interesting, yet very odd place all at the same time. I can't really say if it's living up to my expectations just yet, as to be honest, I didn't know what to expect; but so far I am really enjoying it, and that's the main point.

The journey started with a 6ish hour flight to Doha in Qatar, followed by another 6 to Bangkok. Qatar seemed a warm and prosperous place to be, with a multitude of different people and a mix of the expensive to the very expensive products in duty free....$350 USD for a box of 25 cigars!! The journey was fine, the food was great, and some of the views over Dubai were spectacular. Not being able to sleep for much of the flight due to screaming babies, meant that I could test the on-flight entertainment, which was actually quite good, allowing me to catch up with a legal drama; 'The Lincoln Lawyer' (which carries my recommendation), Peep Show, Family Guy and some funny French film.

On arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok at around 19:00, it was already dark, still very warm and very humid. We had to navigate our way through passport control, which took forever, and then find our way to our hostel which has the best name in the world, 'We Bangkok'. The taxi ride was an adventure, ducking and diving through traffic,  drivers on motorbikes with no helmets whizzing past, and driving on the wrong side of the road from time to time too. On getting to the Hostel we found that in our dorms there were others from the same company as us that were due to do their training on Koh Samui for the TEFL qualifications. So being able to speak to others in a similar boat to us was reassuring.

Our first day in Bangkok was an absolute nightmare, it involved traipsing around Bangkok to book a bus ticket to Phuket, getting ripped off by a Tuk-Tuk driver and breaking into Emily's suitcase to get her keys out. On the positive side we were able to visit Wat Po (the reclining Buddha), and the Chatuchak Weekend Market,  both which are huge! The day started off with trying to book an overnight bus ticket to Phuket, qhich seemed impossible from the very start....online and over the phone didn't seem to work...so we got a Tuk-Tuk to the Thai Tourism Office which seemed to make no difference. The Tuk-Tuk driver then agreed to take us to the bus terminal....but instead took us to a random tour centre and would not take us elsewhere. We regrettably had to pay him so he could bugger off and leave us alone and then get a taxi instead. Despite this the ride in the Tuk-Tuk can only be described as mental, with these self-fabricated carts, just whizzing around the streets of Bangkok. After finally sorting the ticket we were on our way to Wat Po, where a massive Buddha lies. We ended up spending more time taking pictures of a cat then the actual Buddha, but it was worth going see it, because words cant describe how big this sacred sculpture is.

We didn't spend long at Chatuchak Market, but it was a real eye-opener. The size of the market, coupled with the range of products available is staggering. You can buy objects that range from clothes, skulls, and swords, to dogs!

With little time to spare to catch our bus, we headed back to the hostel to grab our things. What was supposed to be something simple almost turned into a nightmare, with Emily having a blonde moment and locking her padlock keys for both the locker and her suitcase inside of her suitcase. Coming from Essex, I (aka the Great Houdini), had the required skills necessary to break into the case by using my magic tool and to save the damsel in distress. After this we would be on our way to Bangkok Bus Terminal to alight our bus to Phuket. The traffic on the way was horrendous, I knew traffic in Bangkok was bad, but lots of this was bumper to bumper and very slow moving.

Having boarded the bus, just in the nick of time, we were on our way to Phuket...This journey would take 12 hours overnight and leave us completely drained the next morning due to lack of sleep.

Not Long Left - One Week Till Thailand!

This day has come about so quickly, yet it has also felt like it has taken an age. Many preparations have now been made, and have either resulted in me being left with a sore arm, or a slightly lighter wallet, and nothing much else to show for it. Despite this, I am still very excited, although slightly nervous for what lies ahead....A whole new experience, including meeting many new people, visiting great sights, becoming a qualified TEFL Teacher and making an impact on my pupils futures. I think it is this final part which worries me most however. Teaching conversational English to children when one comes from Essex, is bound to end in tears. Apart from this small mishap, what else could possibly go wrong?


I have the fortunate opportunity to travel to Thailand, a week before my training on the paradise island of Koh Chang begins. This week should be both very fun and very interesting. The thought of travelling in a completely new and foreign place is a little scary but will be an unforgettable experience, and at least I wont be going it alone. The plan is to spend the first night in Bankgok, then go down to Phuket, and on to Koh Phi Phi and Krabi before heading back to Bangkok for the long month of training.