I decided to take a 2 week trip up to Thailand as a nice little visa run. The overnight journey up to the border was fine – 8 hours on an air conditioned bus is a doddle for me these days. After that we crossed the border on foot. It was just before 7am. Between the two immigration posts we had to cross a river bridge. It was still dark. There were hardly any other people about, certainly nobody else on foot. Such a dramatic moment. A cinematic sort of border crossing. And once we reached Thai soil, as we walked the kilometer to the train station, the sun came up. It was really rather exhilarating. The warm rays, the golden colours, the smell of the early morning fruit market filling the air. What an incredible start to the day. And we arrived at the station just in time to buy our tickets for and board the local train to Surat Thani. A thirteen hour far from luxurious trip through southern Thailand. But the views were pretty and the overall experience interesting, so I wont complain. It’s funny how acceptable some unpleasant things are when you know that they will lead you to a happy place. And the Thai islands certainly offer that.

I decided to head to Koh Pha-Ngan, home of the legendary Full Moon Party.That is not the attraction though, by any means. This month, the party falls on the 18th so I could go, but my intention is to avoid it. To avoid that area of the island completely, in fact. To find a quiet, secluded bay where I can relax, soak up the sun and eat fabulous food until it is time to return to Malaysia. I’m treating it as a bit of a holiday in effect. And if my first day on this bi-polar island is anything to go by, a blissful holiday it will be…