What A Big Old World It Is

So we stepped off the plane and landed on Mars.

Well, not quite.

Everything in Bangkok is surreal. We love it. Women on every street corner with woks making Pad Thai Guy (chicken and noodles). People selling all sorts of things, ping pong parties, wild animals. Tuk tuks everywhere. It's lively, it's different and it's friendly.

Don't make a plan was what we were told by others who'd been travelling before. What no plan?
How exotic!

So we didn't make one, no agenda - nothing. We just decided which countries we'd go to.

Once we arrived and started chatting with other backpackers they'd ask us, 'so guys where to next?' then we'd explain we didn't have a clue. We've been told we're brave, adventurous, free. In fact, the no plan rule makes us feel more clueless than ever.


So far in Bangkok we've visited the Temple of Dawn, which was built by Rama II, the Grand Palace - which is beautiful and colorful. We've visited a huge gold Buddha statue and taken trips on the river and also in a tuk tuk. We even went out last night and got a bit tipsy - ended up in a club (no ping pongs or lady boys I'm afraid)just a Thai man singing English tunes with a guitar.


Freedom. It's what I wanted. To do what I want, when I want. Bliss.
No two days ave been the same. It's just hard deciding what to do next.

There is so much choice - Laos, Vietnam Myanmar, do we go north, do we go south?
We were going to go east and head into Cambodia, but now we're heading to Ko Samui then onto Ko Pangan for a Full Moon Party - mushroom milkshake buckets ready (I am joking Dad!!)Then we're going to head up to Chang Mai and do a few days elephant trekking and staying in a village.
It seems the world is our oyster.... but what a big mollusk it is!!!

The Great Escape

The List
Tickets - check
Back pack containing minimal clothing and essentials - check
Insurance - check
My travel buddy Lynsey - check.... God help me if she's not on the list!!

So this is it.

I'm ready. (Or at least I should be!)

It's been a lifelong dream to go travelling. I just never got round to it before now.

"I’ll go after Uni
Or after a year of working
Definitely before I'm 24"

Those milestones came and went.

In the end it took the breakdown of a five-year relationship and the best part of seven months to gear myself up and just do it.

One big 18 month holiday to look forward to. I love holidays. I never want to come back. Just the thought of sun on my face and the sand in between my toes fills me with joy.

I know that there is more out there than bleak, cold and grey London.

We decided to start in South East Asia, as apparently it's very easy to get around and not such a shock to the system for first time back packers. We also applied for a year working visa in Australia. So that's two flights booked; one to Bangkok and then another from Bangkok to Sydney six months later.

In fact, we have no real plan - we're completely left to our own devises.

I've been through every emotion: anticipation, worry, fear, excitement, relief, elation...

I’ve read the guides and purchased the fibre light towel, the sleeping bag liner and the 55 litre backpack…

I’m definitely ready, surely! So why is there this niggling fear?

Thinking about it makes me jittery. I don't know what to expect. I feel completely clueless.

About a million questions are going through my head - what do we do when we get there? How do we get around without a plan? What if I get bitten to death by mosquitos, or have to sleep in a shack and eat boiled rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner?!

Will I be able to fit everything into my teeny backpack?

I also can't believe I've given up my job. I'm intending to work in Oz but what if all I can get is fruit picking that pays the equivalent of £5 a week? Oh God, will I have given up my career to become a farmer?!! That was never on the cards!

But it's an adventure. An exciting one.

I just don’t know what to expect, or how I’ll cope. The only thing I can do is just see when I get there.

Why don't you join me on this blog and find out how I do?