Getting ready for the off (3rd November 2011)

So for fear of saying 'here we go again', indeed here we go again! ;-)

I never thought that I would be going on another trip quite so soon after the last or in fact to the place I'm going to but sometimes life deals an interesting hand and what doesn't kill us makes us stronger right?? But to be honest I'm a little done at the mo on the tough times, any chance of an easy life in the offing? Ha I guess that’s a no then! ;-)

If I could order the rest of my life it would have the word 'easy' in it, in capital letters! But I guess that's never going to be a realistic option huh?

Anyway enough of all that, the whys and the wherefores, I'm sure you've all heard more than enough on the subject, and for those who haven't, think yourselves lucky! ;-))

The title of this years blog, after some deliberation, is Mai Thaim as in ‘my time’ and it had better be, ideally at some point before I’m too old to enjoy it!!

So here I am on my way to Thailand. I've wanted to go to the north of Thailand for some time now. It's the food and buddhist culture that’s drawn me the most. So, I wonder, after 5 weeks what are the chances of me coming back a Buddhist Thai chef extraordinaire? Small I'd say at first glance but I'll give it a go.

First though I've the getting ready to go, oh and the booking of it all. Some might think it’s the adrenalin rush of my late booking that I like others would claim it’s my indecisiveness. On this occasion I’m with the latter and this time is certainly a record even for me, 36 hours before departure I eventually decide to book a flight - amazingly I also manage to short list accommodation choices for the first couple of nights, hey, I'm getting good at this! Actually booking the accommodation came just 18 hours before departure.

So Thailand it is, to start, and actually to end but what happens in the 5 and a half weeks in-between is anyone's guess!

Due to the fact Bangkok is sinking under flood water and taking into account my hatred of water, flood, crystal clear or any other, I've decided to head straight to the north of Thailand and to Chiang Mai.