Introduction.
London - 21.09.2004.

Well, here we go then. Page 1 of the diary that is to accompany me on a holiday to the other side of the world. Well, I say 'holiday' - but what I actually mean is 'expedition'. Holiday is just the word that I use in front of my girlfriend, who is under the mistaken impression that we're off to Asia for 2 months to relax, soak in the culture, eat nice food and occasionally go to the beach. Ha! No chance - I'm planning the greatest excursion to the wild frontier since Marty McFly in Back To The Future part 3, only with more emphasis on the animals. Excellent animals with large teeth. And if my hunch is right, Asia may well be able to deliver them.

Anyway, Hello. My name is Theo.

Of course, I'm not a selfish boyfriend - I'll happily do the culture, the eating and the beach things too, but please understand - of the two beaches that we could visit today, my feeling is that the one with the chimp sanctuary next door has much nicer sand.

So. Where are we actually going? The plan is to arrive in Bangkok and then to head north towards the jungle. After that it all gets a bit wooly around the edges, but I've earmarked Cambodia and Vietnam in my big atlas, so I'm sure they'll be part of the itinerary sooner or later. But let's not worry about all the details at this stage - where's the fun in arriving with something that resembles a plan?

(Left) Me. Note Twiglet like toes.

Week 1 - Bangkok...