To clarify before I start we are loving our time in South-East Asia. We have been in Thailand now for 19 days and so far it has been amazing. I can honestly say that we haven’t felt scared, pressured or worried at any part so far. I know a lot of our friends and family were a little more worried about us being in S.E Asia compared to New Zealand and Australia, but so far they have had zero to worry about. I would say that is partly down to research. Knowing how much things cost, what the common scams are and the Thai customs have meant we have slipped straight into being tourists here with no issues. All that being said, there are some adjustments that we are having to get used to.

Toilets! We have encountered so many different types of toilets in 19 days. Here is a brief overview.

• The standard Western toilet (flush, seat and nice and high above the ground) – No issues here.
• A Western toilet, but with no flush. So on this one, you have to pour bucket loads of water down the toilet after your business. Not massively effective I must say…
• A flushing squat toilet. This one’s ok too. You have to squat, but a squat never killed anyone and it flushes for you. Great.
• A non-flushing squat toilet. Now we’re getting a bit hairy. This is what we encountered on our overnight train to Chiang Mai. So, as the train was rocking all over the place we had to pour water down the toilet. Also, the smell is far worse on these ones.
• A squat hole. This is as it sounds… a hole in the ground. I would be reluctant to even call this a toilet. The smell is very very very bad.

In Thailand you aren’t allowed to put anything down the toilet other than your standard 1s and 2s. All toilet paper goes in a bin… I think I dislike this the most. We’re doing fine though, just an adjustment.

Bugs! I hate biting insects. Like… detest! Unfortunately for me I am like a chew toy for insects and I have to admit, I’m getting pretty fed up. Whilst travelling nothing has made me think ‘I want to go home’, but I have to admit, the thought has crossed my mind at times when it comes to the bites. Now you’re probably thinking, ‘Becky, why don’t you use some bug spray?’ I have! A lot! I have tried 3 different insect repellants in the last 19 days. 20%, 40% and 50% DEET. I have applied this up to 4 times a day on some days (I’m getting increasingly concerned about the health risks of this). I have been sleeping (uncomfortably) in long trousers and tops and I have been wearing long clothes whenever I can, and nothing is helping. This morning I found 7 more bites on me… how is this possible? It is driving me insane!! I had similar problems in Australia and New Zealand, but we have reached a new level. Simon is getting the odd bite, but nothing in comparison to what’s happening to me. It’s making me sad 😦 Luckily, we’re not in a malaria risk zone yet, but I will be starting to take anti malarial tablets before we cross into Laos.

Food! We love Thai food, but, I’m starting to feel like we are eating the same things over and over again. It’s not uncommon for the Thai people to eat noodles, rice and soups for breakfast, as well as lunch and dinner. The thought of eating noodles for breakfast makes me feel quite sick and I’ve always stuck to eggs and toast, but for lunch and dinner the food is quite samey. The variety of Thai food is far greater than we’re used to at home, but it doesn’t stop the style being the same and also the fact that it is very noodle and rice heavy. We have had to go for the occasional Western meal just to change things up a bit, which is a shame, because the cost is about 4 times more than local cuisine.

Language! I was expecting there to be a far greater communication barrier, but so far we’re not finding that. Most Thai people speak good English and are very patient whilst you sign out something or get a location up on a map for them. It’s been absolutely stress free. It will be interesting to see if this continues into Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.

Environment! Thailand is a pretty busy place. There is a lot going on. There is a lot of traffic and there are a lot of people in a small place. Only last night we were walking along the pavement and they put phone boxes, post boxes, signs and benches right in the middle of the path, forcing you onto the road to walk. There are scooters and tuk tuks everywhere and often no pedestrian crossings meaning you just have to walk into the road to cross. They always slow down or drive around you, but it goes against everything we were taught about in our stop, look, listen videos at school. Thailand is also a lot like Hong Kong in that there are more smells than at home. Food, sewage and rubbish smells are everywhere, which aren’t always bad smells, but more than we’re used to.