Black Eyes and All

Hey everybody, just in Fukuoka for a night before I fly home, very excited to see you all really soon. Thailand and Shanghai were wonderful, waterfalls, (minor incident with a slippery rock and subsequent black eye) elephant trekking, Tiger temples, well, actually, the animals made me feel sad, they were all caged and chained and that didn't put me at ease, but as for natural beauty, a place like Katchanaburi's a stellar example. We stayed on a house raft for two days on the river Kwai, very close to Myanmar (whoopsies on the not going to need malaria medication). met some fantastic people, most of whom we were able to catch up with again in Koh Samui.

Koh Samui was fun, good for a laugh, not necessarily what I would call an "authentic Thai experience", but great swimming, eating and drinking to be had, a good way to wind down. Shanghai is a crazy city, with lots to offer the cashed-up traveller. Unfortunately for us we were not. That didn't matter though, because dad had very kindly found us a lovely hotel right in the heart of town on the Bund where we could enjoy the scenes below from a suitable height of 14 floors, and a suitable temperature, ie, not 180 degrees in the shade.

So now I head to Sydney, then Melbourne, then finally to Adelaide on the 16th of July. I'm so excited, though at the moment exhausted. One last night out tonight with some girlfriends, quiet dinner, then collapse. See you all soon (I hope)!