Travel notes:

People:

Lynda and Gill: old friends from London and fellow Liverpool supporters. Both experienced travellers round the world. Have spent the last nine months volunteering in Cambodia, teaching English to orphans in the poverty school and in a shelter for trafficked girls and young women. They return to England early August.

Places:

The journey so far:
Bangkok (4 nights)
Taxi to Khao Yai – 2-3 hours north east of Bangkok. UNESCO heritage site. One day trek in the jungle with fab guide – pronounced Nine – spelt no idea.Saw gibbons, hornbills, scorpions macaques. Went to the famous waterfall used in the film The Beach. Managed not to crack my toe on the rocks there. Managed to crack my toe later coming out of our bathroom at the Jungle Lodge. The lodge – more rooms with character and some Thai karaoke thrown in late into the night. Woke up to see three elephants wandering past our door.

Public bus back to Bangkok. A few hours to kill before the sleeper train to Chaing Mai. Saw the movie Wanted in a cinema in one of Bangkok's many air conditioned huge shopping malls. The cinema arranged like a first-class airline. Big plush seats more comfortable than most of the beds we've had here. Air conditioning freezing – but thoughtfully they'd provided quilts to keep us warm. Drinks served throughout the movie. The movie – rubbish.

Overnight to Chiang Mai. disappointing place. A few temples, and a modern part much like a very reduced Bangkok – heaps of markets, street food and bars, and sex tourism. We stayed in more rooms with character at the Royal Garden Lodge. Reasonable price but more than the nice cool, clean hotel with free wi-fi round the corner. Young backpackers aplenty here.

Next day: mini bus through the mountains to Pai. Wonderful four days relaxing there. Gorgeous rooms at the Pairadise Guest House and Bakery run by a German woman Kathrin and her Thai husband Pin, who designed the place himself and created a pond and spring water swimming pool out of the old rice fields. Unbelievable price – about £10 a day for two.

Night bus to Chiang Khong at the Thai-Laos border. Speed boat up the Mekong to Luang Prabang the ancient capital of Laos. Still here and will be till 21st July. Plan an elephant trek, maybe some kayaking and a visit to Buddhist cave. Fab place, fantastic food – Lao and French. We both had Lao massages. Slightly strange experience – but invigorating. Staying in Sayo river Guest House. Good rooms, balcony overlooking the Mekong. $40 a night.

Next stop – probably – Plain of Jars, then Vang Vieng, down to Vientiane and maybe sometime in the south of laos visiting limestone underground caves – 7 k of them.

Bright idea: how about a travel guide for the 40-50 somethings? Lonely Planet often out of date and caters for a mainly young backpackers. Saga too old. We want adventure and comfort with a little bit of sociability and rooms with character thrown in from time to time.

Corn plaster report: my rashes have mostly gone, face clear. Cracked toe almost better. Jenks' hearing a bit dodgy from day to day. Did something like a sprain to her arm sitting in the jacuzzi in Bangkok Marriott. Corn plasters – still carrying loads but amazingly have not needed to use them yet!

Top picture: our place in Pai
Bottom picture: the four of us (Lynda and Gill right) Buffalo Bar, Pai