Decision made

The main news today is that I have successfully managed to rearrange my return flights. I will be returning to Scotland on Monday the 8th of June - yes in just 4 days from now! The change cost me a return visit to Bangkok airport yesterday as well as the inevitable charges, but I'm pleased to have made the decision and to have got the arrangements made. My reasons for coming home early are rather varied. First of all the Chinese enforced a change of some sort because of their attitude to Tibet visitors. Vietnam was always part of the plan and I'm very happy with my time there. But this is not the best time of year to be a tourist in the Indochina region. It is very hot and humid, with the monsoon approaching. I didn't think I'd ever say this but I think I miss the typical Scottish summer weather. Maybe I'll come back to this part of the world in 6 months time or so.

I don't expect to have anything very interesting to report over these last few days - as long as everything goes according to plan that is. Ayumi is making her own plans - for visiting Cambodia, southern Vietnam, Laos and northern Thailand. This morning we met a new Japanese character in the form of Saiki. He has been in Thailand for the last 5 months, much of that time in hospital as a result of a mototbike accident. He is pretty well recovered now, but with a rather damaged shoulder. The whole episode has cost his insurance company US$4 million so far!

To close today here are some pictures from our Perfume Pagoda visit - courtesy of Masako's day with my camera.