THAILAND AND NO ROM COMS

Back from Thailand, land of the big Buddhas and lemongrass and prawns in absolutely everything.  Ate at the illustrious restaurant The Blue Elephant (there's one in London) and met the head chef who's so funny and loves London and told me that Michael Caine has kissed her on both cheeks, orders lamb shank when he eats there and if I learn to cook the lamb curry for a man with their recipe he will fall in love with me. Lets hope he's not a vegetarian then.  

It was 33 degrees heat while we were there. I went on a flight simulator for one of Thai Airways planes.  Don't ask which one. It was big.   And it was so much fun. We had bad weather thrown at us, we had to do three almost landings or whatever they are called, they have to come up again and do a ring round and then down again, which is unlike Heathrow, because you have to do at least two or three of those ring rounds in Heathrow.

The flight back was tiring but watched West Side Story. That is so romantic that film and the dancing is phenomenal. I wanted to be Edwardo and do that dance down the alleyways and then be Rita Moreno and dance and sing on the rooftops.    Watching that film at six made me want to dance. There's a passion I had never seen before. They made every move sexy, mean something, it wasn't mere exercise to music.   And the story, neatly pinched from Shakespeare is so full of hope and romance and that moment when you first meet someone and there's that spark.

I was with a group of journalists one of whom complained there weren't enough rom coms on the inflight entertainment.  Perhaps not as much comedy but this is the greatest romance of them all.   Bit like Thailand.  Very romantic.   Just I don't want to eat another prawn for a very long time.  

THE PERFUME COUNTER

Starting this series with my time in Thailand. On a press trip with ten other journalists. We are here for quite a few publications.   The lifestyle is wonderful, the pay is painful but I meet such interesting colourful people. The group are Italians, French, German, psuedo American (they learnt English in America or have stayed in America which gives them an American disposition for voice level at all times), and there's four English, and everyone behaving to stereotype sort of.

This is one place I don't need or want to smell sweeter than it is. It is already beautiful and fragrant even on grey days.   The image of the elephant is present everywhere from being cut into intricate topiary in the gardens of great hotels, to silk purses, to jade charms, an image of strength and resilience although there are now over fifty sanctuaries trying to save the animals from poachers and lack of forest.  The animals don't even have tusks and as far as I know eating elephant isn't good for your skin or health.

The itinerary is well paced but the jet lag painful.  But I write and work juggling as I always do when I travel.   Tom is loving it, seeing the difference between the holiday and the travel experience in every step.