Well here I am in Hua Hin in Southern Thailand and 6668 miles away from rainy Surrey. My journey here was long, 23 hours long… It would have been 2 hours shorter,  but 3 passengers in Dubai helpfully checked their bags in but got so caught up in the amazing array of bargains in Duty Free, that they failed to make it to the Departure gate. Hence three suitcases had to be located amongst the 400 onboard and offloaded. I was pleased the latecomers weren’t allowed on the plane as I had decided that I was going to assault them with the only weapon I had onboard; a handbag sized hairbrush, as they walked down the aisle. By the time I finally arrived here I was so tired that I was delusional, and had no idea of what day or time it was. I just knew it was hot, steaming…

When I started writing my travel blog 5 years ago I proudly called it ‘How Not to Have a Midlife Crisis’.  To be honest I thought it was a pretty good title.  However now, at the age of 59, I think describing myself as in ‘midlife ‘ is wishful thinking.   I  have therefore  re- named it ‘How Not To Have a Prolonged Midlife Crisis.’  My menopausal hot flushes may have subsided, thank God,  but my desire to head off and see the world has not. My backpack is stuffed with everything under the sun, from mosquito nets to toe nail clippers and tomorrow I am heading off, courtesy of Emirates to Thailand.  I am going to work in a dog shelter there which houses 1200 dogs before travelling to Cambodia to teach English to Buddhist monks – that should be interesting!  My final destination is a small island off…