January 7th 2011

What goes up must come down... finally back to Britain. Not with a bang, just a 4.15 National Express coach back to a grey UK into what appeared to be a power cut across south east england actually turned out to be business as usual. Compared, however to the blaze of colour we left Thailand in - the blue skies of the beach, the fiery gold coloured temples and simple 60 watt bulbs illuminating the food vendors stalls, Britain seemed a dreary world; drained of light, warmth and colour, as though the aeroplane we returned on had flew by accident back to the 1950's.

Enough already of the weather; Thailand has gone from being in the in the present to the past and is now a memory to look back fondly on, aided and abbeted by numerous photo's, films and gifts fuelled by magnificent memories, anecdotes and personal flashbacks that have embedded themselves into our spirits, probably forever.

Returning to what we left however is disconcerting. What we were perfectly happy with before is some how diminished or overshadowed from a different experience. Life is probably more realistic now than before. Whilst Brighton is one option for living, we have been pleasantly reminded that it is not the only one. As by completing approximately 3,000 miles of travelling on public transport across Thailand, Samina and Jehan have amply demonstrated their ability to simply 'be' for long periods of time by enduring four 6 hours coach journeys, two 13 hour train journeys and numerous rides in taxi's, tuc tuc and ferries, without real complaint, dissatisfaction or unhappiness at being in this situation. But on the other hand, would all our money, planning and hope have been wasted if, as temples, palm trees, unfamilair language, smells and sights flew past, could people - children, adults, grandparents - not marvel at the way this new world unveiled itself before our eyes.

Suffice therefore to say, Thailand, at the end of 2010, was an explosion of everything, a cultural hand grenade, thrown into normal life, exploding all we held true but replacing it with something new, rich, warm and true. And, above all, irreversible. Fortunately time cannot be reversed. Whatever the future brings, the past, of which Thailand has now become is, (for the present) literally another country...

We are so grateful for the kindness shown to us by friends and family here in the UK before we left (and since returning, sitting through our interminable slide shows!) and people - friends, colleagues and strangers, in Thailand who, with their courtesy and respect, made our holiday so unforgettable.

'Khawp khun maak Khrap'- Thank you very much in Thai.