In the UK I use Vodafone as my provider. I have to admit I ask myself why a few times but there you have it, probably due to the number I guess.

However, one good thing is the free access to the EDGE/GPRS settings in the Uk which, though not fast on my iPhone, enables me to get my email at all times, slowly browse simple web pages but is nowhere near good enough for Skype/Facebook, etc.

Unfortunately, over in Thailand this service (3G/EDGE/GPRS) is not free and eats away at your (my!!) credit.

There are a few sites offering as solution to this problem (such as setting up your EDGE/Roaming account with dummy login details) but, having tried a number of them, none of them worked for any length of time (some did work for a few hours but cased the phone to crash even more than it does normally :-)

Frustrated at this, I took the liberty of sending an email to the provider (One-2-Call) who called me the very same evening and disabled 3G/EDGE/GPRS for my sim card. Okay, I don't have the facility of location services as such but who cares

iPhone works normally now and only crashes about once every fortnight :-)

Now my language skills have never been worth shouting about and learning Thai is not particularly easy!

I have to admit that, at this stage, it appears far harder than French and Spanish ever were (both of which I failed miserably in learning) so I have decided to book myself in for a beginners course at a language school here in Bangkok. Course starts 7th September and is 60 lessons long so will take a few months...

Partied late'ish last night so a relaxing wake up, some lunch in Pattaya and under the beach umbrella-roof for the afternoon:

Afterwards it's back to the hotel and watching the sunset from Jomtien Beach:

Back to Bangkok tomorrow.

We grab some lunch in a local restaurant and then spend the afternoon down by the beach chilling out and then getting some supplies and the like before heading back to the hotel.

You have to be careful where you walk though, especially at night...

Togged up, off for a Korean BBQ and then a night down 'Walking Street'.

Both of us want to get out of Bangkok for a few days so we decide to go to Pattaya/Jomtien for a break.

A blast from the past is on the bus! Spooky how things work out but we bimble down to the bus station at Ekkamai, stopping when the heavens open, deciding not to get this bus buyt the next one, kind of thing and in no real rush at all.

I end up sitting across the aisle of the bus from Paul Twyn, a bloke from Brecon who I met 22 years ago when I was posted their, and had a few beers with (on more than one occasion) all those years ago, strange coincidences!

Still raining all the way down to the coast it takes an hours or so longer to get there than normal. An exciting journey with like flood-water in some places.

Arrive in Pattaya, say cheerio to PT and then get a taxi to the Jomtien Boathouse.

There are lots of new and smart cars about but this is the first roller I've seen over here.

Much better now...only headaches and joint pain remaining :-)

Temperature is down 0.2 C today so am feeling much better :-) Headaches is still there but that may be down to the Sangsom...!

Not feeling particularly good today :-(.

Aches and pains (more than usual), headaches, bit of a dry throat, coughing and a temperature. My trusty thermometer showing 38.4 C which is not particularly good) for me.

Though it may (or may not) be a good idea to see a doctor about this, it's almost definite that, having a fever and showing [some of the] signs/symptoms of the said swine flu, being a foreigner, I'll be quarantined.

Stay in with a bottle of rum I think (good job the Ashes is on :-)

Spend a couple of days at Jane's whilst we look for an apartment to stay in.

Look at around 8 -10 different places and they're all around a similar price but only 1 or 2 I would actually consider living in.

In the end we decide on a nice 1 bed studio near Phra Ram 9 MRT (underground station). This is only 2 stops from Jane's work, 3 stops from the sky train and makes the center of Bangkok easily accessible.

The month didn't pass as quick as it normally does (strange that). But I hire a car and drive to Heathrow, flight leaves on time but it is a crap flight to Mumbai!

Then, a three hour delay there and a cramped, uncomfortable 4-hour flight onward flight to Suvarnabhumi

Thankfully we arrive safely and at about 9.30 in the morning am around Jane's flat in Bangkok. Happy days