I think I heard cows in the jungle

So my friends back home, I have finally mastered the Thai keyboard and I'm able to give you my second posting.

The flight was easy and quite empty and I caught 2 good films en route, namely The Reader (quite sad and poignant) with Kate Winslett and Ralph Fiennes and Last Chance Harvey with Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson (very nice in a Notting Hill way). Flight arived early and my driver, Tommy, was there to greet me and by the time I had got to the car, I knew where he came from, where he lived, what his son was called/how old he was/ what he was going to do etc. This is typical of what I have found already and that is the Thai's are incredibly friendly. I was greeted at the resort by the Manager and a pretty girl serving a gorgeous cocktail and cold towels. Sheer bliss. Dinner that night was 3 beers; Steamed Mussels and a Stir Fried Noodle with Seafood dish - cost $4. You won't get rich here but if you have no money, you can certainly live very well.

It's now day three and I'm staying in a resort called Moo Ban Talay on an island called Ko Samed. The island is about a 3 hour drive south east followed by a 30 minute boat ride.In the time I have been here I have explored a little to a resort called Had Sai Kaeo (which stands for White Sand Beach) and I think it's the Islands version of Ibiza. A lot of young from Bangkok descend there at the weekend and I happened to be there that evening when there was a Fire Show. It was very entertaining made all the more enjoyable because the beach was transformed in the evening and all the bars laid out mats and sofas you lay down on. It was wonderful.

As the night wore on I received a regular stream of texts advising me of what was happening with the football and suffice to say the Mighty Reds have won the title but it was strange to be celebrating in a bar full of Thai's with Arsenal and Liverpool shirts on. I was in my element and to their credit, I did not have to buy too many drinks. I don't think that would have happened in the UK at all. Bring on Barcelona - I have my shirt at the ready!

I took the walk home; got lost; found the road but then got snarled at on more than one occasion by big dogs. Anyone who knows me knows how scared of dogs I am so I was just glad to get back alive. Man this place has a lot of dogs!

That night I swore I heard cows in the forest, which backs onto the resort. God it was loud and I will upload the recording another time but it turns out it was.......frogs. Big buggers I bet.

Last two days have helped out around the place cleaning the beach etc. but I've also taken the time to take it all in. There are no TV's, radios etc. More staff than guests at this time of year as we approach the rainy season and the rain has poured on occasion, but the sun has shone as well. The hotel doesn't fly anything in (apart from guests of course); the shower is outside and uses the rainwater and I feel I am doing my bit whilst here

I have a couple more days here before I transfer to Bangkok, where Elliot my son will be joining me before we head north to Chiang Mai and the Elephant sanctuary. I will probably post an update in Bankok and keep watching out for the one liners on Facebook