Number 28

Now for a travel experience miles and miles and miles away from home back in 2002 - being in Thailand for the Songkran Festival celebrating their New Year. Aside from the wandering hands of a Vietnamese rally car driver on the flight out who wanted to "snuggle up", Thailand was a cultural blast for me. I'd never done longhaul and I had no idea what to expect from a country so different to the UK. It blew my senses in every way possible, but the craziest moment for me was during the last afternoon in Bangkok. I went out onto the streets to party with the locals and being white and so obviously a tourist, I was like a magnet - everybody, and I mean everybody wanted to touch me and throw white goo and water in my face (that's the main ingredient of Songkran) !!! I was totally overwhelmed, in a right sticky mess and I dropped my camera and smashed it. A kind shopkeeper dragged me into his shop and pointed upstairs to his bathroom so I could clean up a little. I couldn't have been more grateful! But no sooner had I gone back out onto the streets again to try and skirt back to my hotel, I was covered head to toe in white goo and soaked with water. I ended up walking into the hotel, feeling all eyes on me as I boldly approached the Reception desk keeping a straight face, politely asking for my key and then getting into the shower fully clothed. So, sadly no photos, but what a weird and wonderful experience that was!