Having now well and truly left Thailand, we've decided it's time for some reflections - the highs and the lows.

My lowest was definitely trying to hobble around Bangkok with a very painful left foot (the muscles on the inside of my calf had gone solid due to a former injury, according to my osteopath who I saw before we left) and that deferred as excrutiating pain in my left foot which mean that I was walking on the outside of my heel and that every step and especially every jar or knock made me feel sick! It took daily massage (glad I knew what to do!) and regular Ibruprofen for about 2 weeks, and every time I jarred it I wanted to cry! Thankfully it's absolutely fine now, but it was certainly a very difficult start to our adventures, and I was very thankful for nurse Penny and her patience in waiting for me to hobble along!

The highest point for me was being on Koh Tao, a most beautiful and laid back island. Not only was our bungalow by the beach with stunning views, but it was a great place to dive. I was very worried about going on boat dives after a very very bad experience in Egypt where I was the sickest I've ever been in my entire life, but the water was really smooth, the journeys short and the experience absolutely fine! I was also worried about a completely different set-up to what I'd experienced in Egypt, and most of all was very aware that I didn't have my dive buddy Kim, so there was a lot to contend with all at once.

However, it all came right and my dive buddies were OK (although I'd rather have Kim there anyday!)I managed to finish my "Advanced" certificate, by doing two afternoon dives and then a night dive all on the same day.

For the night dive, we had to jump from the side of the boat, just as night descended, with a torch (waterproof, of course) and then swim in the balmy waters out to our dive site. It was exhilaring going down into the black with just a torch, following our instructor into waters that were clear but only visible within the narrow beam of our torches.

I thought I might feel worried, but our instructor had been on Koh Tao for 5 years and knew the place backwards, which was very reassuring! There wasn't as much activity at night as during the day, but there were quite a few different types of active fish, and stingrays were swimming quite freely (they hide under rocks during the day). Also, when I hid my torch beam and swooshed the water in front of me there were lots of phosphorescent particles that glowed green and yellow - incredible! There were also luminous purple small creatures that our instructor showed us, and it was all such an incredibly different world.

When we emerged about 50 minutes later, it was to a brilliant startlit sky that was just incredible, and we lay there with our BCD jackets inflated (a bit like a life jacket) looking up at the stars in this lovely warm massive and deserted bath of an ocean - no-one wanted to climb back on the boat! When I got back to our bungalows I went for a swim in the deserted and moonlit very warm swimming pool, and then floated listening to chill-out music from the bar and watching the incredible sky all over again. I'm not sure anything can top those experiences for me, it will stay with me for life!

Another highlight was our time spent in the rainforests of Khao Sok, with a challenging walk up to a waterfall in jungle heat, and relaxing in a beautiful bungalow complex where we stayed - all made from wood, with the entire complex built on stilts by the river. The night sounds were incredible, and the "pet" monkeys and puppy made every meal time a real source of entertainment - I've never seen a monkey or two and a puppy play fighting before, and all being so well looked after and free to roam. They were a real delight and were part of another unforgettable experience.

Thailand was a lovely experience, with lots of diversity and some very friendly people (and quite a few trying to rip us off!), with wonderful food including fruits , curries, noodles etc and all at a really good price. I'd certainly recommend it as there's so much to see and do, and we hardly saw or did any of it! I'd love to go back to Koh Tao, although the diving wasn't quite as good as the Red Sea and it's a lot further to travel to...... and I'm sure it's best just to savour the amazing memories I have of our time there and move on - some fantastic memories for my dotage!

There were other great experiences too, such as our trip up to Chiang Mai and our overnight trek into the hill tribe villages there, but Kho Tao and Khao Sok are enough to write about, I'm sure!

If you want to ask any more about our travels, specific questions or whatever then do PLEASE add your comments, and we'll answer when next we blog.

Hope you enjoyed my highlights (and initial lowlight) and there's another blog to follow in a minute...literally! Bye for now.

love from Linda xxx