Right well things have been moving fast but today I decided to really settle in and managed to get the basics for my room and some basic food. It's amazing how long things take here to do basic tasks because I don't speak the language so I spent the whole day just going shopping and finding a place to eat on my own. In the end I have managed to get the things I need at a very low cost sum.

In the days before today I have learned how to ride a scooter, visted parks, seen the city and also managed to eat at many places. Everything is so cheap here. I can easily only spend 10 GBP a day and live quite lavishly. I'm sure this rate will go down once I know where to go, what to cook etc.

It's great as well how at every street corner there are people waiting to take you on the back of a bike for a price of around 20-80p (depending on the distance for the ride)
I've posted a few of my favourate pictures from the last few days to hopefully give an insight into what things are like here.

I wish everyone the all the best, especially those stuck in snow. It was a pleasent 24 degrees here but I hear it will get a lot hotter soon.

I have arrived. I've not really looked round much but my house is huge and my room is the biggest I've had. Apparently it's quite expensive for a room here but it's cheaper than a hotel or a hostel and far better quality. (air con cleaner etc.)

Anyway I'm going to get up and find out more about where I am and what to eat.

More soon....

Today is the final day before I leave for Vietnam. I couldn't say it's been ideal. I sit watching the news wondering if I'll even be able to get out of the UK. I also still seem to have a large amount of preparation work to do for the course I'm doing that I planned to do well before I got to Hanoi. Oh well I guess I can do it on the train and plane (or no doubt while I am sitting out the 8 hr delays that will happen due to snow)

I took a ton of photos before I left of Peckforton Castle etc. but I'll post them when I get a better internet connection. (512k of Aston Juxta Mondrum doesn't really move that quick)

Hopefully my next post will be from Bankok or even (hopefully!) Hanoi.