Because I knew that I was to travel on New Years Day I didn't go to a New Years Eve Party last night. I get up after a bit of a lie in and have a quiet day checking that I have packed everything that I think I will need. I am aware that I must carry all my things in a single rucksack on my back all over Thailand for two months, so I pair everything down to the bear minimum. I am taking.

• 2 T-shirts.
  
• 2 Work shirts, for when I am working in the Tokyo office.
  
• 1 pair of work trousers.
  
• 1 pair of jogging bottoms.
  
• 2 pairs of swimming trunks. That I could use as shorts.
  
• 4 pairs of underpants and socks.
  
• 1 Sturdy pair of shoes that can double for work.
  
• 1 Canvas shoes.
  
• 1 Coat, for the journey to the airport and my time in Japan.
  
• 1 small towel.
  
• 1 travel alarm clock.
  
• 1 electric razor.
  
• 1 Little radio but can`t find the earphones for it.
  
• 1 overnight bag with Soap, Shampoo, Sponge, Toothbrush etc.
  
• 1 Small notebook and pen.
  
• Wallet with £500 worth of Thai Bart and £100 in Pounds. Plus my Credit and Debit Cards.
  
• Passport and Tickets.
  
• And finally a "Footsteps" guide to Thailand
  

I do a final double check that I haven't forgotten anything and read Captain Scarlet book I bought with Xmas money until 16:30. Start walking to Reading Railway Station where I was going to get the Coach to Heathrow. Its not far and I don't want to cycle downtown as I would have to leave my bike at the station for two months. And I don't think that it would survive that long unattended in Reading.

It was very cold (-4C as measured by my Inside/Outside Thermometer) and dark. I hope the two-mile walk warms me up and I start to look forward to not feeling cold. Kept thinking "this is it. I`m off on my big adventure". Would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit scared. I shiver due to the cold, not nerves and snuggle into my coat.

The bus was on time and the trip was uneventful. Got there with plenty of time to spare. Which turned out to be a good thing as the queue for check in was very long. I had been told be the Travel Agent that the Taiwanese EVA Air was a good airline even if it was not well known. Half of the people in the queue were English and the rest were either Thai or Taiwanese. I imagine that I can tell the difference but wouldn't want to put it to a test.

At the duty free Dixon's I buy a pair of headphones and a power adaptor. I look at getting a digital camera but the model that I want Cannon Ixus V is still a lot f money and decide that its too much money spend if I end up loosing it off a Thai ferry etc. I wimp out and buy three fun cameras with built in flash instead.

As I was walking to the departure gate I met a Nurse called Noreen from the Philippines who was going back to see her family for Christmas. Flirted a bit with her even if she was only 24. Told her she was good looking. Carried some of her stuff for her. She had an outrageous excess baggage bill, all those presents. She tried to get home twice a year but this was her first trip in 18 months.

She told me about her Aunt in NY and I said why didn't she go there to work as she could earn a lot more money. She said it was very hard for people from the Philippines to get a green card but she did want to go for a holiday and might not come back!

When we go there we both got upgraded to Evergreen Deluxe class. If I had been thinking I could have asked if we could sit together but we ending up sitting a few rows apart.

I end up four rows from the front of the plain, next to a guy from Bournemouth. Noreen was about three rows behind me. Shame, I think I could have at least got her phone number.

I spend the flight watching videos and seeing the plains progress across the computer generated map of the world and talking to the bloke next to me. He is going to Thailand with his parents as a driver and carrier as they were getting a bit frail (his words). They were in the row in front of us and occasionally turned round to embellish some of the stories that my neighbour told me. He had been a Lorry driver but was doing some part time bouncing at the moment, as he didn't want a proper job because his ex-wife would only end up with it all. He was only going out there for a month but his parents were staying until the end of Feb. he tells me that if you are over 65 you can stay longer then a month without a visa because the King says that the Thai weather is beneficial to the old. They had booked Evergreen Deluxe Class back in August for £600, only £100 more than what I had paid for Economy. Maybe that is why they upgraded me?

If I do this again I will pay the extra, as if you are doing a 14-hour trip you need a bit of luxury. Well, space to stretch out and nice food!

All in all, a good start to my trip.