As journeys go, they don’t get much bigger than London to Singapore.  And what’s more, that is only the start of it.  The plan for my tour of South East Asia (for which I have neglected to attach a catchy nickname) is to spend 5 weeks in the region, visiting the mainland countries of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, in that order.  I am aware that it is very much a whistle stop tour and I have tried to plan it to the finest detail in a region that doesn’t think much of itineraries.  As a result, my eventual route may well end up as a compromise between the unstoppable force of my planning and the immovable object that is the laidback lifestyle over here.  All I know is that I’m starting in Singapore and finishing in Bangkok and that wherever I end up and whatever I see, it will be worth it.

Where normally my expeditions abroad are shared with friends, this one I have reserved for myself.  I intend for it to be a solo effort to maximise the sense of achievement as I leave in England all the safety nets that have helped me in my life to date.  Yes, I have been backpacking several times before, but gone are the satellite phone of Costa Rica, the linguistic genius of Tom Wolstencroft and the help and advice of friends who have got me around the world to date.  It’s all very exciting though and I hope the blog does my journey, and the region, adequate justice.