Were you about to have a Thai tongue riveting experience? I suppose it’s better than waking up at 3.00pm the next day with an “I ❤️ Dee Dee”, or whatever, tattooed across your forehead!!

In my travels I have found personal guides very good and it gives you a degree of flexibility as to what you do. Nothing depresses me more than seeing large groups herded into an awful buffet at lunch to enjoy their genuine Thai meal. Or going to the 10th temple that looks exactly the same as the previous nine. I once had a long discussion with a tour guide about those last few sites; he was adamant we had to go as they were on the itinerary he was paid to do. Fortunately I was the only person in the tour and we came to an agreement but had there been others I think we would have had to visit yet more identical tombs.

Tony may now be someone I might use (albeit absolutely no tongue rivets will be involved)!