Guest post: Hide and seek in Serbia

When people think of a break in the Balkans, Croatia usually comes to mind. But after a lost weekend in Serbia, I beg to differ.

The first time I visited Belgrade and its surrounding countryside I was mesmerized. From the exposed innards of buildings bombed during the Kosovo War, to the tranquil untouched hills of neighbouring Fruska Gora, it’s a destination of contrasts.

The real beauty of the place is that it’s easy to hide away there. This is something I needed to do whilst in the midst of planning my wedding a few years ago. I needed to get away from the madness for just a few moments and take a deep, peaceful breath.

I found that peace in Serbia, hiding from all the madness of wedding planning at night in Belgrade’s underground bars then seeking out some peace in the countryside during the day.

Night

The city of Belgrade excels if you want to disappear into a whirlwind of heady drink, music and conversation with the always friendly locals. But it’s the hidden gems that really offer something special. And when I say hidden, I mean hidden. The city is home to a handful of underground ‘secret’ bars supposedly set up by people looking to meet in secret during the Kosovo war.

With no signs outside and locked doors only opened to those in the know, they’re the ultimate in low key drinking.

One of these bars is the Federal Association of Globetrotters (yes, that’s its name!). Set in the basement of apartment building, it felt like someone was wrapping a warm Serbian blanket around my shoulders when I stepped inside my first night in Belgrade. It looked just like someone’s living room with its bohemian décor, charming little tables and chairs; books crammed into nooks and crannies, even family photos on the walls. I couldn’t help but feel completely relaxed there, especially when I tried the plummy brandy the locals enjoy – delicious slivovica.

As I leaned back in my chair and watched Serbians chatter and laugh around me, all thoughts of table plans and wedding invites drifted away…

Day

…until I woke up the next morning with a pounding slivovica-induced headache.

The only cure was to seek out the fresh air of Fruska Gora National Park, just a short drive away from Belgrade. With green rolling hills fringed by lush foliage, and monasteries dotted here and there, their bell towers glistening white in the sun, I couldn’t help but feel a real sense of tranquility when I arrived.

A visit to one of those monasteries, the Krusedol Monastery, was particularly peaceful. As I wandered around, taking in the pretty frescos and flowered gardens, even buying a bottle of the monastery’s very own wine (slightly foolish after the night I’d had but who could resist?), I started to feel normal again.

But what really worked for me was sitting outside, taking in the sweeping views of the hills below, the monastery’s bells tinkling in the background. That’s when it occurred to me that bells would be ringing for me soon. So I got up, dusted off my jeans then started heading back into the real world.

A few months later, during my wedding reception, one of my guests asked me how I’d sum Serbia up in three words. I replied: ‘A hidden gem’. It may sound like a cliché but it really is true of this little corner of Europe.

By Tracy Buchanan, author of The Atlas of Us.

Interested? Read on...

CLOSED: WIN! An overnight spa experience for two worth £235

A few words from our winner, Sue from Southend: "I am absolutely amazed to win this competition, I moved home at the beginning of this year and underestimated not just the cost, but time it would take to paint and decorate. Every weekend I have been cleaning and painting, and never thought I'd get a break this summer. Winning this spa package means not only can I have a break, I can have some quality relaxation and pamper time with my best friend. I feel so lucky!"



Enjoy an overnight spa experience at the Old Hall Hotel and Devonshire Spa in Buxton and discover the unique charm of this elegant spa town in the heart of the beautiful Peak District.

To celebrate the launch of a fabulous new overnight spa package now available at the Old Hall Hotel, we’re offering the chance for one lucky reader and a friend to experience a relaxing overnight stay at this historic hotel together with a luxurious day of pampering at the iconic Devonshire Spa.

To win:

1. Follow @sixoutoftenmag on Twitter if you're not already (seriously, if you aren't why not? We take it so personally)
2. Give this a retweet so we can count your entry.

Located just a stone’s throw from the hotel in the heart of this pretty spa town, which is famed for its restorative waters and therapeutic treatments, Devonshire Spa is a sanctuary for relaxation and offers a wide range of holistic treatments and beauty treatments in a contemporary setting.

Guests are in for a treat at the magnificent Dome, where the winners will enjoy two blissful hours of pure relaxation and an opportunity to unwind in the spa area with its hydrotherapy pool to massage aching muscles, indulgent reflexology foot bath, ice fountain to invigorate and exfoliate the skin, aromatic sauna and steam room to aid detoxification, and a monsoon shower to refresh and revive.

The pampering continues with a luxurious full body massage or relaxing facial using sumptuous Elemis products followed by delicious homemade cakes and refreshments in the relaxation lounge, before retreating to the comfort of the Old Hall Hotel for a wonderful night’s sleep in one of the hotel’s 38 beautifully designed bedrooms. Situated in the heart of the beautiful Peak District, the Old Hall is steeped in history and is thought to be the oldest hotel in England.

Summer is a perfect time to visit the elegant spa town of Buxton and there’s something for everyone to enjoy whatever the weather – take a walk through the picturesque Pavilion Gardens, see a show at the famous Buxton Opera House, hit the shops in Spring Gardens, relax in one of the many tea rooms, restaurants and wine bars or explore the stunning Peak District National Park.

The overnight spa experience at the Old Hall Hotel includes overnight accommodation in a standard double room with full English breakfast, two hours relaxation time in the Devonshire Spa, a luxury facial or massage plus tea and cakes, all for just £235.00 per couple, per night.

For more information or to book visit www.oldhallhotelbuxton.co.uk or call 01298 22841. For further details about Devonshire Spa, visit www.devonshiredome.co.uk or call 01298 338 408.

Terms and conditions:

Competition runs from 12/06/14 to 27/06/14. Entries are to be made by completing 2 steps:

1. Follow @sixoutoftenmag on Twitter.
2. Retweeting the above tweet. An additional entry will be awarded for subscribing to six out of ten.

Any entries made after the closing date or through a different method will not be counted. The prize is not transferable and is subject to availability. Excludes Bank Holiday weekends and other busy periods. Prize cannot be exchanged for cash and the winner must cover own travel expenses. The prize includes two hours relaxation time, a luxury facial or massage, plus tea and cakes in the Devonshire Spa, one overnight stay in a standard double room for two people with full English breakfast. Prize must be taken by 31st December 2014.

The winner will be selected and notified either via email or through twitter. The winner will then have one week after the closing date to contact us with three date options for their chosen weekends. If a winner fails to do this within a week a new winner will be selected at random. Prizes are not exchangeable for cash or any other item. The winner agrees to provide proof of age if requested. This competition is not open to employees or contractors of six out of ten magazine or any persons directly or indirectly involved with The Old Hall Hotel, Devonshire Dome and six out of ten or persons running of the competition, or their direct family members. Open to UK and International residents. Entrants will be deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions and to have agreed to be bound by them when entering this competition.

Interested? Read on...

Here's how to... stay positive when you're unemployed

How much of who you are is defined by what you do for a living? Probably a lot more than you realise. Perhaps the best test of this is when you’re forced to answer the king of all small talk questions:

“What do you do for a living?”
“Me? Oh nothing. I’m unemployed.”

Or words that effect. Phrase it however you like, the reaction is likely to be the same - general awkwardness and embarrassment all round.

Whether you were made redundant, or decided to resign, if you don’t have something else to go to, you’ve just been catapulted into a whole new world. A world with no dreaded early morning bleep of alarm clocks, and as much daytime TV as your eyes and ears can take. Although during stressed-out deadline riddled long days at the office this kind of lifestyle might sound like a dream, in reality, it can be pretty scary.

OK, you don’t have a job. Now what?

First of all do nothing. For a short while at least. If you’ve found yourself unemployed chances are you got to that place through some kind of stressful or emotional times. So give yourself a break, relax and get some perspective on what you’ve just dealt with. Once you’ve done this you can start looking ahead.

BUT I DON’T HAVE A JOB?!

Yes, you may find yourself repeating the above in varying degrees of hysteria, because being without the familiar daily routine can leave you with a sense of unreality. And this might go on for some time. Even once you dive headlong into the new job-searching process, with weeks stretching between closing dates and interviews, applications can often be a long-winded affair.

So how do you keep your chin up when every day’s a weekend?

If you do one thing, do three things
Without the structure a nine til five used to offer, days can quickly slip by in a haze of job hunting and household chores. All too easily you can be left with a sense of having achieved very little. Make a list of three things every morning and resolve to have ticked them off by teatime. Try doing one difficult task, one you enjoy and follow it up with a non work related treat - whether that’s as simple as a nice big brew or a walk around the block.

Stay in touch
The land of unemployment can be a lonely place which gives you too much time to think and dwell on the future. Keep yourself busy, all those “I’d love to see you but just can’t squeeze you in!” excuses really don’t cut it now. Use your newly spare time to catch up with friends and family and chat about how you’re feeling.

Healthy body, healthy brain
Staying fit is key to staying upbeat. If your pricey gym membership is one of the things you’ve had to ditch as part of your tighter budget you can still get the adrenaline pumping and some lungfuls of fresh air with a power walk or bike ride. The good news is neither of these will cost you a bean!

Volunteer
Although reinstating a regular income is no doubt top of your priority list, don’t dismiss a bit of volunteering in the short term. It’ll give your CV a big boost, help explain career gaps to future employers, add to your skills and also benefits others. What’s not to like?

Learn!
You’ve got a whole load of spare time on your hands, so make the most of it - why not learn something new? Whether you’ve always wanted to try knitting, learn to breakdance or research your family tree, now’s a great time to give it a go. And it needn’t cost a fortune either - join your local library for free and take advantage of the resources they have on offer. Note: if breakdancing really is your thing you may need to look further afield than the library.

So next time someone asks you what you do during a jobless phase you can tell them with pride: “I study, I keep fit, I volunteer, and MORE!”

Look at your spell out of the job market in a different way, and you may just come to see it as a brilliant opportunity.

By Lindsay, a Nottingham-based comms/PR girl. She's a fan of cider, sun-lounging, Coronation Street and Take That (but we won't hold that against her!).

Interested? Read on...

Let me tell you about the time I got an upgrade on my flight

It was New Year's Eve 2006 (or 2007, I can't remember which). There I was, in JFK airport enduring the most aggressive and intimate search because my ex dared put the new Asus laptop he'd bought on sale his carry on bag.

"SIR WHAT IS THIS?" a loud American security dude bellowed.
"It's a laptop."
"I CAN SEE THAT SIR, WHY DO YOU HAVE IT IN YOUR CARRY ON." It should have been a question, but it wasn't. At all.
"Because it's brand new and I don't want it battered around in the cargo hold."
"CAN YOU DEMONSTRATE THIS IS A LAPTOP PLEASE SIR."
"Well, it's sealed in a package. I didn't want to open it until I g..."
'SIR UNLESS YOU CAN DEMONSTRATE TO ME THAT THIS IS A LAPTOP I'M GOING TO HAVE TO OPEN IT AND CHECK IT PERSONALLY. THIS COULD MEAN YOU FORFEIT YOUR RIGHT TO FLY WITH THIS ON BOARD AND MAY MEAN A SEIZURE OF YOUR PROPERTY."

Cue many sighs and eventually him opening up the package at the x-ray belt. He handed the shiny white laptop over. The man pressed the button and, of course, the brand new out of the packed machine decided it didn't have enough juice.

"SIR WHY IS THIS LAPTOP NOT FUNCTIONING?"
"Because it's brand new."
"DO YOU HAVE THE CHARGER SIR?"
"It's in this box. The box you just saw me take the clear wrapper off, which also had the receipt taped to it, showing I did, in fact, buy this laptop not three days ago."

The security guy, who admittedly was probably annoyed he was working on NYE, seemed to accept the undeniable proof the laptop was actually a laptop and finally let us through to the departure lounge. Which was full of people. I overheard an American Airlines crew member saying how there were far too many people booked on our flight home, and not everyone would be getting home tonight.

Oh. Great.

Cue an anxious hour-long wait to see if we would be landing in London any time soon. Reams upon reams of people flooded through the gate and boarded the plane safe in the knowledge their flight was secure. With only a handful of flyers left, a night in a crappy airport hotel with crappy airport food and not-so-crappy airport booze seemed inevitable.

Then it happened.

Our names were called over the Tannoy and we were asked to head to the gate.

"Oh hey there, Mr Ex!" a cheery supervisor said, addressing only him despite is both walking up to her together. "You'll be pleased to know we've upgraded your flight from economy."

She guided him through the gate while I stood there.

"I'm with him," I said feebly and rather pathetically. She looked at my boarding pass and waved us both through, with the cheeriness only an American can have at 10:45 on the 31st December.

An upgrade! How exciting! Admittedly it wasn't worth the nauseating hour beforehand but we were looking forward to the delights Premium Economy could bring.

Stepping off the walkway onto the plane, a cheery trolley dolly took our passes, and we began to walk through business class. "Sir, Ma'am?" We stopped in our tracks. What now? "Your seats are here. In Business. Please get settled and we'll be roun..."

Business? This was all so new and exciting. The chairs were huge with DOILIES, and no sooner had the cabin crew put our bags in the overhead compartment for us, we were handed a glass of champagne and offered a selection of snacks. WE HADN'T EVEN STARTED TO TAXI YET.

What ensued was the most comfortable flight of my entire life. We were given proper cutlery, a selection of meal choices and all the drinks we wanted. Plush and fluffy blankets and pillows were handed out so we could sleep, and noise cancelling headphones were on loan for the selection of in-flight movies or sound of whale song. No demand was too much, and despite the crew knowing we hadn't actually paid the additional £1000 for the comforts of business, they treated us as if we belonged. For those seven hours we got a taste of the high life, and oh how I mean that ever so literally.

So that's the story of how I lucked out and ended up in business class. Will it ever happen again? Who knows. Can I offer any tips of how to get a free flight upgrade? Not at all. But if it does happen, be sure to enjoy every minute of it.

Have you ever been bumped up to business? Let us know how it was!

Interested? Read on...

Panning for gold in Pimlico

Weekends in London can seem a bit samey. A trip to Borough Market here, a walk through Hyde Park there. When you consider my recent post about London ennui which hit hard all of a sudden, it all seems a bit been-there-done-that. A bit grey.

One lovely commenter, Melanie from Girl v. London, hit the nail on the head. She said this: "I can assure you if it's new things to discover there are plenty. Just because the obvious is hipster and mainstream, there's still interesting and (slightly) undiscovered places of London left. But if what leaves you wanting more is the overpriced and vacuous part of London then I don't have so many solutions for that ache."

So this weekend, as Melanie suggested, we're doing something interesting, undiscovered, and totally unique. We're heading over Pimlico way for a one-day-only Alaskan pop up to pan for gold, cure and smoke fish and listen to tales of adventure and danger from the men and women of Nome, a westerly town located right near the Bering Strait which once linked the Americas to Russia, as they followed their dreams to reach untold riches.



The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, in collaboration with Visit Alaska, have chosen Pimlico Gardens to host the event, titled The Last Frontier, on 21st June. With the day kicking off at midday and ending with a luxurious banquet held under the stars, it's a day of live music and storytelling suitable for the entire family. The menu will include a selection of four delicious dishes including; Wild Alaska King Crab on Toast, Confit Wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon, Roast Wild Alaska Halibut, and, for dessert, Herb Cake, served with Almond ice cream, blueberries and strawberries.

Hopefully this can be the start of the cure I was looking for.

You can get your tickets here, but any gold you find will be legally mine, right? Right.

Interested? Read on...

Here's how to... pack a suitcase like a WAG

With a lifestyle most of us could only dream of - if being attached to someone like Wayne Rooney and his, er, face, is your idea of dreamy living -  it's been revealed the average World Cup WAGs' suitcases could be worth just under £7,000, making a Brit's £315 spend look like a terrible effort.

So how can you pack a suitcase like a WAG? Oh it's simple. You may just need a spare credit card or two to fund it though.

It starts with the luggage itself. No self-respecting Posh-wannabe would dare to be papped dragging along anything other than a designer case. TK Maxx? No thanks! Make sure you spend at least £800 so the baggage handlers know there's a £300 bikini inside, obviously. Even better, have you assistant deal with the drudgery of check in while you sip champers in the first class lounge while tweeting endless selfies.

To show everyone you're minted, start with a Chanel quilted bag worth £3,425, more than small car, or a five star all-inclusive holiday to Brazil in itself. Keep your phone and tissues in here.

You'll need a bag to carry on all your designer make up so you can look fresh-faced on the tarmac, so a Mulberry Bayswater buckle weighing in at £1,200 is the way to go. With TWO INTERNAL SLIP POCKETS (OMG!) to hide all your goodies in, the suede lining will mean your gold and diamond encrusted iPad stands no chance of getting damaged in transit.

Now for the clothes. Louboutins, worn by everyone from the Zedders of the TOWIE crew to Kimmy K, are a definite feature. Wedges scream summer fun, and also scream overdraft, at £535 a pop. The great thing about them, though, is they can be worn around the pool while sporting your £246 Mara Hoffman swimsuit, and a £458 Versace kaftan. Hey, even WAGs need a bit over cover up now and then. And for the ultimate in stylish eye protection, Prada sunglasses are a steal at £200.

For after-footie fun, dress prices really do vary with a piece-of-string starting price from at least £600. Evenings spent coiffing hair and touching up make up really do require a dress worth at least that much, you see.

Personally, I couldn't think of a better way to spend £7,000. After all, who needs a luxury stay in a treetop hotel on some idyllic paradise island for a month or three when you literally can spend that much on a day at the pool in Brazil?

Interested? Read on...

Review: The Princess of Wales, Primrose Hill

After following love the princess on twitter for the best part of year, I decided it was time time to pay them a visit. Their tweets always make me laugh, and with images of their peanut butter brownie and salted caramel ice cream flooding my timeline, a reservation was made for Saturday night for fun, food and a little bit of Banksy (maybe).

Which was promptly cancelled because Hangover. And then rearranged for Sunday.

This turned out to be a great twist of fortune as Sunday really lived up to it's name. With the temperature reaching a sizzling 25C, we decided a walk around Regent's Park followed by a manic dash through Primrose Hill was in order.

Arriving at the Princess, which is situated on the gorgeous Chalcot Road mere minutes from the leafy park, we stood waiting for a guy to order his drink before speaking to the barman. We spotted our table instantly, but it would have been rude to have just sat down uninvited, you see.

Drink

The barman showed us to the table we'd already noticed, and we were greeted by Michele who brought over the cocktail menu and wine list. Parched after walking for miles, a refreshing tipple was in order. Fruity cocktails, a great selection of ales and beers, and even a cheeky glass of Pimm's was on offer so to say we were spoilt for choice was an understatement. A ginger and lemongrass cocktail caught my eye, and we also sampled a fruity Flower Power Royale made with cucumber syrup, mint and champagne.

We could hear the cocktails being created moments after our waiter left, and they were served to the table minutes later, ice cold. We clearly had our favourites; the ginger was hot and spicy, while the Royale made a great addition to the sunny day.

Once these were over we tried Camden Hells, a locally brewed lager made just around the corner, and Michele's favourite, the Plum Sour. Which, as you can see, wasn't purple as I expected, but tasted juicy and delicious.

Eat

For starters we picked the salted chilli squid rings with a rocket salad, and parma ham with mozzarella. The squid was cooked to perfection and was so tender while the ham and figs were a great pairing. We polished off our plates then waited for the mains to arrive; a good ol' Sunday Roast Beef with many trimmings, and a pulled pork burger.

The wait between meals did err on the long side, but we were offered a drink in the meantime and had no rush so it wasn't a massive problem for us. If you're in a rush I believe there is an express menu, and I'm sure a word to a friendly server would help speed things up.

The mains were gorgeous. Succulent pulled pork was cooked in a gorgeously sticky sauce that tasted exactly like my nonna used to make, and the soda bread bun was a great touch. I wasn't hot on the apple coleslaw personally, being more a traditional kinda girl, but the fries more than made up for that.

The roast was gorgeous and was served with a Yorkshire Pudding the size of the plate! Three generous slices sat atop veggies in a pool of gravy.

For dessert we went for an apple crumble, and the famous peanut butter brownie. The latter was delicious; melting ice cream and soft, warm brownie was a great way to end the meal. The apple crumble was the only disappointment as it was 25% liquid with hardly any crumble and served up in a chipped bowl. We couldn't quite work out the flavour too, so that's definitely a miss.

The meal was good value for money for central London, with the full three course meal costing £25 each.

Relax

This is such a strange pub, in that we saw such a mix of people all dining and socialising. From an old timer slowly ambling through the doorway only for the waitress to rush over, hold onto his arm and guide him to a table, to a young American family with their dog chatting about the best bits of London, the place was packed with a mix of young and old, locals and tourists. We felt super relaxed sitting on our table, and even spotted a long-time patron of the Princess grab a coffee and a foil-wrapped meal to go.

Upstairs is a more formal dining area which can be hired for events and weddings. With my wedding fast approaching and the decision being made for a small and intimate celebration with nearest and dearest, we could just imagine how gorgeous a meal here would be, all sat in the candlelight enjoying the food and drink.

Downstairs is a basement seating area with more tables, and the famous Banksy-inspired beer garden. It's said the elusive street artist was caught on camera stencilling the lion, which is a really lovely and very unique touch regardless of whether it was the Bristolian.



With pubs in central London popping up ten a penny, it's hard to find somewhere that feels both like a local, and like a treat. The Princess managed to combine the two and it did have a real air of authority. After all, it's been in Primrose Hill for over a century and a half. Give the guys there a tweet. I'm sure they'll be able to convince you to head on over. After all, it worked on us, and we're so glad!

The Princess of Wales |  22 Chalcot Rd, London NW1 8LL

Interested? Read on...

Review: Rosa Faia Marinera Bikini

Ah big boobs. Aren't they wonderful? Well, when they're not painfully crippling your back, when you're not running, and when you're not laying on your front. But aside from that, they're pretty awesome.

As you may or may not have noticed, I upped anchor and headed over to the Greek island of Kos for a week without work or the stresses of everyday life. It was beautiful, and a wonderful spur of the moment treat. So when it was all booked, a mere three weeks before jetting off, I needed to get a bikini. Now. On a budget. In a 32E. And herein lays the problem.

Anyone who has a small back and bigger-than-a-B-cup boobs will realise the issues this brings. New Look, Topshop and Dotty P stock gorgeous lines in all manner of tribal, leopard, and vintage prints. But there's no point buying a standard two piece set, because either the bottoms will be too big and the top just right, or vice versa. String bikinis provide no coverage (unless you start getting into size 16s, and as a size 8, it's just not comfortable).

Freya has been my saving grace in the form of an oriental style bikini perfect for swimming, but terrible for sunbathing, as was a flimsy little number from Tu at Sainsbury's that I managed to pick up for £6, and which I paired with a black pair of bottoms. But these were just make-do bits of cloth really, and even though most of the people around the pool were topless, I felt a little bit self conscious with my make do and match efforts.

A week after I got home, and lamenting the lack of bikinis out there, I received a package from Anita's Rosa Faia range with a gorgeous sample called Suzy from the Marinera line  inside. So, how did it compare to my tried and tested Freya and the Saino's string offering?

Look

The bikini looks huge. HUGE. When I first saw it I thought I'd never fit into that and was convinced I wouldn't look good i it at all. The cups were well padded though, and the gingham pattern was so pretty. I'm sure this is what Dorothy would wear after her jaunt in Oz. The model image on the website makes the bikini look gorgeous, more of a bandeau style in the cup than a traditional bra, which is a massive plus.

Touch

Its soft as silk. So comfy against the skin, and with no annoying scratchy labels to boot. You can tell the designers have gone for comfort as a priority but still managed to cram in bags of style. I tested the bikini in water and, with the way the cups are padded and the material used, it doesn't get heavy at all. No more soaking wet towels!

Fit

The bottoms, a size eight, fit perfectly. Even better, they cling to my bum without being too tight and giving my muffin top a squeeze which is exactly what my Freya bottoms do sadly, and why I always feel self conscious in them. No such issues with Suzy. The top is a shade on the big size in the E cup, so I'd probably feel more comfy with a cup down rather than the 32E. Saying that, the back is true to size and didn't pinch. I actually love how I looked in this two set - it's a gorgeous shape and so very flattering.

Alas, my holiday is now long since over, but keep an eye out for this gorgeous bikini making an appearance in my travels over the next few months. With the level of design and comfort that's gone into it, this easily blows Freya and the cheapy string bikini out of the water (no pun intended). It's definitely going in the backpack ready for the next adventure.

Rosa Faia Marinera can be bought online for £86.

Interested? Read on...

Memories of Khao San Road

Thailand will always hold a special place in my wanderlusting heart. I was initially immersed in the culture ten years ago, in 2004. Stepping weary eyed off a Royal Jordanian plane after a 12 hour stop over in Amman, I saw Bangkok in all its smog-hazed glory. My previous travel experiences were adventure-filled road trips with mum and dad to Sicily, mum's homeland. Asia was uncharted territory to this just-turned-nineteen-year-old and I'd been persuaded to give it a go.

I remember that first taxi ride on the raised concrete motorway, passing opulent houses set against the background of the slum tower blocks belonging to the poor. The image was a shock, is still a shock. Never had I seen so much poverty.

I wanted to go home and forget the months we'd be spending in this strange country. I was a farang - a foreigner - and I felt it. Twitter was two years away from being founded, and Facebook was in its infancy. The only way to connect with home was by booking a computer for an hour at an internet cafe. We didn't even take phones with us. After all, with no camera to take snapshots, what good was a Nokia 8110 going to do on an island with no signal?

After what seemed like hours, we arrived at our first stop for the night.

Khaosan means 'milled rice'. The road, a stroll away from the Grand Palace, was once a residential street and home to a rice market. During the early eighties a festival was held with the most lavish celebrations at the palace itself. With hotels in the city upping their prices for tourists, backpackers brokered deals with locals to couch surf in their homes, giving the family an income and the tourists a central base to explore. It's now both a backpacker's dream and nightmare rolled into one.



All my pre-holiday googling for hotels was a total waste. We arrived at Khao San Road and chose a soulless room with no windows in a hotel that overlooked the street. We paid the receptionist the equivalent of a few pounds for the night, ignoring the laminated sign warning us prostitutes and ladyboys would be kicked out of the hotel. Traipsing up five flights of stairs, with beads of sweat rolling down our foreheads, we dragged our backpacks into the room. There was no toilet paper, just a hose, but at least we had a bathroom. After an eye-opening few hours exploring, we headed back to the room for some much needed rest. While getting undressed the power cut out, and having no windows (or smartphones with torches) we had to wait it out in the dark.

I'd never felt more of a stranger, yet more at home. And it was in the dark, listening to the melodic sound of Thais talking on the street below, I began to fall in love with Thailand.

Backpackers made it their first stop before travelling north to Chiang Mai, east to Cambodia, and south to paradise. Even those planning to rough it would make a trip to Khao San Road first to ease into Thai life.

There's a line from Alex Garland's book The Beach, which I read years later, that's a perfect description of that first experience. It describes Khao San Road as being a decompression chamber from the West to the East.



Because it has everything, all the comforts, you want from home with the excitement only a foreign country can bring to a dreamer. There's a 7-11 for Lays chips, Boots for medical supplies, Starbucks for a cool iced latte, and Burger King if your stomach can't quite handle the street food. You can get fake IDs no questions asked, buckets of alcohol, fish pedicures, knock-off designer clothes and bags, second hand travel books with dog-eared pages, hand carved jewellery, henna tattoos, real tattoos... anything. The noodles, cooked expertly by seasoned street chefs cost pennies, and the banana roti (with Nutella) can't be missed.

Ten years ago, Khao San Road eased me into Thai traditions and culture. It was here I experienced the Thai people's beaming smile, kindness and warmth, especially after a bad motorbike accident. Where I took a tuk-tuk and had to walk back to the hotel after being taken for a ride (literally) to a Thai jeweller's and stranded. It was where I had my first back-breaking Thai massage, and where I learnt those all-important Thai words sawatdee kah and kop-koon kah.

Now though, ten years after my first visit, Khao Shan is a cliché of chaos. It's a tourist attraction, a one night place. So have a £3 Thai massage. Buy a cocktail served in a Barbie pink plastic bucket. Spend the night together. And leave in the morning quietly.

Like the rest of Thailand, it's not the same as it was a decade ago. For me, though, those memories of transition from fear to integration will always make Khao San Road very special. And I know I'll be back there again, one day.

Interested? Read on...