When travelling from Bangkok to Hua Hin, I decided rather than to hire a driver it would be more fun to travel by rail, experience a Thai Train and see some of the country I wouldn’t have seen otherwise. Hualampong Railway Station other than being an interesting place to visit whilst in the capital is the integral middle point for all rail travel in Thailand. You can also travel to Malaysia, Singapore and up north as far as Chiang Mai. Travel on Thai trains which are split into three classes: first, second and third. I headed for first class which was roomy and comfortable. There are also different categories of trains which travel at different speeds – so check this out before you travel. My journey was beautiful and interesting. My friend and I both paid completely different fares for the same seats on the two train journeys we embarked on and whilst neither was expensive, left us completely flummoxed! With a little effort before setting off this is a great way to travel round Thailand.

When booking your once of a lifetime trip to the Maldives, if you select Huvafen Fushi, then ensure you book your spa treatments as early as possible. They have an amazing underwater spa, which really can’t be missed but does get really booked up in advance! Ensure you ask for one of the underwater rooms, which you pay a hefty premium for, but I promise, it is worth every penny! I opted for a pedicure so I could watch the underwater world which surrounded me, I thought if I had booked a facial, it would have been a bit of a waste of the view. The rooms have not been built particularly deep, but they do provide a real alternative to those who don’t like snorkelling or diving and will keep you mesmerised without the need for any gossip mag.

Being terrified of flying didn’t really seem an option when invited on a ‘Once In A Lifetime Trip Flying Over the Okavango Delta’. I started off at the crack of dawn and met the pilot who seemingly thought and subsequently tried to convince me that he had the best job in the world – I was sceptical! He calmly explained that in order to get the best views of the vast expanse, the helicopter would have to go to a certain height, but promised to check in with me throughout the flight – um, still sceptical! Oh and it seems he forgot to mention that he would be removing the doors prior to take off – my day was just getting better!

Having taken off and with the promise of NO turbulence, the beauty which had previously surrounding me came into view – incredible. We actually had to ascend to clear some trees but the sheer speed and area we were able to cover gave us an awe inspiring vantage of the Delta at sunrise – the best time for game viewing. Pools of hippos could be clearly seen, as well as entire herds of elephants, giraffe, buffalo, to name a few.

Who would have thought that I would have happily been hanging out of a helicopter in the middle of Botswana?! Well certainly not me. It was the trip of a lifetime! Best job in the World? Well it’s certainly up there.

Having never been diving before, I was slightly apprehensive about jumping into the deep blue sea and going under! After a very involved briefing and medical, I was certified fit to meet the fish. This was only a short introductory dive, but where better than on the Great Barrier Reef itself. I found the process of breathing came quite naturally to me and was soon swimming down to the sea bed to investigate what really lurked beneath.

Our group comprised two instructors and five other novices. To my delight, my first encounter was a giant clam, which moved much more slowly than I could… I also made firm friends with a beautiful blue fish which exactly matched the colour of my bikini and followed me faithfully for the duration of the dive! The underwater world is an amazing place and immediately transported me into a real life ‘Finding Nemo’ set. The plethora of fish, sea turtles, the stunning reef itself and a random (but luckily very small) shark make me realise what respect the seas are entitled to. A trip which should not be missed if travelling to Australia.

If you are heading to Bangkok in search of silk, then there is only one place to go…. Almeta (www.almeta.com) makes other silk shops look like amateurs. They don’t have vast amounts on rolls to pick from, as everything is spun and dyed to order. Located just off Sukhumvit Road on Soi 23, I managed to pick up a beautiful pair of curtains, finished and colour matched to my exact preference, which were shipped directly to my house a couple of weeks after I returned and far far cheaper than a ready made pair of cotton curtains in the UK. You can choose from over 1000 colours, 12 different plys, several yarn types ultimately offering over 50,000 choices of silk. The silk can then be made into anything from bedding to fashion items. This place is a real find.