Preparations

Unfortunately travelling isn't as easy as first thought, just getting up and going wasn't really an option.

First things first, i needed some money. Luckily a well connected family allowed me to get a job working for comet in their head offices followed by a stint in parking services at the council. Living at home and behaving like a poor student allowed me to gather the funds i needed, next choice, where to go?

I have loved south east Asia when I've been before and was determined to go back. It's a really easy place to travel round and everything is so cheap! I decided to do the standard gap year route through Vietnam, Cambodia and finishing off in Thailand. Route sorted, now who to go with?

Having been abandoned by all my friends who went and got a better education panic set in as to who to go with. Would i have to do it all alone?!? Luckily i was saved by my good friend Matt who also fancied a trip to Asia. Wingman found we started trying to plan where we wanted to go. After many planning meetings and long hours trawling the internet we decided we couldn't be bothered with this silly feminine "organising" thing and decided to wing it. With just the first and last night's accommodation booked finding somewhere to sleep will become part of the adventure.

After deciding where, when, who with and how I realised i still had to sort out what i was going to take.
Being a guy this was pretty easy, shorts, t-shirts and trainers. I thought i was ready to go but luckily my mother couldn't help but have a moan at me. Apparently i needed other stuff like medicine, sun cream and pants.

With some last minute purchases on the day before i left, a top up of my injections and downloading every Vietnam war film ever made to my iPod i was ready go.

Sugar McLovin is headed for 'Nam!