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In England I wouldn't live without my bicycle, I would never dream of cycling in Bangkok though, way too dangerous, it is bad enough walking the streets, even if it weren't for the mo'cys, inept dawdlers who suddenly stop in the middle of the street to look at a mini-skirt stall or mobile phone sim card stall, or a food stall. The pavements where there is space are terrible, always at risk of twisting an ankle etc.

For exercise , in Prachin I had a pushbike and rode it everywhere and never felt at risk, now I'm back in the smoke, oh yeah not only is it too dangerous traffic wise to ride but the pollution is bad also, now I'm back in the smoke I try to use the gym between 3-5 times a week, this keeps me off the streets and wears me out enough to get a good nights sleep.

Diet wise, I've been in Thailand for 3yrs now and have recently had an epiphany. All of my life I have eaten and drank as I pleased, it pleases me not to eat too much fast-food or sweets, but I do like to eat well, and I consider a good mix of vegetables and meat, with plenty fruit and nuts to be a fairly good diet. I mix Thai food and farang food. Recently I went to the dentist who told me I needed at least one root canal, this I think is due to the increase, slyly I might add, to the intake of white sugar, it is in EVERYTHING in Thailand. Also I went to a detox camp on Koh Samui for xmas and lost over 5kgs in a week, only eating coconuts and a few supplements. I know this is not a sustainable diet but it did clean me out of a lot of c**p in my system. Subsequently I have changed my diet, I have all but given up on Thai meat, most meat to be honest as I can't be bothered to buy expensive imported stuff. I can get all the calcium and protein I need from things like nuts. I have started eating a lot more raw food which is easier for the body to assimilate. I prepare a lot more food at home and try to use Villa market or such to buy organic food.

I know this diet will not agree with everyone, there are some who can't go without their meat, but the rubbish that goes into most meat, unless you buy imported organic cuts, I mean oestrogen in chickens to increase their breast size, also increases male man-boobs.

If the amount of toxins are too high in a diet then the body tries to get rid of it quickly, if the liver and kidneys cannot handle it then it gets pushed into fat cells which accumulate around the belly. If you look at most fat people, even those that don't feel they are too fat, the fat is like a big tyre round the gut. In one week I lost this because my body once it realised I was not getting any intake started using this fat up, and all the toxins came out with it. In this way the fat has stayed off as my body is much more efficient at processing the food I put in it. As the old saying goes :You Are What You Eat"