The Long Winding Road to Nakhon Nowhere: When Thailand Truly was the Land of Smiles

In January 1969, at the age of 22, Roger Crutchley set out from London on an overland trip to the Far East. Just how 'far' East he was heading he wasn't entirely sure, although he did have Australia as his ultimate goal. After three months and a number of diversions, he found himself in Bangkok which was not on his planned route at all, not that anything about the entire trip was planned. So what happened next? Here he relates his eventful journey and the early experiences in Thailand, a kingdom he is still trying to figure out after working four decades on the Bangkok Post newspaper.