A 4.30 wake-up in Newcastle meant we arrived at Sydney airport for an 8.00 check-in. Our flight was late departing but we made up time and landed in Bangkok on schedule, to be greeted by Neil and Nicola. The transfer from Suvarnabhumi International Airport to Petchaburi took longer than expected because of the motorway closure following the recent crane collapse. We managed to see a few birds to start our Thai list off before nightfall. In all we were 20 hours in transit but I awoke this morning with the sound of waves lapping on the beach and Asian Koel calling in the gardens surrounding our Chidlom Resort hotel – what could be nicer.