IN spite of low temperatures, spirits were high as the 2009 Team left Malvern in deep snow on the morning of February 5 bound for sunny Thailand.

A temporary closure at Birmingham airport delayed us only slightly on an otherwise smooth journey of 36 hours via Dubai and Bangkok.

We arrived in the walled city of Chiang Mai in the early evening, where those who were still fresh took a trip to the night market to enjoy the intoxicating sights, sounds and smells!

The following day donations from Malvern residents, which included knitted teddies from 'Teddies for Tragedies', warm fleeces, sports kits, toys and games were handed over to a delighted representative from the HANDS charity.

The team were fortunate to see the annual flower festival with an array of floats decorated with thousands of colourful flowers. The procession around the city's moat also included marching bands and groups in traditional costumes.

We took time to wander around the street market, where we resisted the temptation to sample fried locusts and larvae, opting instead for a bag of fresh fruit.

The team then spent the afternoon relaxing by the hotel pool in preparation for our journey further North the following day, when the hard work begins!