'Are there any decent bars around here?' asked my new colleague. 'You don't drink', I replied. 'Yeah well it's conversation and meeting people that I'm interested in', he said.

I was already thinking of throwing a "doing business in China" oriented blog in here, and then a friend sent me this and I decided that this was more to the point than what I had planned on writing. You need to pay very careful attention to this because there is an important point here that everyone planning to start doing business in China or with Chinese businessmen must understand. It is also relevant often enough in negotiating your future with the Chinese woman you are dating and considering as your life partner.

The first few days in Thailand were perfect. I loved everything about it. The weather, the beaches, the food and Noi. Every day was an easy day just relaxing, eating in restaurants and a few beers in a bar. I was mindful that this was a holiday feeling. I was determined not to be seduced by the vacation atmosphere. There are no responsibilities when on vacation and dating a new, beautiful Asian woman. The hard yards come later when there are decisions to be made about serious matters such as accommodation, location and in our case - what to do about Kamon, Noi’s niece. Those things could wait. I was still in holiday mode.

Every member on CLM, whether male or female, has their reasons for being here. Some, like me for instance, are not particularly interested in meeting other western women due to the 'been-there-done-that so let's try something new', kind of approach. I know of other male members here who share that attitude, but we all have our own reasons.

The remainder of the day took in all the sights of the southern end of Phuket island. Che drove us to the Big Buddha, Wat Chalong and Rawai Beach. It was a pleasant and memorable day out. The only drawback was that it was difficult to talk to Noi one on one when surrounded by her friends and the kids. I guess this was a part of Asian dating culture. She appeared to be happy so that made me happy too.

This first time and my first month in Thailand also had their serious moments. It’s true to say the whole month had a holiday feel to it. Hell, Phuket is a great choice for a vacation. And, it’s even better if you are sharing that time with a Thai lady of your choice.

Daniel was awoken by a loud knock at the door.

I awoke from my sleep of contentment. It was filled with pleasant dreams partly as a result of Noi’s welcome massage. My slumbers had eradicated all the tiredness of travel from England to Thailand. I looked forward to my second day in a new country and a new life. Dating was something I had forgotten. It was a distant memory from a distant past.

Six months had passed. Julia's body was still in the mortuary. A post-mortem examination was unable to ascertain a cause-of-death and so an open-verdict had been recorded. They wouldn't release Julia's body for burial or cremation, at least not for the time being, just in case some new evidence came to light that was able to determine how she died.