To Jinx or not to Jinx?

I've been keeping secrets again.

I've been holding onto this one a little because I haven't received my renewed passport yet, and I didn't want to jinx it. For some reason though today seems like the day to throw caution to the wind and make the announcement.

Bear and I are going to Thailand! Tee to the Aitch, to the Ay, to the Eye... La-hand!

Land of the lady-boy, land of pristine beaches and floating markets, land of I'm not sure what else at this stage, but come this April we are going to find out.

We'll be riding elephants, petting tigers, living with hill tribes and popping Sassy Bear's international travelling cherry.

I'm pretty sure it's going to be amazing.

None the less, it has the Sassy Bear parentals a wee bit freaked. Especially Papa Bear, the idea of his poor, defenceless lil' baby Bear for the first time ever out in the world, with nothing but the Turtlepack to save her from all manner of imagined threats, sent him into a tailspin of fatherly concern initially.

He had called after Sassy had posted the news on Facebook more than a touch on the hysterical side. After establishing that it was not a joke, he half bellowed down the line, fear fuelled by the recent ransom requests in the headlines, "I absolutely forbid you from going to the Philippines!". "That's fine" my Sassy replied calmly, the edge of an excited giggle in her voice, "because, I'm going to Thailand"

We've been trying to reassure him ever since. It doesn't help that I'm a fairly seasoned traveller. It doesn't help that over six hundred thousand Australian tourists travel to Thailand every year. It doesn't help that Thailand was reportedly the deadliest destination for Australian tourists in 2009. Actually, probably better not to mention that last one.

I mean really, we're only travelling on multiple international flights, to unknown lands, to bask on who knows which beach, and party in who knows what nightclubs, with who knows which other revellers.

What could possibly happen to us?

Oh goodness, now I really have jinxed it.