Name:  Mark Thomson

Occupation: Assistant Director of Public Relations for Anantara Resorts and Spas

Favourite travel destination?: Laos

Worst travel experience?: Getting drugged on a train from Madrid to Algeciras and still managing to stay wake for the entire 12 hour journey (it’s a very long story …)

Best meal you’ve ever had while travelling?: Street stall food in the main square  of Marrakesh.

Best/scariest/funniest drive?: The best, scariest and funniest (all in one) experience was a three day mahout training course learning to ‘drive’ an elephant in the Golden Triangle.

Where is the best/weirdest/worst place you’ve ever stayed?: The worst places are dossing on numerous friends old sofas all around the world.

What has been the big ‘wow’ moment of your travelling life?: There’s been so many – Dancing in the streets with the locals in Myanmar during Thingyan (New Year);  seeing Angkor Wat in Cambodia at dawn; counting down the millennium in Galway, Ireland;  spotting rare pygmy elephants in Borneo; climbing The Lion Rock in Sigiriya, Sri Lanka; white water rafting in Laos … the list is endless …

What is your number one travel tip?: Smile and enjoy!