Thai noodle girls down south. The best way to break the ice with curious school kids is to slurp intensely on your noodles, lean back, breathe out and say: "Mmm, ar-oy mark!' ('Yummy!' or more accurately, 'Tastes very good!')

The Thais, being intelligent folk, know that Thai food is the best in the world and anybody who appreciates it a lot can't be all bad. You'll usually find that the school kids can speak a bit of English so you can now sally forth with all of the usual necessary bits of information: 'Yes, there are lots of kangaroos in Australia etc.'

It must have been sports day, 'cos the girls are wearing track suits under their Muslim veils. The Wat-like structure behind the girl in the centre is actually a roadside bus stop.