Unlike last year's Thai regional foods tour, the 2003 event includes not one, but two holiday celebrations! "We were lucky enough to fit in the Phimai festival near Korat in Thailand's remote Northeastern Isan province," says Carmack. This celebration is held annually for four days every year amidst spectacular Khmer ruins, and it draws largely a Thai audience with few Western tourists. It meant a lot more jigging with the dates to fit both celebrations in, but it was worth it."

But one thing will never change, adds Carmack, this tour will always coincide with Thailand's "most beautiful holiday," Loi Krathong. "It is absolutely gorgeous. There are all these tiny, intricately woven floats with candles on them," he says. "And the people sail them down the rivers as a tribute to the water spirits. Truly, its breathtakingly beautiful." He then adds, "and the best part of it all, is that we are going to experience it in Sukhothai, amongst the 13th century ruins of Imperial Siam."

American-born Carmack now calls Australia home. But some two decades on these fatal shores, neither his wanderlust -- nor strong accent -- have abated. "I like to say 'I divide my time between countries,'" he laughs. "Between travelling regularly to the US for work and to see family, and to Asia for more research, my poor dogs in Sydney don't know who their real owner is. But I love travel, and sharing some of my knowledge of these fabled kingdoms in Asia gives me a real kick."

Morrison Polkinghorne, co-host to these Globetrotting Gourmet tours, has an equally infectious case of wanderlust. Aussie-born, he grew up in Tasmania and Alice Spring, but began travelling outside of Australia about 15 years ago. He divides his career between film and textiles -- he is Australia's leading practitioner of tassels, trimmings and braids, with his hand crafted work gracing the likes of The Lodge and Kirribilli House, plus other historic mansions. Morrison first shot pictures for magazines to accompany Robert's travel pieces, and now for video and webpage presentations. "When we first started travelling through Asia, Robert researched the food, and I studied the textiles," he explains. But soon after, the food portion became the dominant focus for both of us."

Morrison and Carmack paint an exhilarating picture of travel through Southeast Asia. "We want people to experience the foods and cultures that they can't discover on the standard tourist package," Morrison notes. "But we also want to do it in style -- and comfort as well." Consequently, he notes, hotel accommodation are 5 star when available, but in some country town locations, when a true "experience" or even convenience prevails, the tours include 3 star quality. "That doesn't mean toilets down the hall, no no no," he adds quickly. "It is still cleanliness first. But sometimes straying off the beaten track means slightly less comfort. But we make up for it with deluxe rooms in the other locations."

The November Thai tour, which is handled through San Michele Travel in Sydney and Melbourne, is two weeks-plus of very unique, all inclusive entertainment. "We begin easy," explains Morrison. After a long flight, the first morning is a 2-hour traditional Thai massage. And then we take to the streets, discovering Bangkok's Chinatown by night, and tasting the best khao tom plaa (fish and rice soup) that you will ever eat. The place we are going to cooks their fish to perfection -- to the nanosecond," says Carmack very impressively. "It looks a hole in the wall, and next door they serve the same thing. But the restaurant we have discovered is pure perfection."

"Actually, nowhere is not a fair term" protests Morrison. "Khon Kaen is in the heartland of Thailand's silk weaving," he explains, particularly the hand-woven matmee -- the country's equivalent to Indonesian ikat, but of an even higher standard. "The design pattern are tie dyed into the strands, then re-woven into the cloth. It is incredibly labour intensive and beautiful, and consequently, we are including this in the tour."

On the food side, Carmack notes that fiery Isan cooking has become all the trend in cosmopolitan Bangkok these days. "Thai's just cannot seem to get enough of it," he explains, "a bit like the southern Indian Kerala dishes' popularity in India's north. But the world hasn't quite figured this out yet. So this might be peoples' first experience of it."

Carmack notes that typical Isan dishes are the grilled chicken gai yang, green papaya salad --"which you can get in Sydney, but not tasting the same" -- and sticky rice. "You could actually say that Isan lies in the centre of the sticky rice trail" quips Carmack. He then explains that sticky rice, unlike standard steamed Jasmine rice, is first soaked for hours, then literally steamed above water. "Because it clings, it is eaten with the hand, folded into small balls," he notes. "In Isan they still generally eat with hands, and not fork and spook, like in the rest of the kingdom."