I pull a face. ‘Only the squat-hole ones.’

‘I went into the public toilets near Tiananmen Square and it was full of squat-holes and no doors, and all these girls were just there, squatting and texting madly on their phones.’

She starts laughing again. A wave of dizziness hits me, and I sway slightly in my seat.

‘Bloody hell,’ Carrie says. ‘I think we need to eat. We’re getting hysterical.’

I fan a hand in front of my face. ‘It’s the heat.’

‘It’s Baltic in here! It’s the shady beer … Come on, let’s neck these then go and grab some food. You know what, since it’s our last night here, I really fancy going to the Hard Rock Cafe. I know it’s cheesy as fuck and lacking any sort of cultural awareness, but…’ She pauses, leans in closer to me. ‘I am so sick of rice.’ She laughs and de-shells another peanut. ‘Plus, Laura collects the badges so I want to get her one—’

The laughter drains out of me, like water down a plughole.

‘Who’s Laura?’

She waves a hand in front of her face. Her face crumples slightly. ‘I told you, didn’t I? I was meant to be travelling with her. She’s my best friend from school. We went out on a big night before we were due to leave and she fell down the stairs wearing stupid heels…’ She pauses, takes a long drink. I watch her throat moving as the liquid moves downwards. A long, slender neck. Perfect pale skin. ‘OK, we were actually a bit pissed.’ She puts the glass down and raises an eyebrow. ‘A lot pissed. A lot more pissed than this. Anyhow, the travel insurance wouldn’t cover it. She was gutted. I was gutted … I nearly didn’t come. But then I thought, you know what? Why should I not come? Why give up the chance of a trip of a lifetime? Neither of us would be able to save for it again … So I came—’

‘Good for you,’ I cut in, relaxed again now that it’s clear that Laura won’t be joining us. ‘So how long have you been here?’

‘Oh, here, not long. A few days. I was in Vietnam … Thailand…’

I feel sober all of a sudden. ‘Were you in Bangkok? I’ve just come from there…’ I wonder now if I have seen her before. That maybe this is why I feel connected to her.

‘Nah, just the airport. I was meant to spend a night in the city, but the taxi driver recommended this trip to Ko Samui and told me the beaches were better than the stinking city streets – his words, not mine. I kind of regret it now. But hey, I’ve been in the night market here. I’ve eaten locusts. I’ve done the things. Anyway, what are you doing here on your own? Been dumped?’