My visa within Thailand was expiring in 2 days. Time to make another run for the border. Usually we are off in another country at some point during our time in Thailand so this is not an issue. But this year we just stayed domestic. Poipet on the Cambodia border is the closest border crossing to our village so we headed out that way. We reached this dusty chaotic border town in 2 hours. As is always the case we were met with enterprising men … [Read more...]
A night of fun in Bangkok
We started the evening meeting up with the engaging and very accomplished @somcity for a tour of Lebua State Tower Hotel. Lebua made appearances in the movies, Bangkok Dangerous starring Nicholas Cage and the crazy Hangover II. As a result a visit here is also popular with tourists. Lebua tried to maintain strict standards of dress but when Hangover II came out, tourists started showing up in shorts and t shirts and flip flops and during our … [Read more...]
A relaxing day in Fiji
After the stresses of non stop travel the past month I was ready for some serious R&R. Seashell Momi is a Diver's and Surfer's hangout about 45 minutes south of the capital Nadi. Arriving in the dark after passing through beautiful green hills as far as the eye could see, I simply crashed. It was 8pm. I awoke the next morning, 14 hours later at 10am - still tired but certainly more refreshed. Apparently there are only 5 people staying here out of … [Read more...]
Odd and Unusual Bangkok
So, where do you go when you have seen most of the major attractions in Bangkok and you have a friend in town visiting for the first time? You seek out the odd and unusual. First we jumped on the Skytrain, got off at Chitlom, wandered for a bit until we reached the luxury Swissotel Nai Lert. We were not coming specifically to see the hotel, rather we were after the Tubtim Shrine on the grounds of the hotel. This is a fertility shrine … [Read more...]
Arriving on a little piece of Paradise, Ko Yao Noi Island
A power boat in southern Thailand greeted us as we arrived by taxi from the Phuket Airport. The blue waters beckoned and invited us along for the journey. Boats in this part of the country are great melting pots. Europeans, Americans (north and south) and plenty of folks from all parts of Asia were coming to Ko Yao Noi for a variety of reasons - to get away budget style, to park it at one of the small luxury properties, for honeymoon or ferrying … [Read more...]
A Thai New Years in our Village
As with most New Years Eve days we spend much of the day shopping for our big meal in the evening - where family and friends gather - pulling into one of the nearby village houses on motorbikes, walking or by car. First we stop at the huge Tesco Lotus that popped up near the Industrial park several years ago. Employees are stationed out front wrapping hundreds of packages from shoppers. Our budget has gone up this year - instead of 200 baht we … [Read more...]
Village Updates, Thailand
We have been infested with pigeons! They are nesting all over our roof - any crevice or corner is fair game. We've moved out a number of nests - found a number of eggs and covered any open areas on the roof with some sort of thorny plant material to discourage future nesting. Still they flock to our roof at all hours of the day and night. The scratching continues even in the early morning. Last night at 3am I was awakened dramatically by a … [Read more...]
It is cold in Thailand! Back to our Village
The coldest temperature Bangkok ever recorded was 10.5 C back in the 1950's. It has been cold here the entire month of December. With low temperatures running between 15 and 17 in Bangkok over night for the past few nights - it has not felt like a normal Thai winter. At our village in Eastern Thailand we have had to pull out the sweaters and warm blankets for the evening. Normally this time of year it cools off at night and by 10am the next … [Read more...]
Always Crazy Flying During the Holidays
Flying around the holidays is always crazy. Today was especially so! Was at the gate getting ready to board when a young gentleman runs up and announces to the agent that he does not have his passport. Fortunately he had some paper with some special government stamps and a Hong Kong ID so they let him board. While waiting in another line earlier I met a couple who said they had just lifted off, mere feet off of the runway when a light went on … [Read more...]
Thai Markets
Over the past few weeks we've gone to a number of local markets - the diversity of vegetables, fruit, fish, dead and live animals and cooked dishes is amazing. It is a culinary whirlwind on the senses - flavors, sights and smells. Vendors are chopping, baking, grilling and frantically stirring to get dishes to awaiting customers. The diversity seems endless - there are so many different "priks" or sauces that one can use depending on the exact … [Read more...]
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