Sunday 1 July 2012
End of Blog
Due to liars and bullshi......... my job transfer to Singapore/Bangkok never happened. Thank You
Saturday 28 August 2010
Thursday 30 July 2009
Nearly Got there!!!
Just finished a three week project in Bangkok and Singapore, but then they made me come back to the UK. However the omens are good for a return next year on a full time basis, more likely to be Singapore than Bangkok but hey thats ok with me.
Sunday 4 January 2009
On hold till late 2009
Hope you enjoyed the stroy of my visit to Pichai, it was to be the start of this blog - my life in Thailand, however the best laid plans dont always work. Hopefully my job will lead to a placement in Singapore or Thailand in late 2009.
If it happens I will dedicate time to create hopefully an enjoyable blog for those who wish to visit.
RIP to all who lost their lives at Santika on New Year Eve
If it happens I will dedicate time to create hopefully an enjoyable blog for those who wish to visit.
RIP to all who lost their lives at Santika on New Year Eve
Thursday 4 December 2008
Gullivers Tavern - Sukhumvit Soi 5
Stayed here first two weeks of November, from its opening day.Room comes with Full English breakfast if wanted, big walk in Shower, double bed, big flat screen TV and plently of storage. In Room Safe and very clean. Staff were new so a few hiccups but very friendly and sorted everything out when asked. Tad pricey at 2,500 a night but if you like a nice hotel in a good location, guest friendly then its a goer.
Stayed here first two weeks of November, from its opening day.Room comes with Full English breakfast if wanted, big walk in Shower, double bed, big flat screen TV and plently of storage. In Room Safe and very clean. Staff were new so a few hiccups but very friendly and sorted everything out when asked. Tad pricey at 2,500 a night but if you like a nice hotel in a good location, guest friendly then its a goer.
Saturday 30 June 2007
A Trip Up Country
Well the time was fast approaching, the trip to the Village to meet the folks. Make sure you are ready at 10, taxi will pick us up darling, says Noo, so sweetly as she floats out of the room, weighted down with the new gold ring and half of the MBK Shopping Emporium. Why do we buy so much I ask innocently, to which a scowl replies must buy for family show you care. Yes but why do I have to care so much I mutter. One hour to go, time to get down to internet cafe on Si Phraya, hope its not full of school kids abandoned there since school was let out. Type in ‘Cent The Village Tales’.
What am I letting my self in for, where the hell is Pichai, near Uttaradit, says the Web, Northern Thailand, and nothing else, spooky.
11 o'clock at the train station thank fully, train has air con, settle down for a 12 hour journey. The air con is blowing a blizzard but the trains comfortable, clean and leaves on time. Early morning light breaks over Pichai and farmers are herding Buffaloes and tending rice paddies. We pull into Pichai station refreshed and eager to get home only to be verbally mugged by Mr Uthon the taxi Mafia. ‘You want Taxi Farang, me taxi, me take care, where you go’. We agree a price, get on board and my eyes swim around in hope, where are the bars, restaurants and gogo's darling I ask aloud to be greeted by howls of laughter, stupid farang, no bars in Pichai.
Lets Eat
So after establishing that Pichai is no Las Vegas, it was time to meet the family. After a visit to the market, which was mayhem at 5 o'clock in the morning, we load up with groceries, drink, chickens and numerous bottles of Beer Chang, Heineken and Thai Mekong Whiskey.
After we all pile into the pickup along with several others we seemed to have met wandering around the Market, it’s off to the house. After about two miles, several drops with no one paying but me, and twenty or more scaby soi dogs we hit base. The house is not as expected it’s quite large in its own grounds with several family rooms, a shower house and outbuildings. The front room is the brothers garage, seems he's the village mechanic currently dismantling three mopeds and several engines.
Greetings all round, mother, father, sisters, brother, kids, kids, kids, exchange presents. Everyone takes their present away to open later I'm told. Mother and Father seem distant, ok no English and very limited Thai on my part, no problem says Noo, they like you.
After quick shower and change its time to explore Pichai, Mr Uthon provides car, 500 baht all day. Noo and I get in and so do eight Thais all scrubbed and dressed in their Sunday best.
The countryside is neat, hilly and very green, the pickup makes good progress dodging various wildlife and straying buffaloes. First stop the iron mines, 2 baht admission, no double pricing for farangs here (think I'm the first to visit) not much to see but family enjoy, ice creams and pictures all round.
An hour later we eat, for the first time and move on to the National Park, kids really enjoy it here, it resembles the UK Lake District with permanent sun, a couple of hours here and I see my first and hopefully last Thai snake, hell its going over my foot, howls of laughter as Farang nearly faints, only to be told baby not poisonous. Can someone please provide a colour-coded list of Thai snakes just for me I plead in vain!! So enough of the wildlife lets visit the Sirikit Dam I suggest, back to civilisation, ok but we eat first (what again!!!).
Let’s play Poke the Farang
So it’s off to the Sirikit Dam, all back into the pickup, favoured Farang gets the front seat, thank you! I need the air con its 90 plus outside. Oh no three kids decide to sit on my lap, Mr Uthon seems not to bother that there's now three crazy kids climbing all over the cab.
Hit the Dam after about thirty minutes, this place is amazing, fantastic views over the lake from the top and the countryside is stunning. Family pour out the back and mingle with hundreds of Thais who are visiting today along with three or four school trips who decide to play lets poke the Farang, Ouch! My ribs are black and blue.
Don't understand Thai business sense the place is packed but all the cruise boats are moored and will not be going out, try to get an explanation, but with limited Thai on my part and no English coming back, I give up after ten minutes. What shall we do I suggest, 'Lets eat' comes back the chorus 'what again' yes darling only snacks before. So we settle down to what can only be described as a feast, giant fish, chickens, rice, noodles and of course Heineken, and Singha Beer.
Whiskey Mekong is ordered, Mekong is bloody awful, tastes like Marmite and two week old Tea mixed together but with a wicked kick about thirty seconds after you swallow. Food is eaten the bill hits 800 baht, not bad fed eight people with lots of beer, all the remains are doggie bagged and its time for a nap for the kids and Dad, does he normally sleep in the afternoon or was it the four bottles of Singha and the Mekong, which causes him to snore like a stranded buffalo.
Time to take in the sights with Noo and visit the Dam Control Room, don't know if this is normally allowed but a neighbour Mr Bin who we picked up on the way, works here. (He’s drunk more than I have and he's got to work a twelve-hour shift) Never thought I would find a dam interesting, but hey not much else to do in the middle of Northern Thailand on a sunny afternoon. Finally finish the tour of the dam, leave Mr Bin to flood Northern Thailand and head back to Pichai, for my first night with the family, I wonder what that will bring.
Things that go bump in the Night
We arrive back at the house in one piece after killing several species of Thai wildlife on the main Pichai highway. Don't worry Chris good luck to hit bird with car, not for the bird I say to scowls of disapproval.
Everyone piles out of the pickup and back into his or her old clothes. Mama who we left at base has surprise, surprise cooked up supper, let’s eat. Supper is eaten in split shifts, with several people I don't know arriving over the next two hours, neighbours, friends, others who have nothing, explains Noo, everyone must eat, share good fortune.
Time for a shower, now did I mention what the shower was like, its strip off, throw buckets of cold water over yourself and shampoo as best you can. Get dressed with three Thai kids sat wide-eyed watching, now I know why Thai girls dress with a towel wrapped around them, its because there’s no privacy in a Thai house.
Cover all my exposed bits with vast amounts of mossy repellent, to no avail I get bitten badly. Get called outside to the front porch where father and brothers are breaking out the Chang and Heineken, we sit here for several hours, chewing the fat and getting quietly drunk again.
Its dark outside, venture two or three foot from the house and you cannot see your hand in front of your face, still that doesn’t stop pickups, bikes and vans that resemble taxis in Lego land from whizzing passed at fifty miles per hour. Note to brain don't go out for a breather in the middle of the night. Its time to bunk down now where are six adults and three kids going to sleep, problem solved says Noo, sisters have own homes in the grounds and parents will vacate room for us and slept at Sisters.
Oh no I'm evicting two seventy year olds. No problem Chris you guest, my parents like you. Its all hands on deck as the front room becomes the main bedroom, its brushed, mopped and beds are assembled, mossy nets are strung up, dividers are put in place and we all bunk down.
I awake several times during the night, to strange sounds and the scraping of something with more feet than I have, no I'm no going out to investigate.
Morning comes at about 4.30, with the dawn chorus of cockerels, crickets, Soi Dogs and wailing from the temple. Time to get up Chris we go to Temple and then to Market, I can’t go, I'm a lapsed Catholic, but it cuts little ice.
Farang Have Taxi
Back from paying our due respects to Buddha and stocking up on fresh supplies, it’s time to leave for Chiang Mai.
So its back to the demon shower again, shoos away the lizards and the dog and hit that refreshing water. Dress and step outside as the early morning sun breaks through onto the smiling face of Mr Uthon.
You want taxi to Chaing Mai, Farang, mai pen rai, only 1000 Baht for you. So we pack up our belongings get weighted down with Buddha Amulets from the family, keep you safe Chris, Journey to Chiang Mai very dangerous by road, says Mr Uthon with a wicked grin. The Taxi slowly winds its way through the maze of back roads, happily dodging Soi Dogs and smiling Children, some staring with fear in their eyes at the strange Farang.
After twenty minutes or so we pull into a small lay-by, where Mr Uthon breaks into a big smile and runs to embrace a group of people dragging luggage, chickens, dogs and small children towards my Taxi.
Who are they I innocently enquire of Noo and Mr Uthon, his family they live Chiang Mai, come with us. Excellent so Taxi split five ways only 200 Baht, I proudly expire. No Chris, no be silly, Thai people cannot afford, have no money says Noo and Mr Uthon in unison, you no mind I tell them ok. Of course I say, after all this is Thailand. So we all settle down for the journey through Northern Thailand to the oasis that is Chiang Mai, I doze and dream of Restaurants, Bars and most of all a hot shower free from Lizards, Dogs and curious Thai Children.
Perhaps today I made some merit with Buddha, Noo certainly thinks so, although it’s made me a poorer man, Thailand enriches my life in so many ways.
Well the time was fast approaching, the trip to the Village to meet the folks. Make sure you are ready at 10, taxi will pick us up darling, says Noo, so sweetly as she floats out of the room, weighted down with the new gold ring and half of the MBK Shopping Emporium. Why do we buy so much I ask innocently, to which a scowl replies must buy for family show you care. Yes but why do I have to care so much I mutter. One hour to go, time to get down to internet cafe on Si Phraya, hope its not full of school kids abandoned there since school was let out. Type in ‘Cent The Village Tales’.
What am I letting my self in for, where the hell is Pichai, near Uttaradit, says the Web, Northern Thailand, and nothing else, spooky.
11 o'clock at the train station thank fully, train has air con, settle down for a 12 hour journey. The air con is blowing a blizzard but the trains comfortable, clean and leaves on time. Early morning light breaks over Pichai and farmers are herding Buffaloes and tending rice paddies. We pull into Pichai station refreshed and eager to get home only to be verbally mugged by Mr Uthon the taxi Mafia. ‘You want Taxi Farang, me taxi, me take care, where you go’. We agree a price, get on board and my eyes swim around in hope, where are the bars, restaurants and gogo's darling I ask aloud to be greeted by howls of laughter, stupid farang, no bars in Pichai.
Lets Eat
So after establishing that Pichai is no Las Vegas, it was time to meet the family. After a visit to the market, which was mayhem at 5 o'clock in the morning, we load up with groceries, drink, chickens and numerous bottles of Beer Chang, Heineken and Thai Mekong Whiskey.
After we all pile into the pickup along with several others we seemed to have met wandering around the Market, it’s off to the house. After about two miles, several drops with no one paying but me, and twenty or more scaby soi dogs we hit base. The house is not as expected it’s quite large in its own grounds with several family rooms, a shower house and outbuildings. The front room is the brothers garage, seems he's the village mechanic currently dismantling three mopeds and several engines.
Greetings all round, mother, father, sisters, brother, kids, kids, kids, exchange presents. Everyone takes their present away to open later I'm told. Mother and Father seem distant, ok no English and very limited Thai on my part, no problem says Noo, they like you.
After quick shower and change its time to explore Pichai, Mr Uthon provides car, 500 baht all day. Noo and I get in and so do eight Thais all scrubbed and dressed in their Sunday best.
The countryside is neat, hilly and very green, the pickup makes good progress dodging various wildlife and straying buffaloes. First stop the iron mines, 2 baht admission, no double pricing for farangs here (think I'm the first to visit) not much to see but family enjoy, ice creams and pictures all round.
An hour later we eat, for the first time and move on to the National Park, kids really enjoy it here, it resembles the UK Lake District with permanent sun, a couple of hours here and I see my first and hopefully last Thai snake, hell its going over my foot, howls of laughter as Farang nearly faints, only to be told baby not poisonous. Can someone please provide a colour-coded list of Thai snakes just for me I plead in vain!! So enough of the wildlife lets visit the Sirikit Dam I suggest, back to civilisation, ok but we eat first (what again!!!).
Let’s play Poke the Farang
So it’s off to the Sirikit Dam, all back into the pickup, favoured Farang gets the front seat, thank you! I need the air con its 90 plus outside. Oh no three kids decide to sit on my lap, Mr Uthon seems not to bother that there's now three crazy kids climbing all over the cab.
Hit the Dam after about thirty minutes, this place is amazing, fantastic views over the lake from the top and the countryside is stunning. Family pour out the back and mingle with hundreds of Thais who are visiting today along with three or four school trips who decide to play lets poke the Farang, Ouch! My ribs are black and blue.
Don't understand Thai business sense the place is packed but all the cruise boats are moored and will not be going out, try to get an explanation, but with limited Thai on my part and no English coming back, I give up after ten minutes. What shall we do I suggest, 'Lets eat' comes back the chorus 'what again' yes darling only snacks before. So we settle down to what can only be described as a feast, giant fish, chickens, rice, noodles and of course Heineken, and Singha Beer.
Whiskey Mekong is ordered, Mekong is bloody awful, tastes like Marmite and two week old Tea mixed together but with a wicked kick about thirty seconds after you swallow. Food is eaten the bill hits 800 baht, not bad fed eight people with lots of beer, all the remains are doggie bagged and its time for a nap for the kids and Dad, does he normally sleep in the afternoon or was it the four bottles of Singha and the Mekong, which causes him to snore like a stranded buffalo.
Time to take in the sights with Noo and visit the Dam Control Room, don't know if this is normally allowed but a neighbour Mr Bin who we picked up on the way, works here. (He’s drunk more than I have and he's got to work a twelve-hour shift) Never thought I would find a dam interesting, but hey not much else to do in the middle of Northern Thailand on a sunny afternoon. Finally finish the tour of the dam, leave Mr Bin to flood Northern Thailand and head back to Pichai, for my first night with the family, I wonder what that will bring.
Things that go bump in the Night
We arrive back at the house in one piece after killing several species of Thai wildlife on the main Pichai highway. Don't worry Chris good luck to hit bird with car, not for the bird I say to scowls of disapproval.
Everyone piles out of the pickup and back into his or her old clothes. Mama who we left at base has surprise, surprise cooked up supper, let’s eat. Supper is eaten in split shifts, with several people I don't know arriving over the next two hours, neighbours, friends, others who have nothing, explains Noo, everyone must eat, share good fortune.
Time for a shower, now did I mention what the shower was like, its strip off, throw buckets of cold water over yourself and shampoo as best you can. Get dressed with three Thai kids sat wide-eyed watching, now I know why Thai girls dress with a towel wrapped around them, its because there’s no privacy in a Thai house.
Cover all my exposed bits with vast amounts of mossy repellent, to no avail I get bitten badly. Get called outside to the front porch where father and brothers are breaking out the Chang and Heineken, we sit here for several hours, chewing the fat and getting quietly drunk again.
Its dark outside, venture two or three foot from the house and you cannot see your hand in front of your face, still that doesn’t stop pickups, bikes and vans that resemble taxis in Lego land from whizzing passed at fifty miles per hour. Note to brain don't go out for a breather in the middle of the night. Its time to bunk down now where are six adults and three kids going to sleep, problem solved says Noo, sisters have own homes in the grounds and parents will vacate room for us and slept at Sisters.
Oh no I'm evicting two seventy year olds. No problem Chris you guest, my parents like you. Its all hands on deck as the front room becomes the main bedroom, its brushed, mopped and beds are assembled, mossy nets are strung up, dividers are put in place and we all bunk down.
I awake several times during the night, to strange sounds and the scraping of something with more feet than I have, no I'm no going out to investigate.
Morning comes at about 4.30, with the dawn chorus of cockerels, crickets, Soi Dogs and wailing from the temple. Time to get up Chris we go to Temple and then to Market, I can’t go, I'm a lapsed Catholic, but it cuts little ice.
Farang Have Taxi
Back from paying our due respects to Buddha and stocking up on fresh supplies, it’s time to leave for Chiang Mai.
So its back to the demon shower again, shoos away the lizards and the dog and hit that refreshing water. Dress and step outside as the early morning sun breaks through onto the smiling face of Mr Uthon.
You want taxi to Chaing Mai, Farang, mai pen rai, only 1000 Baht for you. So we pack up our belongings get weighted down with Buddha Amulets from the family, keep you safe Chris, Journey to Chiang Mai very dangerous by road, says Mr Uthon with a wicked grin. The Taxi slowly winds its way through the maze of back roads, happily dodging Soi Dogs and smiling Children, some staring with fear in their eyes at the strange Farang.
After twenty minutes or so we pull into a small lay-by, where Mr Uthon breaks into a big smile and runs to embrace a group of people dragging luggage, chickens, dogs and small children towards my Taxi.
Who are they I innocently enquire of Noo and Mr Uthon, his family they live Chiang Mai, come with us. Excellent so Taxi split five ways only 200 Baht, I proudly expire. No Chris, no be silly, Thai people cannot afford, have no money says Noo and Mr Uthon in unison, you no mind I tell them ok. Of course I say, after all this is Thailand. So we all settle down for the journey through Northern Thailand to the oasis that is Chiang Mai, I doze and dream of Restaurants, Bars and most of all a hot shower free from Lizards, Dogs and curious Thai Children.
Perhaps today I made some merit with Buddha, Noo certainly thinks so, although it’s made me a poorer man, Thailand enriches my life in so many ways.
Friday 29 June 2007
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