Sorry folks, i hope i offend nobodies sensibilities, but hey ho s**t happens, i was sent this and had to share it with those who have not as yet had the pleasure.
Friday, March 9, 2007
MOre Funnies !Uncle Paul
"Hello?""Hi honey. This is Daddy. Is Mommy near the phone?""No Daddy. She's upstairs in the bedroom with Uncle Paul."After a brief pause,Daddy says, "But honey, you haven't got an Uncle Paul.""Oh yes I do, and he's upstairs in the room with Mommy, right now."Brief Pause."Uh, okay then, this is what I want you to do.Put the phone down on the table, run upstairs and knock on the bedroom door and shout to Mommy that Daddy's car just pulled into the driveway.""Okay Daddy, just a minute."A few minutes later the little girl comes back to the phone."I did it Daddy.""And what happened honey?" he asked."Well, Mommy got all scared, jumped out of bed with no clothes on and ran around screaming. Then she tripped over the rug, hit her head on the dresser and now she isn't moving at all!""Oh my God!!! What about your Uncle Paul?""He jumped out of the bed with no clothes on, too. He was all scared and he jumped out of the back window and into the swimmingpool. But I guess he didn't know that you took out the water last week to clean it. He hit the bottom of the pool and I think he's dead."***Long Pause******Longer Pause******Even Longer Pause***Then Daddy says,"Swimming pool? ...........Is this 555-9731?"
Domestic Flights
I have just been reliably informed by Khun Warren that as from Sunday 25th March most Domestic flights between Chaing Mai and Bangkok ( the budget carriers) will be reverting to the old horrible and dirty Don Muang airport. Thai airways may also be diverting some of their flights there.
So if your connecting with International flights it Will not be worth being cheap with the likes of Air Asia as you will have to get all the way to the new airport when you land.
Of course if Thai airways move some flights to Don Muang the connection times may be longer than usual, so all i can say to those of you that had nothing good to say about the new airport! Be careful what you wish for, because now it is going to be a real nightmare, and if you didn't like the facilities before you are going to hate having to spend longer in them waiting for your connection to international.
Personally i wish you had all wished we could be happy, healthy and terribly rich, since the mass wishing for the old airport seems to have worked!
Please check with respective airlines if you already have tickets booked, things can change so quickly, maybe the week after they will swap again!
REMEMBER NEXT TIME WISH FOR A LOTTERY WIN
So if your connecting with International flights it Will not be worth being cheap with the likes of Air Asia as you will have to get all the way to the new airport when you land.
Of course if Thai airways move some flights to Don Muang the connection times may be longer than usual, so all i can say to those of you that had nothing good to say about the new airport! Be careful what you wish for, because now it is going to be a real nightmare, and if you didn't like the facilities before you are going to hate having to spend longer in them waiting for your connection to international.
Personally i wish you had all wished we could be happy, healthy and terribly rich, since the mass wishing for the old airport seems to have worked!
Please check with respective airlines if you already have tickets booked, things can change so quickly, maybe the week after they will swap again!
REMEMBER NEXT TIME WISH FOR A LOTTERY WIN
Songkran 13th - 15th April
Not to be confused with a very popular and inexpensive Thai whiskey, Songkran is Thai New Year.
Love it or hate it it is going to happen and many expats here are already planing their escape.
For 3 days if you are lucky and 5 if you are not, the streets will be full of happy fun people drowning each other with water.
Traditionally a time for children to return home and pay respect to their Parents and bring gifts, big family feasts and visits to the temple.
People go to a Wat to pray and give food to monks. They also clean Buddha images in temples with water and gentle Thai perfume, as it is believed that this will bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year. In many cities, such as Chiang Mai the Buddha statues from all of the Wat's in the city are paraded through the streets so that people can wash them as they pass by. People carry handfuls of sand to their temple to in order to recompense the dirt that they carry away on their feet during the rest of the year. The sand is then piled into large, tiered piles and decorated with colorful flags. Later in the day, people also do community services. Going to Wat and doing community service teach people to give, the most basic way to happiness in Buddhism.
Traditionally lustra water, see wikipedia.com, is this a Betty quiz?, was poured over the hands or the shoulder in a calm and gentle fashion to show respect. Over the years and probably with the asistance of foreigners taking it one step beyond, Thailand is now the annual host to the worlds largest and longest water fight. Outside of just about every home and shop there will be barrels of water and people with buckets and water pistols aiming at anyone they can. From around 7am to 6pm the place is literally awash with fun and antics. Families fill up the pick up trucks with barrells and drive around and hoards of motorcycles with water pistols, it is very dangerous as many come off their bikes due to the extremely slippery surface.
Around the moat in chiangmai every inch is taken up with people selling food, drink and blocks of ice. The ice is for the barrels of water not the drinks, as it seems the colder the water the more fun it is to get people, how cruel?
It doesn't matter if you are young or old in shorts or on your way to work in a suit if you are not in a covered car with your windows closed, you are considered fair game and you are going to get WET. People even run up behind the red two bench buses and throw water inside!
One day of play can be fun but 3 gets a bit much.
Do's: wear shorts, buy the biggest water pistol you can, wrap mobile phones and wallets cameras etc in a plastic bag and do not get them out in the street, only use waterproof cameras and videos preferably waterproof to 2000 ft! Have fun.
Dont's: Try to avoid riding a motor bike during the day as it is extremely dangerous with many deaths each year, just because your a foreigner isn't going to get you off the hook, in fact i think it's more points!
Do not get upset about getting wet, it is a local tradition and it would only spoil peoples fun, if you want to stay dry STAY INDOORS.
Having said all that it is fun and everybody shares, if you have run out of water there will be plenty of offers to fill you back up, it is very community spirited and you will be made to feel more than welcome.
Have fun, be safe be happy and share.
Love it or hate it it is going to happen and many expats here are already planing their escape.
For 3 days if you are lucky and 5 if you are not, the streets will be full of happy fun people drowning each other with water.
Traditionally a time for children to return home and pay respect to their Parents and bring gifts, big family feasts and visits to the temple.
People go to a Wat to pray and give food to monks. They also clean Buddha images in temples with water and gentle Thai perfume, as it is believed that this will bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year. In many cities, such as Chiang Mai the Buddha statues from all of the Wat's in the city are paraded through the streets so that people can wash them as they pass by. People carry handfuls of sand to their temple to in order to recompense the dirt that they carry away on their feet during the rest of the year. The sand is then piled into large, tiered piles and decorated with colorful flags. Later in the day, people also do community services. Going to Wat and doing community service teach people to give, the most basic way to happiness in Buddhism.
Traditionally lustra water, see wikipedia.com, is this a Betty quiz?, was poured over the hands or the shoulder in a calm and gentle fashion to show respect. Over the years and probably with the asistance of foreigners taking it one step beyond, Thailand is now the annual host to the worlds largest and longest water fight. Outside of just about every home and shop there will be barrels of water and people with buckets and water pistols aiming at anyone they can. From around 7am to 6pm the place is literally awash with fun and antics. Families fill up the pick up trucks with barrells and drive around and hoards of motorcycles with water pistols, it is very dangerous as many come off their bikes due to the extremely slippery surface.
Around the moat in chiangmai every inch is taken up with people selling food, drink and blocks of ice. The ice is for the barrels of water not the drinks, as it seems the colder the water the more fun it is to get people, how cruel?
It doesn't matter if you are young or old in shorts or on your way to work in a suit if you are not in a covered car with your windows closed, you are considered fair game and you are going to get WET. People even run up behind the red two bench buses and throw water inside!
One day of play can be fun but 3 gets a bit much.
Do's: wear shorts, buy the biggest water pistol you can, wrap mobile phones and wallets cameras etc in a plastic bag and do not get them out in the street, only use waterproof cameras and videos preferably waterproof to 2000 ft! Have fun.
Dont's: Try to avoid riding a motor bike during the day as it is extremely dangerous with many deaths each year, just because your a foreigner isn't going to get you off the hook, in fact i think it's more points!
Do not get upset about getting wet, it is a local tradition and it would only spoil peoples fun, if you want to stay dry STAY INDOORS.
Having said all that it is fun and everybody shares, if you have run out of water there will be plenty of offers to fill you back up, it is very community spirited and you will be made to feel more than welcome.
Have fun, be safe be happy and share.
Suvarnabhumi Airport
Having read so many damming reports of the new airport and recently, and having had 3 very good experiences myself, i thought it was time to balance the scales and wrote to the Bangkok post POSTBAG, they chose not to publish the item, maybe because it would have taken up the post bag space for 2 days, i can rabbit on when i get the bit between my teeth, they could have given it the front page though.
Anyhow a little while after another damming report appeared so i slightly amended the item to include the concerns of this disgruntled contributor, see the first 2 paragraphs, they relate to his experience and my retort for him, if you please, UPSET over a perfume advert! Whatever next? Upset he had to walk to immigration but the disabled get a ride!? Who's faults that? break a leg!
After that is my rantings on what i have so far found to be a great place, admittedly with lots of room for improvement but has anyone been home lately, it's not just the airports in chaos.
Is your cup half full or half empty?
Dear Amazed in Thailand, post bag 1st March 2007.
I am sure it is frustrating having to take a bus from the aircraft to the terminal, but believe me Bangkok is not the only place in the world where this occurs, every time I land at Dubai, and believe me that is often, I have been bussed to the terminal, they are rectifying this as I am sure are Bangkok
In the mean time I am sure you would not want them to suspend Domestic and International fights to resolve this problem because believe me taking the bus from Chiang Mai to Bangkok would be far more inconvenient. I am really not sure how a perfume advert has any bearing on the issue of busing people to the terminal unless of course you would be happier to see an advertisement listing all the perceived failures of the new airport, negativity does not breed progress.
It certainly makes the world a more interesting place with peoples different
perceptions to the same situation, and mine regarding the new airport in Bangkok certainly seems to be different. In November 2006 I left this fine and pleasant land for a trip to the UK, a nightmare thought at the best of times, and all the comments on how poorly the new airport was performing made it no easier.
However to my pleasant surprise I certainly had a different story to tell. I flew from Chiang Mai to Bangkok to connect directly with an Emirates flight to the UK via Dubai and was concerned about the luggage appearing on time along with, will I find my way and GOD FORBID I may need to find a toilet! Amazement, not only were my bags on the carousel before I got there, I found a toilet and a very clean and empty one at that. The airport staff pointed me without hesitation to the connection for International departures and although it looked like it still needed a lick of paint, it was organised efficient and had a calming effect, unusual to say the least for any busy international airport.
Having kept up to date with current affairs during my absence I was once again dreading the mayhem promised to me by various articles and comments on web sites. A double whammy I returned to the same smooth operation I had left. It took a lot less time to get to immigration which unlike the old airport had most of the booths opened and manned. I cleared immigration within minutes not hours, and thanks to the signage ( yes it is there if you open your eyes) was soon by the luggage carousel, admittedly I was travelling in Business class and am a Gold member of Skywards, but my luggage was there within 5 minutes and I was off. From the Aircraft doors opening to my arrival at my hotel in Bangkok took a whole 65 minutes, maybe something to do with more road connections.
Well if your not envious yet, the next day, having had my one obligatory night of fun in Bangkok I gave myself plenty of time to reach the airport, it was a Friday and did not wish to risk missing my flight and trying to get on another, and what a surprise when it took less time than in THE GOOD OLD DAYS!
Check in was swift and courteous, thank you Thai airways, and again finding my way from check in to the business class lounge with nothing more than signage to guide my way was swift. The facilities were beautiful and after a spot on the Internet and a bit of snacking, I went off to explore and find some of the reported nightmares.
Oh shock horror, the food court is magnificent, the selection vast and my first let down, the first and last, it’s not cheap, but find me an airport that is.
Having had a mooch around the shops it was time to head to the gate for boarding, but en-route that Singha beer made itself known and a toilet stop was required, like an oasis in the desert the SIGN showing me the way, and the way lead to an admittedly small but clean facility that I only had to share with one other and she was there to clean, and was certainly not holding up the proceedings.
A few minutes later I found myself at the departure gate, and unlike the nightmare of Don Muang, I did not see one person having to stand, sit on the floor or share their seat with a friend, there was a copious amount of seating until the flight was called to board.
I appreciate that human beings are not a great one for change, unless it’s their mobile phone or car, but I really feel people are just not comfortable with the new surroundings yet. People were so used to the old airport and navigated its facilities on autopilot, it is suddenly a shock to the senses to not know where you’re going, and I have the same experience whenever I visit a new airport wherever it is in the world
I worked in travel for many years and have travelled extensively myself and I find the new airport to have the most calming effect of any I have visited even on a busy Friday afternoon. The gardens are stunning and accessible to all and I am sure with time things will be sorted.
To put things into prospective, the opening of a new restaurant, a much smaller occurrence, at least has the chance for a burn off, a night or several where friends and family of the staff can eat for free so they may test the systems, not even David Copperfield could magic up several days of flights and passengers to test the new systems to capacity and find the flaws, and face it on a size basis pro rata they could do with it.
As far as missing baggage is concerned check out the UK news on British Airways failure to repatriate 7000 bags with their owners after 2 days of freezing fog. Several weeks later they are still miles apart.
One thing that cannot be changed is the fact that some greedy moron decided to build the whole new airport on a swamp, there is an old fable of a man who built his castle on sand, and as much as it is a fable great heed could be taken form it’s sentiment, but isn’t that part of the reason for the events in Thailand of September last year? Be proud of your airport and give the new regime chance to resolve what was inherited form the last.
Anyhow a little while after another damming report appeared so i slightly amended the item to include the concerns of this disgruntled contributor, see the first 2 paragraphs, they relate to his experience and my retort for him, if you please, UPSET over a perfume advert! Whatever next? Upset he had to walk to immigration but the disabled get a ride!? Who's faults that? break a leg!
After that is my rantings on what i have so far found to be a great place, admittedly with lots of room for improvement but has anyone been home lately, it's not just the airports in chaos.
Is your cup half full or half empty?
Dear Amazed in Thailand, post bag 1st March 2007.
I am sure it is frustrating having to take a bus from the aircraft to the terminal, but believe me Bangkok is not the only place in the world where this occurs, every time I land at Dubai, and believe me that is often, I have been bussed to the terminal, they are rectifying this as I am sure are Bangkok
In the mean time I am sure you would not want them to suspend Domestic and International fights to resolve this problem because believe me taking the bus from Chiang Mai to Bangkok would be far more inconvenient. I am really not sure how a perfume advert has any bearing on the issue of busing people to the terminal unless of course you would be happier to see an advertisement listing all the perceived failures of the new airport, negativity does not breed progress.
It certainly makes the world a more interesting place with peoples different
perceptions to the same situation, and mine regarding the new airport in Bangkok certainly seems to be different. In November 2006 I left this fine and pleasant land for a trip to the UK, a nightmare thought at the best of times, and all the comments on how poorly the new airport was performing made it no easier.
However to my pleasant surprise I certainly had a different story to tell. I flew from Chiang Mai to Bangkok to connect directly with an Emirates flight to the UK via Dubai and was concerned about the luggage appearing on time along with, will I find my way and GOD FORBID I may need to find a toilet! Amazement, not only were my bags on the carousel before I got there, I found a toilet and a very clean and empty one at that. The airport staff pointed me without hesitation to the connection for International departures and although it looked like it still needed a lick of paint, it was organised efficient and had a calming effect, unusual to say the least for any busy international airport.
Having kept up to date with current affairs during my absence I was once again dreading the mayhem promised to me by various articles and comments on web sites. A double whammy I returned to the same smooth operation I had left. It took a lot less time to get to immigration which unlike the old airport had most of the booths opened and manned. I cleared immigration within minutes not hours, and thanks to the signage ( yes it is there if you open your eyes) was soon by the luggage carousel, admittedly I was travelling in Business class and am a Gold member of Skywards, but my luggage was there within 5 minutes and I was off. From the Aircraft doors opening to my arrival at my hotel in Bangkok took a whole 65 minutes, maybe something to do with more road connections.
Well if your not envious yet, the next day, having had my one obligatory night of fun in Bangkok I gave myself plenty of time to reach the airport, it was a Friday and did not wish to risk missing my flight and trying to get on another, and what a surprise when it took less time than in THE GOOD OLD DAYS!
Check in was swift and courteous, thank you Thai airways, and again finding my way from check in to the business class lounge with nothing more than signage to guide my way was swift. The facilities were beautiful and after a spot on the Internet and a bit of snacking, I went off to explore and find some of the reported nightmares.
Oh shock horror, the food court is magnificent, the selection vast and my first let down, the first and last, it’s not cheap, but find me an airport that is.
Having had a mooch around the shops it was time to head to the gate for boarding, but en-route that Singha beer made itself known and a toilet stop was required, like an oasis in the desert the SIGN showing me the way, and the way lead to an admittedly small but clean facility that I only had to share with one other and she was there to clean, and was certainly not holding up the proceedings.
A few minutes later I found myself at the departure gate, and unlike the nightmare of Don Muang, I did not see one person having to stand, sit on the floor or share their seat with a friend, there was a copious amount of seating until the flight was called to board.
I appreciate that human beings are not a great one for change, unless it’s their mobile phone or car, but I really feel people are just not comfortable with the new surroundings yet. People were so used to the old airport and navigated its facilities on autopilot, it is suddenly a shock to the senses to not know where you’re going, and I have the same experience whenever I visit a new airport wherever it is in the world
I worked in travel for many years and have travelled extensively myself and I find the new airport to have the most calming effect of any I have visited even on a busy Friday afternoon. The gardens are stunning and accessible to all and I am sure with time things will be sorted.
To put things into prospective, the opening of a new restaurant, a much smaller occurrence, at least has the chance for a burn off, a night or several where friends and family of the staff can eat for free so they may test the systems, not even David Copperfield could magic up several days of flights and passengers to test the new systems to capacity and find the flaws, and face it on a size basis pro rata they could do with it.
As far as missing baggage is concerned check out the UK news on British Airways failure to repatriate 7000 bags with their owners after 2 days of freezing fog. Several weeks later they are still miles apart.
One thing that cannot be changed is the fact that some greedy moron decided to build the whole new airport on a swamp, there is an old fable of a man who built his castle on sand, and as much as it is a fable great heed could be taken form it’s sentiment, but isn’t that part of the reason for the events in Thailand of September last year? Be proud of your airport and give the new regime chance to resolve what was inherited form the last.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Funnies 8 march 2007
mmmmm---all these facts----and I DIDN'T KNOW!!!!
We get many funnies flying around by email and i will be posting those that make me howl, so many just make you titter and i can do that on my own!
If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee. (Hardly seems worth it.)
If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee. (Hardly seems worth it.)
If you farted consistently for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas is produced to create the energy of an atomic bomb. (Now that's more like it!)
The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet. (O.M.G.!)
A pig's orgasm lasts 30 minutes. (In my next life, I want to be a pig.)
A cockroach will live nine days without its head before it starves to death. (Creepy.)
(I'm still not over the pig.)
Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories a hour
(Don't try this at home, maybe at work)
The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the male's head off. (Honey, I'm home. What the...?!)
The flea can jump 350 times its body length. It's like a human jumping the length of a football field.
(30 minutes..lucky pig! Can you imagine?)
The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds.
(What could be so tasty on the bottom of a pond?)
Some lions mate over 50 times a day.
(I still want to be a pig in my next life...quality over quantity)
Butterflies taste with their feet
(Something I always wanted to know.)
The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue. (Hmmmmmm......)
Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people. (If you're ambidextrous, do you split the difference?)
Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump. (Okay, so that would be a good thing)
A cat's urine glows under a black light.
(I wonder who was paid to figure that out?)
An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
(I know some people like that)
Starfish have no brains
(I know some people like that too.)
Polar bears are left-handed.
(If they switch, they'll live a lot longer)
Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure.
(What about that pig??)
Now that you've smiled at least once, it's your turn to spread these crazy facts and send this to someone you want to bring a smile to, maybe even a chuckle. In other words, send it to everyone !
(and God love that pig!)
Amazing bargains for tavel
If anyone is in the mood to travel at the moment Emirates have some amazing fares on offer.
Emirates >
Emirates >
Visa rules. Not new just being enforced.
For anyone who is still confused over visa rules I found this on the Thai consulates web site for Birmingham UK. Hope it clarifys things.
The Royal Thai Consulate - Birmingham for Visa Applications
The Royal Thai Consulate - Birmingham for Visa Applications
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
School for life
Well what a funny and exciting old day.
Khun Steve invited me for a day out.
I was unsure of the itinerary, but a day out on the bikes seemed like a good idea and a break from the norm right now.
So early this morning i left home and made my way to Chiang Mai from Mae Rim, we met up and off we set to the School for life.
School for life is an Orphanage in a beautiful setting on land owned by His Majesty The King, and donated to this project, in the Doi Saket area and way off the beaten track. The project houses , feeds and cares for numerous Orphan's. Not only does it care for them it also provides essential training in life skills, so when the day arrives that they must leave, not only are they healthy and cared for, they have skills to take with them into the community and have a better start. They educated to a good standard, they have a good command of English and are taught entrepreneurial skills as well. This is in addition to the basic skills of taking GOOD care of yourself in this big bad world.
We were there to view progress on the new build dormitory for 50 boys, this is sponsored and being paid for by the Roof Top Party Charity. This event has occurred annually since the Tsunami in South East Asia, when Khun Steve and his merry band of committee members held a charity night for the victims of this horrific event.
The event was such a success on a charitable basis and a hit with the locals for a well organised fundraising event that was fun, we asked for it to become an annual happening and it has. So this years benefactor is The School For Life, based on a submitted proposals, it changes each year and is Judged by the merits of the proposal.
Now we have you non residents up to speed i will continue.
To ensure that the monies raised are being administered wisely, a visit is arranged every step of the way before the next installment is paid. So today was one of those events, and my first visit to the site.
We were welcomed by the manager and given a tour of the facilities, and then lead down through the complex, which resembles the summer camps in the USA in my minds eye, to the new boys dormitory, which although still under construction is taking great shape. It has plenty of bathroom facilities and a family room, a room for staff to sleep in, so they can keep an eye out on the kids and room for 50 beds.
I must add on a personal note that the place had a great feel, the children cared for, the place was immaculate and the kids looked like they were enjoying life, not what you would generally expect from an orphanage anywhere in the world.
There is a blessing of this facility and official opening/handover, in early April with Monks etc.
If you would like to attend please contact Steve for details as the dates are not firm, whoever knows when builders will finish any job. There will be a lunch and drinks with a cover charge, come on we wouldn't want to take the food from the mouths of babes would we.
I hope the boys enjoy the new space and wish them every opportunity and good luck in the future, especially having had such a rough start.
P.S Contributions to Hillside Rooftop Charity are constantly welcomed as the fundraising for the next year starts as soon as the current has finished.
After School for life anther surprise.
We headed a bit further North to Khun Warrens place in the back end of the back end of beyond, and you all thought i live in the middle of nowhere! Well i suppose i do compared to Warren, but that means Warren is in the back of beyond of it.
Having wound through country roads and past beautiful rivers and finally traversed a stream on our bikes we arrive. Now the plot thickens. We are here on a mission, a charitable one at that, which involves Khun Steve, Khun Warren and Khun Nack, and since i am there i suppose i am implicated. Don't get all excited, it genuinely is charitable not illicit, but i am sworn to secrecy for a little while. Keep coming back and all will be revealed in later postings. I would however like to thank Khun Warren and his lovely lads for a great lunch and the afternoon tea, as Betty discovered the nosey mare she is, in Royal Dalton no less, oh Tea in a china cup X X X X
On the way back from our BOND style mission Warren enlightened us to an amazing home stay which i am loathe to share with you all. But since life here is about sharing great experiences and new found treasures here we go.
In the lands that sit around the Doi Saket region, near to Warrens "Valley", is a little sign in Thai, you will never find it without a map, and thanks to Warren English as well, stating home stay, and after a meander along, to say the least, a "Dodgy" road and crossing a babbling Brook you will discover a Bamboo hut, with a massive open lounge /dinning area, 4 en suite, yes en suite bedrooms, with western style toilets and showers, a large terrace and best of all for the winter, an open log fire. Here you can while away the days (and nights) and really get to grips with living THAI STYLE. I am planning on a 2 night trip if anyone want to join the fun.
Apparently if you notify them of your arrival the village boys will organise food and bring guitars and generally make your stay comfortable. From this base camp you can either relax or more interestingly explore the nearby waterfalls and many walks available.
After High Tea ( so out of Africa) with Khun's Warren, Nack and Steve, Steve and i headed off home before the light failed us. En route however we could not resist the allure of an open market and all it had to offer, i bought flip flops and Steve treat us both to orange drinks. Given the chance i think we would both have treated ourselves to something more LOCAL
http://picasaweb.google.com/GARETHANGEL/SchoolForLife
http://picasaweb.google.com/GARETHANGEL/HomeStay
Khun Steve invited me for a day out.
I was unsure of the itinerary, but a day out on the bikes seemed like a good idea and a break from the norm right now.
So early this morning i left home and made my way to Chiang Mai from Mae Rim, we met up and off we set to the School for life.
School for life is an Orphanage in a beautiful setting on land owned by His Majesty The King, and donated to this project, in the Doi Saket area and way off the beaten track. The project houses , feeds and cares for numerous Orphan's. Not only does it care for them it also provides essential training in life skills, so when the day arrives that they must leave, not only are they healthy and cared for, they have skills to take with them into the community and have a better start. They educated to a good standard, they have a good command of English and are taught entrepreneurial skills as well. This is in addition to the basic skills of taking GOOD care of yourself in this big bad world.
We were there to view progress on the new build dormitory for 50 boys, this is sponsored and being paid for by the Roof Top Party Charity. This event has occurred annually since the Tsunami in South East Asia, when Khun Steve and his merry band of committee members held a charity night for the victims of this horrific event.
The event was such a success on a charitable basis and a hit with the locals for a well organised fundraising event that was fun, we asked for it to become an annual happening and it has. So this years benefactor is The School For Life, based on a submitted proposals, it changes each year and is Judged by the merits of the proposal.
Now we have you non residents up to speed i will continue.
To ensure that the monies raised are being administered wisely, a visit is arranged every step of the way before the next installment is paid. So today was one of those events, and my first visit to the site.
We were welcomed by the manager and given a tour of the facilities, and then lead down through the complex, which resembles the summer camps in the USA in my minds eye, to the new boys dormitory, which although still under construction is taking great shape. It has plenty of bathroom facilities and a family room, a room for staff to sleep in, so they can keep an eye out on the kids and room for 50 beds.
I must add on a personal note that the place had a great feel, the children cared for, the place was immaculate and the kids looked like they were enjoying life, not what you would generally expect from an orphanage anywhere in the world.
There is a blessing of this facility and official opening/handover, in early April with Monks etc.
If you would like to attend please contact Steve for details as the dates are not firm, whoever knows when builders will finish any job. There will be a lunch and drinks with a cover charge, come on we wouldn't want to take the food from the mouths of babes would we.
I hope the boys enjoy the new space and wish them every opportunity and good luck in the future, especially having had such a rough start.
P.S Contributions to Hillside Rooftop Charity are constantly welcomed as the fundraising for the next year starts as soon as the current has finished.
After School for life anther surprise.
We headed a bit further North to Khun Warrens place in the back end of the back end of beyond, and you all thought i live in the middle of nowhere! Well i suppose i do compared to Warren, but that means Warren is in the back of beyond of it.
Having wound through country roads and past beautiful rivers and finally traversed a stream on our bikes we arrive. Now the plot thickens. We are here on a mission, a charitable one at that, which involves Khun Steve, Khun Warren and Khun Nack, and since i am there i suppose i am implicated. Don't get all excited, it genuinely is charitable not illicit, but i am sworn to secrecy for a little while. Keep coming back and all will be revealed in later postings. I would however like to thank Khun Warren and his lovely lads for a great lunch and the afternoon tea, as Betty discovered the nosey mare she is, in Royal Dalton no less, oh Tea in a china cup X X X X
On the way back from our BOND style mission Warren enlightened us to an amazing home stay which i am loathe to share with you all. But since life here is about sharing great experiences and new found treasures here we go.
In the lands that sit around the Doi Saket region, near to Warrens "Valley", is a little sign in Thai, you will never find it without a map, and thanks to Warren English as well, stating home stay, and after a meander along, to say the least, a "Dodgy" road and crossing a babbling Brook you will discover a Bamboo hut, with a massive open lounge /dinning area, 4 en suite, yes en suite bedrooms, with western style toilets and showers, a large terrace and best of all for the winter, an open log fire. Here you can while away the days (and nights) and really get to grips with living THAI STYLE. I am planning on a 2 night trip if anyone want to join the fun.
Apparently if you notify them of your arrival the village boys will organise food and bring guitars and generally make your stay comfortable. From this base camp you can either relax or more interestingly explore the nearby waterfalls and many walks available.
After High Tea ( so out of Africa) with Khun's Warren, Nack and Steve, Steve and i headed off home before the light failed us. En route however we could not resist the allure of an open market and all it had to offer, i bought flip flops and Steve treat us both to orange drinks. Given the chance i think we would both have treated ourselves to something more LOCAL
http://picasaweb.google.com/GARETHANGEL/SchoolForLife
http://picasaweb.google.com/GARETHANGEL/HomeStay
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
DOI SUTHEP
Doi Suthep
There are many Temples in Chiang Mai, but none is more highly revered or more beautiful than Doi Suthep.
There are many Temples in Chiang Mai, but none is more highly revered or more beautiful than Doi Suthep.
Doi Suthep is a mountain, about 15 kilometers from Chiang Mai, and on it stands Wat Prathat Doi Suthep, a Holy Buddhist Temple. Every Temple with a name starting with Wat Prathat contains Buddha relics and therefore is considered most Holy to Buddhists.
It 's easily reached by red bus, the first will take you to the base of the mountain next to Chiang Mai zoo. Here you will find a shrine and if you walk to the back of this area you will find a park and waterfalls and a very good restaurant with views of the Falls.
From here you can take a second red bus that will wind it's way up the mountain and deliver you at the entrance to the temple. Now you have 2 choices, you can either walk the 300 or so steps to the top or there are 2 cable cars for the less adventurous. Foreigners are charged an entrance fee.
Once you reach the top you will enter the outer area with small shrines, beautiful flowers and a view point that let's you see the whole of Chiang Mai, and the basin it sits in, stretching for miles in front of you.
In front of you there are steps leading up to the inner temple area and you MUST remove your shoes before entering this area. Here you will find murals, shops to buy a bell that you can dedicate with a message and hang at various points. Within this area you will find a hall where you can get a blessing from a monk. After the blessing you will receive a string bracelet that should be worn til it falls off. If you are male the monk will tie this onto your right wrist, if your female an official will perform this task, as women cannot have physical contact with monks under any circumstance, and it will be tied to your left wrist. When entering the hall for the blessing this should be done whilst kneeling making sure your head is not higher than that of a monk or Buddha image and to leave the room stay knelling and back out keeping your head facing the monk. If you are unsure then watch the locals do it and you will know how to do it in the correct manner.
There is a box to leave a donation here and at many points in the the temple and the money goes to the upkeep of this most precious of Temples.
http://picasaweb.google.com/GARETHANGEL/DoiSuthep
John Cooley's Birthday Party
As much as Mistress Glitter kiss only celebrates a birthday once every 4 years, due to being a leap year baby, we were not fooled, he looks nothing like 17.75 years old. Joerg at To Nobody German restaurant on Tewan Changpuek rd held an amazing Mississippi BBQ, and the food and the beer flowed till we poured ourselves out of the restaurant. We all wish John a very happy birthday. The dogs even got a doggy bag thanks and scoffed the lot in seconds. Check out the pictures we even got Steve once or twice, an achievement in it's self. Oh that beer has gone to my head so time for BED.
The next day update! If anyone can remember more than me please inform me and i will post it, like how i got home would be interesting.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Nawaree
Monday 6th March 207
Great news for those of us who live in or near Nakornping (actually for anyone in CNX who loves Thai food).
Nawaree Thai Restaurant has re-opened after a few weeks holiday. They have a new menu. Along with the wonderful fried chicken and fried shrimp (Becky says the shrimp are the best in Thailand), they have added some interesting new items. (Take a look at the attachment.)
We have had a couple of dinner parties there this past week. The food is simply the best Thai food in CNX. This is not your usual preparation. The staff is very creative and come up with some interesting variations on old standards - like stir fried chicken with cashew nuts; always a favorite of mine - never had better.
If you wonder why I am trying to promote Nawaree, it is simply because it's great having a really good place right under my window. Really good place for dinner parties.
Give it a try. I think you'll like it.
John Cooley
Great news for those of us who live in or near Nakornping (actually for anyone in CNX who loves Thai food).
Nawaree Thai Restaurant has re-opened after a few weeks holiday. They have a new menu. Along with the wonderful fried chicken and fried shrimp (Becky says the shrimp are the best in Thailand), they have added some interesting new items. (Take a look at the attachment.)
We have had a couple of dinner parties there this past week. The food is simply the best Thai food in CNX. This is not your usual preparation. The staff is very creative and come up with some interesting variations on old standards - like stir fried chicken with cashew nuts; always a favorite of mine - never had better.
If you wonder why I am trying to promote Nawaree, it is simply because it's great having a really good place right under my window. Really good place for dinner parties.
Give it a try. I think you'll like it.
John Cooley
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