Living Life November 2006

November as been a very tiring month, while Elizabeth is settling into a routine, it as taken a lot of hard work to get us this far.

Being hard with her, feeding her when we want to feed her, not when she decides, making her drink her milk even though she wants to sleep and trying to make her sleep just so we can catch forty winks.

Its all worth it, she is really beginning to show some character, she is quite a travelled baby, going to the coast twice and a trip up to northern Thailand. She loves her car seat and always falls asleep in it. I can be seen sometimes in the evening walking with her around the project with her in the car seat and me nearly breaking my arm with the weight. I now have a bit of a beer run, I have two stops in the evening were I get a drink of beer with the locals. I sure they think I’m insane! Oh well it gets me free beer.

It’s pretty certain now that I will have to return to the UK, once I’ve raised the capital to get back (No small feat)! We have to get Elizabeth’s Birth certificate and then her UK passport. Then we have to get Nuch’s visa. Then save up for the air fare, but not before we raised a nest egg for when we get back to the UK. So chances of us getting back soon seem pretty remote.

If anyone who reads this knows me and knows what skills I have be on the look out for a job for me.

Thailand snake facts

From Perth Duty Free I bought the lad’s mag, Zoo. Basically the same as the UK version, but obviously not as good.

There were two references to Thailand and both to do with snakes. The first is the geezer who broke the world record for kissing king cobras, his name his TWAT!

The second shows the world death rate for snake bites, maybe the twat in the first picture should heed these facts.

Hot, hot, hot

Blinking heck it’s been hot this month, several days in November Bangkok as been the hottest capital in the world.

Only this week have we had a shower, everyone is feeling the heat, no one seems to be able to cope very well, even the Thai’s are moaning about it!

Hopefully by the end of December, the cooler winter months will have kicked in and I will stop sweating like a stuffed pig.

Dave crosses the line!

It was good to see Dave from Huddersfield. He hasn’t been out to Bangkok in nearly a year, so was eager to do a load of business and catch up with a few people.

We spent a very entertaining night down Soi Cowboy, one of Bangkok’s naughtier nightlife venues, probably the best one. For more about what happened I suggest you speak to Dave!

For two days I helped Dave in and around Bangkok getting a load of gear for his business, it was good to get around some of the places that I haven’t been in a while, Chinatown, Pantip Plaza, although if one more little shit comes up to me in Pantip Plaza and asks if I want buy “Porno DVD”, do I look like a pervert?

Dave was also stricken by a bug for a few days, maybe his body getting used to the temperature and humidity again, or maybe just the copious amounts of Tiger Beer we drank.

Hope to see him again soon, and this time he won’t be as ill.

Thai Cars

Click on Picture to Enlarge


Thailand isn’t known for its car manufacturing, the only home grown car seems to be the lowly Tuk Tuk taxi.

There are also the usual Jap plants like Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi and Isuzu, being as Thailand slaps an unimaginable tax on any cars not made in Thailand, when you see a Porsche, Ferrari or Lexus it’s a rarity.

This Thai made car is the exception, whether it will ever see the showroom is a different story, let’s hope it does, I can’t wait to see how it will handle the pot holed roads of Bangkok.

Were all French now!

Just received a copy of my birth certificate, I need it to get Elizabeth’s certificate from the British Embassy.

The certificate turned up, it cost £23.99, I kid you not, and it was post marked in France. Does this mean that the UK as sold all the rights of certification to the French or the UK just hasn’t the skill to do this type of work?

Sorry state.

Baby Elizabeth Video

More Health & Safety

It never fails to peek my interest as to the extent a Thai worker will go to expand the limits of "Not" Health and Safety!

These two guys were working on live electrical wires, crawling up a bamboo ladder and working over one of the busiest roads in Bangkok, Nutters.

In the UK, they would have a cherry picker, one lane of traffic stopped, a council official making notes, full harness and a proper class 1 Ali ladder. Obviously whilst all this is being sorted these two will have done four jobs and be moving onto the fifth!

White Rabbit

This bloody great big Yacht was moored at Fremantle Harbour, it was kin’ huge. Even the local Bobbies had stopped to admire it. It was the biggest private Yacht I have ever seen, the crew sat below decks watching a huge 72” Plasma, on the back they had two speed boats which anyone would want as a pleasure craft.

It turns out it is a new boat ordered by a business man from Singapore, one must assume a very wealthy business man.

Phil and Mark

This week Phil and Mark hit town. Its always good to see them and this week was no exception.

I only had a couple of nights out with them and during the day Phil was on a mission for the new property compnay he is setting up, he as several properties in Bangkok. I'll bring you more details when I get them on his company.

The night I went out with the pair of deviants, we ended up at the Hard rock Cafe, one of Phils favourite places! I'm getting a bit to old for all the loud music, it was Phils treat, and I did quite enjoy myself.

We rounded the night of with a grossle burger from outside Nana Plaza and then back to the Hotel.

Cheers guys, and thank you Mark for the offer you made, much appreciated...

Serpentine Falls

Around 20km from Secret Harbour, where the parkers live is a beautiful little spot called Serpentine Falls.

There is a picnic site, which for a small charge you can have use of one of the electric Barbies. To see outdoor Barbies at most tourist sites is not uncommon.

Uncle Steve acted as chef whilst Auntie Paula and I put the world to right. There is a small clan of Brown Kangaroo living here, around ten females and one muthafucker big make who had a huge set of gonads. Most of the females had little roos sticking out of their pouches and they did look cute.

The male had us in sight all the time, making sure we weren’t moving in on his bitches.

The BBQ was first rate and the views fine. We walked up to the fall and as you can see from the picture, not a lovelier sight could be had.

The Perth Parkers

Going to Perth meant seeing the first family for nearly two years, and as you would expect it was the Parkers who emigrated to the other side of the world nearly 20 years ago.

Steve and Auntie Paula have always been favourites of mine, taking me on some of my first outing to pubs and Auntie Paula’s knack of cooking the perfect roast onion.

I also reacquainted myself with my cousin James, I last saw James on a fleeting visit to the UK 10 years ago, as you can see from the pics, and he’s changed a bit. James is an accomplished Bass player with a couple of Death Rock Bands, a bit of a celeb in the Perth area. Still a cool bloke I’m happy to have as a cousin. Although at the moment he looks more like Abraham Lincoln than a Parker. Steven, my other cousin is out over in Adilade so I didn’t get to see him.

I really appreciate the time and trouble the Australian Parkers out in to my time there, it shall never be forgotten.

Technology

Isn’t technology great!

Whilst in Australia Nuch sent me a new picture of Elizabeth everyday by MMS. Even though I was 6000km away, I was able to see the day by day growth of my daughter.

God knows what the bill will be?

No Alcohol, wer'e Thai

Thailand’s new government’s latest brain wave to curb the horrendous amount of alcohol people drink is to ban all forms of advertising.

First thoughts it seems to be a good idea. Then you get down to the nitty gritty. Is selling beer in a 7/11 advertising? What about ESPN who shows football with the lead sponsor of Tiger Beer. It seems that ESPN are thinking of pulling the plug on Thailand as far as football goes. This will send more people to drink as there isn’t a lot more to do on a Saturday night.

Keeping on the football ting. Yesterday I watched the highlights of the Liverpool Champions League game. Behind the goals was a Carlsberg sign which was pixelled out, also obscuring the goals, and all Liverpool players in close up shots were blanked out because of their sponsor. That makes me laugh because what will happen when Liverpool play Everton live, both have beer sponsors (One Thai Beer). The guy on the blanking machine will have a stroke.

Maybe instead of getting rid of advertising, the price of beer and whisky should be put up. When a bottle of Johnnie Walker is only £6 a bottle and beer 30p, it’s no wonder people drink themselves to a stupor most nights.