Traditional dancing in Klong Yai, Thailand

Dad took this picture and added it for me. Pretty ladies. He has a short video of them dancing and will try to download when we get a faster connection. We had a very nice time down south but it's nice to be back in Bangkok. We'll spend the weekend here and try and decide where to go next. It's really hot here today so we're kinda hanging around the room until evening when it is cooler. Dad ate breakfast downstairs but said that was the last time. For their buffet they don't have fruit or coffee anymore. Just museli and cornflakes and white bread! I was so hungry and couldn't face fried rice again today so went to the market and bought some whole grain bread (not that great but better than white bread) and peanut butter. Also got some sticky rice and mango (all prepared for 30 baht) and papaya ready to go. So, I had a good breakfast.

We saw something interesting on the bus coming to Bangkok yesterday. The freeway was 8 lanes, 4 in each direction. In one lane were some huge white painted dots. About 3 feet in diameter maybe. Then I saw some road signs, in English and Thai. The first one said, 'Don't Tailgate', the second one said 'Maintain Your Distance' and then the third one said, 'Keep Two Dots Between Vehicles'. The dots were to judge safe driving distance between vehicles. I thought it was a great idea but the naysayer in the seat next to me didn't. Well, of course, nobody was keeping two dots between cars but the idea was sound (I thought).

Dad has nothing to do today but irritate me. Somebody needs to go somewhere and do something and it 'aint' gonna be me. Too hot. I just suggested  he go put our clothes in the washing machine and he actually jumped up to do it. That's how desperate he is for something to do! Betcha if I suggest ironing them he'd find something else to do pretty quickly. Odd thing is that they don't have an ironing board in the laundry room. I have my little travel iron so have to iron on a towel folded up on the wooden chair in our room. The bed has some kind of plastic cover so can't iron on the bed. I really don't have much that needs ironing anyway, but my travel skirt does. What kind of travel skirt is that?!

Oh, coming back to Trat in the speedboat the ride was really rough. Remember, we're getting the tail end of the typhoon. Between the islands the water was fairly smooth but on the open sea after the islands the waves were about three feet. They had all the passengers (about 15 of us) sit in the back. Then the front of the boat would come way up and slap down really hard. Really bone jarring hard. Dad said he could feel it in his spine. Three people got sick. Wasn't us, thank goodness. At one point dad said, "I can see how boats break apart". SHUT UP!! At that moment I didn't need to hear that. Remember, he rode boats a lot while in Saudi going to offshore oil rigs. At the beginning of the trip he told me, oh we rode out in five foot waves with no problems at all. Then later he confessed the boats they rode in where much much larger than the one we were in. Anyway, we made it and it was interesting. And the boat didn't break apart.

Well, that's about it for now. Alisa, loved the facebook pictures of Jack. Sara, how is Leo? What did the vet say?      Love, Mom

A typical roadside restaurant on Koh Mak and all over Thailand.

We didn't eat here but this is a nice little restaurant typical of most restaurants on the island. It was just along the main paved road. Most roads are now paved but some are still just a red clay, must be a headache when it rains. By this restaurant was a sign that cooking classes are offered. So it is a restaurant as well as a school. It seems to me that these types of restaurants offer the best food. If you get an enclosed air conditioned place the food prices can about double. However, air conditioning on a hot humid day can be priceless! These open air restaurants can be a royal pain about sunset when the mosquitoes can eat you alive. Dad has so many bites, of something, we're thinking sand fleas, he took Benadryl last night and thinks he will again tonight. I have a lot of bites but not as many as he does. Mom

Another condo for sale.

The resort up the hill from where we are staying has condominiums for sale and this is one. Beautiful wood and Thai style. Nice, huh? The only drawback, and a major one in my opinion, is that they don't have a beach on Koh Mak. They do have a private island right off Koh Mak where they will take you as you want, but it seems like that would be a great inconvenience. The place where we stay doesn't have condos for sale but if you rent a place the beach is right outside your front door. Nice and easy.

Koh Mak pictures

We weren't able to leave today because the wind was still too strong, the sea too rough and the boats were unable to go anywhere. The wind has died a bit this afternoon and we are hoping to leave tomorrow morning. If it is still a bit rough they tell us the speed boats won't go so we will have to take the bigger slow boat. We don't care which we take really but the slow boat leaves at 8 and we will have to be at the pier at 7:30. The speed boat leaves at 9 so we could leave a bit later. Just in case we will have take the slow boat we will need to be ready to leave at 7:30. We walked the loop on the island this afternoon. I imagine it is about 5 miles. Because of the storm it was still breezy, cloudy and cooler. Not cool, but not broiling hot either. As we walked I took some pictures so will post them now. Mom

November 02, 2009

None of our pictures of the festival turned out because it was too dark out on the pier where the festival was. It was very nice though, lots of colorful lights, music, something that was probably a beauty contest. We had some sticky rice with mango and a fresh pineapple shake. Both were excellent, as is most everything here. It was awfully windy and the wind is actually howling around our little house as I write. I hope it dies down before we leave in the morning. We lit the incense on the krathong, said our prayers and let it go. They are very nice as the tiny lights of the burning incense shine as it floats out to sea. Multiply it by the hundreds and it is a pretty scene. We're back in the room, dad is packing. Somehow we've gotten bitten by something. The mosquitoes are fierce, we're told they don't often carry malaria. Hope not as we're not taking anything. We use repellent and are hoping for the best.

Two nights ago I stayed in while dad went down to the resort restaurant for something to eat. While there the waitress leaned against one of the pillars and let out a terrible scream and flipped off a huge long centipede that was crawling up her arm. Everybody was screaming. Christina was screaming at dad to step on it. She is the Austrian hired to help the westerners! Dad said he was eyeing it when a Thai man ran over and stepped on it and killed it. I suppose dad was trying to figure out which was the head and which was the tail. We have little ones at home but they aren't poisonous like they are here. The woman kept saying how lucky she was because had it stung her she would have had to go to the hospital. There is no hospital on Koh Mak, the closest one is in Trat, 45 minutes away by speedboat. They don't even go at night, but might in an emergency I suppose.

There are three dive shacks on the island and they told dad if a diver gets into trouble the closest decompression chamber is on Koh Chang, the nearest large island. There is helicopter service but by the time they could come and pick up a diver and get to the decompression chamber the diver would be dead. Moral of story, don't dive on Koh Mak. The Germans leave the day after tomorrow. We had dinner with them last night and had a nice time. He has a business of cash registers, selling and renting. Renting is a big part of their business, for street fairs on holidays and weekends. Guess people don't use cigar boxes anymore! This is the slow season so their daughter handles things while they travel.

The Germans have a hut right next to ours. They had a centipede in their bathroom their first day here. So now I've plugged the bathroom drains in our place. Last night they had a hopping spider in their room. Hopped several inches each time they said. With the centipede in the dining room and the squished critters we've seen on the road, I think I'm ready to leave. Some of the dogs here are in terrible shape. Last night at the restaurant the people had a monkey tied up. It just paced frantically. There was no food or water in sight for it. They had a band tied very tightly around its hips connected to a chain so it couldn't escape. The restaurant is owned by a German man and his Thai wife. I would just like to shout at these people for what they do (and don't do) to animals. They don't know how people (read....Sara....has a dog who eats organic and sleeps in her bed) in other places treat animals. I think they need pointers, but as usual, we have to turn a blind eye to a lot of things here.

Good night for tonight.   Mom