Enjoy Life! Keeping a record of my life in Asia

Getting Married

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 15:37:45 +0700

Yes, it is finally happening. Bec makes me extremely happy and we are really one mind, it’s a bit freaky sometimes. She loves the beach, she loves food and wine, she loves so many things and most of all she loves me. For the love of god I can’t figure out why. I am set in my way, cranky at times, sweat easily and then whinge about it. But needless to say she does and so with her father’s blessing (it wasn’t that hard) we are getting hitched next November in Hawaii.

My friend Heather says this photo makes me look crazed, maybe I am but it’s all good and I can not wait to make it permanent.

Hiking the Inca Trail

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:58:17 +0700

One of the greatest adventures to ever have is hiking the Inca Trail in Peru. Here is a summary video of our amazing trip.

An Aussie Christmas, in the Outback

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:30:17 +0700

Getting back from the US and dealing with the fact that Bangkok was only running low teen occupancy due to the airport closure for two weeks prior and the political party struggles in Thailand was a lot to deal with. Did we need to do layoffs or not, how do we tell 700 staff members that just before Christmas everyone would have to take two or three days without pay just to keep the hotel afloat. Well the holidays do march forward as does time and we had been planning a quick Christmas with Bec’s parents a week after our return.

So down to Sydney I went for a great four days down under with the Moore family. However, what I wasn’t expecting was a Christmas gift of an overnight trip to Ayers Rock. Known now as Uluru from the Aboriginal language, it is a magical rock in the middle of the country and the desert of Australia.

About a three hour flight from Sydney, Bec surprised me with this quick trip as well as a dinner in the desert known as Sound of Silence. At the dinner the guide takes you through what you are seeing in the southern hemisphere (new to me) in the sky as well as the sounds of nature that are surrounding you.

An amazing experience if anyone ever has a chance to do the trip. I am a very lucky person to have such a wonderful girlfriend who loves her country and wants to share it with this “seppie” from “America”.

What a couple of months it’s been...

Thu, 8 Jan 2009 09:12:30 +0700

The last two months started with Bec and I heading to the states for US Thanksgiving. It would be the first time Bec meets my father and Glenora, although they had been email pals for so long and it seemed they had a closer relationship than she and I did at times.

Bec started this journey actually a week prior with work taking her from Sydney to Singapore (9 hrs) then on to London (14 hrs) then back to Singapore then back to Sydney only to connect to an overnight (11hr) flight up to Tokyo to meet me. We then went on to Dallas (13 hrs) to connect to Palm Beach. While in Dallas we were able to meet up with old friends, Dan and Thanet (I had never met Thanet only emailed for 10 years). It was so nice meeting them at the airport and the fact that they took time on a Sunday to come to meet us was so special.

We went on to Palm Beach and had a wonderful time with some of my dearest friends, Linda and Sally Jo as well as Jeff and his new wife Catherine. Linda hosted a great get together bringing together SJs new family, whom I had not met since she moved to Maui.

Up to Lecanto (north of Tampa) we went for the Big Thanksgiving and few rounds of golf as is always required. Kyra brought her new beau Steve and the small house was filled with all of us coming and going and of course eating a ton as Americans do over Thanksgiving.

Following the Thanksgiving holiday, Bec and I ended up back down in Miami and the Florida Keys. Even though it was cold (a relative term) and the beach time was limited to one afternoon, I still had a great time showing Bec my world of Miami and South Florida.
Even took in a Jason Mraz concert which was outstanding.

This whole time we were in Florida we had had a bit of a political take over here in Bangkok and our airport was shut down and no flight in or out for nearly two weeks. While that was disastrous for our business it was good that it happened while we were out of the country.

Once back in Bangkok, it was clean up the desk and get ready for an Aussie Christmas.

The Royal Funeral

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 08:05:50 +0700

This is the weekend of the State Funeral of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana who passed away on January 2, 2008. She is the elder sister of two kings, King Rama VIII and the current King Rama IX.

The city is in a complete state of mourning; bars are closed, music and all celebrations are held until after the five days of processions and strangest of all is that everyone, I mean everyone is dressed in black. There is no color in the city right now other than black and white.

The Grand Palace area has a new temple and Royal Crematorium (pictured above) which was built for the occasion at a cost of US$10 million. They are also taking donations if you feel you would like to contribute to help off set the final bill of the event. Just stop by your local temple and give what you can.

So here is how the whole thing goes. The body, held in a casket, is moved from the Grand Palace on its own to the new Royal Crematorium. However, there is a ceremony of moving the Royal Urn which should contain the body and will in theory be burned. So the TV coverage is all about the Royal Urn but its empty. It’s a lot of show and ceremony which has been followed in Thai tradition since King Rama I in the 13th century, but apparently streamlined a bit in recent years. Once everything is in place over at the new crematorium, the King and Queen pay merit to the monks then light a sandalwood branch which then ignites the casket, not really though, again, just for show. (photo left is moving of the Royal Urn to the Royal Crematorium)

At 9pm last night, in a private, family ceremony, the body was burned except for the bones which I am not sure how they were removed but the news said they are buried separately from the ashes.

(Photo to right is King and Queen entering the Royal Crematorium)

This entire event runs until Wednesday, November 19. But a good thing is I don’t have to wear black as of Monday. Probably won’t wear my orange tie but at least its not a borrowed black tie.

If you wish to watch any of it live on Thai TV over the next few days click the link. It may take a while but it will eventually load.

(Street vendors still sell food outside Royal area.)