Fond Fairwell and The Road to Bangkok

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Hey All,

First let me get a couple of things cleared up:

First) I made a really bad booboo when I wished my good friend Lisa a Happy 50^th Birthday. She had posted she was starting her 50^th year and I took this to mean she was turning 50, even though I did not think she was. Well, she just turned 49 and since I know who sensitive women are to making them older than they really are, I decided to set the record straight. Of all my friends I think she is the one who could care less, but I want to cover my bases.

Second) Someone reminded me I never posted the pic of the person I ran across at a restaurant the first night in Koh Lanta. No, it was not Miley Cyrus, so I have no idea where you came up with that guess, but way off base. The person is famous, so they say, but only on Koh Lanta. I was sitting at this restaurant eating on the beach and when I sat down there were 4 tables in my area, but nobody else at any of them. There was another group of 4 tables across an entrance that had several people eating. It was past dark and the only light was a candle on my table. I ordered and after my food arrived I was eating when I was slightly startled when someone asked me where I was from. I had not seen her sit down, she must have come from the covered part of the restaurant which was behind me. I glanced over and had to do a double take. It was a blonde woman, at least 6’2, with a bright red dress on, and when she asked again where I was from, I realized this was no woman at all, it was a transvestite. Our conversation, with me trying to eat as fast as I could, went as follows:

Where are you from?

The US

Me too, I am from California, but lived here for the last 4 years. My name is (Valerie or Jeniffer, something like that, I cant remember, then she said her Thai name is Dok Mai. I am sorry, I wont bother you while you eat. (30 seconds pass)

Where are you staying?

Coconut Bungalows

Ahh, they are nice, are you enjoying your meal?

Yes

Ok, I wont bother you while you eat (30 seconds pass)

I sing here, and you look about my age so I bet you would remember the songs. I am 57 and you?

56

Oh, you would love my show. Go back to eating I wont bother you. (30 seconds pass)

I start singing here usually around 5 and sing till the sun sets. You should come hear me tomorrow, I know you would love the music. Bring a friend or 2, its been slow. I am very famous around here, everyone knows me (I bet they do), and if you mention my name anywhere I am sure you will get a discount.

Good to know.

I wont bother you while you eat…………

I finish and pay the check and promise to come hear her sing. I wanted to go if only to get a pic, but the Beach BBQ happened and I could not get it. But I did google her and sure enough a couple of other people blogged about her. Anyway, without a pic, it did not happen – lol.

Ok, up this am and said goodbye to the girls from Holland. My 11 pick up ended up being 11:45 and they drove me and the 3 others in the van to another spot and had us get out and took our luggage out. We waited there for 15 minutes and then this one guy walks out, gets a van from around back and loads us up. Why did he just not do that when we got there, why did he make us sit there for 15 minutes. By this time its 12:15 and my 3:45 flight is looking shaky. I tell the guy, I have 3:45 flight, No Problem. That’s all they ever say. We head down the road and soon he is stopping and picking up groups until we are all sardined in this van. (Just as advertised). Its 12:45 now, and I think all hope is lost when he pulls into a gas station to get cigarettes. Oh please! The god’s were once again shining on me a bit, as we pulled up to the first ferry and get on without waiting. We do the crossing and head for the 2^nd ferry crossing. We are the next to last vehicle on the boat and just make it. Maybe I will make it. After the ferry crossing he puts it into overdrive and passing everything on the road. I was nervous but wanted to make my fight. I do the usual, just don’t look, sit there and read. There is a young German couple next to me and after a while he screams out “slow down”. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? The guy barely slows down for a minute but soon back at breakneck speed. He pulls into the airport at 3:15 and as he pulls my bag out he looks over and says “no problem” and grins wide. I tipped him 40 baht. I was the only one getting off at the airport, everyone else was heading into Krabi to catch the bus or something.

Now, I have been a very lucky traveler. In all my years, I have never had this misfortune of having my luggage lost. I am knocking on wood as I write this. When I get to Bangkok, I am waiting at the baggage carousel with everyone else and soon I am the only one standing and nothing is coming out. Oh great! I give it a few more minutes and head over to the counter for the airline and show them my luggage number and tell them it has not come out. She walks over and looks like I am some rube who is just too stupid to see my bag. She gets on a radio and soon radio traffic is squawking all over the place. 2 people come out some door and they are inspecting my tag and they too start talking into microphones while the lady is banging away on her keyboard. Now as far as I know, they may be saying to each other, lets just look serious and maybe he will go away. I just kid, they were actually very nice and I could tell they were really trying to find it. After about 30 minutes the lady says I should go to my hotel and they will contact me when they find it. I told her its here somewhere, so I will stay for a bit longer. I got tired of waiting and finally gave here my hotel name and the address for the hotel and she said she would call as soon as they found it. I started walking away and was just about to exit the secure area when she came running up and said they found it. It was about to board a flight to Kuala Lumpur. Now don’t get me wrong, Malaysia is a nice place and I plan to go there soon, but when I go to Kuala Lumpur, I want to go with my bag, So good to know, the streak is still intact.

Ahh yes, Bangkok, rush hour traffic. Yikes. Last time I stayed in a hotel that was a hike to the Sky Train station, so this time I decided to change areas and get close to one. Oh man, the area around my hotel is a madhouse. I guess there is a night market up the street and the traffic on the sidewalk and the street is crazy. After checking in I decided to go scout out the area and get a bite to eat, but the bottom fell out of it and it was raining cats and dogs. I found a small place close by and after eating and getting soaked just decided to call it a night. There are lots of bank in the area, so it must be some sort of financial area. I saw more people in a few minutes around my hotel than I saw for 4 days on Koh Lanta.

No pics, since it was raining so hard, so will get some tomorrow.

Happy Travels, Don

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Comments

[Theresa Scotto]

I was planning on warning you about Lisa's birthday when you got back to the states...good catch!!! It is now safe for you to return

[Nurse Don]

Wow, that was a close one, I think I smoothed it over

[Xine]

Supertyphoon
Are you okay? Did you make it out?

[Nurse Don]

I am still here and fine, passed on my escape plan, should make it out OK as the storm should turn north now which is away from me.