Blogs from Central Thailand, Thailand, Asia - page 2

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Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Ayutthaya January 31st 2024

After a few months break back home, I have started to travel again. This time, I am traveling in Asia, as usual, I don't have an end date. I begin with Thailand, a country I have been to before. But this time, I am trying to cover a bit more offbeat places and avoid the usual suspects. I started with Ayutthaya, an old historical city about 90KM away from Bangkok. To those in India, yes, the name is similar to Ayodhya. South Eastern Buddhism has imbibed Ramayan into their culture and in fact many of the kings in Thailand have taken the name Ram. Thailand also has its own version of the Ramayana. The Ayutthaya Historical Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Established in mid 14th century as the second Siamese capital after Sukhothai, the ... read more
Wat Ratchaburana
Buddha in a tree at Wat Mahathat
Buddha at Wat Mahathat

Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Bangkok January 24th 2024

Tour Day 106 & 107, Cruise Day 4 & 5 – Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand – Tour Name: A Day in the Thai Countryside Those who have been following my post–COVID blogs might know that I typically copy and paste the tour shore excursion description into my blog to give my readers some information and insight into the photos I have included. For some reason, Holland America has decided to remove those ports of call (and the accompanying shore excursions) from its web site within hours of leaving port. For a few blogs, you’re not going to get much background as I cannot remember the names of the gardens, temples and shrines I visited and photographed. Anyway, here it is, and I hope you enjoy!... read more
Aboard ms Westerdam
"A Day in the Thai Countryside" Shore Excursion
"A Day in the Thai Countryside" Shore Excursion

Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Chanthaburi January 15th 2024

It was now New Years Day 2024. Susan, Lisa and I picked up a song theow from Chanthaburi bus station and the driver took us across town to a little hotel - the Ploy Buri. Only one young woman on reception when we arrived, but we later realised that the hotel was run by about 5 or 6 women of different ages( maybe generations of the same family) Anyway they were all charming and the first young woman we met was very very helpful. And one of the older ladies gave us a bunch of longans from her garden. We seemed to be the only people staying there and only once saw a family in the reception area who looked as if they were fellow guests. So armed with Google maps and a recommendation from the ... read more
Chontaburi
Chontaburi
Chontaburi

Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Ko Mak January 4th 2024

I've been to Thailand many times..... but never actually had a beach holiday there. I thought it wasn't for me. Ha ha! It's been so good to really relax, eat, drink, sleep , watch spectacular sunsets and hear the gentle swish of the waves on the beach just ten paces from our room, and enjoy the good company and conversation of my fellow travellers, Susan and Lisa. We arrived on Christmas Day and left on New Year's Day. And every day is just a day and doesn't need marking on the calendar. In fact it's really cathartic for me not to know what day of the week it is and not to be bothered by that! Every morning we had a breakfast of fresh local fruit, yoghurt and muesli and then the day stretched ahead until ... read more
Map of Koh Mak
The beach
Koh Mak Beach

Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Bangkok January 1st 2024

Taking on Another Long Haul Flight. Just Days After the Last Long Haul Flight. I do not know how we managed it, when I was sleeping ten hours a day just to recover my energy from the previous South American travel adventures that significantly challenged my typically resilient constitution, but manage it we did. After a twenty hour transit returning from South America on December 15th, fourteen days later, on December 29th, we embarked upon our overseas journey back to Thailand. Three connecting flights and thirty three hours later, we arrived Bangkok on the afternoon of December 31st, Bangkok time. Somehow, after indulging in an afternoon nap, we found enough energy to stay up well past midnight and enjoy some of the New Year’s Eve activities in our neighbourhood. These included discovering a new neighbourhood funky ... read more
Fireworks Behind Bangkok’s Rama VIII Bridge
Loving the Energy Here

Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Bangkok December 31st 2023

One of the good things about getting older is that the older I get the less concerned I am with looking foolish. That does not make up for the creaky knees and arthritic fingers, but it’s a start. One of my favorite authors is Jake Needham. He writes crime and espionage novels placed in Asia, and has written a series of novels centered around Sam Tay, a Singaporean detective. Since Singapore is one of my favorite cities, and Jake is a pretty good storyteller, his novels about Inspector Sam Tay quickly became a favorite of mine. Mr. Needham puts out a newsletter to let people know when he has a new book out, or to ask his readers their thoughts on cover art for his novels. Through his newsletter I learned that he and his wife ... read more
D'ark
Bangkok street vendor
Celestial Moon

Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Ko Mak December 28th 2023

Since I last travelled to SE Asia my world has changed a bit. Covid came along , fast on my heels as I got back to the UK in March 2020. My little gallery, blue-ginger, changed shape, went on line and slimmed down and I had time to take stock of life. Time to close up shop and move house. Thirty five years and happy memories at Home End Farm were hard to leave behind, but the move to a little house in Hay-on-Wye heralded a recognition that sometimes life just changes direction. So my first real travel opportunity came up, and feeling a bit nervous of the whole process I was delighted to be catapulted into booking a return flight to Bangkok when Lisa (Australia) suggested meeting up with Susan (Kazaksthan) and spending Christmas on ... read more
Just a little glass of bubbly
Oriental Hotel
Oh Christmas Tree!

Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Bangkok August 27th 2023

Landed in Bangkok at about 0630, and then had to walk over 300 meters to the next connecting area. The lounge is also in the same area. Originally we had over 2 hours stopover but now we are down to about 1. All of a sudden bad memories come flashing back to us. Same area we had to deal with when we flew in 53 days ago. Up the escalator to a passport and boarding pass check, then through another security screening. Same results - battery out and check it is compliant. All good then by the time we have done all this we really don’t have time to go to the lounge. Bugger. Looking forward to a shower to freshen up. Off to the gate, another 250 meter walk. Get there and there is a ... read more
Champagne at 0830. Well it was really 0330 in Stockholm so that works for me…..
View from planes camera. Note the baggage door still open. Reason for our delay.
Coming in to land at Tulla.

Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Bangkok August 19th 2023

Rob Writes Day 4 Hang on to your tits people. I don't remember Tina actually wanting to buy the Aliens watch because it wasn't quite the right one. I didn't stop her from buying anything. She can buy what she liked. She's a lair. OK, it's Wednesday now. I had to lookup my pictures to remind me what we did, because it's already becoming a blur, or my brain has turned to mush. I suspect the latter. So, Wednesday we had planned to go to the Maeklong Railway Market, a market basically situated on a railway line, the highlight being, the market stall owners have to dismantle their shops every time a train comes past. I don't know why, but that's the way it is, and that's the pull. There are three or four trains passing ... read more
Maeklong Railway Market
Maeklong Railway Market
Maeklong Railway Market

Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Bangkok August 17th 2023

Tina Writes Day One I think it was 2019 the last time we came to Thailand. I remember saying to Rob it was the last time. I think I felt we had done it enough times now and I have always said I wouldn't travel places more than once while I had other places to see first and we had been to Thailand three times already. Over the past 4 years though my love of Thailand has gone through the roof. I watch YouTube after YouTube of Thailand vloggers everyday and my longing to come back is rather strong. Last year I forced myself to go to Mexico rather than Thailand again and as much as we enjoyed it, I couldn't shake regretting it a bit because I so desperately wanted to come to Thailand again ... read more
Boak
Dead Bat
Chatuchak Maket




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