Geo: 16.392, 103.924There was no football on TV last night and I managed to sleep right through and feel much better for it this morning. Have a few jobs to do in Phon Thong this morning so set off after breakfast. First stop is the internet. Next stop is the main Honda garage as the bike has loose steering which is a bit worrying. It has had this before and is probably down to the bumpy roads everywhere. We leave the bike and walk across town to the bank. Collecting the bike I can notice the difference immediately and feel a lot safer on it now. Bike out of town for the bike's annual 'MOT' which takes all of 2 mins. Moving next door we can now tax and insure it for the year. Back into ... read more

Geo: 16.392, 103.924It is an FA Cup weekend in England so Thai TV has a lot of football scheduled for the whole weekend. Wake up in the middle of the night to watch West Ham 0v5 Man City but go back to sleep at half time. Don't wake up till 08:00 which is a serious lie-in over here. Jai has already watered the garden, cleaned through the house and has breakfast ready. After breakfast we bike into Phon Thong for the Saturday market. We seem to be well stocked up with food but Jai wanted a few heavy things that we were running a bit low on. Both weigh-in and discover that my weight has remained about the same but that Jai is up quite a bit … Christmas and New Year excesses she says ! ... read more

Geo: 16.392, 103.924Land at Bangkok at 09:10 local time. I am not in any hurry today so join the queue for the 'farang' immigration instead of blagging my way through a Thai passport desk. Collect my bag and loiter for a bit before making my way downstairs to near the taxi exit. Phone Jai to report my arrival in country and discover that she is busy baking. Stretch out on a couple of seats for a while. I have decided that if I spend some time here before leaving for Don Muang airport across town, the wait might not seem as long … probably just wishful thinking. About 11:30 I get a taxi and set off towards Bangkok bypassing the city itself and heading north to the old airport. They appear to have completed a lot ... read more

Geo: 51.8667, -2.24867Not much sleep last night and I awake when the alarm goes off at 05:30.Out to 7/11 for a coffee and croissants for breakfast whilst I pack up again.Check-out at 06:30 then have the quickest journey I have ever had to the airport arriving at 07:10 with 4 1/2 hours now to wait. I've known the taxi ride to take up to 2 hours so always allow myself plenty of time but ...Way too early for the flight check-in to be open so find a seat in a quietish corner and get a book out. It already feels as though it has been a long day and there is still about 22 hours to go till I get home ... deep joy !I check-in as soon as the counter opens then make my way ... read more

Geo: 16.392, 103.924My last day in Khamnadie this year and it is a lovely morning. We were told that there had been hardly any rain for a while before we arrived and it looks as though it is going to stop to coincide with my leaving.I bike into Phon Thong and watch 'highlights' of Gloucs 6 v 13 Bath. At least they are maintaining their 100% home record for the season !!Ride back to Khamnadie on what is possibly the nicest morning since we got here.Manage to stop the recycling lady as she passes the house and we sell her our plastic and glass rubbish.Being such a nice morning we bike the final 3 sacks of garden rubbish out to the farm and go for our first, and my only, walkabout there. The grass is really ... read more