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Might as well start a tr as don't think posting many pics in the what are you doing now thread is a good idea,will be mostly hua hin and any side trips,along the lines of the following pics,scenery,people,ect and anything else I find interesting.

At the end of this morning's bike ride I'd thought I'd relax with a massage. There's an older lady at a massage shop on Klang that waves to me most mornings as I ride by, so as I was looking for a legit massage I thought I'd give her a try. I pull up and while locking up my bike I confirm her shop has a shower I can use to cool down a bit before the massage. She said yes, but then went on to explain something about the big boss of the shop going home for Songkran so we'll have to use a different room, but it's a very nice room with a good shower. She then proceeds to lead me down Klang. As we're walking I ask her how far and she says not far. So we trudge along about 25m, turn up an adjoining soi, go another 25m and make a another turn into an alley which I then cotton on to is the building where she has a room. She then puts her finger to her lips and motions me to follow her quietly up the stairs. So up, up, up we go until finally we end our ascent on the 6th floor. To her credit she wasn't even breathing hard and while I wasn't either, the climb after a bike ride in the hot sun meant I was seriously overheating. It was also at that point I realized there was a good chance her room was a fan only room. Sure enough, we get to the end of the hall, she unlocks her door and while it's a nice corner room with good breeze from the open windows, it lacks A/C. It was also obvious that my hoped for legit massage was not to be and that insead if I stayed I'd probably be treated to the sight of a naked great grandmother. Using my overheated state as an excuse, I explained politely to her that even with her promised very good shower, it will be impossible for me to cool down enough to enjoy a massage. I felt bad for her as she pleaded with me to not go as she has very few customers and very little money, but I quickly left after slipping 100B into her hand for her time.

Arrived in Philippines on a PAL flight, will be in and around manila this week.

After watching a nice sunset behind the hills,we decided to eat at bann khun paw for a change as not to far,the music wad at a decent volume,busy as usual,still great value.

Really consistently good. Chicken fajitas in the Sportsman Bkk.

Here our ride to Singapore.

Well, what a surprise. I was told by my Thai friends that Songkran finished yesterday in Bkk and no play today. Of course I didn't believe it, but so far today, not one water gun in sight. My company came down from soi 81 and she said, no play too. Pure bliss has been restored.

Enjoyed this little adventure story. Those poor massage girls are really hurting now. I know a couple of them and they often ask for money. Sometimes I send them a little bit, sometimes I have to say no (which I hate because I know they are legit and probably hungry). It is so difficult for them to get out of the hole they are in. Relocating takes rent and deposit money, same for retraining for a different job or going to school. Some of them actually have the desire, the intelligence, and in some cases the skills to do something else. But, they don't have the means to break away. They are trapped (especially the older ones). Add on the stigma and discrimination factors... not a good situation to be in.

I've been back nearly 4 weeks. It's rained on every day bar 3. This morning yet another gale along the Solent. I'm supposedly not returning to Thailand until October, but last Friday's miserable weather had me looking at flights for next week....

A walk along the beach before the sun goes down,love this time of year when the tides way out. Trying out the camera phone,it's as good as the Sony point and shoot I've shot similar shots with ,actually think the zooms better !

apart from the obvious one, I ran into a few headaches this trip. To begin with, the ATM regardless of which bank kept spitting my card back at me. I called my provider who said there's no "failure" or "rejection" code attached to any cancelled transactions, but my card was being "read" (PIN input), then the option of withdrawal and fee attached, then it would return the card. Tried 5 ATM's different banks, so just gave up in the end. Speaking of Money, Indian guys in polyester T shirts and pot bellies arguing with the TT girl for a better rate. He was changing the equivalent of $50 in rupees. She eventually told him to leave after he and his buddies got aggressive. Crossing 2nd road is still not easy. Bolt MC taxis are still a bit sketchy, and if the Police see you on the back of a Bolt without a helmet, the rider gets fined. I was pulled on Beach Rd, but luckily my bolt rider must have had a connection because one call later we were back en route. Beer Hubb charge 10% service. Not really acceptable. Hemmingways still offers good food and A/C at reasonable prices. I had a mexican chilli burger and it was arguably the best burger I had all trip. Exceptional, good service and well organised. Soi boomerang doesn't really get going until 19:00. Could do with opening earlier. Heavens abive the best of the lot, Once open a varying selection of girls, reasonable drink prices but it gets quite busy from 8pm. Chaiyapoon has some great A/C bars on it, Buzzin lounge is good with nice girls, cold towel on entry, no hassle, High rollers is good, again cold towel but slightly pricey, The Den not good, warm Ac and a worn out pool table, but "Gin" a former Crystal GGG works there and is a lovely little package indeed. Dive Bar still very good, cold towel but some girls don't go with customers. Maggie Mays looking very tired but is busy and offers good priced cold beers. The manager is a bit gruff though. Other headaches include poor service at some Treetown beer bars, Basilisk 13 on the corner for example. Town Bar which sits on bukhao has changed format, removing comfy chairs and dispensing of the god awful singer. Staff not as good as before and seems to be set up more as an observation post for leo drinking expats than anything else. Building work on Soi Honey for some new bars opposite the friendly massage places restricted it a bit, but one was open when I left so only a temporary measure. Lastly, getting a normal Thai massage at aht VIP place near Hungy hippo, I'm offered a BJ on top of the massage for....1500 baht, or HJ for 1000. Now, HJ I can do myself, cheers, but 1500 for a BJ is a bit on the very steep side. I declined and it eventually came down to 1200, which I still declined anyway. Good massage though. 250 baht.

Yeah, it's an event that really appeals to those that like to bully others, and of course it's easier to be a bully when you are running in a pack. Really, I've noticed over the last couple of days that everything is cool in the daytimes, it's in the evenings when the loutish behaviour starts to show - people get drunker and rowdier and as the preceding video shows, it's not just farangs who indulge in this kind of behaviour! I'm not going to hide away from it, I'll go out and partake in the afternoons for a couple of hours but I am finished when the sun goes down - I won't necessarily go home then but I'll just park myself in safe bars until I decide to do so, and avoid the revellers wherever I can.

Vegan lasagna, potato with Sriracha sauce, and mushrooms, onions and tomato.

Wow!

Nice report, just had to correct your spelling towards the end 😁

Forgot to mention, we are in the United Club Lounge.

I needed to go to an ATM to get some cash with my phone using the app when it got to where you need to press on the bank on the far right there was a little arrow I pressed that and it asked me if I wanted to use my k bank account or my Bangkok bank account. I'm not sure if this is new or not but now with the Bangkok Bank app you can get money from your k bank account. Makes life that much more convenient for me anyway both Banks one withdrawal app.

5 minutes getting through security at 9am. Now indulging in some breakfast and beer, wife on the Champers.

I did that in the early years when I first moved here. A fellow hasher had a truck so a bunch of us hashers sat in the back and had a grand time on the 19th drinking beer and throwing water. This year, as I've done in the past several years, I'll join a few friends at around 10am on the 19th at a bar. We'll down a few beers to start the day and then we'll walk around Pattaya enjoying one day of getting soaked and blitzed on drinking.

I spent a couple of hours playing at the bottom end of Soi 7 yesterday and was surprised to see that the crowd going past appeared to be at least 85% Thai - the last full Songkran I attended in Pattaya was in 2009 and to my recollection there were far more farang out on the regular days - most of the big Thai crowds would wait until the big final days. On another note, I'm heading home with company just after 10:00PM last night and as we walk up the entrance ramp to the building, I get squirted by a group of guys coming down the ramp - I tell them enough is enough, it's after 10:00, shut it down FFS and they look at me like I'm a creature from outer space; in other words, these are not carry-overs from a fun day that don't want to stop, they are purposely heading out at that time to throw water.

Meat Pizza ordered into the pool hall, a bit pricey at 430b, but very good.

Feel your pain! I'd already booked a one way flight "home" next month. Aside from the weather was missing the food after a day in the UK. An unhappy triple of more expensive, lower quality ingredients and less flavour ( comparing similar types of venue).

The joys of the UK coast. 40 mph.wind, driving rain and a real feel of 3 degrees Celsius. Thailand hot season feels more appealing now😀

We've all seen them, maybe even met or had a chat with them, but this trip I saw nada, zero, none. (I'm not including the sadder cases of those who've psychosis induced issues due to alcoholic abuse or drug abuse over an extended period of time - these people have hopefully received the care they need). Last year I saw a bloke in Trench Town wearing a kilt, along with fishnet stockings , the following night he was in a multicoloured katftan. Introduced himself as "Steve" and was a great laugh and very nice guy indeed, very articulate and intelligent. This trip though, no one at all. I saw some vloggers (cunts) noteably that "vlogging a dead horse" twat who almost managed to get himself a good hiding from a bloke in Time Bar on LKM, but it was quickly de escalated. I even missed bm @Nightcrawler sporting his safari suit , cravat and cigarette holder. I noticed the pace of things is much faster now. Treetown seems to be very transient in its customer base, guys sit, have a beer then move on. Very little "intimacy" as well - not in the literal sense of the word , but perhaps the open design of the entire place doesn't lend itself to that, the girls don't seem to want to go beyond the normal interrogation routine, it's like they get a drink and then the conversation stalls. Not wanting all BM's to munch on a nostalgia sandwich, but this trip there were a handful of bars where I was made to feel welcome, and numerous bars where I was made to feel like just another faceless farang.

Playing in a Scotch doubles competition with a lady. A bit of an end of season fun event, but still wonger up for grabs. My partner was out all night partying until 8am ffs, oh to be young again! She is in her early 30s, but is suffering. Lol We just managed to qualify out of our group stage by winning 2 and loosing 2, fortunately the 2 we lost we were hill hill so our frame average took us through, along with all of the others only winning 2 too. In the final knockout stage now, so need a kind drawer and a bit of luck. She has never won a big comp, so would be nice to do well.

I found it quite cold when i was in Thailand the last weeks ...

"That'll learn ya" as my dear old Mum used to say! But I shan't use my TC though.... At the moment I have only made one transfer but am considering a -4 for a Liverpool defender..... This was actually my plan until last weekend's results !!!

Next round .....

You're a good man, Charlie Brown.

I was using my Bangkok Bank app and I withdrew from My K Bank account all good for me

Songkran gives cnuts an free card to be their inner cnut selves. They are like dogs, out in packs. This makes it difficult to challenge them because they will gang up on you. They take advantage of this as an excuse. Individually they would be weak cowards (which is what they actually are). That is primarily why I adhere to strict avoidance. The event offers zero meaning to me or positive experiences. The negatives are huge. I want absolutely nothing to do with any of it. Tomorrow should be back to "normal" for me. Back to the gym and the end of this nonsense.

What I find lost in historical accounts is the brave role the Canadian Merchant Marine provided in combating the Nazi Wolf Pack campaigns in the North Atlantic. They made a considerable amount of effort in bringing down the 3rd Reich at considerable cost to themselves. https://legionmagazine.com/the-wolf-pack-attacks-the-battle-for-one-world-war-two-convoy/ Thank you for your courage Canada.

Dinner on the hill.

That's always been the case in the condos I've rented. I've always rented through the juristic office in the complex. Move in, pay months rent and a month's deposit. On moving out, the condo management read the meters, and check condition of the condo. My deposit has always been returned, less the electricity (in my case last March was at 6.5b per unit) and water, and a cleanaing charge. Presumably if there was any damage we would argue over the cost 😀 I make sure the office know at least a week in advance of when I am leaving, and remind them regularly in the last week. During my stay I'm issued with a monthly government bill for electricity used, and pay that at a 7-11. This bill is given to me by the management office, but is an official government slip. Obviously if I'm moving out on the 20th, and the government bill doesn't come until the 28th, keeping money from my deposit means the management can pay the bill on my/the owners behalf when it arrives. I'm happy for them to take the required amount from my deposit... means I don't have to have funds available on the last day of my trip

The top one is a Brenn LMG. In the 70s I was trained on both the Brenn and the GPMG (Jimpy). From memory I preferred the Brenn mainly because it meant less faffing about with and was more soldier friendly .. The IRA also used a couple of Brenns with the old wooden stocks that had receptacles meant for oil cannisters which coincidentally could be made into the size of a location beacon, movement detector and small batteries .....

The upside

Just taken a taxi down to Suk soi 4 at 2am, only have to cross the road to soi 3 to be home. Still pissed up wankers trying to wet everyone waiting to cross the road. It's a popular pick up point for the lady boys, a bit of a confrontation between the 2 and the wankers retreat. Thankfully I made it home dry, credit to the cock in a frock brigade!