Sunday 17th of June 2012 and I woke up around 12 o'clock. SURPRISED!! The hangover wasn't so bad, very good! What have happened? Last Wednesday we were out drinking beer all night long and I was up for my boxing session at Sophia and on top of that we were playing soccer at our friend's place.
I came home 6 o'clock in the morning and I felt quite good. I had a few missed calls and it was my friend and he wanted to eat breakfast at New Cowboy restaurant on Sukhumvit Soi 22.
- Yeah, why not? I feel good
- See you there in 20
Same last Thursday when we went for lunch at Bei Otto on Sukhumvit Soi 20. I'm usually in bed for a full day after a night on town, but I think the improvements is due to my new and healthy lifestyle.
I have given up smoking and I have not needed to eat any more anti allergic medicine. When I was smoking my nose and eyes were constantly running and my eyes was itching something terrible. My healthy diet and the boxing must have done miracles for my hangovers. And I haven't had one single diet drink for 3 months now. OK, I look like a HUMAN BALLOON, but I feel great.
I didn't feel great about New Cowboy Bar & Restaurant on Sukhumvit Soi 22. But it was nice to get out of bed. I took a taxi to New Cowboy Bar & Restaurant and I got the menu.
There were only 2 pages on the menu and I was surprised. Last time I was here they had a very big menu.
- What the is this?
- This is only the breakfast menu!
I checked the breakfast menu and I was impressed, there was everything you could wish for.
Bacon, egg (any style), sausage, home fried potatoes, omelette and, well, 2 pages full of the good stuff. At least it looked good on the menu. The only thing I missed was a BIG pot of tea, but their tea mugs were pretty big.
I received my plate filled with home fried potatoes, bacon, sausage and egg. And I got a basket of toast, but I sent back the toast. I had planned for another plate of bacon and egg.
Breakfast at New Cowboy Bar & Restaurant, highly recommended. It was the best bacon I have had in a very long time. Not like they serve at some places, crispy and dry. The home fried potatoes was perfect, the only thing I won't bother again was the sausage. Actually, I'm getting hungry writing this and if New Cowboy would have been open I would have got down there with a taxi to get a plate.
My friend was going to watch a movie, Gangster (Antapan) at the cinema on Terminal 21. The movie
Gangster (Antapan)
This Thai gangster film stars Krissada Sukosol Clapp as Jod, a hotshot gangster who terrorises Bangkok in the 1950′s. His pal is Daeng (Somchai Khemglad), and they have to wage war for territory and loyalty against other young guns and Chinese triads that rule the city.
Read more about the movie Antapan in Bangkok Post article HERE
Well, never mind what you read about the movie. I think it was a waste of time.
starts at 16:30 and I just had time for a quick visit at my apartment before it was time for the movie.
We decided that I should call my friend when I was back home. I wasn't sure that I would feel good enough for a visit to the cinema. I took a taxi back home and I felt quite good and we decided to meet at the cinema on Terminal 21 on Sukhumvit Soi 19. Well, between Soi 19 and 21.
I took a taxi to TIME SQUARE and I walked from there to Terminal 21. Of course, I stopped to see the girl at the Nakamichi place. She was a s beautiful as I remembered her and I had a chat with here before continuing to the cinema.
Well, to make a long story short, it felt like 5 hours, the movie was very boring. People started to leave after 30 minutes and I was very happy when the movie came to an end.
What a waste of time and money. When the movie was finally over we went to Fuji for some Japanese food and I walked back home when we finished our food. I made a stop at Dairy Queen on the ground floor for a Mango & Almond ice cream. But there was a girl ordering something and it looked like it would take long time so I left and I walked back home.
Terminal 21
+++++++++++++++
Monday 18th of June 2012 and I was out of bed at 8 thirty. No news from the company about my Australian VISA so I left for “My Thai Language School” at Ratchadapisek Road. When I was back home there was my LOI from Maersk so I took a taxi to South Sathorn Road and the Australian VISA office at the THAI CC Tower.
We found the place and I took the elevator to the 34th floor. The elevator was full and all the people got off on the 34th floor. Luckily enough I was first out off the elevator so I was first to the VISA office.
I was surprised, there were quite a lot of people at the office and I had to wait for quite some time. When it was my turn they asked for a copy of my pass port so I went to the copy machine. I just found a sign “Will soon be back” so I returned to the girl at the counter.
-They were closed
The girl took my passport and she made a copy and I saved a Baht or two.
She told me that the VISA would be ready next Wednesday 27th of June.
- WHOA WHOA!!! My flight is on the 27th of June!!!
The girl checked my documents and she stamped my application with URGENT in red and she told me to call them on the 25th to see if the VISA was ready be then. If they have the same impressive service as at the US Embassy in Stockholm and Bangkok I will have my VISA on Monday.
The Chinese graveyard where I had my Photo session with Bangkok Photographers back in 2011
Photo from Australian VISA office at THAI CC TOWER
The Chinese graveyard where I had my Photo session with Bangkok Photographers back in 2011
Photo from Australian VISA office at THAI CC TOWER
By now it was almost 3 o'clock and I was in a hurry to get to Sophia Muay Thai Gym. My session would start at 3, but I had given up the idea to be there in time. Looking for a taxi without any luck so I took the BTS Sky Train to Sala Daeng and the Subway from there to Sukhumvit. A brisk walk back home for a change of clothes and I was at Sophia at 3 thirty.
There were plenty people at Sophia Muay Thai Gym when I arrived, 2 Russians, 1 guy from Holland and our friend from Austria. The Russians were ready with their session so they were soon leaving. I took my time to change my shoes. I didn't feel like getting up in the crowded ring. But my Teacher was pepping me and I was soon in the ring pounding my Teachers pads.
The American girl arriving when I'm ready
She and the Teacher have their usual quarrel before she starts her warming up
Kicking with the owner of Sophia
Kicking with the owner of Sophia
Kicking with the owner of Sophia
It will be nice to leave for Maersk Claudia, I really need to rest my arms and knees so I can come back for some sparring. The boxing is really boring with the pain all the time. The American girl arrived when I finished my session and I walked back home after having taking a few pictures of the American girl kicking with the owner.
I didn't have much time before it was time to leave for Bangkok Fight Club. Bangkok Fight Club, it was me and our Thai friend plus 2 Thai girls, one new girl. She was watching us last week and she had her first session today. 4 people plus our Teacher and the session started very bad. There were 6 people watching the session so we will see how many of them showing up for some Thai boxing lessons. Well, anyway, it was not very fun having them watching and I was about to go home. But they left and the session turned in to a good session.
At Bei Otto, Thursday 14th of June 2012
Picture by Masken - Using his new SONY camera and the quality left a wee bit to wish for
At Bei Otto, Thursday 14th of June 2012
Picture by Masken - Using his new SONY camera and the quality left a wee bit to wish for
When I was back home from Bangkok Fight Club I discovered 2 e-mails from my friend and he sent the pictures he had taken when we were at Bei Otto last Wednesday.
+++++++++++++++
Tuesday 19th of June 2012 and I went to 7 Eleven for 2 bottles of Minute Maid during the break at “My Thai Language School” on Ratchadapisek Road. There were 2 girls in front of me at the Cashier. The first girl bought a bottle of water and the second girl bought a cup cake. The first girl disappeared with her bottle of water and a plastic straw in a plastic bag.
- Why are you taking a plastic bag?
She just disappeared without answering me. Her friend paid for the cup cake and they were putting the cup cake in a plastic bag
- WHY ARE YOU USING A PLASTIC BAG!!!???
The girl and Cashier looked at me and they took out the cup cake from the plastic bag and the girl left without a plastic bag.
When I came out the girls was standing at the waste bin waiting for a friend shopping at 7 Eleven.
The girl that had bought the water threw the plastic bag straight in the waste bin and I was looking at her.
She understood foock all and I asked her why she was wasting plastic. I could see that she was ashamed for her action, at least that is a good sign. I remember how it was in Thailand back in the days. Going to the MiniMart to buy a toothbrush and the Cashier was about to call the Police or the loony bin when you told her that you didn't need the 10 plastic bags to carry home your toothbrush. No plastic bag, NEVER HEARD OFF!
- I can take the brush in my pocket. No need for the plastic bag.
- What the
She still persisted to put the darn toothbrush in the plastic bag
- I DON'T WANT THE FOOCKING BAG!!!!
- I call the Police....
- I don't give a flying foock. I don't want the bag!!!!
Malaysia 2011
Bangkok 2012
Well, time has changed and now they don't call the Police when you tell them that you don't want a plastic bag. I have my shopping bag and I have noticed something new appearing on my receipt when I'm shopping at Tops Market. Yes, I have a member card at Tops Market, something I would never have imagined 2 years ago. I was buying Pumpernickel at Villa and when I went to the Cashier she asked if I had a member card
- Member card!!?? That is pure bullshit!
- You get discount
- Yeah, you can take your 1% discount and shove it where the sun doesn't shine
- You will save 3000 Baht on your Pumpernickel
- 3000 BAHT!!?? Hmm, maybe the member card isn't all that bad
Pumpernickel 49 Baht, but I didn't read the rest of the price tag. FOR MEMBERS, otherwise it was 129 Baht or something like that and as I had bought all their Pumpernickel it was 3000 Baht difference and I applied for the member card. Well, anyway, this is how I got my card and well, anyway, my shopping bag. Now there is a GREEN BAG and 0 Baht on my receipt every time I go shopping at Tops Market and I have wondered for a long time what it meant. Last week I found out that you got 10 points every time you brought your own bag.
10 points = Foock all and when you have used your shopping bag 10 000 times? Yes, Foock all multiplied by 10 000 is still Foock all but I like the spirit. So yes, there is changes taking place in Thailand and I like it. But you can still run in to some uneducated and/or ignorant people and as the local garbage Nazi hanging around the waste bins I'm ready to educate them about the connection between the use of plastic bag and how the plastic bags helps to destroy the environment.
I had my session at Sophia and when I was back home I had a shower and I took a taxi to Pantip Plaza to buy a memory card for my camera. I bought my stuff and I walked back to World Trade Center and I spent an hour at the shopping mall looking for sports glasses. I can't see without my glasses and when I use my glasses at the boxing they always fall off.
As I told my Teacher at Bangkok Fight Club yesterday, I'm flirting with the girls here but I don't know if they are beautiful or not.
Well, anyway, I didn't found any sport glasses and I went to the BTS station to take the train to Marriott. Yes, it was time for a buffet at Marriott again. I had not been at Marriott for quite some times now and I felt peckish for some of their fish, always excellent.
So I walked to Chit Lom station and when the train arrived the train was so full so I decided to walk. I'm only going from Chit Lom to Phloen Chit, 1 station, a 2 minutes ride. But I prefer to sitt 1 hour in a taxi instead of staying on this train for 2 minutes. I left the platform and when I left the station they charged me 15 Baht for the adventure on the platform.
I decided to walk back home and to skip Marriott. Well, 15 Baht for the platform adventure, but I'm saving the money for eating at Marriott. But of course, I'm missing the experience of eating at Marriott.
But I avoided all the angry people on the sky train. Imagine the people if I had decided to go ahead with the ride. What the foock is Porky doing? Should be against the law for people over 500 to get onboard the train!! I hope they charge him 20 times the normal fare. How much is the foocking lard ass? GET HIM OFF THE TRAIN!! Yes, this could have ended very badly so I was better off walking.
And if I had decided to go for the ride I would have missed the girl outside the station. WOW! She was beautiful, I could not believe my eyes. I spotted her from about 10 meters when she was talking on the phone outside the sky train station. Hmm, what way to walk towards my home on Sukhumvit Soi 23? Of course, I took the way leading me close to the girl, the unbelievable beautiful girl.
I was about 1 meter from here when I discovered why she was so white. She had plastered her face with white cream and the surface of her face looked like it was painted. A very beautiful girl turned ugly with in 0,3. And I'm 100% sure she would have been unbelievably beautiful if she just had skipped the white stuff.
I continued towards Sukhumvit and of course, when I reached Sukhumvit Soi 2 I went in to Marriott and I got a table.
I entered the restaurant from the bakery on Sukhumvit and I didn't had to go through the hassle with the security check. If you enter the hotel through the main door you have to pass a metal detector and security check. But If you enter from the bakery/ coffee shop no one gives a sh** and I really hope that the terrorist doesn't know about this.
I had a pot of Earl Grey tea with a plate of fish and mashed potatoes. Some smoked salmon on the side and a few slices of bread. I had 2 lamb chops and I asked for the bill.
- Are you ready???!!
- Yes
- Very quick
I had spent 15 minutes at Marriott and the whole experience set me back by 1700 Baht.
- A bad deal?
- No
- For a few slices of bread!
If I had bought bread for 1700 Baht at Tops Market I would have had to rent a truck to take it home. And that would have been very bad for my diet. And it would have been very bad for my diet even if I would have bought bread for only 200 Baht. I can't save something for tomorrow and I would have finished all the bread. And I would have ended up feeling very bad with myself for eating and I would most likely have returned to the sky train station to throw myself in front of a train.
I paid my bill and I walked back home and I stopped at my local 7 Eleven to buy 2 diet drinks. I have decided to take up the diet drinks again. My diet has capsized and I suspect that it is due to all the Minute Maid and drinking yogurt at 7 Eleven. So I will see if I will start losing weight again by changing to diet drinks. They were out of Diet MAX so I had to buy Diet ZERO, not as good as the Diet MAX. Well, I bought 2 bottles of Minute Maid just in case, but this will be my last Minute Maid in my life.
Well, another day has come to an end. Today was a pretty good one, except for the skipped Bangkok Fight Club session. But on Tuesdays the place is full of teenagers and they don't appreciate 500 kg Aladdin jumping around so I'm better off staying away on Tuesdays. And the visit to Marriott was a set-back for my diet, but I will soon leave for Australia. I can't wait to get away so I can come back and start my new life.
But I have managed to pay my rent via internet bank, first time ever. I came up with the idea yesterday and I asked them if they had a bank account that I could transfer my rent to. I transferred 4494 Baht and the condo Manager got an e-mail that she had received the money. Good, now I have set my internet bank to auto transfer once a month and I will never have to think about the rent again. Now I have all my bills on auto debit and the maintenance fee for the condo on auto transfer.
OK, I still have the water bill, but that is 75 to 150 Baht per month so this I can pay when ever. I usually paid my rent 3 to 5 months in advance and I always forgot for how long I have paid and when it was time to pay again. But with my new AUTO TRANSFER set up I will ever have to think about the maintenance fee again. Very good.
+++++++++++++++
Wednesday 20th of June 2012 and I managed to stay awake when my alarm went off at 8 thirty. I was in my kitchen preparing my tea and “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® when I heard my Maid fiddling with the door. She is usually coming on Thursdays, but the old girl had moved back to her home town and they sent a new Maid, and she will come on Wednesday mornings instead of Thursday mornings. Well, the girls at my condo office will take care of my plants and my rent is paid via auto transfer so I'm ready to foock off out of here.
So I'm already excited over coming back to see how if my plants have survived. I'm usually had to go to Ekkamai to order a truck with new plants. Well, anyway, I left for “My Thai Language School” on Ratchadapisek Road. I had 2 hours in class and we finished school at 12 and I returned home. I stopped at the massage place on Sukhumvit Soi 23 for an hour of scratching. 1 hour turned in to 3 hours and I was late for my session at Sophia Muay Thai Gym.
The girl asked me if I used to cut my toe nails by myself
- Yes
- Very ugly
She started with my toe nails and I could see that she enjoyed it. There was nothing stopping her and she worked for almost 2 hours with my nails. And DARN! I will never cut my own toe nails again, it was so nice and my toe nails looked very good. She had planed my feet and greased them in some cream and it felt very nice when I left the place running for Sophia Muay Thai Gym.
I had a terrible session at Sophia, I had pain in both of my knees and I cancelled my session at Bangkok Fight Club.
I almost fell asleep on my bed, but I managed to get out of bed at 7. I decided to go look for some Scotch-Brite scrub sponges. I was at Tops Market and they only had small size scrub sponges so I went to Terminal 21. Same story there, only small sizes so I walked to Villa Market on Soi 33.
At Villa Market I didn't found any scrub sponges at all and I decided to go check out Emporium. If they didn't have the big scrub sponges at Emporium I would take a taxi to Big-C or Carrefour on Rama IV.
I must have the big sponges, the small scrub sponge disappears in my hand. Luckily enough they had big scrub sponges at Emporium and I bought all their big scrub sponges. 3 x 2,7 kg detergent powder and some other cleaning stuff. I had 5 big bags off stuff to carry so I took a taxi back home.
I left my stuff in my apartment and I walked to my local 7 Eleven to see if they had any Diet MAX. They didn't had any Diet MAX and I asked when they expected to restock their fridge. I tried to tell them about logistics. They always have Coke ZERO but they are always out of Diet MAX. So I suggested that they should order more of the popular Diet MAX and less of the Coke ZERO no one buys.
- We will get Diet MAX tomorrow
- 7 ELEVEN NO GOOD!!!
I left my Local 7 Eleven and I walked down Sukhumvit Soi 23 searching the other 7 Eleven along the road for Diet MAX. When I came to the last 7 Eleven, opposite from Little Italy.
Yes, I forgot to mention that I had been at Little Italy when I walked to Villa Market in search for my scrub sponges.
Perfect, skipping Bangkok Fight Club and having Spaghetti at Little Italy. And of course, when I entered the place (Second time I'm there sober) one of the Waitress asked me if I was drunk. Well, anyway, I found Diet MAX and I bought their entire stock, except for the 2 last bottles that I could not reach. At least not without looking stupid with my arse with 2, 3 meters between the back pockets sticking out from the fridge.
And of course, my visit to Little Italy didn't make my arse any smaller. And we have an upcoming weekend, but at least I have given up on the Minute Maid and the drinking yogurt. My Diet MAX will help me obtaining the V-shaped torso. And Monday, I will have to cancel Bangkok Fight Club again. Our friend from Austria has invited us to a BBQ.
His 3 kids returned to Austria yesterday and they will stay there for a while before continuing to Canada. I knew that our Austrian friend was married to a girl from Canada, but I didn't know that she was the Ambassador. Her time in Bangkok is over and they have to return to Canada. But we will throw the BBQ party and I'm better off behaving or I will be stopped at the Canadian border in the future.
I never meet his wife before, but our friend from Austria is very nice and we will miss him at Sophia Muay Thai Gym. It has been very nice to learn to know him.
+++++++++++++++
Thursday 21st of June 2012 and I had spent most of the night blowing my nose while sneezing and rubbing my itching and running eyes. What the
I gave up smoking and the diet drinks and my sneezing and running eyes stopped and I haven't blow my nose for 3 months. I drank a few Diet MAX yesterday and now my nose and eyes are running like there are no tomorrow. Is it the Diet MAX?
Am I allergic to diet drinks? I don't know, but it seems like it.
I was at “My Thai Language School” at Ratchadapisek at 1 o'clock. It was only one of our American friends at class and our Teacher in class when I arrived.
New Teacher, my Diet MAX and our American friend in class
I had been in class for a few minutes when a girl stepped in to our class room. It was a new Teacher and she was going to sit in to learn how to Teach.
Our new Teacher sat down at the chair where the other American guy usually sits so I told her that she had taken his place and she changed chair.
She took the seat next to the American guy leaving one seat between her and me. I need that table for my books and Diet MAX but I decided to joke with her.
- Why don't you come sit here? I asked while pointing at the char next to mine. If looks could kill.
New Teacher, my Diet MAX and our American friend in class
I have finished my 50 hours and I will most likely leave for Australia next week so this wa smy last day in school for this time. But I will be back next time I'm back home, but then I will only go 2 days per week, and I will go with the 2 Americans. It is great fun to have class with them. But today was a disappointment as there was only one of them in class.
So we were happy when the other guy arrived 15 minutes later. We finished class at 3 o'clock and I took the subway back home for a quick change of clothes before going to Sophia Muay Thai Gym.
When I passed our condo office I checked the office through the window and I could see my snus parcel on top of the set of drawers in the office. I went inside and I paid the 7 Baht fee and I brought my snus to my fridge.
I was at Sophia Muay Thai Gym at 4 o'clock and I had an hour before I walked back home. And I stayed behind for a chat with the American girl and my Teacher when I finished my session quarter past 5 so I only had time for the quickest “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® and an even quicker cuppa before I left for Bangkok Fight Club.
I came to Bangkok Fight Club 10 minutes before 7 and there was plenty people and the sofa was full of people watching so I turned around and I walked back home.
One day I'm alone at Bangkok Fight Club and the next day there are millions of people. And the only guy I know now a day is our Thai friend on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. All the other people I know have finished, our Japanese friend, the French girls, the other Thai guy, the American girl and all the other people that used to go there.
Now there is so many people that comes there one time only and then I don't see them again and, well, I don't know anyone there anymore. Yet another skipped session at Bangkok Fight Club and I was not in a good mood when I walked back home. Missed exercise and wasted money. I usually go 5 days per week and I have paid for 5 days, but so far I have only been 2 or 3 times per week.
So I was pondering the idea of changing to Chakrit Muay Thai Gym 4 times per week. Mid day and the afternoons at Sophia and I have the evening off and I can walk around town. But I really like our Teacher at Bangkok Fight Club and I will investigate if I can continue at Bangkok Fight Club when I'm signing off Maersk Claudia.
Yes, I have a lot on my mind. I will try Bangkok Fight Club tomorrow night and I will make my decision then. But I was in a very bad mood when walking back home. I had a shower and I took a taxi to Siam Square.
I will walk back home from Siam Square so I will get some exercise. And of course, I will walk back home without any stop for dinner at some restaurant. I arrived to Siam Square at 8 o'clock and the side walk was even worse than the “Refugee Camp” Sukhumvit. They were selling Knick-knacks along the side walk and it was almost impossible to walk down the side walk along Rama 1.
But I managed to squeeze myself all the way to the Rama 1/ Phaya Thai Road and I took the walk over across Rama 1 to Siam Discovery.
I walked through Siam Discovery to Siam Paragon and back home. I was at Sukhumvit Soi 4 when I decided to have an fried rice at NA NA Hotel. And I had some pancakes before I continued my walk back home.
I had not been at the evening shift at NA NA hotel for several years, but they recognised me. The Manager, he must be 60 years old by now had for sure not forgotten me. He asked if I had any CD with me. I remember some 15 years ago when I made music CDs for him to play in the bar. And I could hear the staff gossiping.
- OH! Aladdin has became so small
- Last time we saw him he was like a MEGA TON!!
And I could not help it, but I was thinking about Seinfeld and I must put the video here.
Same when I was on my way back home from school. I came up from the subway and I ran in to the Russian girl that runs the Pilates on California WOW on Sukhumvit Soi 23.
- Aladdin! You are so small!
I was just about to ask her if she was drunk, but I didn't. Well, anyway, I stopped at Tops Market on my way back home to buy sponge cloths.
The girl at my local 7 Eleven helping me buy Diet MAX
I passed my local 7 Eleven and my intention was to pass the shop. My nose is running and I'm obviously allergic to diet drinks. But the girls were screaming at me.
- WE HAVE DIET MAX!!!!
So I went inside and one of the girls helped me carrying my sponge cloth and I bought 4 bottles of Diet MAX before returning home. I will give my allergy theory a few days, but if it doesn’t get any better I will give up the diet drinks again. Hopefully without taking up the Minute Maids again.
+++++++++++++++
Friday 22nd of June 2012 and I woke up at 10 thirty but I wasn't out of bed until 11 thirty. I had spent the night tossin' and turnin' in my bed and it was 6 o'clock in the morning before I felt asleep. So I was tired, but I had stuff to do so I had to get out of bed.
Of course, I had forgotten all the important things I had to do and I spent the time reading Bangkok Post online while drinking my morning tea with my “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ®
It was soon 3 o'clock and time for me to go to Sophia Muay Thai Gym. When I entered Srinakharinwirot I saw our friend from Austria running through Srinakharinwirot University on his way to Sophia. Our Austrian friend was doing his stretching when I arrived to Sophia. I did a quick warm up/ stretching before I started to punch my Teacher's pads. I have pain in my right elbow and right knee so it wasn't all that fun. But at least I didn't get any bigger sitting home eating snacks.
I stayed behind to talk with the guys and the American girl that had arrived when I was finished with my session. So I only had time for a very quick cuppa and “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® before it was time to leave for Bangkok Fight Club.
Of course, I had time for a quick shower and I was on my way. And as usually, I ran in to my two class mates from Wallen Thai language school when I passed through Srinakharinwirot University. I see them almost every day during their around the university area.
It was only our Teacher at Bangkok Fight Club when I arrived, but our Thai friend arrived a few minutes after me and the girl from the Philippines arrived a little later.
We spent the evening kicking at Bangkok Fight Club
We spent the evening kicking at Bangkok Fight Club
We spent the evening kicking at Bangkok Fight Club
We spent the evening kicking at Bangkok Fight Club
We spent the evening kicking at Bangkok Fight Club
We spent the evening kicking at Bangkok Fight Club
We spent the evening kicking at Bangkok Fight Club
We finish the punch bag session with “Spring knees”
We spent the evening at Bangkok Fight Club kicking the bags and we did 5 x 20 spring knees before we did the cool down/ stretching and sit ups before we went home. And it was yet again almost 9 o'clock before we left Bangkok Fight Club.
Good, I was tired when I got back home and I went to bed without going on town to drink beer. But I had a glass of Flaxseeds and 2 bottles of Diet MAX before I went to bed. So I will be off to Chakrit Muay Thai School tomorrow, if my pain isn't too bad that is.
+++++++++++++++
Saturday 23rd of June 2012 and I turned off my alarm at 8 thirty and I felt asleep again. I was out of bed at 11 thirty and I left for Chakrit Muay Thai School at 1 o'clock. Well, it was almost 13 thirty and I was at Chakrit 10 minutes before 2 o'clock.
I pounded my Teacher's pads for an hour before I walked back home to a glass of Flaxseeds, a pot of tea and a “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ®
Saturday, have a drink or no drink? Same Friday night and I feel like having a beer. But coming home from the boxing session and I'm too tired. So I go to bed, but even though I'm tired I didn't manage to fall asleep until 6 o'clock this very morning.
So of course, when my alarm went off at 8 thirty I just get out of bed to turn off the alarm and I'm soon back in bed and asleep again.
+++++++++++++++
Sunday 24th of June 2012 and I woke up at 12 thirty with a slight hangover. I don't know what time I got home this morning, but I stopped at my local 7 Eleven for some drinking yogurt and the receipt was stamped with 04:05 or 04:50. I don't remember and I have thrown my receipt in my garbage bag for paper.
My friend called me quarter past 2 and we were going to meet at New Cowboy Bar & Restaurant at 3 o'clock. My friend is leaving for Sweden tonight and he will be there for a few days before returning to Bangkok. But we had decided already yesterday to go for breakfast at New Cowboy Bar & Restaurant.
And I had been looking forward to our breakfast since we decided to meet there. The best breakfast ever
- HERE I COME!!
What the have they done to their breakfast at New Cowboy Bar & Restaurant? Going from the best breakfast in the world to something I had to send back to the kitchen. What a disappointment, home fried potatoes. I could not eat them and the bacon was sent back to the kitchen. Well, good, I will never have to go back to New Cowboy Bar & Restaurant again.
I have not been there for several years and my friend brought me for breakfast last week. Well, from impressive to disappointment in a week.
I had a few soda water before we left and I walked back home. I had a quick shower and I continued the hangover DVD that I had been watching when I left for New Cowboy Bar & Restaurant.
I gave up the DVD after 10 minutes and I decided to go to World Trade Center to look for some bottles to have water in. I took a taxi and I started at ZEN.
They had a bottle they charged 3000 Baht and then I can as well buy 4 bottles of ABSOLUT vodka. And the vodka bottle looks better, I checked around at World Trade Centre but I never found any bottles.
I was hungry, the breakfast adventure at New Cowboy Bar & Restaurant turned out to nothing so I was looking for a restaurant at World Trade Centre.
1000 Baht for this bullshit
Hangover and plenty people so I left World Trade Centre and I was walking back towards Sukhumvit. I passed a sign at Ploenchit saying Italian Restaurant and an arrow pointing in to the Soi. I looked down the Soi and I saw the Italian restaurant a few hundred meters away and I decided to go down the Soi for some dinner.
Expensive and there wasn't really much to choose from in the menu. I asked for avocado and smoked salmon.
- No smoked salmon
- No spinach
I ordered something with a fancy name and I asked for spaghetti.
- What kind of sauce?
- Plain spaghetti to my meat, I don't want any French Fries.
The Waiter told me that the meat was served with some kind of potatoes with melted cheese.
- OK, that is good. Cancel the spaghetti.
It turned out that the meat with the fancy name was what we call a schnitzel in the rest of the world. The potatoes turned out to be a spoon full of mashed potatoes that had been for a tour in the oven.
I called the Waiter again and I asked for the spaghetti and when they delivered the spaghetti I could not believe my eyes. They brought a big plate and when I had poured the spaghetti on my plate there wasn't very much of it. Why bother bring the spaghetti I thought but I Never said anything.
I finished my meal in 4 minutes and I foocked off out of there with 1000 Baht less in my valet and a decision not to come back.
I walked back home and when I passed Terminal 21 I decided to go inside to have a mango / almond ice cream at Dairy Queen. They didn't had the mango/ almond ice cream anymore so I asked for vanilla ice cream and when I got my ice cream I asked the girl to add some almonds.
I walked around the ground floor at Terminal 21 enjoying my ice cream. I passed a coffee shop and there was a girl drinking coffee. She waved at me. I stopped and I looked at her. I recognised her, but who is it? It looked a wee bit like my Travel Agent, but she had longer hair. She waved at me again and I looked behind me.
- Is she waving at me?
She started to laugh when I looked behind me.
- Yes, Aladdin! YOU!!
Isn't this typical, otherwise when I'm trying to be “Joe Cool” looking behind me when some girls waving at me the only response is:
- FOOCK OFF DORK!
Well, today the girl felt off her chair and when she had picked herself up from the floor she asked me if I didn't recognised her. Please bear in mind that I had a hangover, it was a slight hangover but never the less.
- Don't you recognise me?
- ??!!??!!
- From the boxing
- Chakrit?
- No, from Bangkok Fight Club
She asked me to sit down and we had a chat. She asked why I had not been at Bangkok Fight Club for a while. She told me that our Teacher had told her that I was in China or Japan. Are they talking about me when I'm not there? So I had to ask her:
- Are you gossiping about me when I'm not there?
- OH no no
We were talking about something when she suddenly changed the subject.
- Now I know why we were talking about you. Our Teacher told me that he had got his shirts from you. He was wearing some very beautiful shirts last week.
+++++++++++++++
Monday 25th of June 2012 and I checked internet to see if my Australian VISA was ready. I could call them after 13:30 to see if my VISA was ready, but I discovered that I could check my passport online. My VISA was ready, pick up time 15:00 (Preferable)
Preferable, that means that I can come before 15:00 and I might be able to make it to Sophia Muay Thai Gym in time. I left to pick up my VISA and I arrived to the office on Sathorn Road around 1 thirty.
I took the elevator to the 34th floor and I got number 893. There are 2 different number system and I think one is for applying and one for picking up the passport. To apply and the number was 095 something and to pick up the passport was on number 890. Three people to go and I were pretty confident that I would make it in time for Sophia Muay Thai Gym.
Finally, 893 and I went to pick up my passport, one girl went to pick up her pass port.
- Hold it right there!
I discovered that she had number 893 and checked my number. Obviously they need to check the ink in their printer, at a closer look I could see that I had number 898. Well, more waiting and I had to take the sky train and subway back home. I arrived in a taxi, but that would take way too long time and now I made it back home in 20 minutes.
I was back home at 3 o'clock, a quick change of clothes and I was off to Sophia Muay Thai Gym for my afternoon session.
When I arrived to Sophia there was 2 Russians that had finished their session and our friend from Austria that was ready to to start his session.
We were going to BBQ at our Austrian friend's place at 6 o'clock so I finished my session around 10 minutes past 4 o'clock to get me time to send my Australian VISA to Maersk Singapore so they can start arrange my airplane ticket to Australia. Hopefully with Thai Airways.
I was meant to join the ship in Dampier, Karratha WA on the 28th of June. I got an e-mail from the ship and they would leave Dampier on the 23rd and be in Sydney on the 4th of July. Well, so I don't know but it looks like I will have to stay in Bangkok for an extra week.
Of course, with salary, but I would not mind to leave for a new healthy lifestyle after almost 4 months in Bangkok. Well, anyway, I was in a hurry back home. And of course, when I was ready to leave the sky opened up and the rain poured down. Darn, I don't have time for this.
Our Russian friend in the rain
Our Russian friend in the rain
I wasn't back home until 5 o'clock so I just had time to upload some pictures to Sophia Muay Thai Gym's Facebook page and a shower before it was time to leave for our Austrian friend's apartment. It is just a 2 minutes’ walk from my place, luckily enough, it was raining when I left so I would have been soaked if it would have been more than a 2 minutes’ walk.
I arrived just after 6 o'clock and the American girl, our Teacher and the owner of Sophia Muay Thai Gym should arrive at 6 thirty. The clock became 6 thirty and no sign of the guys.
Our Austrian friend showed me the apartment, a huge apartment on the 26th floor. So I didn't want to look down, but the view was beautiful as long as I didn't look down. And time turned quick, it was quite interesting to talk with our friend's wife. Quarter past 7 and no sign of TEAM Sophia and we decided to get the grill on the balcony started.
Preparing the BBQ
Our friend fired up the grill and 15 minutes later he put the meat on the grill and TEAM Sophia arrived a few minutes later. There were so much meat and I asked them who was going to eat all the meat. Lamb chops and steaks and I decided to buy lamb chops one of these days to try to make some nice lamp chops at home.
SO I made a mental not to buy lamb chops when I'm growing tired of the tuna. I ate lamb chops, steak and potatoes like there was no tomorrow. And on top of that I had some BBQ cheese, I don't remember the name of the cheese. But it was a kind of cheese that they BBQ without the cheese melting.
I was full, it was almost embarrassing how much I had shoved down my throat. And now they brought out a cake and I had 2 pieces.
An “AFTER” dinner coffin nail
It was almost 11 o'clock in the evening when we left our friend. I had had way too much to eat and I decided to shape up, starting first thing tomorrow. Only healthy food and I really hope I can stick to this while onboard Maersk Claudia.
And I will hopefully come back home as a dashing and exciting guy. OK, there is no hope for the baldness. The “MAGIC HAIR STUFF” have turned out to be nothing but a disappointment. But as long as there are baseball caps...
I wish I had George in Seinfeld's confidence and that baldness will catch on.
George: Hey, maybe this will become like, a cool thing. Living with your parents.
Jerry: Yeah, then maybe baldness will catch on. Things will all be turning your way.
George: Hey, believe me, baldness will catch on. When the aliens come, who do you think they’re gonna relate to? Who do you think’s gonna be the first ones to get to tour the ship?
Jerry: The baldies.
+++++++++++++++
Tuesday 26th of June 2012 and I was at Sophia Muay Thai Gym a few minutes after 3 o'clock. No Thai school today so I could start my Thai boxing session at 3 instead of 4. But if I would have known that I would have been delayed in Bangkok I would have continued my Thai school. Well, now I will have to wait until I'm back home next time.
I had a terrible session at Sophia, pain in both my arms and I got some ointment for the pain. The pain was soon forgotten, the ointment was burning on my arms. Well, I will hopefully be fit for fight when I'm back from Maersk Claudia.
Of course, when it was time for me to leave the sky opened up and the rain started to pour down. So I had to sit down wait for the rain to stop. While I was sitting there a guy arrived. I recognised him from Bangkok Fight Club, but I was not sure it was him until he asked me if I trained at Sophia as well.
It was his first time at Sophia, he had heard about it from a friend and he wanted to do some sparring. The American girl arrived and I had a chat with her before I walked back home. The rain stopped and I took the opportunity to get away.
I had decided to go to Siam Square and walk back home from there. All the teenagers at Bangkok Fight Club tonight so I will skip the evening session.
I had a shower and I went to look for a taxi, I was walking down Asoke and in 20 minutes I found exactly ZERO taxis. So I came to the Sukhumvit Sky Train station without finding any taxi. And there was millions of people entering the sky train station on the East side. There were millions of people coming up from the subway going straight to the BTS Sky Train station.
All this people and I decided to go for dinner at Terminal 21 and if I'm lucky the people will be gone when I'm ready with my dinner. West bound lane towards Siam Square on Sukhumvit was at a full stop so taxi wasn't any attractive option, so Terminal 21 it was.
I came up with a clever idea. The entrance to the Asoke sky train station from the Subway was full with millions of people queuing.
So I decided to try the entrance from the West and there weren’t so much people and I decided to give the sky train a try. The train was at the platform when I came up to the track level. The train was full, but there were some space left at the door in the second car. I stepped inside and we left towards Siam Square. First stop Na Na station and more people came onboard and when we arrived to Siam Square it was very nice to get off the train.
I walked to MBK and I had a smoked salmon sandwich and a pot of tea at Canyon Coffee shop. I walked to Siam Discovery and then through Siam Paragon where I had a look for a water bottle without any luck. I walked to Na Na Hotel and I had a fried rice and a pot of tea. And well, I had a plate of pancakes as well, but I never finished all of the fried rice.
I stopped at Tops Market at Robinson on Sukhumvit Soi 19 to buy some onions. I ran in to the owner of Bangkok Fight Club and his wife outside Tops Market when I left.
He asked if I had been at Bangkok Fight Club for my session and I told him that I had given up the Tuesday and Thursday sessions and that I would attend on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays only in the future. Depending on what people attending those days of course.
+++++++++++++++
Wednesday 27th of June 2012 and I got out of bed at 9 when they called from MaidDelivery.
- Your Maid is outside your front door
- OK, I will opne the door, just a sec
Yes, I was lucky that she arrived at 9 so I could get out of bed. I'm back to my old “routines” with my 8 thirty wake up alarm because I have planned to go to Boonthavorn on Ratchadapisek.
But I went back to bed and I felt asleep again. I had a quick cuppa and a “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® before I left for Asoke to look for a taxi.
I took the escalator to the 2nd floor at Boonthavorn and the girls recognised me even though it is almost 1 and a half years since I redecorated my bathroom. One of the girls whispered to to the other girl
- What is his name?
- Aladdin
She turned to me again
- ALADDIN!! HOW ARE YOU?
I told them that I needed to make some changes in my laundry room. I have plans for buying a new washing machine and my worktop is too low. I have been looking at an Electrolux washer with the capacity of 11 kg.
Even though I bought the Electrolux washer I have now before they started the work in the laundry room they managed to foock up the measurements.
And please, don't get me started about the 11 different companies I had here to do my condo. The guys doing my laundry room did not even bother checking the height of my brand new Electrolux. And I bought the machine 2001 or something like that.
- Aladdin, Please buy everything now. We will soon be ready and we need all the appliances.
So I dashed off to Electrolux at World Trade Center to buy my washer and dryer. Hury hurry and it took me 3 years or something like that before I could try my washer and dryer, of course, by then the two-years guarantee had expired.
The first company never got paid by the Pattaya beach boys that I had hired and paid to do the job and he was only half ready with the laundry room when they gave up the job. Second Team to take on the laundry room was nothing short of a joke. Team #1 had turned my place in to Fawlty Towers and up until when they had done one of my doors I was angry every time I saw them in work.
- Aladdin, Aladdin, come here!
The owner of the construction company called me with pride in his voice.
- Aladdin, come look at the door!
His voice was full of pride and I expected them to finally have managed to do something right. The owner and the foreman took me to the kitchen.
- Look, the door is ready!
- What the I felt on the kitchen floor screaming and crying of laughter. The owner and the Foreman looked at me like I was crazy.
- What’s wrong?
- Wrong, motherfoockers!! You twat! We built better huts in the forest when we were playing cowboys and Indians when we were 6 years old.
And this was the moment when I'm turned from angry with a constant feeling wasting money for nothing to a feeling of “this is a joke” and “Never mind”. Well, anyway, I was in my “this is a joke” and “Never mind” mood when Team #2 took on the laundry room. What a foocking joke this turned out to be, and no, it was no surprise. I had to show them everything, and that’s even though this was supposed to be professionals and I have never installed a washing machine before.
The owner was from New Zealand, at least I think so. The Manager at the condo called him Mr. Samoa. Well, Friday afternoon and they proudly informed me that I could try my washing machine.
- Well, great!
I never tried the machine, but I spent the weekend removing the machine and I checked all the transportation lashings, brackets and bolts. If I had tried the machine as they said it would have been smashed to pieces. Yes, must be the top of the line foreigners coming to Thailand to set up business.
They could not do the job at Boonthavorn, they only removed tiles and put up new tiles. I spoke with the kitchen department and they would take a look at the job. But I decided to check another company when I came home. The Manager at the condo called a guy and he was knocking on my door 30 minutes later.
The guy would take a look at the job and he will hopefully send me a quotation tomorrow and I really hope they can start so we can complete the job before I leave for Australia. It is a very quick job, but as they guy said:
- All my workers are busy right now.
I hope for the best, would be perfect if they could finish the job so I can buy the washing machine next time, they told me they need 4 days to get the machine so no way I will get it before I go to Australia, or at least I don't want to take the chance. The guy left and I changed clothes and I left for Sophia Muay Thai Gym.
We did 20 to 30 minutes of sparring and it was fun, I have not been sparring for several months due to the pain in my arms. I still have some pain but I'm so bored with the boxing without the sparring. So it was quite OK at Sophia today even though I have some slight pain. I was back home at 5 so there was only time for a quick shower and a quick cuppa with an “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® before I left for Bangkok Fight Club
I read my e-mail while enjoying my tea and I got my flight details.
UA 804 03JUL Bangkok(Suvarnabhumi Intl) - Tokyo(Narita) 0600 1410 Confirmed
UA 852 03JUL Tokyo(Narita) - San Francisco(San Francisco Intl) 1725 1051 Confirmed
San Francisco??!! I'm going to Australia, well, something must have gone terribly wrong. I also got a call and I was invited to a birthday party next Saturday. A 40th birthday and when you get invitations to 40th birthday parties you really know that you're old.
He asked if I wanted to join them in his condo
- I have food and drinks. So we're eating a little and then we're getting drunk!
- Getting drunk!
Yeah, getting drunk, perfect, I will have yet another chance to make a tit out of myself. And this is even though I told my friend last Sunday that I will never drink beer again. Not because I made a tit out of myself, but because it is getting boring to drink.
And yesterday my Teacher at Sophia asked if we should go for a drinking contest. They find it unbelievable that I can drink 20 beers without getting drunk. OK, I'm tipsy but not like I'm out drinking beer with them. They have 4 bottles and they can hardly walk.
And it is the same every Monday afternoon when I arrive to Sophia.
- How many beers did you drink this weekend?
Seriously, who is counting? I'm not counting and I have no clue. Well, I arrived to Bangkok Fight Club 10 minutes before 7 and my Teacher arrived a few minutes after me. We ran in to our Thai friend at 7 Eleven when my Teacher went to buy water.
We were 4 people when we started the session with the Thai Navy Exercise. When we finished the exercise our Teacher had the Thai girl and the Japanese guy to do the exercise while we watched them. They had arrived late, we were almost ready when they arrived so they had to do the exercise while we watched them.
When they were ready with the Thai Navy Exercise the girl from the Philippines arrived and now she had to do 2 minutes of the Thai Navy Exercise while we watched her.
Punching the Teacher's pads and it was 20 minutes before 9 when we finished the stretching and sit ups and I we could go home.
I came up with a very great idea while walking home, a combined dryer and washing machine. I will check internet first thing after my shower to see what I can find. I have heard that combined dryers and washing machines are good for nothing. But this is 30 years ago so there must have been some developments since then.
I was obviously looking for an Electrolux, but the reviews were not impressive. I didn't found any good reviews, only disappointments and not working machines. LG, I have always considered LG as a Scooby Doo brand, but they only had good reviews so I will go to have a look at Power Buy tomorrow.
+++++++++++++++
Thursday 28th of June 2012 and I didn't woke up until it was almost 12 o'clock. My trip to Emporium to check out washing/ drying machines and to buy the birthday gift was down the drain. I would have managed to do it before my boxing if I had rushed. But I like to walk around with a lot of time to do it. I was at Sophia just after 3 o'clock.
We're going to do the sparring at the parking lot
We were sparring around the swimming pool yesterday, I don't like the ring because it is like walking on a mattress. The floor is covered with a 5 to 10 cm layer of foam rubber or mattress filling and a canvas. And this it is hard for me to twist my foot when hitting. Most of the time my foot don't move but me knee twist and it can turn out a wee bit painful.
It was fun on the parking lot, we started with the pads and then we did a few rounds of sparring and suddenly the clock was 4 thirty. We didn't discover how much the time was until the American girl arrived.
As my Teacher said: Time turns quick when you have fun. I was back home around 5 thirty and I had a quick cuppa and a “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® before I left for Emporium. And of course, I was walking as I had skipped my session at Bangkok Fight Club.
I liked the idea to have a washer & dryer combo machine, I can get rid of one of the machines in my laundry room and I will have space for more shelves. As you can see on the right hand picture it would be very nice to get rid of the dryer. There will be plenty space to store stuff instead of having a stupid dryer.
So I started at the Power Mall and the guy showed me an LG wash & dry combo machine with the capacity of 13 kg. According to the sales man this was God's gift to mankind.
- What about the Samsung? I asked
- Samsung??!! Are you crazy, Samsung is BS!!
Hmm, strange, I'm very satisfied with my Samsung products. I asked about Electrolux.
- Electrolux??!! Are you crazy, Electrolux is BS!!
- Let's go have a look at the Electrolux, I suggested.
- OH! I can't go over there, I only sell LG.
- What the
So they have guys selling the different brands and here we have a guy that have never operated a washing machine in his life giving me advice on which washing machine I'm going to buy. Everything is done by hand in Thailand unless you have a good job making good money and can buy a washing machine.
I spoke with the guys at Electrolux and Electrolux was God's gift to mankind according to these guys. I took a brochure and I got one brochure from the LG guy and I went to the top floor to buy a birthday gift.
And I'm not very good to come up with bright ideas for birthday gifts, but a bottle of whiskey is a safe bet. Whiskey, for me it all taste the same, shit! So what to buy, a bottle of Johnny Walker is always good, if they like whiskey they usually like a bottle of Johnny Walker. But a Black Label is too foreseeable and boring so I decided to buy a Gold Label.
By now it was 8 o'clock and I decided to take the Sky Train to Home Pro, the third station going West on Sukhumvit Road. And at Home Pro the LG was not good at all. Samsung was the best thing ever happened to mankind and we had a look at the SAMSUNG WD1162XVM, a machine with the capacity of 16kg. This was the best machine ever and as no surprise I discovered that the guy had SAMSUNG on the back of his T-shirt.
I got a SAMSUNG brochure and I will go home to investigate on the internet. I only have the problem with the work in the laundry room, the Contractor haven't called so the chances for me to buy the new washer/ dryer before I leave for Maersk Claudia is slim.
But I have already decided to buy the SAMSUNG WD1162XVM (Most likely) or the LG WD-1332RDS, but I will check internet for reviews first. Electrolux, a Swedish company, but their appliances are made in Mexico (according to Power Mall) or in Slovakia (according to Home Pro). If they had made the machines in Sweden I would have bought the Electrolux no matter how much extra they would have charged.
But Electrolux want to do it on the cheap, but they have big stickers with a Swedish flag on their product. And when you lean forward to read the label it says: Designed in Sweden. Yeah, they can design their stuff in Sweden, I'm not going to buy it. Made in China is no option but both LG and SAMSUNG made their equipment in Korea so that made me decide for a SAMSUNG WD1162XVM (Most likely) or the LG WD-1332RDS.
I remember buying a pushbike in Sweden, and I had to pay 6 or 7000 Baht extra to get a MADE IN SWEDEN, the made in China was cheaper and they had a MADE IN SWEDEN from the previous year. Exact the same model but now they were made in China, but the choice was VERY simple, 6 to 7000 Baht extra for the MADE IN SWEDEN. OK, the pushbike spent most of the time in a taxi. I took the bike to the pub down town, but when it was time to get back home from the pub I put the bike in a taxi.
Well, anyway, I decided to buy a Korean brand made in Korea. Both the machines were 80,000 Baht, and the 2 Electrolux would come out to be about the same. I left Home Pro and I walked to Terminal 21. I had a Fish'n Chips at a restaurant and when I was ready I got to the bottom floor for a quick visit to Dairy Queen.
I went from the 6th or 5th floor and all the way down I wished for Dairy Queen to be out of ice cream, or a lot of people so I would skip my ice cream. Well, no luck and I enjoyed an ice cream while walking around looking at the views.
I stopped at my local 7 Eleven for 6 bottles of Diet MAX even though I have decided to give up the darn thing. Well, I enjoyed a Diet MAX while checking my e-mail. I got new flight details and now we're back to the original flight to Australia, but not until the 6th of July.
And it seems like we're out of internet
By the way…..the @#$$ing VSAT broke down. Major technical issue. So be prepared for world isolation.
onboard. I got e-mail from Maersk Claudia and it seems like we will be out of internet, but I hope they will be able to repair the satellite equipment when we return to Singapore.
+++++++++++++++
Friday 29th of June 2012 and my alarm went off at 8 thirty, before I had felt asleep. I didn't fall asleep until 9 o'clock and I was out of bed at 12. Not another night light this, tossin' and turnin' dead tired and not being able to fall asleep.
So I was more asleep then awake when I got out of bed at 12 o'clock. I needed to get to Tops Market to buy my “hangover smoothie” ingredients in time for me to be at Sophia Muay Thai Gym at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
So I took a brisk walk to Tops Market at Robinson on Sukhumvit Soi 19 when I had finished my “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® I bought onion to last me until it was time to leave for Australia. I'm eating 2 onions per day so it is not any rocket science to figure out how much onion I need.
The rest of the basket was filled with stuff for my “hangover smoothie”, 500g blueberries, a kilo of mandarins (frozen so they are peeled, nothing you want to do with a raging hangover) a few mangoes (peeled and ready to eat, nothing you want to do with a raging hangover), bananas and yogurt.
I have several kilos of hazelnuts, flax seeds and sesame seeds at home so no need to buy any more of that stuff for quite some time.
Hmm, might be a good ide to buy a few kilos before leaving for Australia so I have it stand-by when I'm back home. Same as with the milk, I always have a few bottles of “long life” milk in my fridge so I can have a cuppa when I'm back home without having to go shopping.
I dashed off to Sophia Muay Thai Gym as soon as I had put my “hangover smoothie” ingredients in the fridge, well, of course I changed to my boxing clothes first.
Our friend from Austria was at Sophia warming up when I arrived. His last time at Sophia, well, he promised to come for yet another session next week, or at least he will come to say good bye. He will be missed. When I arrived he stopped the warm up.
-Aladdin, I brought the bottle for you.
When we played soccer at his apartment he had brought a pick nick basket. Mostly beer, but as I only drink water I didn't touched the beer. He had water in the basket and he had a beautiful bottle for the water. I never told him, but the day after I started my search for new water bottles. I have some plastic shit at home and I really hate those bottles so I want new bottles.
I have been at every department store and shopping mall in Bangkok and the only thing I have been able to find is some plastic bottles. Well, I found one glass bottle, almost 3000 Baht so I would have been better off buying 3 bottles of ABSOLUT vodka for this price, and the ABSOLUT bottle looks better.
I bought new plastic bottles the other day and they were better than my old bottles, but not quite the same as a glass bottle. So I asked him where he had bought his bottle and as no surprise he had bought the bottle in Europe.
- I will bring it for you next time
I had a terrible session at Sophia, the pain in my arms was back and after one round I gave up the sparring and I punched my Teacher's pads with my left hand only.
There was a Thai guy coming, I had never seen him before but he was well known by the team at Sophia. He was 19 years old and he kicked like a horse. But he had to sit down after 1 round. I asked him how old he was.
- 19
- When I was 19 I did 15 rounds
My Teacher told him that I was 50 and the guy shat his pants
- I don't beleive you
- Yes, he is
- I thought he was 30
I was not allowed to go back home when I was ready with my session. The Teacher told me that the owner had told him to hold me back.
- He wants to speak with you
I was waiting and waiting and my Teacher called him to see where he was. I was watching the new Thai guy and our friend from Austria and I was having a good time, but I needed to be home in time so I could have my “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® before going to Bangkok Fight Club
When he came he gave me a shirt.
- I hope it is big enough, there are Xs all around the neck
I tried the shirt, a wee bit small, but it will fit in a few weeks. I walked back home and I had a quick cuppa before I walked back to Bangkok Fight Club. It was only the Teacher there when I arrived and I was about to go back home.
But we would do the pads and I was donning my adidas boxing shoes when our German friend arrived. We had a good session, without the Thai Navy Exercise.
The German guy and I punched the pads until 20 minutes past 8 when we finished the session. We were more dead than alive and the German guy told me that he would stay home to night. Yes, it is the same every time coming back home from the boxing, there is no energy to go out drinking. I walked back home, I kept company with the German guy for a bit, he lives on Asoke so we walk the same direction.
I had decided to go to Banglamphu and I stopped at my local 7 Eleven to buy a Hangover Survival Kit on my way home. A few Minute Maids and some orange drinking yogurt can come in handy.
I had a shower and then I went to look for a taxi. Took quite some time before I could get a taxi and I arrived to Banglamphu at 11. I was at the Gallery last Saturday and they told me that they had live music on Fridays so I decided to check it out.
There were 3 guys, 1 with a guitar and one guy banging on a box and I think the third guy was the singer.
I asked if they could play เมดอินไทยแลนด์ but I never heard the tune.
At least not for a long time, but suddenly I heard something that I recognised and I turned around. They had obviously used their mobile to search the internet for the song and they had found it. Hmm, I was reminded about Singapore and my plans to buy such a device. I came up with the idea when we played Roffe Ruff at Club Street.
I decided to try my luck and I asked if they could play แฟนจ้า and they found the text on the internet
They were all recognising me when I arrived and they looked happy, but I'm not sure. I think I was using their DJ equipment last Saturday. I spoke with the girl working in the bar and it turned out to be the owner's daughter.
She made big eyes when I ordered my third big bottle of Heineken.
- Three bottles?!!
- It is only my second bottle
- NO WAY!!
And it was the same story when I asked for my sixth bottle
- Six bottles?!!
- It is only my second bottle
- NO WAY!
When the band stopped playing they turned on my TAXI CD with Hip Hop in Swedish. They turned up the volume, same at Bangkok Fight Club, they turned up the volume. I'm usually playing Phong Lang at Bangkok Fight Club, but today it was Hip Hop in Swedish and DARN! There are some good music made in Sweden.
It is like an open stage behind the bar, I never figured out who is working behind the bar. It is like everyone is behind the bar working. The owner’s daughter when I arrived, but later on she was sitting at a table drinking.
I had planned to stay for a beer or two, but it was 2 o'clock before I left and I ended up at Khaosan Road.
Everything was closed by the time I arrived to Khaosan Road, except a place that was called trumpet or saxophone or something like that a few years ago. I don't know the new name, but it is open until early morning. It must have been around 3 o'clock when I left Khaosan Road for “Da Overstay” in Pinklao on the other side of the river.
When I arrived to “Da Overstay” around 4 o'clock there was something like 5 people in the bar. A few people sleeping in the sofas. I asked for the CD player and they told me that there were 2 lap tops on a desk next to the bar. They played music from youtube and I was yet again reminded about the idea to buy a mobile phone with WIFI when we played Roffe Ruff at Club Street.
We were soon having “Långt från OK” blasting high on the Richter scale. Funky music and one of the girls came over and cranked up the volume to full. I stepped over to the bar and I asked for a beer.
- We don't have anything here, you will have to go buy your own.
When I left the guy behind the bar gave me 400 Baht
- Can you please buy a bottle of whiskey for me? 100 Piper
- No worries, but keep the money until I'm back. I might get lost
I found Heineken and a bottle of Whiskey and I returned to “Da Overstay” I gave the bottle to the guy in the bar, I think he and his girlfriend were from San Francisco. I, well, the place wasn't all that fun. Back packers sleeping in the sofas. This is a kind of guesthouse and I think it is for fee to stay there. Well, who wants to fly halfway around the world without money?
And to sleep in a sofa! To be able to sleep in a sofa I would have to spend more money drinking myself retarded than what it would have set me back to stay at a hotel
I finished my beers and I went to find a taxi and I returned to Khaosan Road. And it must have been 5 thirty something when I was back at Khaosan Road. Plenty people but it was no problem to get a Tiger, ice and a wine glass.
And saying hello to a Thai girl can only end in 2 ways.
Scenario #1
You see a girl and you ask:
- How are you?
- I want to move in with you
Scenario #2
You see a girl and you ask:
- How are you?
A guy shows up and wants to start a fight
So I can say that I experienced both scenarios, one guy in a green t-shirt wanted to fight and there is a girl calling me 12 times every day for the last months.
Back at Khaosan Road
It was sunshine when I left the place and it must have been 7 or 8 o'clock when I was back home. Yeah, I felt like a million but I'm pretty sure it will be a different story when I wake up.
+++++++++++++++
Saturday 30th of June 2012 and I was about to write Sunday the 30th. It felt like a Sunday, at least until I had finish my “Hangover Surprise” The Original. I didn't got out of bed until 4 o'clock. I woke up 3 o'clock and I was in my bed drinking yogurt watching hangover DVD when I realised that I didn't had time for this. I will meet my friend outside Terminal 21 at 7 o'clock and we will
Hi...Aladdin
Tomorrow morning there are 12,620 monks in front of Terminal 21.
Would you like to join? I will be there at 6.30 am.
If you can wake up, shall we meet there in front of Terminal 21.
I will park my car to your condo in the morning, then I have something to do all day.
In the evening
Shall we meet in front of Terminal 21 at 7pm. Entrance gate.
I will check location to Simon condo tonight. I think it take about 30 mins to go there.
So we can call taxi and I will inform Simon to be there at 7.30 pm.
Ok! na.
go to the birthday party in a taxi.
She parked her car at my condo this morning because she wanted to go to Terminal 21 to see the monks this morning. They have over 12000 monks outside Terminal 21 this morning and she asked if I wanted to go with her.
Of course I want to get out of bed at 5 o'clock!! I cannot think about anything else to do early Saturday morning. Well, anyway, I wasn't back home until 7 or 8 this morning, coming home in sunshine. Well, as the Thai boxer at Sophia said after shitting his pants. Yeah, he shat his pants when our Teacher told him that I was 50.
- I thought he was 30!
And yes, I felt like 20 or 30 when I came back home this morning, the Security guards told me that my friend had parked her car at the parking lot.
When I woke up I felt like 500, yes, both years and kilos. But I had stopped at my Local 7 Eleven to buy ice cream before going home. As soon as I realised that I didn't had time to loll around in bed watching hangover DVDs I jumped out of bed and I rushed to the kitchen to make myself a “Hangover Surprise” The Original.
I don't know if it was the ice cream or the litre of Baileys, but when I had finished my “Hangover Surprise” The Original Charisma Man was ready to take on any birthday party or adventure.
I meet my friend at Terminal 21 at 7 o'clock and we took a taxi to the birthday party. It took us quite some time to find a taxi. I didn't found a taxi going to Terminal 21 so I had to walk. But we found a taxi after 15 minutes and the driver knew the condo we were going to.
I have studied Thai with him a few years ago and he had invited me and our Teacher for the birthday party.
Our host is a writer and he has written 2 books, Lost Innocence & Working Girl.
Not yet for sale, but I will read them as soon as they are available. He would give me a signed copy
So I only knew him and our Teacher at the place, a wee bit awkward to arrive to his condo. And that’s even though I had my “Hangover Surprise” The Original before leaving. He asked me if I wanted a beer first thing coming in through the door.
- I have San Miguel Light, I remember that you liked them
- Perfect
- And I remember that you wanted to drink from a small glass.
- It is bottled beer so I can drink from the bottle. I only need a glas when it is beer from a can.
I had a few San Miguel Light trying to stay away from the crowd. Of course, after 10 bottles it was another story.
I could feel that I had had a late night on town yesterday even though I had had my “Hangover Surprise” The Original. And while drinking my first “TEN” I stayed out of the way exchanging pleasentries when it was unavoidable.
So yes, I spent 1 hour in the back only coming forward for a new San Miguel Light with a few “how are you?” and “nice to meet you” and I was quickly back hiding in the background again.
AND YES!!! It was a totally different story after 10 bottles of San Miguel Light. Charisma Man was back in town and now it was no problem at all making a tit out of myself.
There was food, but I never ate anything as I'm on diet, and beer is almost like drinking bread. Our friend had managed to get an interesting crowd to the party.
There was a girl running her own clothing company and brand. She had been in Sweden to play golf and she loved Sill and Swedish food. I told her that I would make Swedish meatballs for her. Yeah, I can never shut up when I'm a wee bit tipsy.
It was fun to speak with her, at least until the point where everything I said was nonsense.
There was one girl that had been writing a book about success in life, or something like that. I had actually been a member in her Meetup group a year or so back. Learning Thai, but as they always had their meeting when I was at Bangkok Fight Club I never showed up at their meetings.
And there had been some misunderstanding. My Belgian friend running the dinners told me that there were always 30 people attending and no Thai people so how the foock will we be able to learn Thai. My Belgian friend showed me how to leave the group and I cancelled my membership.
I told the girl, well, it took me quite some time to understand that it was her. But when I did I told her that there were always hundreds of foreigners and no Thai people.
- WHAT!!??
She got upset. She told me that there were many Thai volunteers to teach the people Thai. She scolded me for not having read the information. I told her that I was only checking who was going to attend and no Thai people.
I told her that I would join the group again and join them next time, well, it sounded like the greatest idea ever after a few bottles of San Miguel Light.
Well, we will see if I join them when I'm back home from Maersk Claudia. If they have their meetings so I can go to Bangkok Fight Club I might join.
Well, anyway, she seems to be a girl with a lot of stuff going on. There was one girl from Indonesia and one girl with Italian and American parents, but she was born in Thailand. And our host brought Tequila and he poured Tequila for all the girls.
- This girl can drink more beer than you, he said.
- What...
Well, who do you think had to drink all the Tequila and I was the only one saying “No Thanks” to the Tequila. And yes, who gets the blame for always having the “Motion sickness”
So we had a very good time and it was soon 2 o'clock. My friend and I was getting a ride with one of the girls. My friend was going to my condo to get her car and I was going to Thong Lor.
Of course, they recognised me from last time I had been there and I was not allowed inside. So I went to Ekkamai to get a taxi to Khaosan Road. Nang Len was closed, but there were still some of the staff closing down so I went inside to see if I could buy 2 beers for the taxi ride.
The owner, a beautiful girl could not sell me any beers because it was after 2 o'clock. But she poured 2 shots of Whiskey and we had a shot each. I begged on my knees for 2 bottles of beer but it was NO!
Well, I got 2 big bottles at New Phetchaburi and we were soon on our way to Khaosan Road.
I went to the same place I had been at yesterday and they put up a finger when I came. I nodded and they poured a Tiger beer in a wine glass and they added ice.
Well, good they remember what I drink and no need to shout with all the loud music around. Well, it can be a set back as well. Nang Len on Ekkamai, I always stopped there for a few bottles of soda water when I did my constitutionals down Thong Lor and up Ekkamai.
And when I was there for a few drinks with a friend they just put a bottle of soda water in front of me whewn I arrived to the bar.
- Sorry, we want a bottle of vodka
- What the You are always drinking soda.
And yet again, it was day light when I came back home from Khaosan Road. Well, that says it all, the after hour places at Khaosan Road are much more fun than the places at Thong Lor.
Well, the month of June in the year of our Lord 2012 have come to an end and I'm pretty sure July 2012 will start with a hangover.
OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page. So
Jiffy (also jiff)
noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.
ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.
So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.
I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one.
So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!
Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas
Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!
Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!
Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra
Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!