faranglaw

These days hotel prices are so low that there seems little point in a short time hotel, as I discovered last night. I stayed at the Quarter on z909’s recommendation and thank you!  It was perfect. Nice breakfast, no hassle bringing boys in (ahem, twice!—Hornet sure is busy around there!).  $21 Cdn (about 500 baht) for the whole night.  I’ll be back. 

Prologue
During Covid I have been consistently too optimistic about the probability of international travel. I repeatedly book trips only to eventually cancel them. I carry on regardless and book the next trip, but my expectations have slowly diminished, to the point that I was not really expecting to make this trip to Thailand.
It was only after the e-tickets arrived that I truly believed that this trip was a Go.
I should have been elated, but after the initial euphoric rush I was strangely flat. I organized the mechanics of travel down to the last detail and took steps to eliminate anything within my power that could cause problems. I imposed a self-quarantine for the seven days prior to my PCR test, excusing myself from pre-Christmas events and Christmas dinner itself. I booked a limo service to the airport as Uber have become a little less reliable.
But I did not get into the usual personal preparation or have a plan of what to do other than seeing Bangkok Guy. I continued to drink and eat a little too much and not exercise enough. My mood should have been up, but pre-Christmas socializing was leaving me flat. One evening, returning home after a fabulous dinner party, the flat feeling really struck me – what was going on?
I know myself well enough that if I take the time to stop and reflect I find the patterns that point to the problem. When I am flat something is weighing on my subconscious, and the trick is to identify what it is so that I can deal with it. I realized I was very concerned. Very concerned that something would prevent the trip. Very concerned that after two years of Line-only contact the chemistry between Bangkok Guy and I will not be the same.    
Behind the concern is the fact that Bangkok Guy is deeply under my skin. Possibly too deeply. Many things have kept me bouncing along and sane during the disruption of the last two years and my connection with Bangkok Guy is one of them. Forced separation has intensified the importance of the connection.
There is no point in letting an anticipated problem which may or may not eventuate weigh you down. You need to do what you can to ensure the outcome you want and then hope for the best, but be mentally prepared for the worst and have an attractive Plan B.
So I took charge of my drinking, eating and exercising. I can stroll the beach confident that I look presentable in swim shorts. I went through the Koh Samui guide and found things to see and do. For the days in Bangkok I have a list of restaurants to try and possible overnight trips. The trip is now in shape to be an excellent holiday and a great first encounter with the World after the last two years. And if the chemistry with Bangkok Guy is still good, that will be the icing on the cake.
But if I am honest with myself, the icing is of more interest than the cake.

Thanks Reader for the info and encouragement. I fly out today. I think it will be fine. 

Thanks Reader for the info and encouragement. I fly out today. I think it will be fine. 

Thanks everyone!
So I have booked a flight tomorrow from Boston to Phuket, actually three flights, the second of which, NY to Singapore, is said to be the longest flight scheduled in the world, at 18 hours and 40 minutes.  Economy Premium so it might be bearable as long as the pilots don’t nod off somewhere over the Arctic.
The process turned out to be complicated and anxiety producing. For some reason both the hotel and the testing company would only take something called OTP which I think means One Time Password. They wanted me to have a local phone number to send passwords to, which I didn't have. Without that local contact, neither my American nor Canadian credit cards worked for payment.  Aaargh!  But Dear Husband is still in Bangkok, and he was able to go into the woods and shake fairy dust on the sleeping leprechaun, or whatever one does, and miraculously produce for me proof of my hotel stay and my COVID test schedule, both of which I need to board the plane.  I don’t know how I would have navigated all this without a Thai contact within Thailand. But then, there’s a reason he is Dear Husband.
So I leave on Monday and arrive on Wednesday.  Hotel staff assure me that once the first test comes back negative, I am free to roam the island.  Dear Husband arrives on Thursday with my summer wear and speedos.  
See you soon! It’s 4:11pm here, which means it’s 4:11am there.
 
 

have a nice trip and report how it worked for you

Thanks Reader for the info and encouragement. I fly out today. I think it will be fine. 

Per-covid, I flew that non-stop from JFK to SIN four times. There's no getting around that it's a marathon passage. I'd be sure to get up and walk around every few hours (if you're not sleeping). The good news is that I found Singapore's customer service (in the air and on the ground) to be the best in the sky. The entertainment package will keep you occupied with a huge variety of movies and TV series. The rest rooms on board are continually cleaned.
The aircraft used is the Airbus 350-900 in the ultra long range configuration, with only two classes of service (business and premium economy). The prevailing winds aloft determine the precise course you'll take. Twice the route tracked across the northern Atlantic, Europe and a host of other nations on its way into Changi, an enormous but efficient airport.
Hope you enjoy thee ride. Some of the views are truly unforgettable regardless of the route actually flown.

It seems to me that the chatter about power mad politicians and bureaucrats is a bit too fearful in the opposite direction.  There are so many variables with this disease and the decisions public health authorities must make are still life and death.  I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes.  I had some experience in my union being on the executive, and many decisions we had to make led to accusations of being overly controlling, power mad, etc.  Not really true but some of our members let their emotions run away with them. 
Here’s an article on the current situation with Omicron, from the New Yorker.  We can see that there are still many unanswered questions and it is not at all clear how and where and when countries and economies should open up.  This leaves me with considerable empathy for the people making these decisions, and also a feeling of gratefulness that it’s not me making them.
Omicron by the Numbers
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/01/24/do-the-omicron-numbers-mean-what-we-think-they-mean?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=tny&utm_mailing=TNY_Daily_011622&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&utm_term=tny_daily_recirc&bxid=5be9c79a24c17c6adf38ceb9&cndid=49338263&hasha=d8197887bc61ba75b03a39936ec68ff0&hashb=b5c5ac9a21955ee3cb29f1de63c473536955a688&hashc=532810e5334f61be3659e870f74e0064f6d9b0376f350eed40fceecdd149fbfb&esrc=AUTO_PRINT&mbid=CRMNYR062419
 

Thanks everyone!
So I have booked a flight tomorrow from Boston to Phuket, actually three flights, the second of which, NY to Singapore, is said to be the longest flight scheduled in the world, at 18 hours and 40 minutes.  Economy Premium so it might be bearable as long as the pilots don’t nod off somewhere over the Arctic.
The process turned out to be complicated and anxiety producing. For some reason both the hotel and the testing company would only take something called OTP which I think means One Time Password. They wanted me to have a local phone number to send passwords to, which I didn't have. Without that local contact, neither my American nor Canadian credit cards worked for payment.  Aaargh!  But Dear Husband is still in Bangkok, and he was able to go into the woods and shake fairy dust on the sleeping leprechaun, or whatever one does, and miraculously produce for me proof of my hotel stay and my COVID test schedule, both of which I need to board the plane.  I don’t know how I would have navigated all this without a Thai contact within Thailand. But then, there’s a reason he is Dear Husband.
So I leave on Monday and arrive on Wednesday.  Hotel staff assure me that once the first test comes back negative, I am free to roam the island.  Dear Husband arrives on Thursday with my summer wear and speedos.  
See you soon! It’s 4:11pm here, which means it’s 4:11am there.
 
 

Thanks everyone!
So I have booked a flight tomorrow from Boston to Phuket, actually three flights, the second of which, NY to Singapore, is said to be the longest flight scheduled in the world, at 18 hours and 40 minutes.  Economy Premium so it might be bearable as long as the pilots don’t nod off somewhere over the Arctic.
The process turned out to be complicated and anxiety producing. For some reason both the hotel and the testing company would only take something called OTP which I think means One Time Password. They wanted me to have a local phone number to send passwords to, which I didn't have. Without that local contact, neither my American nor Canadian credit cards worked for payment.  Aaargh!  But Dear Husband is still in Bangkok, and he was able to go into the woods and shake fairy dust on the sleeping leprechaun, or whatever one does, and miraculously produce for me proof of my hotel stay and my COVID test schedule, both of which I need to board the plane.  I don’t know how I would have navigated all this without a Thai contact within Thailand. But then, there’s a reason he is Dear Husband.
So I leave on Monday and arrive on Wednesday.  Hotel staff assure me that once the first test comes back negative, I am free to roam the island.  Dear Husband arrives on Thursday with my summer wear and speedos.  
See you soon! It’s 4:11pm here, which means it’s 4:11am there.
 
 

Thanks everyone!
So I have booked a flight tomorrow from Boston to Phuket, actually three flights, the second of which, NY to Singapore, is said to be the longest flight scheduled in the world, at 18 hours and 40 minutes.  Economy Premium so it might be bearable as long as the pilots don’t nod off somewhere over the Arctic.
The process turned out to be complicated and anxiety producing. For some reason both the hotel and the testing company would only take something called OTP which I think means One Time Password. They wanted me to have a local phone number to send passwords to, which I didn't have. Without that local contact, neither my American nor Canadian credit cards worked for payment.  Aaargh!  But Dear Husband is still in Bangkok, and he was able to go into the woods and shake fairy dust on the sleeping leprechaun, or whatever one does, and miraculously produce for me proof of my hotel stay and my COVID test schedule, both of which I need to board the plane.  I don’t know how I would have navigated all this without a Thai contact within Thailand. But then, there’s a reason he is Dear Husband.
So I leave on Monday and arrive on Wednesday.  Hotel staff assure me that once the first test comes back negative, I am free to roam the island.  Dear Husband arrives on Thursday with my summer wear and speedos.  
See you soon! It’s 4:11pm here, which means it’s 4:11am there.
 
 

It seems to me that the chatter about power mad politicians and bureaucrats is a bit too fearful in the opposite direction.  There are so many variables with this disease and the decisions public health authorities must make are still life and death.  I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes.  I had some experience in my union being on the executive, and many decisions we had to make led to accusations of being overly controlling, power mad, etc.  Not really true but some of our members let their emotions run away with them. 
Here’s an article on the current situation with Omicron, from the New Yorker.  We can see that there are still many unanswered questions and it is not at all clear how and where and when countries and economies should open up.  This leaves me with considerable empathy for the people making these decisions, and also a feeling of gratefulness that it’s not me making them.
Omicron by the Numbers
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/01/24/do-the-omicron-numbers-mean-what-we-think-they-mean?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=tny&utm_mailing=TNY_Daily_011622&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&utm_term=tny_daily_recirc&bxid=5be9c79a24c17c6adf38ceb9&cndid=49338263&hasha=d8197887bc61ba75b03a39936ec68ff0&hashb=b5c5ac9a21955ee3cb29f1de63c473536955a688&hashc=532810e5334f61be3659e870f74e0064f6d9b0376f350eed40fceecdd149fbfb&esrc=AUTO_PRINT&mbid=CRMNYR062419
 

Thanks everyone!
So I have booked a flight tomorrow from Boston to Phuket, actually three flights, the second of which, NY to Singapore, is said to be the longest flight scheduled in the world, at 18 hours and 40 minutes.  Economy Premium so it might be bearable as long as the pilots don’t nod off somewhere over the Arctic.
The process turned out to be complicated and anxiety producing. For some reason both the hotel and the testing company would only take something called OTP which I think means One Time Password. They wanted me to have a local phone number to send passwords to, which I didn't have. Without that local contact, neither my American nor Canadian credit cards worked for payment.  Aaargh!  But Dear Husband is still in Bangkok, and he was able to go into the woods and shake fairy dust on the sleeping leprechaun, or whatever one does, and miraculously produce for me proof of my hotel stay and my COVID test schedule, both of which I need to board the plane.  I don’t know how I would have navigated all this without a Thai contact within Thailand. But then, there’s a reason he is Dear Husband.
So I leave on Monday and arrive on Wednesday.  Hotel staff assure me that once the first test comes back negative, I am free to roam the island.  Dear Husband arrives on Thursday with my summer wear and speedos.  
See you soon! It’s 4:11pm here, which means it’s 4:11am there.
 
 

Thanks everyone!
So I have booked a flight tomorrow from Boston to Phuket, actually three flights, the second of which, NY to Singapore, is said to be the longest flight scheduled in the world, at 18 hours and 40 minutes.  Economy Premium so it might be bearable as long as the pilots don’t nod off somewhere over the Arctic.
The process turned out to be complicated and anxiety producing. For some reason both the hotel and the testing company would only take something called OTP which I think means One Time Password. They wanted me to have a local phone number to send passwords to, which I didn't have. Without that local contact, neither my American nor Canadian credit cards worked for payment.  Aaargh!  But Dear Husband is still in Bangkok, and he was able to go into the woods and shake fairy dust on the sleeping leprechaun, or whatever one does, and miraculously produce for me proof of my hotel stay and my COVID test schedule, both of which I need to board the plane.  I don’t know how I would have navigated all this without a Thai contact within Thailand. But then, there’s a reason he is Dear Husband.
So I leave on Monday and arrive on Wednesday.  Hotel staff assure me that once the first test comes back negative, I am free to roam the island.  Dear Husband arrives on Thursday with my summer wear and speedos.  
See you soon! It’s 4:11pm here, which means it’s 4:11am there.
 
 

It seems to me that the chatter about power mad politicians and bureaucrats is a bit too fearful in the opposite direction.  There are so many variables with this disease and the decisions public health authorities must make are still life and death.  I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes.  I had some experience in my union being on the executive, and many decisions we had to make led to accusations of being overly controlling, power mad, etc.  Not really true but some of our members let their emotions run away with them. 
Here’s an article on the current situation with Omicron, from the New Yorker.  We can see that there are still many unanswered questions and it is not at all clear how and where and when countries and economies should open up.  This leaves me with considerable empathy for the people making these decisions, and also a feeling of gratefulness that it’s not me making them.
Omicron by the Numbers
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/01/24/do-the-omicron-numbers-mean-what-we-think-they-mean?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=tny&utm_mailing=TNY_Daily_011622&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&utm_term=tny_daily_recirc&bxid=5be9c79a24c17c6adf38ceb9&cndid=49338263&hasha=d8197887bc61ba75b03a39936ec68ff0&hashb=b5c5ac9a21955ee3cb29f1de63c473536955a688&hashc=532810e5334f61be3659e870f74e0064f6d9b0376f350eed40fceecdd149fbfb&esrc=AUTO_PRINT&mbid=CRMNYR062419
 

Thanks everyone!
So I have booked a flight tomorrow from Boston to Phuket, actually three flights, the second of which, NY to Singapore, is said to be the longest flight scheduled in the world, at 18 hours and 40 minutes.  Economy Premium so it might be bearable as long as the pilots don’t nod off somewhere over the Arctic.
The process turned out to be complicated and anxiety producing. For some reason both the hotel and the testing company would only take something called OTP which I think means One Time Password. They wanted me to have a local phone number to send passwords to, which I didn't have. Without that local contact, neither my American nor Canadian credit cards worked for payment.  Aaargh!  But Dear Husband is still in Bangkok, and he was able to go into the woods and shake fairy dust on the sleeping leprechaun, or whatever one does, and miraculously produce for me proof of my hotel stay and my COVID test schedule, both of which I need to board the plane.  I don’t know how I would have navigated all this without a Thai contact within Thailand. But then, there’s a reason he is Dear Husband.
So I leave on Monday and arrive on Wednesday.  Hotel staff assure me that once the first test comes back negative, I am free to roam the island.  Dear Husband arrives on Thursday with my summer wear and speedos.  
See you soon! It’s 4:11pm here, which means it’s 4:11am there.
 
 

Why pay double for 4 hands when 2 are sufficient? most of us don't come for the massage but for the "afters" with the guy. It doesn't get double as good because there 2 of them.

I disagree with most of these "The government is just being stupid/selfish/crazy/mean." ideas.
While Omicron seems noticeably less dangerous, how it plays out in hospitalizations and deaths remains somewhat to be seen. If it spreads ten times as fast, but is only as 20% as fatal as Delta, that still means twice the death rate of delta. Current evidence seems to suggest that it isn't going to be that big a problem.
But, you cannot travel back in time and enforce measures to slow the spread if it proves to be a greater problem. The only rational decision you can make as a public official is to move towards strict anti-spread measures initially as the data comes in. You can always loosen measures as the data supports it. If the data supports tougher measures, and you didn't do them, well, by then its too late.
Certainly, there can be debate as to what those are, but the suggestion that the only reason a government would use them is because they're power mad I think is more about all of our fatigue at Covid than it is a reasonable critique of policy.
 
 
 

Take  comfort in fact you are not alone. Enjoy while it lasts and remember that "free" is often costliest option. 

Last night show at Dreamboys was almost like old days with lip sync singing by glorious ladyboys, c****k sucking, big c****k presentation, vigorous dancing by Johnny etc. Notable absence was f****k show and, thanks God Almighty ladyboys's dicks presentation. Even ridiculously loud music was the same like before. Guys on stage fully or half dressed with top removed. Not to many of them though and quality still lacking. 
Mamasans pushy as always, quite well attended.
All that did not prevent disaster- Vinapu was seen leaving with twinky twink, cute like hell and according to Reuters, AL Jazeera  and Russia Today they did not go to neither church nor Wat Hualampong. Late night CNN report stated that Vinapu was happy  which is beyond comprehension, him and twink, go figure, world is turning upside down. 

This is more or less a repeat of an old post from somewhere. There is some excellent coffee in Chiang Mai grown by a hill tribe. The story of how this poor group of villages turned to coffee and now sell it all over the country is truly inspiring. It was all the idea of one stateless boy who wanted to find a way of alleviating the poverty of the hill tribes. Encouraged by his parents to get an education, he walked four kilometers every morning and afternoon to get to primary school. Then he went to a temple school because his family could not afford high school. He became the first from his village to graduate from University in Chiang Rai. After he persuaded the villagers to grow coffee, a crop the villagers knew nothing about, he was sent to Portland to learn more about coffee and coffee roasting. That coffee has been exhibited at several international events. A few years ago he opened a cafe in Chiang Mai and I enjoyed their coffee there two years ago. 
This TED talk by Lee Ayu Chuepa, the co-founder of Akha Ama Coffee, is truly inspirational.
 

Poor Burboy, brokenhearted again.  And the rest of us don’t get to read your wonderful trip reports. Also brokenhearted.

Which apps are you using?  I am also finding some interest as well but not for free as I’ve passed the point of no return at 71.

Lenin?!  Aaaaaargh!  Nooooooo!
“Although this saying has been made popular by several political figures such as Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy, its origins lie in Hillel the Elder, a Jewish leader, who stated, ''If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And being for my own self, what am I? And if not now, when?''. This quote has been used over the years in slightly different verbiage by several different people.”