ThaiStudioWorld

Monday, December 1, 2008

U-Tapao airport fun

After being delayed in Bangkok for 3 days. We headed to U-Tapao airport to enjoy all the fun of a near riot.

The history of U-Tapao dates back to October 1960 when the Thai Navy used U-Tapao for Naval Operations. In 1965, the major American Buildup began with the construction of a 11,500' runway and other facilities...Not much has changed since then.

Jenn on the coach to U-Tapao

The road to U-Tapao

U-Tapao welcoming party

Now, if you could all form an orderly queue

Inside the U-Tapao Terminal. Air-con, comfy seating, piped music.

Look how relaxed we all were

After a being buffeted about and crushed for about 6 hours, we were 'rushed' through to our plane and whisked off to Mumbai. From there we had a worrying but brief stop to collect our hand written boarding passes and onto another plane to London where, most surprisingly, our luggage also arrived.

Jokes aside. Given the current situation in both Bangkok and Mumbai. Once we were out of the crush of U-Tapao, the rest of our journey home was pretty much hassle free.

Back in Bangkok....again

They must have know we were coming. The outside of Central World was totally Changified. Woo Hoo

Jenn and me in Chang Land

I was totally Groovin' in the night, in the day

The pool on the roof of our Bangkok place.

What is it with prefixing 'Murray' with 'Mr' in Asia ??

Bangkok, an assault on the senses indeed

Snacks in the 1st class Cinema lounge in Central World

Another day out with Saha

A few photos from a boat trip back to Koh Yung.

Saha and his boat

A Barrel Coral

I'm flying!

Say cheese

Urchins on the march

Loy Krathong - Floaty Fun with Fon

Loy Krathong is a festival held in Thailand on the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar.

This usually falls in November in the western calendar.
Floating rafts or 'Krathongs' are made from cross sections of Banana trees and decorated with banana leaves, flowers, incense sticks and candles.

The Krathongs are then set afloat (either down river or out to sea).
Jenny and I were shown how to make our Krathongs by our friend Fon from Phi Phi.

Jenny and Fon in the Krathong Factory

Fon with a knife. Heath and safety not high on the agenda

Fon and Me with our finished Krathongs.
It's probably worth mentioning that my name was of great amusement to Fon. Murray is pronounced 'Marlee' by the locals. Marlee translates loosely as 'Flower' in formal Thai. Not really the most masculine name. Oh how we laughed.

Fon and Jenn

Waving goodbye to our Krathongs. I'm sure the gods will be very happy

Monday, November 10, 2008

Cooking with Mr Surasit

I met Mr Surasit when I was helping out with a bit of boat pushing. He said he wanted to start some cooking lessons in his new restaurant and asked if Jenny and I would like to help him to develop the course, making sure that his english was good enough to be understood etc...

Of course we said Chai chai (yes yes). It was great as Jenny and I got free lessons for helping him out and we got to eat the fruits of our labour

Mr Surasit and I sealing the deal.

The new restaurant opens its doors (well actually it doesn't have any doors)

Making a Panang Kai under the watchfull of Mr and Mrs Surasit

Jenny getting to grips with a Pad Thai Pak

All done

yum....

Fed

Watery Wetness and Fishy Fun

Having spent so long on Phi Phi and chatting with the guys and girls from Long Beach Divers, I decided I would take a dive... and ended up doing my Open Water Certification and then went on to do my Advanced Open Water Cert...