Ooopsie, missed the Monday notice

Hi folks. Solly for late post. Yesterday was a little hectic. Our last pair of visitors were prepping to depart back to Canada. They were 33 and 34 on our count. A last minute addition in Sean Malone made the count 35 and late, late last night our last visitor of the 18 month adventure arrived. Our cuz Scott. Heretofore to be called 36. Not a bad number to be associated with considering all the greats who wore it. So since it is Tuesday here, 34 more days until we depart. Wow.

Deeds and I were away on the weekend. We finally went to Hua Hin which is on the west coast of the Gulf of Thailand. We had looked and thought about it as long as we were here but it seemed easier and more popular to go to Pattaya. Well we are here to tell you now folks that Pattaya is the "mistake by the lake" compared to Hua Hin.

The beaches in Hua Hin for what we saw are way more elegant. We walked for two hours and did not get to the end. One hour out and we turned around and headed back to our quaint five room house on the Gulf called The Hen.


A gorgeous beach to walk on. All kinds of activity. People sail boarding and para sail boarding. All kinds of beach activity without the usual clutter that is associated with Pattaya.
And the town was open and comfortable. Not packed with food vendors and tee shirt hawkers all up and down the street.

So much so that Deeds and I actually went to the night market to take a look and see if the wares were any different. We haven't been to a night market in Thailand for 14 months. You seen one you seen em all. But this one was good. Small and easy to maneuver thru. We ended up picking up dinner from food stalls neatly placed in front of restaurants. Had a prawn, yes one prawn that cost us 400 baht ($12.00). Turned out to be half our dinner, that is how big these prawns were. Sold for $45.00 per kilo. Fresh and awesome good.
So we took our night market food back to the B&B and had a throw together dinner with a bottle of Prosecco and watched the waves crash onto the beach. Very nice and a little romantic as well.

Our digs. The Hen. In fact the second night we stayed here the room at the end of the pool there, that was ours.

Speaking of dinner, on Friday night we went to the pier to a restaurant called Sangthai. That is it on the right. This is an open air pier type restaurant that juts out onto the sea and the beach. Seafood at this place is awesome. We had a beautiful grilled Grouper, 1 kilo, for a cost of 800 baht ($24.00), sorta expensive for Thailand, but was sooooo good.

Love the seafood in Hua Hin.
Love "The Hen" B&B.
Love the beach
Love the place, wish we woulda found it at the beginning of our adventure rather than the end. But we did find it and it is a great last beach memory of Thailand for us for sure.



HOCKEY.
Hey the Habs are trying hard to finish dead last. Can't out snooze Columbus but we will or should have a lottery for Nail. That would be sweet. We got rid of one at the deadline as well so here's to next year. Go Habs Go.

Will watch the playoffs diligently. Pulling for the Nucks to finally bring a cup back to Canada. Would be so sweet for Johnny Canuck to win one finally. May even be a repeat from 1994. Rangers and Canucks in the final. This time with the proper outcome. It's been too long for a Cup not to be here in Canada.

Of course you all know who Johnny Canuck is right?
Google it, will make ya proud. Especially in this year of 2012. 200 years after we won the war against the Yanks.

And with any luck and God willing I will definitely be home to watch the final in June. Woohoo.
Until then, keep your stick on the ice....
Sawasdee Krup

Monday Feb 20. Happy Family Day

Well it is not a holiday here in Thailand. Surprising, cause they like to have festivals and celebrations. Many are their own, lot are borrowed from other cultures and places.
But at this point they do not know about our Family Day back in Ontario. Not sure how far this one goes across the country, have to check that out.
So it looks like I have a new Monday morning tradition. Adding a new blog as I count down the days til we depart Thailand. Only 5 weeks now. 35 days. As I have said before we first head to Australia. Gold Coast which is in the north east.  Just a tad south of Brisbane. Places along the Gold Coast Highway like Surfers Paradise, Mermaid Waters and Miami. Will be a relax-a-vacation for us. A little bit of laying around. Lena will most likely get some surfing lessons in. Just like snow boarding right!
After some beach time we should be doing a little site seeing. Then we head back across the equator to Vietnam.
Probably rent a car, haven't driven on the left side of the road here in Thailand but we will give it a try in Australia. Figure it is too spread out for us to be taking any kind of public transit and yes the personal driver will stay in Thailand so we are now on our own.
Lena is in Phuket today. Returns to Bangkok on Tuesday evening before a day trip to Ayuthaya and then on to Pattaya for a final few beach days with Caitlin.

Diane and I will head to Hua Hin this coming weekend. This is a beach and resort town on the west side of the Gulf of Thailand. Pattaya is on the East side. Hua Hin takes a little longer to get to. No real industry down that side of the gulf so there isn't the major network of roads and motorways like there is down the east side. It is more mountainous then the east as well. A lot more Thai people have condos in Hua Hin as opposed to farang. The King has his beach side house in Hua Hin. It will still be everything Thailand. But we just wanted to see it to say we have seen it. There are supposed to be a number of great golf courses out that way, so we may try to get a round of golf in. Might be Deeds last chance to do that as we seem to have let golf totally fall off our radar.
HOCKEY.......
So it really looks like the Habs should be done. Losing to New Jersey should be it. Time to sell the next three or four. Hal Gill for a few minor leaugers that may turn out to be something in a year or two. And a 2nd round draft pick. Just need a few more like that and a six game losing streak and we will be looking good for a lottery pick come July.
Winnipeg impressed last night as well. Looks like they will hold on and push inside the playoff line.
Leafs, well all you Hog town believers can comment on that. I won't make a prediction.

See you soon
Sawasdee Krup

42, is like only 5 more Mondays, if you know what I mean

Yes, 42 days until the fam departs. Less than 6 weeks, so only 5 more  Monday mornings. Think I am counting the days?

Today is Monday and Deeds is at the office, Lena and her best friend Caits and beau Brad are packing for their 8 day adventure in and out of Thailand.
Lena has put together an excursion to Laos to do some white water rafting. Yeah. Most people try this on the Ottawa River first, not some tributary of the Mekong. They are taking an overnight train to north Thailand and crossing over into Laos by bus. Then on to the booze cruise, yeah that is really what it is. Only a different version of a swing around Toronto harbour. Drink lots in many places along the river. Apparently there are these bars set up along the river. Boats pull in, you drink, have some fried rice or noodles and off you go again.
They will be staying at hostels along the way. From Laos they return to Thailand and fly to Phuket for another hostel stay and some serious beach and more party time. Ask Nikki about the good times in Phuket. Their 8 day whirlwind finds them back in BKK next week. A few short excursions are planned. A day trip up to Authaya and an elephant prison, no actually I am told it is a sanctuary for elephants. Apparently this is different. They raise them and treat them well. Don't think they even ride them. Just feed them hay and bananas.
From there off to Pattaya and a few days at our condo there where they will take in some more serious beach time and the local flavour.

In the meantime Deeds and I are just ticking off the weekends. We have a few in and around Thailand. One excursion to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat. This remaining temple built on this spot in the early 12th century and is a symbol of Cambodia. Revered throughout the Buddhist world. A must see for all those who come to Thailand and happen to see 30 or 40 other temples in their travels.

I am still golfing a little, but not really crazy for it like I was a while ago. Or perhaps knowing  that in a few short weeks because we are traveling home and I won't be playing I might as well knock off now. In addition or perhaps as an explanation it all came tumbling down with the floods. As you know my golf course and many others within a reasonable driving distance was flooded and these courses are still out of commission. This put a great crimp in the golfing style. Not to mention a significant additional cost.

• Thailand Myth # 8 - The golf over there is really cheap. Not true at all. In fact it is as expensive as Toronto golf. Green Fees run around 1600 Baht = $50. Golf cart 700 baht = $21 and don't forget the mandatory caddy fee 300 baht = $10 and then the caddy tip at end 300 or more = $10. All in $90. 

My new course is one plus hours away and there are no Falang playing there so I basically spend 3 hours in the car and play a round of golf by myself. Not really something you look forward to doing 2 or 3 times a week. The golf courses here do not press to have you join into another group. They are content to let you play on your own. The local Thais are not eager to have you join as they see it more as a social outing and you are not part of their social scene for that day. So I am less enthused of late. I still have my regular game with the lads from Bangkok Golf Club at an adjacent course with very similar fees to those listed above.

Hockey talk. What are the Habs doing? Not just playing out the string they could be ruining their chances of a great draft pick and the possibility of building a team around one star player. No way they can make up 7 points on the likes of Washington, Winnipeg and Florida, never mind the Leafs and Senators. Just more proof that Gauthier has got to go.
Leafs playing in the Winter Classic. Wow. Who woulda thunk that the NHL would actually let a Canadian team into their little festival. Good on the Leafs. Hope they still sell out the stadium!!

Talk to you soon
Sawadee Krup