Another Summer Gone

 It was a quiet summer in some ways, yet busy with planning.

My friend John and Fon were in Canada until November 1st when they planned on returing to Thailand full time with only visits every couple of years to Canada. However, that was not to be as Fon needed to get back to Thailand asap for a variety of reason. They departed Canada around the 1st of August and moved to Udon Thai where Fon has family. After 3 weeks, John returned to Canada to close that chapter of his life. Many things like enptying the apartment, terminating the lease and saying goodbyes to family and friend.

We shared some beers while he was here for 3 weeks and John looks happy in his decision. He much prefers Thailand (as do I) . They will spend some 3 months in Udon Thani and then move to Bangkok for the foreseeable future in January.

For me, I hear Bangkok calling for a personal trip in Late January to check up on the two of them. The City of Angels calls to me frequently, so what holds us back.

We tolerate Canada whereas Thailand makes us happy. 

Jaidan is now in grade 7 and is achieving very well. We talk about our future and do yearly planning. It will be Jaidan's decision next year to stay for grade 8 in Canada or move to Thailand. At this moment we are leaning towards Canada for grade 8 and Thailand for grade 9.

For grade 9 we would enroll Jaidan in an Internation School at a cost of $24K a year. High school in Canada is excellent and free so why pay for an international school. Budget wise, it is a trade off. Our rent is 26K a year which would cover the tuition. Other savings are car and apartment insurance, about $1.5 K and private health insurance of $6K a year. My life insurance is over in 2 years and costs $5K a year. The savings are about $36K a year. Factor in the increases cost of living food, gas, clothing and that probably gets up to 40K a year.

What about living costs in Thailand. The 2 bedroom condo would be $12K a year and food and clothing is much cheaper at about $6K a year for a total of $20K plus the Internation school $24 K makes for about $44K which is very manageable for me.

The big advantage for us is that Jaidan will meet many hiso friends and connections that will prove beneficial for him in Thai life.

At this moment Jaidan wants to be a teacher so he would spend 5 years in Canada, after graduating H.S. to achieve his Bachelor of Education which enables him to teach in just about every country in the world.

While Jaidan goes to school in Thailand, Thavorn will start to build her house in Kok Somlan. We purshased the land about 7 years ago and we have saved $100K (2 million baht) for the house build and car to get around in while buiding the house.

Of course, all that depends on me living another 7 years (I would be 83) but we have contingency plans in place. I am in good health so the plan seems feasable. However, the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

My biggest concern is that I am often bored in Canada. To alleviate the boredom I continue to coach boys basketball in Ottawa. This year I am coaching U15 boys and they are very talented so it will be fun.

Life is good and the future awaits. What more can you ask for? Maybe a get together with my Russian friends?

TTYL

Future Plans

Two months have passed since we returned to Canada from our month in Thailand. It was an adjustment coming from hot and warm to cold and clammy but the weather did start to cooperate in May, during the Ottawa Tulip Festival.

Our lease was up May 1st and we decided not to sign for another 2 years as we were in the midst of deciding where we would live for the next 2 years, We had lunch with John and Fon and they had decided they had enough of Canada and had booked their return flight to Thailand on November 1st and they have no intentention of ever coming back to Canada to live, only visit.

Thavorn and I decided decisions would be made for grade 7 and 8 and then again for grades 9 to 12. By the end of grade 12, I will be 82 so further planning will be much shorter in length -:).

After talking it over as a family we decided against moving back to Thailand this year. Jaidan graduates from grade 6 tomorrow. Jaidan will spend grade 7 and 8 at Mother Teresa High School with the friends he has developed over the past 4 years.

His 9 to 12 years of school will either be at Mother Teresa or an international school in Bangkok, to be determined 2 summers from now. Nothing is set in stone and we purposely keep our life simple, renting our living space and driving a car that is paid for. With a month to month lease we can be gone in 30 days and that is the way we like it.

The reason we would put Jaidan in an international school in bangkok is to build contacts with hiso society in Thailand. We want to give him the option of living in either Thailand or Canada. He has expressed the desire to become a teacher and be able to teach anywhere he chooses.

That would mean he would attend 5 years of university in Canada, paying his own way by working at the same time. I doubt very much I will be around to fund it and Thavorn will be living in Thailand. I left home at 19 and looked after myself so I have no doubt Jaidan can do the same. He is a smart kid.

I seem to miss Thailand more than Thavorn but then again she has many years ahead of her and I am running out of time. However it is a wonderful time for me!

My older son Jordan just got married last Saturday to a wonderful lady and he is also very happy.

Take care and I will try to publish more often.

TTYL

Back in Thailand for March 2026

 It has been a busy trip so far. The first item is usually sim cards but Thavorn's ID card had expired so we had to get her ID card renewed. Sims next and then Thavorn was off to het village to talk to family and friends and view her land.

Then Thavorn gets back to us and then promptly gets on a plane with Jaidan to go visit family in Phangnga. She also needs to get an ID card for Jaidan while she is there.

Meanwhile I am in Bangkok for 10 days by myself and then I will fly to Phuket to meet up with Jaidan and Thavorn and then take a boat to Krabi for 3 nights at a resort and then we fly back to Bangkok for the last 5 days before we return to Canada.

Thavorn will spend the last 5 days visiting friends and having a few beers. Jaidan and I will play some pool, swim in the pool, an explore Bangkok, and yes dine frequently at KFC :-(

It has been a bit busy but we got lots of things done that needed done. Interesting that Jaidan is now talking about doing his high school in an International school in Bangkok or Phuket. These schools are expensive but he will meet hiso contacts that he would not usually come in contact with. Relationships are important in Thai culture.

We will visit some international schools while we are in our last 5 days in Bangkok for Jaidan to have a look see.

That is it for now. Thavorn has all the pics so next post.

TTYL

Welcome Thailand in 2026

 It has only been a short time since my 3 week trip to Thailand in October. When I got back I talked to both Thavorn and Jaidan and suggested we travel to Thailand in March for the month. March break happens in March so Jaidan only misses 3 weeks of school and he is a good student so no harm done.

We get to fly the non stop route from Vancouver to Bangkok going there and have 2 stops coming back in Korea and Toronto. The non stop from Vancouver is 16 hours which is what I had in October from Vancouver to Singapore so I know it is hard on the ass :-)

We are booked into a Sukhumvit hotel for 4 days when we arrive so we can get over the jetlag. I have then booked us into the Empire Marriott for 2 weeks and the rest of March is yet to be booked. Thavorn is looking forward to visiting friends in Bangkok.

Thavorn and Jaidan have to get their Thai identity cards. Thavorn also wants to check on her land in Koksum Lan and vist some friends and family. Jaidan and Thavorn will also spend a week in Phang Na with her 3 Thai children as well as her sister. I will spend that time in Bangkok to save on airfare and indulge in some fun.

I also plan on taking Jaidan to Universal Studios in Singapore if time and funds permit.

March is the end of the dry season so it is a good time to visit. October was the end of the wet season so March will be better in terms of weather and comfort such as pool time.

I also plan on teaching Jaidan how to play pool as he is now tall enough.

As we get close to our March 3rd flight, Thavorn and Jaidan are getting excited. It should be fun!

It appears that we will visit Thailand on a 2 year schedule until Jaidan finishes H.S. in 6 years as long as I don't get ill and drop dead :-)

TTYL

It's a Long Way Home ... 24 hours total

The journey homes starts tonight at 3:30 am in downtown Bangkok. I may have an exit beer around midnight to celebrate what is probably my last solo trip to Thailand. However the family and I are booked for March 2026.

I have prebooked a taxis for 3:30 am as I do not leave it to chance. That should place me at the airport shortly after 4:00 am which is the requisite 3 hours before my 7:00 am flight to Narita airport in Japan. I then get a 2 hour layover and then fly to Montreal where I will clear customs. I only have a couple of unigo t-shirts for me and a dress that I picked up for Thavorn at Zara, Zara in Bangkok puts the Ottawa Zara to shame.

I certainly am relaxed for the flight home as I have been resting up the last 5 days. I hope I do not get delayed and rescheduled as I did on the outgoing flights to BKK.

These ladies are huge 

3 Storey Food Court at emSphere

Dress I picked up for Thavorn

Was the trip worthwhile? Yes and no. It was time to discover the new me, that is 75 years old. Now that I know me it is easier to plan. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

TTYL

Jouney's End

Not quite over, but soon. This is my last day at the Marriott Empire in Silom. Tomorrow I check out and head back to Sukhumvit. The areas are quite different with the Empire being in the Silom business area and Sukhumvit being the major tourist area.

I have been using the past few days to slow down and think about my trip. In some sense it was to understand what has changed in me in the past 15 years since my first foray into Thailand. I am no longer the kid in the candy shop, if you can call a 60 year old a kid. Perhaps I am the wise old sage who sees Bangkok through different and perhaps tires old eyes.

Thailand has changed and that is a result of Thais use of smart phones. Social media has educated Thais where their school system had not, Thais now see their place in the world quite differently. They also see farangs quite differently. The GFE has left and and Thais understand much more how to accumulate money. Thai women still remain as beautiful as ever but now they see how to use their beauty to earn money and still stay in Thailand.

I still see men, old and young in the chase for the elusive relationship that life has not yet provided for them. John Keats 'Ode on a Grecian Urn' ends with:

When old age shall this generation waste,

                Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe

Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st,

         "Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all

                Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

The only poem I enjoyed in high school, leaves me with the thought that yearning is seldom fullfilled so be careful what you wish. I don't wish to discourage the folks in pursuit of whatever but do so without the rose colored glasses. Young Thai women are fishing and you are the fish and usually the caught fish end up getting fried.

I consider myself lucky to be married to a wonderful, joy filled Thai woman with an 11 year old who keeps me young. If not for them I would be sitting at Tim Hortons in the morning with old farts complaining about the government and the state of the world.

This trip reinforces my belief that to be successful in life you need be lucky and be in the right place at the right time. I have always said that I do not regret the things I have done, just the things I failed to do.

Half Way

 I am just over half way into my solo Bangkok trip and it is time to share some observations.

First off, Thais are addicted to their smart phones. On the transit system 90% of them are mindlessly scrolling through them. It is also the same walking down a street, You hav to dodge the blind scrollers although it is now down to about 50%. The internet is much cheaper in Thailand than it is in Canada. 

I am also surprided that there are quite a few EV cars and most of them are Chinese with the odd Tesla.

The entertainment districts are about the same, but there are quite a few that have closed. Tourism is down and the type of tourist has changed and I believe there is not as much bar traffic as their used to be. There seems to be no shortage of ladies working in the bars but there tends to be less stunners than in the past. It is low season so I can't figure out how the bar makes money, but I suppose they make it up in high season.

However Thailand is not as inexpensive as it used to be. However, it can still be alot of fun if you use the happy hours and plan accordingly.

I am enjoying my swims and I am now up to 30 laps which I tend to do at 7:30 am to start my day. I feel I am getting back into condition and will probably sign up for a gym membership when I get back to Canada, Walking tends to be not so much fun due to the heat and humidity, but best to walk at night.

I have been relearning the mass transit system which means I can get around more quickly.

My billiard playing has not been so good and I continue to lose but still practice when I feel the urge to get better.

I have some pics to share.

Chong Nonsi landmark ... lost without it :-)

Sliom business district

Thais are now marketing Halloween

some pool pics

TTYL