All three of us set off to view the house. It was on the northern outskirts of Kanchanaburi. Despite my GPS, I had difficulty finding the location. The road appeared to peter out. Just a gate and a track to the left where the road came to an abrupt end. I turned down the track. Read more…
This was my first trip to Thailand. My first real experience of Asia and Asian culture. Many years before, I had a two-night stopover in KL on my way to Australia. I don’t count that as truly experiencing Asia. I wasn’t there long enough. I stayed at a Shangi-La hotel catering for western tourists and ate western food in their fine restaurant. I hardly mixed with local people apart from a tiring walk through the thronged and narrow flea market at Chinatown’s Petaling Street. Read more…
It was sunset as I drove through the congested toll roads of Bangkok in the rented Hilux. The setting red sun shimmered and reflected on the plate glass of the high rise downtown buildings. It was going to take several hours to reach Noi’s home town of Kampheang Phet. I had the foresight to bring my GPS with me from England so I was confident that I would not get lost. Progress was slow on the toll roads, ironically called expressways, partly owing to the time of day as it was rush hour. Partly, owing to toll booths only being about two miles apart. I would stop at one and pay. In no time at all, I was forced to stop and pay at the next booth! And, the one after that! Read more…
The first few days in Thailand were perfect. I loved everything about it. The weather, the beaches, the food and Noi. Every day was an easy day just relaxing, eating in restaurants and a few beers in a bar. I was mindful that this was a holiday feeling. I was determined not to be seduced by the vacation atmosphere. There are no responsibilities when on vacation and dating a new, beautiful Asian woman. The hard yards come later when there are decisions to be made about serious matters such as accommodation, location and in our case - what to do about Kamon, Noi’s niece. Those things could wait. I was still in holiday mode. Read more…
The remainder of the day took in all the sights of the southern end of Phuket island. Che drove us to the Big Buddha, Wat Chalong and Rawai Beach. It was a pleasant and memorable day out. The only drawback was that it was difficult to talk to Noi one on one when surrounded by her friends and the kids. I guess this was a part of Asian dating culture. She appeared to be happy so that made me happy too. Read more…
This first time and my first month in Thailand also had their serious moments. It’s true to say the whole month had a holiday feel to it. Hell, Phuket is a great choice for a vacation. And, it’s even better if you are sharing that time with a Thai lady of your choice. Read more…
I awoke from my sleep of contentment. It was filled with pleasant dreams partly as a result of Noi’s welcome massage. My slumbers had eradicated all the tiredness of travel from England to Thailand. I looked forward to my second day in a new country and a new life. Dating was something I had forgotten. It was a distant memory from a distant past. Read more…
Our taxi driver had said little during the journey from the airport to Patong. He had exchanged a few words in Thai with Noi but that was at the Tesco Lotus superstore. The taxi took about another twenty minutes before we reached our hotel but not before negotiating the notorious Telegraph Hill on the approach to Patong. I only learned of its notoriety from Noi. It had been the scene of many deaths owing to collisions between vehicles and larger trucks and buses overturning. Read more…
I climbed into the front seat of the Mercedes taxi at the airport. Noi suggested it would be better for my long legs. She sat behind me on the 45-minute trip to Patong hotel. She threw her arms around my neck and kept them there all the way to the hotel I had booked before leaving England. She talked and asked questions, mainly about the flight. She asked if I was tired. I told her that surprisingly I felt fine. Noi spoke in a gentle soft voice. I found it soothing. It was so calming that I did feel sleepy but fought the jetlag weariness. There were moments of silence between our initial conversations. There was nothing awkward about that. It felt natural. When Noi was silent, she would gently massage my neck and shoulders. The trip in the taxi took about forty-five minutes and it gave me an opportunity to see Thailand from the ground for the first time. Read more…
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