Category: Random Thoughts

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The day started badly – I toppled the scooter over trying to mount the dear wee thing.

It was a fine line I rode that day out of Thailand.

One slip on the trusty rented scooter, and it was all over bar the injuries. The following is how not to leave a country.

I’d made the dubious decision to ride the scooter from my base in Rayong, to return it in Pattaya the same morning I’d booked an afternoon flight from Bangkok to Da Nang.

It probably should have dawned on me during repeated suitcase weigh-ins that this was a risky venture. But no – I ploughed ahead even when it became obvious I would struggle to stay within the flight’s weight limit for the suitcase.?

The scales would show the bad news – 28.5 kgs, eep!? I’d attempt to trim the excess 3.5kgs, and out came the rice cooker, and re-weigh : 27.8kgs!?. Possibly the hotel scales were telling mincey pies.

Each trip meant hefting the suitcase down the hallway, on and off the lift, into the hotel restaurant, and onto the scales. Then reverse and repeat. It was an exhausting week.

After this regime, the start on the first leg of the trip boded ill.

The hotel staff had been watching this palaver the entire week, and so were watching with amused detachment as I strapped the 24.5kg suitcase

This is how not to travel out of a country.
Bike topples over.
Back goes out.

Nha Trang, March 27th.

Nha Trang police are hunting a Russian man after a trail of dead dogs was discovered yesterday morning.

More than a dozen dog owners in the Vinh Hai area of northern Nha Trang reported waking to find their security dogs lying dead with forth around their mouths.

Police said preliminary tests suggested the animals had been poisoned. They said they were probably looking for a Russian suspect after finding the following message spray-painted on one dog-owner’s house;

смерть шумным собакам

Got a call this today morning ( that’s Irish for around 11 ) from the NZ Embassy in Hanoi.

They wanted me to captain a rogue cruise ship leaving shortly for waters unknown. I think I heard something about whiskey and bikinis.

Seems they would be-deck me in white, as befits a man of my age and rank.

no, no, let’s not get carried away. The woman said there was a place organised by the Oz Govt. leaving Saigon on Friday for Ockers and NZers who wanted to go back. Leaving Friday, mind. But everything is shut. Planes from Nha Trang to Saigon. Buses, trains, from same…. for a second there I was of two minds, because i shortly have to make a decision about where to spend the next month. But now it’s settled for me, no point in regrets. Amor Fati, as they say. Sometimes choice can be a bad thing.

ties
stanley knife
shirts & ties
singlets
shoes

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From Ma email