Kinnock

When I met my wife she'd also never been on a plane - but she adapted to international travel very quickly. Here's my experience of taking her on international adventures in chronological order (not in order of her preference) ....... 1. Malaysia (KL) - I thought this would be an easy first trip abroad for her. She liked the sites .... Petronas Towers etc, but found the food a bit dull and the malls were similar to Bangkok, but smaller. Was only a weekend trip, and that was long enough. Penang is a good outing, but again only for a day or two. 2. Singapore - only a slightly longer flight, she loved the experience, especially the hawker food and the Marina light show. Good for 4 days, wouldn't recommend longer as it's a tiny country. 3. Vietnam (HCM City) She loved it! Great food, fascinating markets, insane city 'buzz'. Different enough to Bangkok to make it exciting. 4. Korea (Seoul) - I was working, but she had a lot of fun exploring the huge city. Very different to Thailand and home to K Pop stars and Korean drama series. 5. Japan (Hokkaido and Tokyo) - her favourite. Totally different to Thailand. Everthing was an adventure. First time she'd seen snow. Eating out was always a new and weird experience! 6. Bali - fun, but not very different to a Thai island. 7. Hong Kong - like spending a week in a shopping mall, but she liked the Star Ferry and the trams. I've not taken her to Europe or US yet ...... and now the flights are very expensive - so my vote is for Japan or Vietnam.

Nobody will be surprised, but everyone will be disappointed.

I'm not sure where the myth of the Thai Smile came from. It's not as if Thai people go around grinning like fools all day. Most Thai people seem to like having fun, second only to Philippinos, and then they will smile. Perhaps it's something to do with the wonderful Thai eyes? When a Thai person smiles, their whole face lights up.

I think they have a system that just dials sequential numbers until someone answers. Hence the recorded message ..... the real person only picks up when someone answers.

Somewhere, yes, but not in the sub.

Sounds like play acting to me ..... same as his 'fine' for not wearing a mask.

My wife said she wanted one for local trips to 7-11 etc, so I tried a few. I thought EM Bike looks the most reliable brand. Made in Thailand, so perhaps less likely to catch fire when charging, unlike the Chinese ones, replaceable battery, with extra batteties available on their website, good LED lights, decent brakes. Their models with lithium batteries look to be the best for range. I tried one and it was surprisingly quick off the line, althoigh the top speed is not 'motorbike fast' but quick enougj for local trips. She saw it as a good alternative to a bicycle, with the advantage that you don't have to pedal so you don't get so hot. In the end she decided Grab/7-11 delivery was a better option, so we didn't buy one, and at around 30,000 THB it would be a waste if it's not used regularly. https://www.em-bike.com/

Yes ..... and yes I'm joking ????

Doesn't the original post have a whiff of racism about it? No mention of the country of origin of the person receiving the insult, but the protagonist was specifically named as a German. So isn't there some underlying assumptions about Germanic people in the OP? I sport a rather large nose myself, and some Thai friends have made comments about it, but that never struck .e as racism, but when a German makes the comment it's somehow racism. Stereotyping, yes, rude, probably, but racist - no.

Was your colleague from Turkey? It's a well known fact that everyone in Turkey has a big nose.

Brilliant film ..... takes the p!&& out of racism. And if I ever need cheering up, I watch the baked beans scene.

Sketchers GoRun Ultra. I bought them for running, as I get sore feet running on concrete paths in the local park, but I found they were too cushioned for running .... but they make excellent walking shoes. Supersports sale, 70% off.

Personally I think hybrid is a marketing trick rather than a genuine environmental benefit. Manufacturing involves the worst of old and new technology, then at end of life there's the challenge of disposal of the toxic batteries. Then there's the concerns about long term reliability, especially in a country where driving through floods is common. I'd guess that a tough, old tech diesel engined truck or SUV that probably has a useful working life of over 10 years is actually less harmful to the environment than a hybrid with its shorter working life due to battery degradation and low resale prices making repairs uneconomic. Sure, a diesel creates more local soot pollution, but when considering total life cycle impact on the environment, they must have a lower impact than an electric car that carts its own generator everywhere. I get full electric cars, so long as the electricity is from a renewable source (so not in Thailand), but hybrid has the disadvantages of old and new technologies, and the only theoretical advantage is better fuel efficiency, but you can achieve this more effectively by just buying a smaller car.

We're looking for a replacement for our X-Trail, and I looked at the H6 and Jolion. They look good and the interior design is very nice, plus the feature list is impressive. I also like that GWM is investing in Thailand. My main concern was the unknown factor of depreciation. In Thailand, if you stray from the Toyota path, you get punished at trade in time. There's also no 4 WD option.

Cook my own food? Do you guys really live in Thailand? My wife intercepts me if I even make a move towards the kitchen ..... she's a better cook, and (allegedly) makes less mess. If I'm 'home alone' for any time, she fills the fridge with prepared food and leaves instructions. We also enjoy eating out, but even then she does the ordering, including those extra dishes that arrive part way through the meal, (Thai women seem to be able to order via telepathy).

I have some winter coats etc I bought when working in Korea - they are just taking up space, as I don't do cold countries any more. Happy to give them to you free if that would help? In the UK it helps if you have an address, as then you can register at the local benefits office. A shared house could be a start. An address will also help you get a job - kitchen porter van be a way back into the job market. You"ll need just enough cash for the initial rent and deposit, but that's not much compared to the cost of the return flight to UK these days. I wouldn't recommend UK without an adress and a roof over your head. Best of luck mate, and hope things look up soon.

Spotted a new Raptor in the wild last week. Didn't know they were available yet. It has a very striking appearance with bulging arches and wide wheels ..... has a very different 'stance' compared to the standard Ranger. Not for me - but it looked amazing.

An F150 would be a better option. That way they could also have a Raptor.

1909! <deleted>, ancient history, nobody alive who remembers or really cares.

Yes, the older but financially secure partner can be the wise choice, but regarding your wider point .... the poor and poorly educated are prolific breeders, whereas the well-off and educated are choosing to have only one or no children. Reverse evolution in action.

UK needs to find a new source of cheap, foreign labour ..... ideally people who want to actually do any work this time.

Yes, such a stale cliché that's been recycled so many times it smells like expired pla raa. After reading many posts from ex-pats who've been happily married for 10, 20 or even 30 years, I reckon the success rate of 'asymmetrical' marriages in Asia is better than the rate for conventional falang/falang marriages in the West.

The latest X-Max and Forza are so closely matched it would be tough to choose one over the other, but the ADV 350 does seem to have slightly better suspension and a different look. For me, the Kawasaki Versys X300 or Honda CB500X are better options. With luggage added they are as practical as a large scooter, but they have the dynamics of a motorcycle. The X300 is also lightweight and easy to handle compared to the comparatively bulky Forza.

In theory you should ride on the side 'frontage' roads where they exist, and not on the main highway. If no frontage road, we're supposed to stick to the left lane, where the trucks have a better chance of running you over. This rule tends to be ignored by most Thai riders - especially riders of larger motorcycles and scooters. I tend to bob in and out, depending on traffic, shade and road conditions. Of course the toll expressways are not use-able.

I tried 'the Old Weed Man' cafe in walking street. I tried the drinks and the brownies, but I guess they are at 'legal' levels as I felt no effects whatsoever. There was a hand made sign offering joints, but I don't smoke, so wanted to try the edible options.