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I stumbled across this diary entry on an old hard drive. It's basically an unedited diary from my first trip to Thailand starting on 4 January 1986. We took off to Malaysia for a bit in the middle to attend a wedding, but I'll leave that part in. It's lacking in detail, but it's all I've got. These were the days before the internet and smart phones, and photography was very expensive, So I don't have any pictures. Please remember, I was young (ish) and naive. Enjoy... JAN 4 1986 Depart Brisbane 11.20am Thai Airways flight TG988. Arrive Sydney 12.35pm. Depart Sydney 2pm. Movie “American Flyers”. Arrive Singapore 8pm local time. Arrive Bangkok 10pm local time. Airport Hotel 11.30pm. Picked up at airport in Mercedes by Judy (Vanunec Tungsatit) taken to Airport Hotel. Organized Temple Tour and City Tour. Bed 2.30 local time. 5 Up at 6.30am. Met Judy after breakfast. Aircon Merc from 9am to 10pm 350baht ($19.50). Check in at Krit Thai Mansion 380 baht, across the road from Siam Square. Went first to solid gold Buddha (5 tons), Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kapo, Wat Po, reclining Buddha, Marble Temple. Tea at Siam Center 20 baht. Picked up by Judy 5.30pm. Went to Floating Markets and fortune teller, red light district for 1 hour. Home 10pm. Hot. 6 Up at 7.30am. Had burger for breakfast at Siam Center, 72 baht for 2. Caught tuk-tuk 35 baht to TAT. Info on Chiang Mai, River Kwai. Eat at Chinese restaurant 210 baht for 2, excellent. Beer garden off Siam Center. Met 3 Aussies, (Terry, Stuart, Phil). Beer 90 baht for 2 large bottles (Kloster). Beef, vegetables, prawn, crab meat. (What did the queen buy 3 20cent balloons for...60c) Bed 12.45am. 7 Sick in head and guts. Roy gets <deleted>s and spews. Stay in hotel till 12pm. Waited for bus for 45 minutes. Walk and tuk-tuk to Southern Bus Station. Bus to rose gardens. Very touristy and expensive. 1 hour Thai show. Cock fighting, sword fighting, dancing, wrestling etc. Feeling sick from smog. Home 6.30pm. Tea at hotel. Bed 11pm. 8 Up at 8.20am. Bought sand shoes at Siam Center 169 baht. Packed for Chiang Mai. Put packs in security storage at Krit Thai Mansion. Walk to railway station past incense factory. Train depart for Chiang Mai 6.10pm. Tea rice on train. 2nd class lower sleeping compartment. Very comfortable. Bed 9pm. Throat cold. 9 Up early. Cold on train. Had breaky and just looked out train window. Arrived Chiang Mai 8am. Taken to Rama Guesthouse. Walked around Chiang Mai until 10am. Back to Rama Guest House 60 baht twin with hot shower. Very pleasant. Walked over to old part of town and to post office. Had bread and pineapple for lunch. Went to Lek Guesthouse for tea, buffalo steak & veges 55 baht. Booked 3 days 2 night trekking trip North of Chiang Mai 1300 baht. Bed 9pm. Cool. Bought throat pills, gargle and vitamins. 10 Up early to commence trekking. Guide Sam. Left passport in safe. Bus to Chiang Rai. Longboat to Karen via Buddha Cave up the Kok River. Went to Karen catholic missionary village. Took photos, played soccer with young kids on river bank while parents looked on. Great fun. Challenged to soccer match at school by older kids and got thrashed. Sam cooked tea in the bamboo hut. Egg, chips and soup, yum. Clear sky. Locals gathered around TV to watch videos. Freezing. Bed 10pm. Wayne and Barbara (Sydney) Paul (USA) Tracey and Dean (Wales). Stayed at Mr Do's house. Akhas only change clothes on new Year Day. 11 Up 7am to photo elephants crossing river. Egg on toast for breaky. Depart Karen 8.30am. Arr Yao village 11am. Waterfall 12pm. Lunch, go swimming, cold. Walk 1 ½ hours uphill to Akha village Ban Adu. Locals smoking dope and opium. Wild animals. I went through the floor of bamboo hut. Local women wearing costumes and crushing grain. Veges, rice and freshly killed chicken for tea. Sat around fire with Sam and talked. Bed 10.30pm. Children have short hair with one long part from crown to keep demons away. Town protected from spirits of dead by wooden man and woman <deleted> at town gates. Teeth red from berries. Sang and danced with kids. Massage 5 baht. Great time. Sam's offsider “Nid”. Stayed at Mr Adu's house. Cool. 12 Up 6am to photo village. 7.30am walked back to waterfall, to other village to see poppies and opium, walked back to waterfall. Waited for truck for 2 hours. Truck to Chiang Rai. Lunch. Truck to Chiang Sean and Golden triangle. Walked into Burma. Truck back to Chiang Mai. Froze. Hot shower. Bed 12am. 13 Bread, bananas and pineapple for breaky. Quiet day recovering from trek. Washed clothes in shower. Wrote letters. Stayed at Rama GH. Went to night bazaar. Tea at American cafe. Cold shifted from throat to chest. 14 Minibus to Doi Suttep. 1000Mtrs above Chiang Mai. Disappointing. Met Danny (Aust). Minibus back to CM. Looked at Wats and prison. Met a teacher and students at Wat Phra Singh. Had lunch under a house, spicy hot. Students took us to Wat Chedi Luang. Taken into excavation work under chedi by laborers. Chedi smashed by earthquake. Met monk and went to his room. Walked back to Rama Guest house. Steak, veges and donuts for tea. Bed. 15 Up early. Washing etc. Went 2 up with boss from Rama Guesthouse to silver factory, wood calving, umbrella factory, silk factory. Bought silk. 2 ply 4mtrs blue and 3mtrs pink @ 190baht/ mtr. Back to Rama. Tea at restaurant and went to night bazaar markets. Bed. 16 Quiet day. Sick. Night markets. <deleted>s. 17 3am up <deleted>ting. 7am breaky at Rama Guest house. Minibus to bus terminal. Left Chiang Mai 10.30am 1 ½ hours late. Coke supplied. Bus videos “The nude bomb” “Truck stop women”. Lunch supplied, chicken leg and bikkies. Arrive Bangkok North Bus station 7.30pm. Bus to city, got lost. 2 ladies helped us out. Caught correct bus to Krit Thai Mansion. Tea and bed 12am. 18 Hot shower. Went to Post office to send clothes home and pick up mail. Back to Krit Thai mansion. Fried rice and beef for lunch. Bus to PB Guesthouse Bangkok, 80 baht twin. Bus to railway station to book tickets, closed. Bus to park at National Gallery to relax and write letters. Kids flying kites near Grand Palace. Walked to PB Guesthouse. Caught head cold. Went to Sheraton Hotel (2000- 18000baht/ night) 26th floor to view Bangkok. Bed 11pm. 19 Up early. Bus to railway station to buy ticket to Ko Samui. Bus to Post office. Bus to PB Guesthouse, played with monkey. Breakfast and lunch nearby at “Hello restaurant” Bus to Bangkok Noi railway station. Met Shimo, he bought us drink and talked 1 hour. Train to Kanchanaburi. Train depart Bangkok 2pm, arrive Kanchanaburi 4.45pm. Met friendly Mr Porntip on train. Talked non-stop for 2 hours. Met at train station by rickshaw driver “Samson”. He and Roy got in back and I peddled to River Kwai Hotel. Full. Booked into Prasopsuk Hotel 90 baht. Tea at Isans restaurant 40 baht beef and veges in oyster sauce. Bed 9pm. Bad head cold. On pills. 20 Up 3am with <deleted>s. Breaky at guest house 7am Walked to TAT for info about Nam Tok and Kancanaburi. Went to POW camp and war museum. Walk to Japanese grave yard, and Allies grave yard and memorial. Walked to Bridge on River Kwai (Kwai Yai River) and over bridge to Japanese memorial. Played kick-ball with 10 or 12 locals on the way back to guesthouse. Bad head cold. Tea across road from guesthouse. Bed 9.30pm. Pleasantly hot. 21 Up 6.30am. Samson took us by rickshaw to a bakery for breaky. Shouted him breaky 120baht for 3. Rickshaw to Chulkadon Pier (musical bells on rickshaw & wheelstands). Cross river on ferry. Hitchhiked by truck to Wat Tham Manghon Thong. No floating nun. Sugar cane truck back to weir. Walked along river. Lunch at floating restaurant. Ferry and 3up on motorbike to Allied war cemetery. Walked to Wat Than Khao Poon and Kaopoon caves. Joined up with young Thais & shown through caves by monk. Cake and water with Thais, very friendly. 2 girls wanted “vegemite sandwich (sex). Got a lift 18km back to Kanchanaburi with Surakit from Thai Electricity Authority in comby van. Back at hotel 4pm. Shower etc. Met Surakit at Sunjas restaurant for tea at 6pm. Went 2up on Suzuki 8occ for tour of Kanchaburi. Tea at Sunjas. Went by rickshaw to concert at school. Walk home. Head cold. Bed 11pm. 22 Up early. Head cold better. Breaky banana pancake at Sunjas. Lift to bus station. Caught bus 10am to Erawaw waterfalls. Very nice. Swam with locals. Walking. Bus back to Kanchanaburi. Walked to soccer field but no-one playing. Very worn down. Tea at Sunjas. Home 7pm. Shower, bed 10pm. 23 Breaky at Sunjas again. Walked to Kanchanaburi train station. Met up with Tony and Tracey from Sydney (met in Chiang Mai). Took train to Nam Tok. Depart Kanchanaburi 10.45am, arrive Nam Tok 1pm. Train to Nakon Pathom arrive 5pm. Booked into hotel near train station 120baht. Snacks in chedi grounds. Drinking sprite and talking till 11.15pm. Bed. Kept awake all night by trains. 24 Went to Nakon Pathom Chedi. Bought bananas and mandarins for breaky and lunch. Bus to Bangkok depart Nakon Pathom 1pm, arrive 2pm. Bus to Post office. Bus to Bangkok railway station 4.30pm. Train to Surat Thani 6.45pm. Excellent tea on train. 2nd class sleeper 369baht. 25 Arrive 6.50am. Bus to port. Boat to Ko Samui depart 8am, arrive 10.45am. Taxi to Weekender Bungalows 50baht. Lunch, swimming. Met up with Jewish couple we met in Chiang Mai (Bob and Joyce). 26 Lazed around Ko Samui. Swam. Seafood for tea. 27 Started walking to Big Buddha. Picked up by water bottle truck & coconut truck. Walked to restaurant on Buddha Beach for lunch. Swimming. Taxi to town. Seafood tea at restaurant . Taxis finish at 6pm so walked to Ramoi beach. Picked up by Suzuki 80cc. Went to another seafood restaurant. Talked till 12. Bed 12.30am. 28 Read up on Malaysia. Swam. Walked to Grandma and Grandpa rock. Seafood. Full moon. Watched video “Police accademy2”. Bed. 29 Up at 5.45am. Caught taxi at 6.15am to Ko Samui port. Ferry 7.15am to Surat Thani. Bus depart Surat Thani 11.15am. Arrive Phuket 6.30am. Share taxi to Kata beach 25baht each for 4 people. Book into Kata Tropicana Bungalows 100baht/ night. Beef steak for tea.. Bus from Surat Thani to Phuket very pleasant, Lots of mountain and caves. Bed 10pm. 30 Swimming at Kuta beach. Caught and killed a cobra on the beach. Watched videos “Silkwood” & “Never say never again”. Talk to Tom from Sweden at Judies Pub at Kata Tropicana. 31 Up at 7.30am. Breaky at bungalows. Snorkeling with Roy and Tom at Karon and Kata beaches. Drink Mekong whiskey and watched videos “Romancing the stone” & “The gods must be crazy” Feb 1 Up at sunrise. Breaky. Made 2 spear guns from bamboo and reinforcing steel rod from a construction site. In the water 9.30am. To late for crayfish. Lots of jelly fish. Out of water 10.45am. Lunch and a nap. Back in the water 4.30pm. Lots of crayfish but too small to catch. Excellent diving, no jellyfish. Good visibility. Out of water 6.14pm, cold. Had tea with Tom. Bed. Hot weather. 2 Up early to go to bus station by taxi. Depart Phuket 8.40am, arrive Haad Yai 4.30pm 90 baht. Booked into the Wang Hotel 90baht for 3. Checked bus and train tickets to Penang. No trains on a Monday. Bought share taxi for 200baht each. Fried rice for tea, few beers. Bed 12.30am. 3 Share taxi to Penang. Depart 8am, no border problems. In Malaysia 10.30am. Arrive Penang 3pm. Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch at Butterworth. Phoned Philips David. Bus to his parents place. Had beers and tea at philips place. Met his family. Charles; Simon and greek wife; Rubin and Trish; Rod and Leanne; Diane; Mum and Dad. Nice night. Bed at Eng Aun Hotel 11pm.Hot. (Swiss Hotel full) 4 Went to PO to post letters. Breaky at the Tye Ann hotel. Sight-seeing in Penang. Went to Tourist Office. Fried rice for lunch. Tea at Hong Kong Restaurant. 5 Banana porridge for breaky. Bus to Penang Botanical Gardens. Lots of monkeys. Looked around shopping complex. Quiet day. Went to Philips and to markets for tea. Excellent. Back to Philips home. Bed 11.30pm. 6 Bus to chinese temple Kek Lok Si. Bed 3am. 7 Philips wedding. Met Joe from SP, Abel from Ipoh. Excellent night. Went up Pearl Hill with Vincent and Joe. Drinks at pub with Diana, Rod & Louise, Charles, Rubin and Trish. Bed 2am. 8 Went up Penang Hill. Chinese New Year, went to esplanade for celebrations, disappointing. Tea at philips house with family. Bed 1am. 9 Bus to Sungei Petair. Picked up by Joe (Joe and Anginina from KL) and taken to his brothers place at Aloe Setar (Peter). Aloe Setar is Violets home town, 3 days of marriage celebrations. Bed 2am.Hot 10 Drive and boat with Dan, Joe & nephew,& Roy to Lankowie Island 36km North of Aloe Setar. 9 people drowned and 13 ok in boat sinking at island jetty.Out for tea with Dan. Bed 12am. 11 Left Aloe Setar by bus with Joe, Angelina and Roy. Joe and Angelina got off at Sungie Petani. Bus to Butterworth & onto Ipoh. Lift with cop to Topak. Taxi to Cameran Highlands. Tea. Booked into bungalows. Bed 12am. Cool. 12 Bus to Kampong Raja Village. Hitchiked to Blue Valley Tea Estate. Met Mr Krishnan & family. Very friendly. Looked around tea fields and factory. Played badminton and pool with factory staff. Tea and talk with Mr K. Bed 12am. 13 Up 6.30amLooked around tea fields and factory. Arung aboriginies hunting with poison darts. Games with staff. Cool. 14 Went to Buddhist temple with Mr Krishnan. Bus to Tapah. Express bus to Rawan. Local bus to Sringhai Chow Rubber Estate. Left Comeran Highlands 1pm. Arr SCRE 6.30pm. Badmitton. Few beers with Jody and family. Bed 1.30am. 15 Went to rubber plant with manager and assistant. Met Ganasin at Jody's for lunch. Ganasin took us around town to meet and chat with locals. Went to English class at school & played soccer. Watched soccer game KL vs Sringhai Chow. Badmitton. Beers with ganasin, Jody, Logga, Stanley and Vijay (brother in law). Good music on sterio. Raja wasn't home. Stayed at Rajas and Vijays house. Raja not home. Bed 2.30am. 16 Up 6am to go tapping rubber trees. Tour of palm oil trees. Indian for lunch at Anginina's. Slept from 3pm to 5pm. Tour rubber factory. Back to Jody's for tea. To Vijays and Ganasins for smoko and music. Bed 12am. Hot. 17 Stanley drove to estate. Drove to KL dep 11am. Went to AmX to buy $900US travellers cheques. Drove to Batu caves & onto Malaka. Looked for Stanleys uncle at army barracks but not allowed in. Stayed at Majestic Hotel $22 for 3. Went to Plaza Hotel at 11pm after driving around all night looking for a decent band. Band at Plaza called “Freedom”. Finished 1am. Very good heavy band. Spoke to singer and went to “downunder” disco. Left and bed 2am. 18 Explored Malaka, red square, chinese temples, christ church etc. Drove to KL and went to Red Rooster, closed. Then to the “captains table” for a drink and onto “rainbow”. “search” and “headwind” played till 3am. $25M entrance and $10/ beer. 2 of Malaysias best bands, excellent heavy metal. Bed 4am. Hot. 19 Up 9.15am. Went to top of skyscraper 33 floors with Roy and Stanley. Walked around KL. Indian for lunch. Back to Stanleys to collect bags. Bus back to rawan dep 3pm. Sprained ankle at KL bus station. Bus to Sungkai Choh Estate. Plaster cast from local Dr made from eggs etc. Drink beer with Raja, Jody and Roy. Bed 2am. Hot. 20 Bus from Rawal to KL. Express bus from KL to Kota Bahru. Taxi to Pahi. Met Raja and went to Change-Mans place for his daughters wedding reception. Went back to the palm oil staff club house for a few beers with Raja, Edward etc. Chinese with Mr Changmar. Bed 2am. 21 Slept in. Went to palm oil factory to weigh trucks. Chinese lunch at KK. Went to waterfalls for swim. To Krishnas for tea. Hot. 22 Factory in morning with Murphy & then to Kota Baru by bus to buy sorongs. Bought bus tickets. Social club with Edward for tea, bed 12am. Rain. 23 Bus from Kota Karai to Kota Baru to Penang. Hong Kong restaurant for tea. Booked into Yeng Keng Hotel $13M. 24 Booked train ticket Penang to Bangkok. Bus to Mr and Mrs Davids. Left reat there. Went to town for haircut. Back to Davids. Talk etc. Bed 11pm. 25 Washing. Went to Penang airport to see Mr and Mrs david off. Shopping in town. Hot. 26 Train Penang to Bangkok. Depart 7.55am, arrive 7am. A few Mekong whiskeys. 27 Rest up from train trip. Went to post office. Early night. Full moon. 28 Rest. Write postcards. Get ready for flight to Nepal. Last day in Thailand.

I live in Isaan. For some, 3 days in Isaan is too much. For me, 3 days in Bangkok is too much.

I don't even know what I'm talking about, how do I expect you to keep up? Something about being prescribed glasses and wondering where it all ends.

You dropped your purse.

I could rename this "what do you carry in your manbag" But English is my second language, and I'm guessing a wheelchair won't fit in your manbag.

They might learn about proper thoughtful music, instead of being sheeple.

I'll add nail clippers and hair comb to today's machines. I guess CPAP machine is something else to look forward to.

Apparently "Pink Floyd Welcome to the machine" is age restricted. God help us..

I'll put this in the pub section, because that's where I feel most comfortable. So, I have been wearing prescription glasses for a while. I should be wearing hearing aids, but I'm too stubborn. However, I did buy a machine that blasts water between your teeth to remove the crap before brushing and flossing, and I quite like it. Then I bought a "nasal irrigator". Well that's different, but it blows all the crap out of your head. I guess it's just a matter of time before I need a walking frame and a colonoscopy bag. So what machines do you use, other than the bum gun and tooth brush?

I drilled a hole in my peg bucket to let the water out.

Sticky rice with green papaya salad and bbq chicken, and a hot bottle of Chang in a plastic cup, sitting cross legged outside on the concrete.

I don't have an accent. Everyone else does.

"There's" a cup of water. My cup of water is here.

Run up and down the fence line on your hands and knees, barking. Guaranteed she won't be back.

POTY was a good Christmas entertainment. Egos were bruised, half the forum got suspended, twins and Mr Bitey got abducted, a certain poster was chastised for not powdering his head before a photoshoot, but no-one lost an eye. It was actually a good time to see photos of real posters in their natural habitat.

The good old days SC. I won't mention my favourite four. They know who they are.... Actually, I will drop a few names, without actually dropping their names. Rumak, big Pete from CM, Wayne, the Canadian, the Greek.....

We need a TOTY (thread of the year) competition. More objective. Edit. Or Thread of the Century. I'll go with Costas "taking your ferret for a run" Or the one where Wayne saved that chap from the hospital. They had us on the edge of the seat.

I miss POTY. It gave me an excuse to sign on every year.

Anyone who doesn't try to tell me what I think.

Is he the one that played the wobble board and did a portrait of the queen? I can't keep up with these nobodies these days.

Thanks Gamma. The only thing I learnt from the last one hour and 47 minutes of Feynman videos is how to waste one hour and 47 minutes. Although I did find the second video a lot more interesting than the first.

I watched the entire video. But I completely missed the part where "smart people are atheist", which is the title of your post. At EXACTLY which minute mark does he say that?

So exactly where on the video does Frenman say smart people are atheist? At which minute mark? I painfully watched the bit about tooth brushes, atoms, seagulls squabbling over a chip and some other irrelevant stuff, but completely missed the exact verse Gummy is trying to duplicate.

Yesterday I climbed Mt Kilimanjaro, then went on a train ride through Sudan, then I explored some Vietnamese markets. Then I turned YouTube off and had a coffee.