xylophone

Certainly was, and a compulsive liar and cheat with it............Oh, sorry you're not talking about the impeached ex pres!! The relationship with Saudi Arabia is a joke and has been for years, even way before the last few presidents. If you want to understand a bit of history about this, then watch the doco, "Bitter Lake". Exellent.

I watched one of David Attenborough's programs the other evening, called "Frozen Planet" and this particular one dealt with the huge volumes of ice peeling off from the glaciers and falling into the seas (not to be confused with icebergs melting). The most astounding part of it was that the world's biggest glaciers have diminished in size quite remarkably, and some whave almost disappeared, and they had set up time-lapse cameras decades ago to record what was going on, and it is there for all to see all to see, and it is frightening. Glaciers that have been there for centuries are now melting and constitute a threat to life on this planet as we know it – – this according to Attenborough and other experts. Climate change is being blamed and the overarching thing that I took from this program was that we are basically stuffed, basically because the very small things that we are now trying to impose on countries with regards to limiting climate change and emissions etc, won't really help in decades to come – – – so live life to the full, drink good wine, enjoy great food, ogle attractive women and live like there's no tomorrow, because for much of the planet there probably won't be!!!!

Oh yes they could, and that's about the same level of building expertise that they will use on this road – – this after a few million baht has been skimmed off to go into various pockets!

A couple of choices I can think of and @pagallim has mentioned one, going north through Kamala and hooking up with the dual carriageway which then heads into Phuket town, and provided the large slips and flooding which were evident yesterday at Kamala have been cleared, then that will probably be the "safest" route, although a little longer. Otherwise go south to Chalong circle and take the road which heads back into Phuket town and takes you directly past Bangkok International Hospital, as there was only one large flood which was holding traffic up from Chalong north. Allow 45 to 60 mins to be on the safe side.

I don't think that's the case TR, as the bottom of that hill is many kilometres away from any beach! And as I was searching frantically for a way around the melee yesterday, I tried every which way but loose, with little back roads and dirt roads, to try and find a way back into Patong, but to no avail and I've posted about it elsewhere.

That reminds me of a joke: – "a large hole has appeared in the road on Patong Hill and workmen are said to be looking into it" (look closely at the pic).

I was in the queue of traffic snaking back from this event into Patong along with a friend, so we decided to turn round and go south, in an effort to get to Wine Pro at/about Chalong! It all turned to custard from thereon in because traffic again came to a standstill at the Chalong underpass roundabout where it was backed up, so we took another road in an effort to get somewhere near our destination and that quickly backed up as the road was flooded – – and how, with people wading almost up to their waist at one point. The police had blocked that off and directed us through a back road, and we had no idea where it would come out but we had no option but to follow it, and after struggling through some very narrow and partly flooded back roads we came out to Chao Fah Road, only a few kilometres from the Wine Pro store, which was fortuitous to say the least. However that was not the last of our problems as after stopping off at Starbucks at Central, we headed back into Patong, having no idea that the road had collapsed, but we were stopped from turning onto the road at the traffic lights at Kathu, so despite the traffic being nose to tail for many kilometres we headed up into Kathu in order to find the back road past the BI School and out onto the airport road. As luck would have it we found a shortcut and ended up just south of the heroine's monument, so then headed south trying to find a way back into Patong via Kamala, but floods abounded and traffic backed up for many kilometres again, only to find that there had been a couple of big landslides in Kamala and huge boulders about the size of trucks had cascaded down with the mud and onto the road, thereby stopping traffic from passing. Eventually we did get past that only to come across a huge flood near the Phuket Fantasea theme Park which we successfully navigated after about 35 minutes in nose to tail traffic, and with the little Suzuki Swift gingerly being steered to the shallowest parts of the water and luckily it didn't come to a standstill. Eventually we got back into Patong at almost exactly 5 hours after starting off our journey for a few bottles of wine – – but at least we got them in the end! Torrential rain, huge floods, nose to tail traffic, landslips and many roads blocked made for an interesting afternoon. As I said, the little Suzuki managed it well, and I enjoyed a few glasses of wine last night, knowing full well that I had managed to stock up my wine fridge, and that I wouldn't be using the Patong hill route for quite some time to come. As a footnote, the torrential rain that we had was unusual in the amount which fell, however the whole flooding and landslides situation was not helped by the poor planning, poor workmanship and lack of "working" infrastructure in and around Patong and Phuket, and sadly this has been the case for many years and has not improved.

I'm just getting used to the second-hand Apple iPhone SE which I bought a couple of years ago (although I think it is a 2015 model) and people keep saying that I should get LINE, however I don't think this model has the capabilities to make it work if I read your post correctly??? However I'm not unduly worried because this thing has a mind of its own and one incorrect touch on the screen can send me anywhere into the bowels of it, without really knowing where I am, so I'm thinking of switching back to my old Nokia flip phone, which has served me well for years and is a delightful little tool. That is apart from the camera which is very poor indeed, but then again I've never really needed it. I only ever use it for its telephone and messages and nothing else, so the Nokia fits the bill..........and no bloatware!!!!!

Not dissimilar to my thoughts on this CharlieH, although I would move on when I got used to somebody and when the "magic" disappeared, I would prefer to be alone. Quite a few years ago now when I first came here I calculated that I've had over 350 girlfriends in the UK and NZ, and although I was married for under three years, I was probably only in love for the first few months, and the rest of it was misery. I did have a "steady girlfriend" in NZ and my idea of bliss was that we would meet up two or three times a week for a night on the town, or a dinner party at my house, or an outing with friends, and that was all I needed from a relationship, and she was happy with that as well, being an independent person. Independence has been by "watchword" for the best part of my life and although I was in a relationship here for five years, and that was the longest one I've ever been in, that had faded two years in and it just dragged on after that. I often look back upon my life and at all of the girlfriends I've had and how many of them have been for only a few months at a time, and I wondered why I was like that, because I really don't need a steady girlfriend or wife, and now that I've moved to Thailand, there's even less reason to have one. I remember hearing these words from a George Benson song and thought how I related to it............. I decided long ago Never to walk in anyone's shadows If I fail, if I succeed At least I'll live as I believe No matter what they take from me They can't take away my dignity Because the greatest love of all Is happening to me I found the greatest love of all Inside of me The greatest love of all Is easy to achieve Learning to love yourself It is the greatest love of all

People eating same foods every week I have been told by many friends that their fathers would eat just about the same meal every evening for most of their lives, because they liked it. Others allocate meals to particular days of the week and do it for most of their lives. When I was a boy, we had no choice about what we ate, if it was cheap and available, then we ate it, even if we had to eat it day after day. I drink red wine every day and have done for most of my life, and I'm not about to change now.

I'll send you the phone number of a girl I know as she seems to fit the bill!

And he'll show that he has no intention of and cannot engage in logical respectful civil discussion and debate. Agree with that comment and even though someone with an an average amount of intelligence could do that, this person doesn't have the capability to get anywhere near "average".

I find it quite amazing that you believe the investigation into the January 6 events would be forced to close if the Republican party wins back control of the House and Senate. So what you are really saying is that it is okay in America, and for the Republicans, for an insurrection/takeover/storming of Capitol Hill in order to overturn a democratic election, decided by the people of America, with damage being done and people being killed, to achieve their desired outcome – – it is beyond belief that anyone could write this, let alone believe it. Do you realise what you are saying?? Absolutely unbelievable, that you could believe an insurrection which threatened the very foundations of US democracy, could be brushed aside without any ramifications whatsoever – – whatever next.

Would have to be a trump supporter with a meaningless sentence like that.......so who is defiant, and about what??

They were wearing T shirts with "I love Putin" on them. I think that was a give-away!!!!!!! But just my opinion......????

Blue Beach Cafe and Restaurant..........If one were to go to the bottom of Bangla where the beach is, then turn right for about 50 m, there is an alleyway down to the beach and the restaurant is at the end of that alleyway, actually on the beach – – and for further directions, it is almost opposite Savoey restaurant. The sign is above the alleyway entrance, and there is a massage place there, mostly staffed by ladyboys I think????? Would be interested to know what your friend thinks of it HP.

Most were late twenties early thirties with a few slightly older ones who looked quite wealthy by their attire. I did see some younger guys in Patong who I would say would be mid twenties, and were in very good shape, so didn't really want to be in the "firing line" (sorry about the pun) for the compulsory call-up.

And I have a good idea where they are, having just returned from a trip to Villa Market in Chalong, where I would estimate that 70% of the customers were Russian! I stopped off at Big C (Patong) on the way back and sure enough the Russian contingent is growing there too.........

I do recall about 10 or 11 years ago that we had a flash flood here in Patong which was horrendous, and the water cascaded down from the "new middle road" and its environs into Rat-u-Thid road, and carried me and my car with it, actually lifting it off the ground with the volume and sheer force of it! I ended up desperately trying to steer the car at any time when the tyres touched the road, which was very infrequent I have to say, and it was quite an unnerving feeling being carried along and having no control whatsoever over the car or where I was going!!

Looks like it will be added to this impressive list of trump failures:- Trump’s failed businesses: 1. Trump Steaks 2. GoTrump 3. Trump Airlines 4. Trump Vodka 5. Trump Mortgage 6. Trump: The Game 7. Trump Magazine 8. Trump University 9. Trump Ice 10. The New Jersey Generals 11. Tour de Trump 12. Trump Network 13. Trumped! Trump companies that sought bankruptcy protection: 1. Trump Taj Mahal 2. Trump’s Castle 3. Trump Plaza Casinos 4. Trump Plaza Hotel 5. Trump Hotels and Casinos Resorts 6. Trump Entertainment Resorts Can't wait..............!!!!????

Certainly would by the way it looks!!!!!!

I'd be happy with that Adrian................seems about right.

@adrianc I have just spoken to a friend of mine who owns a motorbike rental business, and he says that it is written into the rental contract, that the renter is responsible for any damage which occurs during the duration of the rental – – in other words the renter is charged for any damage, which includes flood damage. On the bright side, he said that the bikes are rarely "written off" due to flood damage, and although some electrical parts may need to be replaced (LED lights etc), the rest is all about cleaning, removing any mud/sludge/sand and completely drying it out. So you might not be up for a lot of money, perhaps just a few thousand baht??

I have to say that I do like real massage, not particularly the traditional Thai type, but a relaxing one without all of the pressure from elbows etc, this especially as I seem unable to sleep on many occasions, and I can certainly nod off for 30 to 60 minutes when having one of these. Luckily enough here in Patong I have located a couple of great massage places, with fully trained staff, certificates etc displayed and no funny business involved at all, so they are my main ports of call when I feel I need to go (been going to them for more than 10 years now), either because of lack of sleep, or as a result of the many football injuries I've incurred over the years in my youth, giving me some grief.

Not a night to venture out old chap, esp as have got a bad sinus infection, but no doubt all of the sights, sounds and peculiarities of Bangla will be on show next weekend!! PS. Apart from the ladyboy sleeping in the lobby of your building, but then again..........