xylophone

When I retired in NZ, mainly due to a quite serious health problem, I had already tried Rarotonga (Cook Islands) and although it is the most exotic/beautiful island you could ever imagine, the hospital facilities there are less than basic, and that put me off. I also tried Malta, and I didn't like it, and I still can't put my finger on exactly why?? But it just didn't seem to gel with me, so Thailand it was, where I knew I could get some fairly good medical treatment if necessary, and I had visited before and made a few friends. Haven't regretted that as yet, so will probably see my time out here.

I see that the cartoonists have given him bigger hands. after the mention by a certain party about his small hands and other appendage!

Still down there I see..................LOL

Thank you, and I thought I would give you (and other readers) an update..... My friend spent a few weeks in ICU and they didn't put part of his skull back, so the top of his head looks like it's been sliced off at an angle, but they have sewn the skin back in place, and don't know what's going to happen from here on in? I last went to see him on Friday 22nd December, mainly because his Norwegian insurance company had arranged to fly him back to Norway by air ambulance, a fantastic service which I really wasn't aware of until now, whereby something akin to a Learjet is used, only this time it is stopping off in Laos to pick up another Norwegian guy, before coming to Phuket to pick up my friend. Unfortunately I think this will be the last I see of him, because he still cannot eat or drink, is still on strong and rare antibiotics and other IV medications, and can't really speak although he does shout out various almost intelligible things from time to time, interspersed with the occasional word or two. Very sad to see. Having said all of that, the care he received at Bangkok Phuket Hospital was of the highest order, and I can't speak highly enough of the staff there. Following on from the experience of my friend, I have scheduled a calcium heart scan for this coming Wednesday, as if I do have a calcium buildup in or around the heart, I would like to know about it sooner rather than being in the situation/condition of my friend.

Well this thread has gone quiet, so here goes to post again, although I'm wondering if the title of it needs to be changed given the current circumstances?? Anyway with regards to the quote from a previous post in November, the bar sold by a friend is now suffering from the effects of "losing what was one of the bars most endearing features – the owner". I say this because there were often quite a few people in it when I went past, but since the change, it has been empty very often. When I think back at the successful bars I have known in the past, then almost all of them had an amiable farang fronting it (or at least behind it!) And often as not it was because of this that the clientele visited it, so I just hope that the new owner of this bar doesn't suffer from this, because it would be one hell of a blow to his retirement dream to own a bar which loses money. But then again researching the premises, the area, the parking and the reason for its success (if indeed it is successful) should be/have been of paramount importance. Bangla is crowded, as it always is at this time of the year and although the street itself is crowded, there is not always the volume of customers in the bars that there has been in previous years. Quite a bit of building and renovation has been going on, especially in Soi Sansabai, which makes driving in it, a nightmare, and this is also happening in Nanai Road and I noticed that the old mini "Tesco Lotus" shop opposite Makro which has been completely gutted, is now being resurrected as a Cannabis shop, as if the place needed more of them! Also, what was once the Chang Residence Hotel in Nanai, which remained closed all through Covid and became slightly dilapidated during this time, has now been renovated and renamed Diva and is advertising the facilities (swimming pool, sauna, restaurant etc) on a large "billboard" alongside it. It also features a restaurant in which was once a "recreation area" and despite advertising, I've only ever seen three or four people in it, so perhaps eating in an open-air environment, right next to a busy road is not everyone's idea of a good dining experience? Although some of the long awaited road works have been completed in Patong, there are still areas that desperately need fixing, but obviously no money to be made by skimming off any small amounts allocated to this work. Finally, I'm seriously thinking of spending this time of the year in another country, perhaps back in NZ or Australia, because the driving here is absolutely horrendous, and I've never seen anything like it in my life despite driving in some African countries which were also abysmal. If you add the already existing poor driving habits of the Thais, to the abject stupidity of the Russian contingent, who don't know which way they should be driving, or have any road manners whatsoever, to the annual visits of the French Africans, who seem to know no danger, by driving on the inside or the outside or on the wrong side of the road at breakneck speed, caring not for anyone else on the road, and you have potential carnage, and I don't intend to be one of the victims of it. Tonight I will tentatively make my way towards a nice Italian restaurant, Amena e Core, to catch up with a friend who is visiting from England to hear his news and get his views on Patong now he is back here again for a holiday.

And I thought this response from a senior Hamas official was particularly galling, given that they started this war........... "Izzat Rishq, a senior Hamas official who is believed to be based in Qatar, issued a statement repeating the group’s position that it will not negotiate without a “complete end to the aggression”. “Our people want to stop the aggression, and are not waiting for a temporary or partial truce for a short period of time that will be followed by more aggression and terrorism,” he said. There was also an outcry of the recent bombing by Israel which killed over one hundred people in a Gaza "refugee camp", but what was omitted was the fact that rockets had been fired at Israel from this particular camp just a few days earlier, so Hamas are continuing their despicable tactic of mingling and hiding amongst Palestinians, using them as shields to attack Israel, something they've done since time immemorial. It's obvious that the Israeli officials have been trained by "media experts" when they answer questions put to them by the BBC world News reporters, and I personally think that this is a good thing because a basic underlying tenet of this media training is; "always get YOUR point across, irrespective of the question asked", which the Israeli officials do very well, much to the chagrin of the BBC. However on a couple of occasions they've missed the ideal opportunity to state that the war could come to an end immediately if Hamas surrendered and gave up their arms, which the Israelis have proposed.

I watched the 2-0 loss to West Ham on Match of the Day on Sunday and something which Alan Shearer, a player whom I greatly respect, said after he analysed the game made so much sense.... He said that ETH mentioned after the match that United have to stick to the plan, and therein lies the problem, because in the many clips which were shown, it was quite obvious that there was no plan and this was highlighted by the fact that when United did manage to go on the attack from either wing, there was no one in the penalty area to pick out with a pass/scoring chance!! This was something I hadn't thought about before, but it was glaringly obvious in the clips shown. I expect that David Moyes was quietly celebrating after that win, given his short shrift when at United. The problem, as I see it, is that there is a dearth of available and good managers whom United could approach to take over – – – time will tell.

Great as I would love my Thai Daughter to watch the Planet Earth series.......so I am watching for replies!!

Will do, check your messages.

Will send you a pm as don't want to fall foul of forum rules!

Similar to me in many ways, although I don't go out swimming or playing golf, but I do go out searching various wine outlets for new experiences/wines, and also I have a couple of favourite bona fide massage places which I like to visit, mainly because many decades of playing a good standard of football, and later, tennis, have left me with a few aches and pains. I've always felt comfortable with my own company as well, although I do feel sorry for a couple of friends of mine here who don't feel comfortable with their own company, so frequently look for live-in female companions to satisfy that need as they think they have to be in a relationship, mainly because they don't like to be on their own, but ultimately these fail, and one of these guys has been married four times already, and another seven times – – and both looking at changes (again). As for looking for "gringo/foreigner ghettos", IMO, in amongst that lot there maybe one or two genuine and intelligent friends with whom to be able to pass the time of day, but mainly I have found many, many drongos here, with whom I wouldn't want to associate.

Many thanks Jai Dee, however I cannot see the wine mentioned by Luuk Chaai on the list so will need to keep looking!! Having said that I have just discovered a rather lovely, full bodied Negroamaro wine from Italy and have stocked up on it......ostensibly for Xmas, but then again!!

A good post by @Bkk Brian, with which I totally concur. I have another solution which won't please the majority of the people, but be it on the heads of the people/organisation that started this conflict: – raze Gaza to the ground, wipe out the population, no matter whom they be (and many of the Palestinians there are Hamas sympathisers, no matter what they might say) and for those who shout out about "killing children" well that's what happens when you start a war and has happened since time immemorial.......be it on the heads of the aggressors. Time to get rid of this awful terrorist faction called Hamas, and stopping the war and long ceasefires will only help them to regroup and rearm, exactly what they want. They need to be wiped out in whatever way is possible. I like the stance of Netanyahu, and only hope he sticks to his guns (sorry about the pun).

Oh dear, further down the rabbit hole you go!! But that being said, your posts are good for a laugh!!

There is not a fully functioning brain cell amongst many of the GOP, so this is not surprising.

Yes I had an unfortunate experience with this in the Sahara desert when I and a few friends were caught brewing and drinking alcohol and as a result a very angry Libyan soldier decided to stick a pistol against my head whilst ranting and raving, and I really thought my days were over. It's quite a long story so I'll end that by saying, luckily we got off the charge and were not punished. Fast forward to the next break when flying out of Tripoli to Gatwick, and noticing several Arabs sharing a few bottles of Scotch, so I paused and stared at this and they noticed it, and in so many words told me to push off because they can do whatever they want. Money, power and dual standards prevail in these countries, so in their minds, they can drink whilst they are out of their country, irrespective of what their "religion" states.

Don't know about camels, but I've seen quite a few "hippos" on Patong beach!

And I keep hoping the outcome of this will mean one less MAGA nut to contend with!

Couldn't find it on 1337x.to, nor for that matter "Slow Horses"??

I think the issue is a little broader than that because they're not afraid of trump per se, they are afraid of the numbskulls and poorly educated who have joined others down the rabbit hole and who may, just may find another bunch of numb nuts who would vote for the lying clown, gullible as they are. It's as much about the gullibility of the MAGA crowd as anything else, and so sad that it has come down to this.

Lol.........I think this poster is serious!!!!

Norfloxacin, like other fluoroquinolones in that class can cause tendon problems, I know this through experience. And as this poster says, there is a "black box warning" in the US for the use of this particular antibiotic. The best bet is to get along to a clinic/hospital for them to take a sample and analyse and culture whatever is found in it, then the correct antibiotic can be prescribed. Otherwise you are leaving yourself open to C Difficile...........Most cases of C. diff occur when you've been taking antibiotics or not long after you've finished taking antibiotics. There are other risk factors: Being 65 or older.

I believe that if he came to power (unlikely) that he would behave like the dumb, mindless idiot that he is. Nothing new........

Luckily enough my fear didn't become a fact, although Liverpool had the vast majority of possession. Phew!! But it still doesn't change the underlying problems that United have.

And the American Dream ended when poorly educated voters elected a dumb, narcissistic, crooked and persistent liar to be president of what was supposed to be the greatest nation in the world – – but in doing this, they proved that they no longer great, but are capable of stuffing things up as the best of them. So sad for America that this dumb orange clown is even given the time of day.