Mahseer

Just to add you have to book ahead for Sunday roast.

Limeleaf is a cooking school as well as a restaurant. Only ever been for Sunday roast which costs around double what you would pay at the likes of Archers & Annie's the reason being they include a choice of literally 8 or 9 salads for starter on a self serve basis. Roast comes with a plate of literally 5 or 6 vegetables along with lovely roast potatoes & yorkshire. I normally venture out - it takes 40 minutes from centre of town - once a month and always enjoy.

Nobody care for Breakfast World in Mum Mueang? Personally I rate it but best bring an appetite as offerings are not small. Well worth a look if you're that part of town.

Best roast dinner is likely Limeleaf but they are way out in San Patong. In town Archers & Annie's are side by side and both turn out excellent roasts.

Bang Saphan in PKK. Anyone wanting to get involved heads 25km north to Baan Krood where it's full on. Stay at Suan Luang beach and you'll never know its madness elsewhere.

This outfit show two half a dozen photos down. https://www.facebook.com/cmtools.rental.5/

Pretty sure this is old news. I know the man in question and used to see him and typically 3 of his ridgeback dogs early each morning on the beach when in town but after numerous complaints the authorities took action and he was forced to relocate his dogs to a farm outside town. Was in Bang Saphan for 2 weeks over new year and walked the beach each day at daybreak and didn't see him once and when I visited his residence was told he spends each day visiting his dogs.

Agent used and verified couple of posts above.

You most certainly can get retirement extensions there using an agent but needs confirming if you can/can't without. Anyone?

Note if you intend attending before the shopping centre opens at 1100 you need to use the 2nd floor car park entrance.

2nd floor. They are open 0900-1630/1700 but close 12-1300 for a feed.

Was at Central Festival immigration this morning at 1100 and pretty quite for all services with only half the chairs taken in the main hall. Give it a go you may be surprised but avoid Monday & Friday if possible and day after holidays. And yes you can do retirement extension there.

There used to be a Chiang Mai based airline that operated a grand total of 2 aircraft both Cessna Caravans each taking something in the region of 8 passengers. Name was Kan Air and they flew to places like Mae Sot, Pai, Chiang Rai, Nan and Mae Hong Son. Name was Kan Air and an absolute joy to fly with them but alas long gone. The aircraft were for a long time parked on the military side of the airport but not sure if still there. As stated not a lot of demand from Chiang Mai to Mae Sot and elsewhere considering there are a grand total of 2-3 flights from Bangkok. Maybe if the border was to reopen flights would pick up but not sure that will happen anytime soon but heres hoping.

Good to hear you are safe.

Survived I trust? https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-junta-airstrike-kills-40-civilians-on-rakhines-ramree-island.html

Banded woodpecker spotted in Bang Saphan 2 weeks back. First time in 14 years and hasn't been seen since. IMG_5684.mov

Norden has halibut which is very much worth a look if you can't f&c. Comes with mash & mixed veg. Delightful.

Sorry Simon last one. Anyone who visits Yangon and skips downtown really is missing out.

I spent a couple of mornings just taking photos of the buildings in the 21-48 street area and the vast majority are still occupied despite the various states.

That is how down town Yangon looks specifically streets 21-48. It's the appearance that buildings 100 years old take on when there are insufficient to maintain. Personally I love this area.

Russians tourists typically don't wear suits on holiday. When I visited November 2023 there was a curfew in Yangon so when I revisited July & November 2024 I enquired and was advised there was no longer a curfew. If you have nothing to contribute..........

No curfew in Yangon at present and it's a great place to visit despite extensive troubles elsewhere in the country. As for safety wandered downtown daily on my own up to midnight and never an issue but that's just one persons experience. Tourism is about non existent at present but did come across couple of groups of Russians but they were likely in town on business. As for power outages as others have stated it's a way of line of life and the day there wasn't a power cut would likely make headlines (if allowed).

Similar view to the Excelsior my hotel of choice in Rangoon. Love the place and the view.

Kalaw is still excellent. Was there last November (after visiting Taunggyi for the balloon festival) and it still retains all the charm. Needless to say didn't see a single tourist the 4 days I was there.

The term 'black market' is slightly misleading and indicates deals can be done with shady characters which can be the case today around Sule pagoda in Rangoon but the exchange place I use is in Bogyoke market and is wide open for all to see so assumably operating legally. Best of luck with your projects.