Where's Waldo

[Pierrot]

But her sense of living in the moment is quite pronounced so she will just do whatever and there is no concern at all. If we take the Motorbike, she often will be in the mall before I have even put the helmet away (I like to lock my helmet to the bike). I turn around, and the hunt is on. She says she can't wait on the street because of the sun, but that doesn't explain why she is not waiting inside when I get there. Especially since sometimes it's in a parkade. She just gets shopping, my job is to find her. When I was a kid I had a trapline and I was an avid hunter. I had no idea my tracking and spotting skills were preparing me for marriage.

More seriously, I understand you problem I have the same from time to time. Now the answer depends of my mood of the moment. Either I make a big scene, saying I'm not her driver or her maid, so she better behave if she doesn't want to take a taxi back. Or I just head for the bookstore or the computer store and wait for her to call me when she's finished. Nowadays that's what we do, unless we really need to be together, we both head our own way and call each other when we're done, much less drama this way.

[sbk]

OK, guys, you will like this story.

Years ago, when my FIL still owned a fishing boat, and there was only one regularly scheduled passenger boat running between Koh Phangan and Koh Samui, he took his wife and kids over to Samui for shopping.

He told his wife, we leave at 1 pm. He wanted to make sure he got back before the regular afternoon thunderstorms rolled through. At 1pm she was still shopping, trying to find some bargain, so he waited. At 1:15pm he left. She had to wait until the passenger boat returned to Koh Phangan at 5pm.

She never made him wait again

[stiggy]

A) Find a shopping center with either a bar/restaurant near the exit, where you can individually asses all the females that enter or leave until yours passes....

B ) Hang out near the perfume counters if in a department store, I guarantee with all the honeys there she will not venture far.

Its not just a Thai thing either my wife is English vertically challenged dark hair, normally can see her feet sticking out of the bargain/reduced bin competing with all the locals over 10 bht t-shirts or washing powder.

[JoeThePoster]

Walking into the food court today, I was reminded why it is important to memorize what my wife is wearing when we got out in public. Glancing across the expanse of dark haired Asians with similar physical qualities. I knew that some where out there was my wife. But how do you spot your Thai missus in a crowd?

The sad part about this is, we've been married four years, and still I go through this ordeal at least every two weeks. Half of every shopping trip is a mini search party, I have noticed, that she never returns the favor and comes looking for me.

It can be bad sometimes, having no cell phone at chatachuck for example is asking for trouble. In fact I have gone home alone before and faced the consequences after the tulk tuk dropped her off. Another danger is when you think you have her in peripheral vision but you when you look over you realize your walking and sometimes talking to somebody else. I am just glad I haven't given any strangers a quick pat...

So what about the rest of you? are there any sure fire strategies to keep her on the radar. How about GPS?

[DP25]

Usually not a problem, my gf is taller than the average Thai.

[ivowatson]

When I was a kid, my mom put me on a leash. One of those harnesses with a long lead. I had a habit of wandering off and it did work. Another option is to hire a local kid to follow your wife and to carry an identification flag as per the typical elderly asian tour group format. Better yet, consider checking yourself in to one of the clinics for pre alzheimers treatment. It's not normal to constantly lose people. Fortunately, you can still find your way home. Perhaps now is the time to consider pinning some emergency money along with important telephone numbers and your address, to your shirt...........................................

Looks like he could use the Bike Flag.

[mmushr00m]

I don't appear to have the same problem with my wife when shopping as she is so slow I can usually find her where I left her - In Lotus yesterday she went straight to a rack of shorts and I went off to get the food. 20 mins later she was still at the same rack examining every garment individually. It can take her 15 mins to select onions as she has to check each one to make sure she is getting the best ones.

Does she buy them in the end? Mine would spend 20mins looking at something, comparing styles, prices etc. Asking my opinion although not really caring about what I think (she says its to be polite). Then she would just walk away without buying anything!!!!! 20mins wasted!!!! why? "nothing good".

[noahvail]

Thanks for my morning laugh, Canuckamuck.

It's bad enough just being by yourself in one of the big malls. A slender Thai in a crowd can slip away faster than a cockroach down a hole. The only solution is to send them off on their own and agree to meet at a certain spot later.

That's ok, but the question is when? I've tried that - 'meet you in 20 minutes at the tuk-tuk rank.' But I forget about Thai time - an hour and 45 later she shows up

[Carib]

Bloodhound ???

[canuckamuck]

Actually it reminds me an other story. This lady journalist just come back to Koweit after the war and realizes there is a big improvement in the relation men/women. Before the men used to cruise ahead and the wife were following behind. Now she realizes the men are much more polite and let the women go first. She decide to interview one of the man in the street and ask why this change of attitude, does the war make them realize the importance of women in the society ? The man gave her a blank look and just a one word answer "Landmines".

Logical

[polecat]

Never had this problem. Then again, I've never let her out of the basement.

If I ever did though, I'm pretty sure she'd be wearing squeaky shoes.

[PoorSucker]

Just start talking to some hot babe.

She will found you very quickly.

[davyboy]

I don't appear to have the same problem with my wife when shopping as she is so slow I can usually find her where I left her - In Lotus yesterday she went straight to a rack of shorts and I went off to get the food. 20 mins later she was still at the same rack examining every garment individually. It can take her 15 mins to select onions as she has to check each one to make sure she is getting the best ones.

Does she buy them in the end? Mine would spend 20mins looking at something, comparing styles, prices etc. Asking my opinion although not really caring about what I think (she says its to be polite). Then she would just walk away without buying anything!!!!! 20mins wasted!!!! why? "nothing good".

I think your wives must be related to mine, as both your comments seem very familiar!

[elibangkok]

I've stopped asking my wife how long it will be until she arrives somewhere, but instead ask a series of what might seem to be unrelated questions to determine where she is and what is left on her list of things to do.

I then use a complicated formula converting how long she says it will take to finish, multiply by x (depends on the weather) and add 15 minutes to that amount of time.

I can then estimate how long she really will be taking, usually within a few minutes.

I am thinking of publishing a form husbands can fill out with their wives answers to determine how much time they have before the wife is done. Maybe an IPhone app?

[eek]

I don't appear to have the same problem with my wife when shopping as she is so slow I can usually find her where I left her - In Lotus yesterday she went straight to a rack of shorts and I went off to get the food. 20 mins later she was still at the same rack examining every garment individually. It can take her 15 mins to select onions as she has to check each one to make sure she is getting the best ones.

Ughh! This is my bf! When we go shopping i learned the best thing to do is to take a basket and leave him with the trolley. Ill dash around and get what I want, and then go back to the same spot we parted where most likely still be there checking out the same items. Then ill offload my basket and go browse around the 'fun' stuff like shoes, clothes, etc. When hes done with his stuff, he just gives me a call and we meet at the checkout. Easy!!

--

As for losing him, doesnt happen, he towers above most Thai. I also know his 'walk' well, how he moves his body.

Actually, a funny side-note is that many times his countrymen are not sure if he is Thai. Some will talk to him in English and then turn red faced when they realise he is Thai. On one occasion we were buying something, and the lady next to us said to her friend "Oh..Khow phuut pasa Thai Geng!"

[longstebe]

Follow the smell.

[Crossy]

Phew, I thought I was the only one to regularly lose my lovely in the supermarket, she tends to wander off like a small child. Lost her numerous times in the markets in Belgium where she just disappeared amongst all the tall locals.

I like to shop in a controlled manner visiting each area once only, she uses a more random technique, gets more exercise though.

She also tends to walk just behind me in my blind spot, think she's gone, nope just there shopping

[isanb]

Follow the smell.

your wife is selling fish ?

Cause Thai women can not be blamed for not being clean normally (even more than us).

[astral]

Interesting observation.

I tend to identify my wife and children by what they are wearing rather than by their faces,

when lost in a crowd.

I suggest a mobile phone.

My wife and I often talk across Lotus to find out where the other one is.

[polecat]

Phew, I thought I was the only one to regularly lose my lovely in the supermarket, she tends to wander off like a small child. Lost her numerous times in the markets in Belgium where she just disappeared amongst all the tall locals.

I like to shop in a controlled manner visiting each area once only, she uses a more random technique, gets more exercise though.

She also tends to walk just behind me in my blind spot, think she's gone, nope just there shopping

A Thai wife writes:

"...and each time I try to escape.. there he is, lurking by the yoghurt section with a sneer and a big net. Honestly, if I so much as see another waffle!..."

[Datsun240Z]

God I love the humor of felow foreigners here ! It's all about fun and good times isn't it.

[Datsun240Z]

Phew, I thought I was the only one to regularly lose my lovely in the supermarket, she tends to wander off like a small child. Lost her numerous times in the markets in Belgium where she just disappeared amongst all the tall locals.

I like to shop in a controlled manner visiting each area once only, she uses a more random technique, gets more exercise though.

She also tends to walk just behind me in my blind spot, think she's gone, nope just there shopping

A Thai wife writes:

"...and each time I try to escape.. there he is, lurking by the yoghurt section with a sneer and a big net. Honestly, if I so much as see another waffle!..."

Polecat, Can I have your autograph dude ?

[redscouse]

shout "I HAVE WON THE LOTTERY" and then pick her out of the few hundred within earshot that run towards you

[dudemeister]

[anothertorres]

i make my wife wear a cowbell when we go to the mall.

[LaoPo]

So what about the rest of you? are there any sure fire strategies to keep her on the radar. How about GPS?

Buy a simple Bike Flag and attach it on her back...

.....that'll teach her

LaoPo

Great idea but Thais copy each other so fast that within a few weeks everyone will be wearing Bike Flags and having no idea why.

lol.. how true!

It will be the next big thing.. a dif color for everyday.

If too many Thai would copy the Thai-woman-with-Bike-Flag idea...just buy her a White-Blonde-WIG; I'm certain it won't be difficult to spot her in the crowd...

LaoPo