Jeez I love Chiang Rai this time of the year.

About 15C at 7am, the heavy dew on the grass sparkling like diamonds and the mountains close enough to touch in the clear air.

I got out of bed and put a shirt on straight away, usually I loaf around in my boxers for awhile (settle down ladies, settle down) but it was a bit too chilly.

It won't last, the locals will start burning anything remotely inflammable as soon as it's dry enough to smolder but this period between the wet and dry seasons is always my favorite time.

What's it like where you are?

CM. The sun is out. The sky is blue. There is a little breeze. The best part is the birds are in full chat chatty mode.

I'm rarely a grumpy b@stard, but about an hour ago, 08.30, I awoke to sawing, hammering, drilling, and general tearing out of a kitchen next door to me.

Now, in my own world, that'd be annoying enough, but it#s fine, I get up make some tea, go to my den and switch on my tunes and inter-web it for a bit.

But it seriously p1ssed the other half off. So now she's grumpy and she's crawled into my spare bed in my den (to be near me in her p1ssed off-ness), and is being less than great company and now my tea tastes like sh1t.

Oh, and it's one of those grey, rainy, drizzly, ugly mornings.

Ughh poor kayo.

Actually, since being in Thailand, never in my life have I bought so many foam earplugs. Some next to my bed, some in my bag, etc. Then im pretty much able to mute out the noise of the Soi dogs if they decide to start a yappathon in the middle of the night, or the occasional pit stop buses decide to run their engines for the aircon in the night/early morning or blast Karaoke tunes at 6am!

Thankfully doesnt happen to often, but im so glad of them if i need them. Get yourself and the other half emergency earplugs!

It's pitch black, effin' hot and effin' sticky here in HCMC (20:30).

This morning dawned bright and brilliantly sunny , effin' hot and effin' sticky but I decided to go into town and take a few pics. By the time I'd walked to the ferry terminal I was bluddy effin' hot and bluddy effin' sweaty and it had clouded over with that hazy grey overcast that usually precedes a storm. I crossed the Sai Gon anyway and took a few pics that were not that good but at least the effort wasn't wasted. On the way back I bought a couple of dragon fruit from the market and arrived home bluddy effin' hot and bluddy effin' wet.

I did strongly consider dropping in the bia hoi place but my resolve held as today is a designated no alcohol day.

Her indoors has just passed judgement on the dragon fruit and, I'm happy to say, they passed muster . So never mind the pics at least I can now say I am a qualified dragon fruit procurement officer.

There passed another day of my life, once the scourge of the contracting circuit now reduced to buying fruit, but luvin' it .

Nice, Phil!

Auckland has awoken to a passably nice day. Still a little chilly but the sun is out competing with only a few clouds.

The dawn chorus is over, the first coffee has been drunk with the first ciggie smoked, and the morning perusing of TV continues.

I'd rather be in Chiang Rai by the sound of it......even Ho Chi Minh City, <deleted> hot and <deleted> sticky, would be a pleasant change.

We're expecting 'tropical' weather here in the UK. Yeah right! It's currently pissing down and cold...

Skys are a bit grey, but the air is cool and the (always the best bit) the birdies are singing.

..Gotta go to immigration later on. Doesnt matter what the weather is there, either way its always just a little bit grim!

We're expecting 'tropical' weather here in the UK. Yeah right! It's currently pissing down and cold...

I feel for you suegha, I managed my last visit to UK in Sept/Oct during the "Indian"summer and it was a glorious time in very plesant temperatures.

In contrast to the previous trip in Jan/Feb when you had the worst snowfall for 18 years. Having said that I loved it, didn't have to go to work just went down the pub and listened to all the whining. Smug b@st@d me! The best thing about going to the pub in that weather is that if you fall over going home people are sympathetic and you can get away with being a bit p1ssed.

Indian summer here too. Took my socks off in bed last night.

Bloody Indian Summers, coming over here and stealing all our Autumns!!!

Bloody Indian Summers, coming over here and stealing all our Autumns!!!

Nice one thaimiller, very topical.

The bloody factories in southern China are back in full production. That means with the seasonal northern winds, here in Jolly Honkers you can not see in front of your face in the main streets and your eyes sting with the pollution.

Four more years to go until the lovely Pong because home......................

our rear terrace has a magnificent view to the east and a sunrise there is what some might call an idealised aspect of SEA...past couple of days a slight mist hovering over the reeds to the foreground and the paddies in the distance...

I was up with Mozart and Beethoven on the walkman conducting like a crazy von Karajan to the sunrise (been up drinkin' all night)...frightened the favorite niece who was sweeping up and trying to mind her own business..

From now until the start of Feb is my favourite time of year....... I must get a jacket out of mothballs, be needing it soon.

Not so good over here Thad, some days the smoke from fires is really thick.

I found a satellite map on line once that showed what seemed to be half of Burma, Lao and Southern China on fire in January.

From now until the start of Feb is my favourite time of year....... I must get a jacket out of mothballs, be needing it soon.

Hi Thad

Long time no squeek

How do you make a jacket out of mothballs?

Not so good over here Thad, some days the smoke from fires is really thick.

I found a satellite map on line once that showed what seemed to be half of Burma, Lao and Southern China on fire in January.

Here is the Thai Pollution Control Department's website with the daily air quality report.