I live in my own small world; a village/ suburb of Bangkok. It is not really a suburb, I have always lived around here, close to my wife's family.We have a home here, been our own home for eleven plus years, Have lived in rented houses near here before; we never drifted far from family. Well only once, a very long time ago when I took my wife to England. She lasted about a week!

I like the people around here, always have.

Then the shocking events that truly do happen in Thailand.

I believe I am pretty street wise and without elaborating, have never come to grief and never backed down! Played it Thai way.

To be honest I feel safer in Pattaya than I do in tourist hot spots.

Last time I was in Samui was ten years ago and said I would never return, never have. Twenty years ago Samui was a great place to visit.

Phuket, once visited and never again!

Bangkok; well I live here and know the place and know how to behave.

Then I thought of my neighbours, they never take a holiday to some obscure place; they might go upcountry for a few days to see distant family members; same as my Thai family. I am the odd one as I often embark on holidays and family fret.

Sometimes, no, often we as a family go away together. One memorable occasion, after a minor dispute with my wife's younger sister, we took off for new year as just my wife and son; next day the immediate family was there too!

Sad events recently, but this is not paradise.

Edited October 7, 201411 yr by buhi

Reality is the real time present/situation you find yourself in.....not what you want/wish it to be...let the moments/lessons of your past be your guide to your future....or be doomed to relive your past.....pass the good stuff on....

It's not your job, your "status", or what you have - it's what you are.....

I'll check tomorrow to see if I was right today.....yawn

To be honest I feel safer in Pattaya than I do in tourist hot spots.

Pattaya is the biggest Tourist hot spot in the country. Not quite sure what the rest of the post is about really.

To be honest I feel safer in Pattaya than I do in tourist hot spots.

Pattaya is the biggest Tourist hot spot in the country. Not quite sure what the rest of the post is about really.

Was once, but not for a long time!

Young backbackers do not go to Pattaya.

To be honest I feel safer in Pattaya than I do in tourist hot spots.

Pattaya is the biggest Tourist hot spot in the country. Not quite sure what the rest of the post is about really.

Was once, but not for a long time!

Young backbackers do not go to Pattaya.

Young backpakers do not a tourist hot spot make.

Reality is the real time present/situation you find yourself in.....not what you want/wish it to be...let the moments/lessons of your past be your guide to your future....or be doomed to relive your past.....pass the good stuff on....

It's not your job, your "status", or what you have - it's what you are.....

I'll check tomorrow to see if I was right today.....yawn

Sorry you are tired, just trying to give a different perspective.

A long, long time ago, when Samui was pleasant, I had hired a four wheel drive, there were few roads there then.

My girlfriend, now my wife of years, needed to pee. I stopped and told her to go in the bushes, she said she could not. Next we came to a minor police sub station; OK I said, you can go in there.

She refused, saying that it was not safe. I retorted if the bushes were not safe, what the hell about the police!

I got out and spoke to the police and they obliged. But and we are talking twenty plus years ago, my now wife was furious with me, to ask the police for anything. Now of course I well understand!

The first couple of posts seem a bit bizarre to me, like they are competing in a narrative type contest at a college. I will see where this thread goes. Interesting........

Op, have you been drinking?

And the point of this thinking out loud is what?

Was there a question or comment anywhere in that rambling?

Reality is different for everyone.

Those in poverty have a different reality to the rich and powerful.

The person with cancer has a different reality to another sick person.

The realities in Thailand are different for everyone. Same with the rest of the world. Same same but different, if you get my drift.

Reality is the real time present/situation you find yourself in.....not what you want/wish it to be...let the moments/lessons of your past be your guide to your future....or be doomed to relive your past.....pass the good stuff on....

It's not your job, your "status", or what you have - it's what you are.....

I'll check tomorrow to see if I was right today.....yawn

Sorry you are tired, just trying to give a different perspective.

A long, long time ago, when Samui was pleasant, I had hired a four wheel drive, there were few roads there then.

My girlfriend, now my wife of years, needed to pee. I stopped and told her to go in the bushes, she said she could not. Next we came to a minor police sub station; OK I said, you can go in there.

She refused, saying that it was not safe. I retorted if the bushes were not safe, what the hell about the police!

I got out and spoke to the police and they obliged. But and we are talking twenty plus years ago, my now wife was furious with me, to ask the police for anything. Now of course I well understand!

Well yesterday with a stinking cold, pounding head etc I called my local Police guy who came and pulled my pick up out of the mud i got stuck in, any problems I just call him, nice guy no ulterior motive but we are on the 1k a month red box 25km past Hua Hin

Reality is different for everyone.

Those in poverty have a different reality to the rich and powerful.

The person with cancer has a different reality to another sick person.

The realities in Thailand are different for everyone. Same with the rest of the world. Same same but different, if you get my drift.

I have never been able to forgive the rich for being rich, and it has colored my entire life and works.

Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me. They possess and enjoy early, and it does something to them, makes them soft where we are hard, and cynical where we are trustful, in a way that, unless you were born rich, it is very difficult to understand. They think, deep in their hearts, that they are better than we are because we had to discover the compensations and refuges of life for ourselves.

Fitzgerald wrote "The Rich Boy" in 1924, in Capri, while awaiting publication of The Great Gatsby. He revised it in his apartment at 14 Rue de Tilsitt in Paris the following spring, at what he described as a period of "1000 parties and no work.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rich_Boy

Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me. They possess and enjoy early, and it does something to them, makes them soft where we are hard, and cynical where we are trustful, in a way that, unless you were born rich, it is very difficult to understand.

Was there a question or comment anywhere in that rambling?

Many comments, but not on the surface.

After following numerous comments on the horendous murders on Koh Tao, I was musing about my experinces trying to reach "paradise" in Thailand and now my cynical acceptance of the fase reality of seeking it.

Time for a drink!