Well, after 18 1/2 hours in the air we made it to Bangkok. Everything is okay but with the usual hassles with getting to our room for a little nap.
First thing that happens is the taxi driver, who was supposed to take us to see a few hotels we had not stayed in before, decided he had another fare that was more important then us so he just told us: "This is as far as I'm taking you." He took our bags out of the taxi and demanded we pay him. Daeng paid him the meter fare with no tip, of course. Oh, shit, here we are "at the curb, again".
From along side the road, I called the "Di" Guest House on Soi 4, in the Sukhamvit Road area. I told the lady that answered the telephone we had stayed with them before and did she have room for us for the next five (5) nights? She ask me how much we usually paid for the room. I told her 900 Thai Baht a night. She said: "Okay, I'll book the room for you at 900 THB."
We walked down the street from where the taxi driver had dropped us off. When we got to Sukhamvit Road we got a taxi that took us to the "Di" Guest House.
When we checked in at the desk, the same lady I talked to on the telephone told us the room was 990 THB. I should be used to folks in tourist areas doing this kind of thing but I still told her that was not right as she told us 900 Thai Baht was the rate on the telephone. By the way, it's not the money, I just hate being blatantly lied to as 90 THB is only about $3.00 US Dollars a night.
I walked next door to the "White Orchid II" Guest House and the lady at the desk knew us. She said she would put us in the front room on the second floor for 800 THB a night. It is a very nice clean room with a window that looks out the front, Free WiFi, Air Conditioning, Refrigerator, HD English TV, hot water, safe,etc. The Guest House is staffed by nice folks, as well.
We did have a problem, a year or so ago, with the owner of the "White Orchid II" booking us for a room and then when we got there at 4:00 in the morning they had no room for us. I had to remember not to cut off my nose to spite my face. That's is what my Grand-Mother taught me, anyway.
We walked back to the "Di" Guest House, thanked the lady and told her we were going to stay next door. She shook her head in a manor that said she understood.
We had a nice winter in California. The weather was mild and no major events. We like it when it's peaceful and calm.
First thing that happens is the taxi driver, who was supposed to take us to see a few hotels we had not stayed in before, decided he had another fare that was more important then us so he just told us: "This is as far as I'm taking you." He took our bags out of the taxi and demanded we pay him. Daeng paid him the meter fare with no tip, of course. Oh, shit, here we are "at the curb, again".
From along side the road, I called the "Di" Guest House on Soi 4, in the Sukhamvit Road area. I told the lady that answered the telephone we had stayed with them before and did she have room for us for the next five (5) nights? She ask me how much we usually paid for the room. I told her 900 Thai Baht a night. She said: "Okay, I'll book the room for you at 900 THB."
We walked down the street from where the taxi driver had dropped us off. When we got to Sukhamvit Road we got a taxi that took us to the "Di" Guest House.
When we checked in at the desk, the same lady I talked to on the telephone told us the room was 990 THB. I should be used to folks in tourist areas doing this kind of thing but I still told her that was not right as she told us 900 Thai Baht was the rate on the telephone. By the way, it's not the money, I just hate being blatantly lied to as 90 THB is only about $3.00 US Dollars a night.I walked next door to the "White Orchid II" Guest House and the lady at the desk knew us. She said she would put us in the front room on the second floor for 800 THB a night. It is a very nice clean room with a window that looks out the front, Free WiFi, Air Conditioning, Refrigerator, HD English TV, hot water, safe,etc. The Guest House is staffed by nice folks, as well.
We did have a problem, a year or so ago, with the owner of the "White Orchid II" booking us for a room and then when we got there at 4:00 in the morning they had no room for us. I had to remember not to cut off my nose to spite my face. That's is what my Grand-Mother taught me, anyway.
We walked back to the "Di" Guest House, thanked the lady and told her we were going to stay next door. She shook her head in a manor that said she understood.
We had a nice winter in California. The weather was mild and no major events. We like it when it's peaceful and calm.
Daeng and I celebrated our birthdays, together. Now that she is 40 years old, I told her I was going to trade her in for 2 twenty year old girls.
She put her hands on her hips, looked me right in the eyes and said: "You're not wired for 220!"
Christmas time with the family is always a good time. My Mother is still holding up okay but can't stand or walk. She also requires 24 hour nursing care.
Daeng loves to wrap and fix packages and she is extremity talented, also.
It was also nice to give the gifts we had shopped for and brought back from Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand. You can read of that story by CLICKING HERE.
The chess set was a big hit!
We did some work over the last three months and made enough money to spend the spring in Thailand.
We also scrapped the two Ford trucks that we built new in 1988. They lasted 25 years. I found myself having some emotional feeling over them. Bye, bye trucks! You did lots of work over the 400,000 miles.
I will miss the roominess of having my office in the cab and the space in the cargo area for over 1,100 plumbing, heating and air conditioning parts plus tools.
I won't miss the buying gasoline as they averaged 6-7 miles per gallon.
The Chevrolet HHR we bought gets 22-30 MPG.
In February, we started the process of selling our business, DIAL ONE Cooling, Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. to our friend MOUNIR FRANCOIS NOUJAIM aka: "Moonie".
I have known and worked with Moonie for over 25 years and know he will do a great job of carrying the company forward.
Ron Brown, our accountant and friend, will continue to work on the agreement so we can complete everything at the end of this summer. Daeng and I plan on working the summer when we return in early June.
Ron Brown, our accountant and friend, will continue to work on the agreement so we can complete everything at the end of this summer. Daeng and I plan on working the summer when we return in early June.
I'll write more when we get settled at our home in Mae Sai. We leave Bangkok on Tuesday and fly the 600 miles north to Chiang Rai. We will then rent a car for the next two months and drive the 40 Km to our home.
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