Clear Skies Below

hmmm...which am i?

There are two kinds of men: those who could be happy and are not, and those who search for happiness and find it not.
~ Arabian Proverb

Chiang Mai, part two

After four wonderful days on Koh Samui we flew back to Bangkok so that my cousin could head home. My Papa and I still had four more days to fill so we decided to head back up to Chiang Mai, find some first rate bungalows to stay in and end our trip to Thailand in style. And that is just what we did.

(click to view pictures)

koh samui

After three quick, but full days in ChiangMai, we took a plane to the southern part of Thailand to the island of Koh Samui.

Koh Samui is an amazingly beautiful island. It is one of the more popular islands for tourist, but that is not always a bad thing. We stayed at a great resort in the Chaweng beach area and had a blast walking around and renting scooters and exploring the island.

(click to view pictures)

chiang mai

After three great days exploring bangkok we took a plane north to ChiangMai, quoted as being Thailands most liveable city.

ChiangMai was pretty different than Bangkok, being farther north in the mountain areas seemed to give it a more calm feel about it.

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hello bangkok

After one taxi ride, one train ride, two bart rides and two flights I finally arrived in Thailand at Bangkok's new and modern Suvarnabhumi Airport and from there it was only 40 minute taxi (metered) ride to the hotel.

I was the first to arrive, then would come my dad and then my cousin, mark, who was surpising my dad by coming to Thailand to celebrate my fathers 65 birthday with us.

Bangkok is a very different place. At times it seems modern, if you look at things like the downtown skyskrapers, but a quick look in a different direction and you can see that the old ways are still in full affect.

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Yumm...Chipotle

Getting my fix of Mexican food before I go

- Ray

Posted via email from people & places

have trust in trust

"It is better to suffer wrong than to do it, and happier to be sometimes cheated than not to trust."
~Samuel Johnson

an instant message instant

[16:51] Her: maybe I just need to adjust my view of her. Just think of her as a little girl trying to do an adult job.
[16:51] Him: there you go, perfect
[16:51] Him: ahhh...poor little girl
[16:51] Her: mommy will fix it sugar. you go play with your diagrams.
[16:51] Him: lol

honestly, I will never understand

"It is better to be told a hurtful truth than to be told a comforting lie."
~Unknown

Six Days and Counting

I most definitely have "short timers" disease. I can barely focus at work knowing that vacation is just around the corner and to make it worse, work is super busy right now and I feel like I am not going to have enough time to get everything done and handed off before I leave. Luckily I work with some really great people and I know they have my back and everything will work out just fine.

I really think this is going to be an interesting trip. I have never really gone on a vacation with just my Dad and I think Thailand is going to be very different than any other places I have visited, which I am actually very excited about, and considering all the craziness of the past year and a half I think my Dad and I both really, really need this time away.

This past year and a half has been very trying and has left me emotionally scarred, well I don't know if scarred is accurate, as I feel the wounds are still pretty fresh and maybe this time away will provide some much needed healing time.

Either way, I am finally getting out of here for a while and I can hardly believe it. It seems as if I have been trying to get away for a "real" vacation for so long and in six days I will be half way around the world in a place I have never been before, seeing and doing things with my Dad and opening up my mind, eyes, ears and mouth to new and wonderful things and none of this would be possible without the love and support of my dearly loved Father.

Thanks Dad and Happy Birthday. We are going to have an amazing time!

do it now

I shall pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again."
- Jerry Lewis

i knew there was a reason

“As long as the world is turning and spinning, we're all gonna be dizzy and we're all gonna make mistakes.”
- Mel Brooks

How good do you want to be?

Hmmm...well that is an interesting question and one that I am not really sure how to answer. I guess the "right" answer would be "the best that I can."

I am one who sometimes has a hard time finishing "real" books, so when I found the book, It's Not How Good You Are, Its How Good You Want to Be, I knew I had found the book for me. Minimal text, a lot of pictures and on top of that, it was pretty darn inspirational. Perfect.

ok, had enough for a while...

I know I said earlier that I like the rain, and I do, but when it rains constantly for days, and you don't even get any good thunderstorms to go with it, then it does start to get a bit old. I know we need it, so if it keeps coming I will be happy about it and know that all the plants are freakin happy.

Ando Hiroshige (Japanese, 1797-1858), Great Bridge: Sudden Rain at Atake, Edo period, 1857, color woodcut. Rain is pelting pedestrians on the bridge at Ohashi in the city of Edo (modern-day Tokyo).

SF Beer Week...oh my

How am I just now finding out abou this? I can't believe I missed SF Beer Week. Now I have to wait a whole other year for this magical event to happen again.