Friday, 29 November 2024

Koh Samui - November 2024

 Arrived in Koh Samui for a week at the Amari Resort. Been looking forward to this. Fifty minute flight from Bangkok on Bangkok Airways.


Off the plane into a little open air bus to the very small open air terminal...

Our bags came off quickly and the car was waiting for the short trip to Amari Resort. The room was large and opened onto the pool area and beach.

View from the room to the beach...

It's really nice and I'm glad I paid extra for the beach view room...

Unpacked and met Anthony at the poolside bar. Aperol to start...

That night we headed to a restaurant the kids had chosen in the main street and had great Thai food. Then we went for a walk further down the main street to Central Samui which is the shopping centre.

We then found a bar with live music called the Palms. We returned here quite a few times during our week here.


The next day we all met for breakfast which was a very extensive buffet. After breakfast we all did our own thing. I walked down the main street to have a look at the town. Seems you can get everything here!

Had a late lunch of pad thai for THB99 (A$4.45)...


Went back and had a walk down the beach...


Evening time!


That night we went to a Mexican restaurant that Eliza had chosen. The food was fantastic...


Each day started with breakfast and then some pool time or beach time. The hotel is divided by the main road. We are staying on the beach side and Anthony is on the other side. There are more pools over there so one day we hung out there...



Eliza, Jason and Callum...


Great name for a restaurant...


One night we went to a nice Italian place for dinner which was close to our hotel.







One day we went to a sauna about 30 minutes drive away. Jason negotiated a rate with the driver of the open utes that are the local taxis and off we went... 



It was called Amba and had a pool, sauna and steam room. The kids had a massage and I just hung out.


Afterwards I decided to walk back ahead of the kids. They met me on the main road and we went back to the Mexican place for lunch. Food is so good...


Thai food again for dinner and then we went to a drag cabaret show.






Tuesday, 26 November 2024

Bangkok - November 2024

Flew from Hong Kong around the middle of the day on Friday. Easy flight on Hong Kong Airlines and immigration at Suvarnabhumi was the quickest I've ever experienced. Luggage came out okay and we got into a taxi quite easily. Then the fun began...we hit Friday night traffic on our way to Sukhumvit...two hours later, we arrived at the Westin Grande. 

We are staying here for the first night on Marriott Bonvoy points. Room was nice and large and we headed out to dinner.

After dinner we got a massage and headed back to the hotel.

Saturday morning we walked to a place I know for breakfast. It's called Sarnies and is Australian, On the way back we had a look at Terminal 21, a big shopping centre. I found it a bit overwhelming so we left. We then had a swim at sat by the pool. 


We then got a Grab to Ibis Styles Silom where we are staying for the next few nights. I've stayed there before and really like it.

We went and had a walk and got street food for lunch...

The kids arrived late afternoon. I had arranged a car to pick them up from the airport. After a quick rest, we headed to a restaurant nearby I had scoped out earlier.

The "wine" menu made me laugh...

Sitting in the lobby looking at the lifts...

The next morning Alex arrived from Munich and we had breakfast in the hotel which was surprisingly good for a 4 star hotel. Then we went for a walk to Lumphini Park which wasn't far.

The kids went on the paddle things which were free. Alex and Eliza...

Jason and Callum...

It's a lizard...

That night we went to Mango Tree for dinner which is a restaurant I know well. After dinner we went to a gay bar nearby for a drag show. It was really fun. This is Britney...





Callum was a hit...




The next day we met for breakfast as usual and then did our own thing. I had a massage and a coffee at my favourite cafe...


Did a workout at the gym a couple of days...


View from the gym...


The next night we went to another bar I know called Jack's Bar which is very basic and right on the river...



Timer selfie...


The food was great. We had a bit of an issue as we didn't have enough cash, but we pooled resources and left. We decided to walk back to the hotel.

The next morning, we caught the Skytrain to the river and a local boat to Icon Siam. 


The food court was incredible...


And I bought a Thai Milk Tea...


Amazing range of food...



We then caught another boat up to the temple precinct. The kids weren't interested in the temples but I wanted to walk around. It's pretty hot...



We then caught the subway back to the hotel. 

For our last night, we went to another bar I know called the Eagles Nest to watch the sun set over Wat Arun. We caught the subway...


And walked past the temples...


The bar was packed so we went to ground level and found another bar with an equally good view.













Then we got on the subway again and went to Chinatown for dinner. It was packed but we had some nice street food...



Museum Siam...


I bought some mango sticky rice and we went back to the hotel and ate it by the rooftop pool...


The next morning I had arranged a van to take us to the airport for our domestic flight to Koh Samui. We checked into our flight on Bangkok Airways and waited in the lounge for the 50 minute flight.

Goodbye Bangkok...

Shenzhen, China - June 2025

On Saturday, I decided to go to Shenzhen for a trip. I used to go a lot when I lived here, but hadn't been since covid. I caught the Eas...