Hong Kong - October 2022

Back in Hong Kong for a week so spent most of the time catching up with friends and doing some admin.

For the first week I stayed at Ibis Sheung Wan. Average room, nice view...

Dinner with friends at Thai On High...

Had brunch with a mate at Club Rangoon with free flow.

Their take on a Bloody Mary was great...

Another day I had lunch with my friend Idy, at BACI Trattoria in California Tower...

One day I had my favourite Cantonese staple - beef and rice noodles, with milk tea...

After a week, I moved to The Harbourview in Wan Chai, near the convention centre...

One day I went to Jordan and then back to Wan Chai by Star Ferry...

As part of my quest to try as many of the world's top bars as possible, one night I went to The Pontiac where I had been a few times before...

One of my favourite meals in Singapore is Hainan chicken rice. I've never found as good in Hong Kong. One day in Wan Chai I found a chicken rice restaurant. It was good but not the same as Singapore...

Bangkok - October 2022

Easy domestic flight back to Bangkok from Chiang Mai. Checked into the Ibis Styles, a new 4 star on Silom Road.

The room was fine and the rooftop pool was really nice...

I wasn't feeling so well so I slept all weekend. On Monday I was admitted to Bangkok Christian Hospital with pneumonia. Spent the next week there.

I had a private room which was quite spacious...

This was the view from my balcony...

This was the highlight of my day! Coffee...

After a week I got the all clear and returned to the Ibis Silom...

I spent the rest of the week walking around new areas and reacquainting myself with the BTS Skytrain.

There are two bars here that are on the list of the world's 100 best bars. One called Vesper is around the corner from my hotel is number 79 on the 2022 list. Vesper is named after James Bond's favourite martini!

The cocktail (Beauty and the Beast) was very strong!

Another night, I tried the BKK Social Club in the Four Seasons Hotel. I caught a Grab from my hotel. This one ranked 14 in the 2022 list. It was great. Welcome drink....

The pistachio margarita was great...

And so was the pomelo salad...

The hotel is right on the river...

The grounds are really nice...

Most mornings I would search for an Australian cafe. This one is called Sarnies and it's a chain...

Dinner one night. I usually have a cocktail as they are cheaper than a glass of house wine!

Granola, yoghurt and mango for breakfast another day. I lost my appetite in hospital so am building back up slowly...

Another day. Breakfast for me usually features avocado and poached eggs!

On Saturday morning I went to Chatachuk market. Easy to get to via Skytrain. I had a coffee while I waited for things to open. This barista took his job very seriously!

The market was very big and not too busy, but I wasn't really into it so I didn't stay long.

A couple of times I had street food for dinner. This was really good and A$4.30 including the drink!

Sunday morning I headed to DMK Airport for my Air Asia flight back to HK. Quick trip and easy process through immigration and customs.

Pai to Chiang Mai - Thursday 6 October, 2022

 Breakfast then began the long drive back to Chiang Mai. First, we made a quick stop at Pai Canyon.

 This looks like a dangerous activity!!

The track looked dangerous so I didn't go far. Plus it was hot.

We continued on and after about ten minutes, my driver stopped and made me walk over the unremarkable Pai Memorial Bridge while he took a photo. A bridge on this sight was built by the Japanese in the war as a route over the river to attack Burma.

Back in Chiang Mai and I went to the night market for dinner. I bypassed the scorpions...

I bought a shirt for THB200 (AUD8)...

I am staying this time at DusitD2 which is nothing special but cheap and it's only one night.

I wet out for a drink and then back to the hotel. Back to Bangkok tomorrow.

Pai, Thailand - Wednesday 5 October 2022

A big day of sightseeing today. I had arranged a driver as the sights are far from each other.

First I had breakfast in the hotel here...

And took another photo of the pool...

First stop was the warm spring. There's a hot one too, but that was flood affected so we couldn't go there...

We were the first ones there which was nice...

We then went to Morpang Waterfall. 

This was the way down...

Next step was a Chinese Village...

Then we drove to another waterfall...

Final stop was the bamboo bridge...

Headed back to town for a nap and then dinner. Then headed for cocktails.

Then crashed. Long day.