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  1. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog
    Where's MeMock gone?

    I hope he's not been washed away in the deluge or we'll not get to hear the rest of Pop's tale.
    remember this is not an exclusive interview. Any can jump in with a question but please keep it semi serious.

    marmers, this flood is awesome, just got back from looking at one of the rivers as it is as far as we can go due to closed roads ant it is as big as I can ever remember. Tomorrow my mate will take me up in his chopper for what will hopefully be some really good pics.
    News is what someone, somewhere is trying to suppress - everything else is just advertising.

  2. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by MeMock
    Tomorrow my mate will take me up in his chopper for what will hopefully be some really good pics.
    Looking forward to the results mate.

    *Shouts for Pops*

  3. #28
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    Just got back an hour ago, might start a new thread whilst I wait for pops as well.

  4. #29
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    Older BKK eh. No air in any of the taxis, not metered either. Everyone still wanted to take you to a massage parlor. The trafffic jams might have even been worse as there were a lot fewer streets.

    The sunday market was at Sanam Luang not at JJ, JJ did not exist. The tallest building in Bangkok was the Dusit Thani hotel, and there was no building at all past Suttisan Rd. Going to the airport even from Pradipat was an hour and a half because of all the traffic and stop lights.

    For food you had Thai, and a few western style restaurants. Toplight in Siam square had nice burgers and club sandwiches. For eating I did mostly street food like Mu Ping and kau neow. The night markets were great and an adventure watching the foods being prepared.

    Beer was about 40 Baht a big bottle but there were 20 baht to the US dollar so beer was more expensive than now. I was paying 300 baht a night for an airconditioned room and a pool.

    Buses were one baht 50 and they had no aircon buses, but even back then a very comprehensive network about town.

    There was no Kao San Road, the two hang outs were the Thai Song Kreet near Hualompong where the older hands stayed, and the younger travellers were all in the Soi Nam Du Pli area, I moved there and paid 120 baht a night for a nice aircon room at the privacy hotel.

    The only way to meet up and get information back then was a big bulletin board at Foodland Ploenchit which is now long gone. It was on Ploenchit about two block before Central on the same side of the street as Central. Any information you wanted was gotten by leaving messages on this big board, there were hundreds at any one time. A good second hand bookstore was also located there.

    There was only one department store that being the flagship Central on Silom.

    Sathorn was tree lined and became the scene of my first wild adventure in the LOS. Damn it was a pretty street with the klong down the center. The sun could not get through the trees.

  5. #30
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    Well looks like I can't go on without asking about your Sathorn Adventure!

    Fire away.

  6. #31
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    The first visa I was to get was at the Burmese Embassy. The taxis had no meters and were hot as hell. We agreed on 200 baht to take my mate and I to the embassy from Saphan Kwai. We were going south on Sathorn after about an hour of going around in circles when I spotted it on the other side of the road.

    Now I wasnt used to driving on the wrong side of the road and couldnt speak of word of Thai so I started mumbing and gesticualating for him to turn around. Well back then there were only one or two places to U turn so finally we got turned around, then 100 meters before the embassy he U'turned back to the other way. By then both Jerry and I were wanting out but there was no way over the klong in the middle of Sathorn. So we stayed put and he got going the right way again. Upon arrival he demands 500 baht and a big argument started. Rather than continue arguing I decided to pull a runner.

    He started screaming something as I was opening the door. I assumed it was dont run you fcking falang shit, but nope it was something more like this. "You stupid American dont open the door to traffic, I know this is the wrong side of the road for you but dont do it" I did it, and with in 3 seconds the back door on the drivers side was hit and gone down Sathorn.

    Being that this was the second day in Thailand we didnt want the trip to be over so we took off running. Scaled some wall of a big house on Sathorn and hid in the backyard. Eventually we climbed over a couple of more walls and found the side entrance to the Burmese embassy. The guards were quite surprised to see us climbing down a tree almost above the visa entrance way. But no problems with them and the taxi driver didnt catch us.

    I did feel abit bad about his door, but he got the fare not the 500 he wanted.

    This might be it for today as its pork chop night, and I have a friend coming. Off to get some beer and munchies.

  7. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by aging one
    Sathorn was tree lined and became the scene of my first wild adventure in the LOS. Damn it was a pretty street with the klong down the center. The sun could not get through the trees.
    True story...bloody criminal to cut down all those beautiful trees and leave us with pesent-day Sathorn...cvnts...

    you there Poolie??

  8. #33
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    Great story AO, not bad for only your second day in thailand!

    Now being pork chop night I will let you off from you duties until tomorrow. Question to kick start tomorrow...

    I am assuming you got your visa to Burma okay. How did you get there, how long were you there, what were the highlights of the trip and did you return to Bangkok afterwards?

  9. #34
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    We flew TG to Burma, and it was shocking. The taxis did not turn on their lights at night unless they were going to pass, as there were no lightbulbs. Halfway to the Strand which we had booked into the taxi broke, so we all got out opened the bonnet and had a look.

    Simple the driver enquired his home made carburator had broken. It in all honesty was an old orange juice can. He made the necessary repairs and we were off

    The Strand was the sister hotels to the E&O, the Oriental, and the Raffles in Singapore. But it was caught in a time warp. Back then the rooms went for about 18 bucks but you had the atmostphere of being in a Joseph Conrad novel.

    British meals were the order of the day. Full British menu, I had great breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Remember a truely lovely roast beef and yorkshire pudding. Where did they get the foods I have no idea, and Burma was so far back in time even then.

    Not a person one wore pants, they all men and women both wore the traditional lhongi, or Burmese sarong. All smoked cheroots the burmese cigars, and all had their faces plastered with the Burmese powder.

    First morning we were off to Schwedagon Pagoda and its massive gold dome. It was really something and seemed to inspire more in me that Wat Pra Keo, or the grand palace had.

    We intended to fly to Pagan on the 3rd day so we were off to Burma air to book the tickets. All of us got round trip tickets for the price of a carton of State Express 555's and a bottle of Johny Red. The advice to bring those specific items paid off.

    We enjoyed cocktails in the Strands bar overlooking the Irrawady river each night, and also began to aquire a taste for cheroots after dinner.

    The third morning we were up early and off to the airport for the flight to Pagan. We all boarded and then sat there for an hour as they repaired both the right and left side engines. I was feeling a bit hesitant but a steward was sitting next to me and assured me this was standard operating procedure. Okay fine, but what about the chanting he started emitting as soon as we got on the runway. "Why chanting"? I enquired, "For a successfull takeoff" was the reply. Soon we were airborn and I was laying with my head in the passenger behind me's seat. The seat I was in was not fastened to the floor and I went right back as the plane took off.

    An hour later we were in Pagan, and had no idea where to stay. "Good Morning me name is Koko Nu" were the words out of the cutest 16 year old boy you ever want to see. He was a freelance guide on break from school and we soon hired him to guide the 3 of us around the vast plains of Pagan.

    His sister had a little guest house that was very near the banks of the river so we checked in. No air and hot as hell, but this was our adventure.

    It was literally breathtaking to look out on this vast plane and see nothing but temples, towers and more temples, all in a state of great neglect but beautiful none the less.

    We visited a few by horse drawn cart, but didnt really like that as the horse pulling us was smaller than a Shetland pony, and we had too much pity for the little guy. But by the time we had climbed to the top of 5 or 6 towers it was time for dinner and bed, as we were going to cross the Irrawady tommorrow and climb to the top of the opposite "tall hill" of about 1200 meters to get an overall view of the whole plane of Pagan.

    This was 25 years ago and to show you how backwards it was. Koko asked for one thing. Could I send him just a picture of what a television looked like. He for the life of him could not imagine a box that was like a movie and radio put together.
    Last edited by aging one; 27-03-2006 at 12:27 PM.

  10. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by aging one
    Not to many marmers, a few of Samui 20 years ago. The rest burned up in the big fire in the Oakland hills fire of 1990. Was storing them at a mate house and the fire hit.
    Dang really SK drive in liquor stores. Well they dont have them in Cal, Oregon, Washington, or Neveda I know that for sure.

    I am not sure if they even had drink driving laws in Oz 25 years ago?? Memock?
    Yep, been to them places and they don't have them. Hawaii doesn't either. But you're darn tootin', they gottem aplenty in Ohio.

  11. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by aging one

    I am not sure if they even had drink driving laws in Oz 25 years ago?? Memock?
    They did but they were hardly enforced.

    These days are a different story, They have managed in just one generation to change the thought process of drink driving whihc is great. Last generation it was a competition the next morning to find out who drove home after drinking the most these days your mates are more likely to take ya keys from you and/or call the police.

  12. #37
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    I loved the bit about them fixing both engines before take off and the realising the seat wasnt even bolted down! Classic stuff.

    So after Burma, what lay in store for you? I suppose I should also ask how long where these trips taking and how were you supporting yourself?

  13. #38
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    ChiangMai noon's Avatar
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    I think you are onto something with these interviews.
    I think you should do a different member every couple of weeks.
    Genuinely interesting.

  14. #39
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    Cheers CMN, that is actually the plan. So many people here have had quite interesting lives but don't really talk too much about it. Having a semi serious Q & A session seems to bring it out a lot better.

    However I need to be careful who will be next as you have to find people that don't lie and/or have been doing nothing for the past 20 years but go to go go bars in a drug induced haze.

  15. #40
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    hah, CMN, what you got to say!!?

  16. #41
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    So how many years you been in Thailand DR Andy ?

  17. #42
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    At the time I went to Burma it was a free stop on TG if you were going to Katmandu, and thats where we were off to next. So later today AO meets Katmandu the mountains, Pokhara, and the dreaded giardia.

  18. #43
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    Not so many. I first came in 1989, for holidays. I did not actually work here until 1994, in Bangkok. I have lived in CM for 4 years approx.

    so not an old timer

  19. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by friscofrankie
    Voted Playboy's top party college more times than all the others combined, BTW. 'Bout the same time you were there I 'magine. We just might of had somee of the same girls. Rememeber Busch Bear (or was it beer?) Gardens? (somethin' like that) Loved ridin' the scoot up there all during the 70's. Nice Ride, mostly flat smooth road. Plenty of hills and whatnot to trip around in once you got there.

    Sorry Frankie, I missed that post. Yup it was a great ride up. If you cut off the interstate and went in through Colusa it was even nicer. Corn, almonds, walnuts were all picked from the fields on the way home. Just out of Chico there were some great rides heading up the American river canyon. Stop and get one hell of a nice swim as well.

    Near the small power stations they had great crawdad gigging as well. We would have some massive free feeds. Always skinny dipped my whole way though uni. Fun times.

    Busch Bavarian.. At that time I fell in love with Miller High Life for an American beer. Both of the bottom crispers in the fridge were filled with those lovely clear bottles.

  20. #45
    Not again!
    machangezi's Avatar
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    Interesting. Keep it going pops.

  21. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by aging one
    So later today AO meets Katmandu the mountains, Pokhara, and the dreaded giardia.

    tap tap tap

  22. #47
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    Aging One will update this thing tomorrow. Got laid low by a bug in food. I go every year with my wife and family to honor her father in Chinese tradition. Its called Chaieng Maeing or something like that. Always in the hot season.

    This year we got a late start as we gotta visit not only daddy's but grandadddy's and greatgrandaddy's, thank god the last two are in one plot. but they came first.

    To make a long story short in 44degree heat the family was eating and drinking and hacking up food like crazy. I just had a few bits but boom at 5pm it hit. Thanks god it didnt happen in the car on the way back.


    The end of the story is my brain is mush, I shall post about Katmandu tomorrow.

    Cheers all
    AO

  23. #48
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    No worries mate - sorry to hear that you aren't well.

    Tomorrow will hopefully be a new day

  24. #49
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    Not unwell not AO proper mate, 12+times today.

  25. #50
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    mate 12+ times today ?

    u betta keep yo fluids up or u'll end up in hosipatal on a drip.....

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