^ Very nice David, but sadly Odessa isn't on the itinerary.
Well, we finished up the Russian territorial waters work a day and a half ago but are still waiting off Anapa for customs clearance, before we can depart.
Now that my trip is hopefully drawing to a close I sent off a selfie to the wife to remind her what I look like before I head back to Korat. This of course could backfire and I'll arrive home to locked doors with changed locks.
The end of a three month trip at sea is a good time for reflection. This is the longest I've gone without alcohol for 40 years, since I was in my low teens... my last alcoholic drink was a glass of wine on my Lufthansa flight out of Bangkok on August 23rd. I must admit I haven't found it a problem in the slightest but I guess that's easy to say when you have no choice. I'm determined not to go back to my habitual evening Leos with Hong Thong/Ya Dong chasers as soon as I get back to my dogs and pond..
I'm also determined to maintain small meal portions and continue this exercise regime. I been using the gym throughout this trip and I reckon I've lost a truckload of weight and am even considering getting a treadmill for home... and a table tennis table for the daughter's Christmas present. If I surround myself by enough exercise equipment surely I'll lose weight and get fit?
To start completing this work commute I've now got flights from Samsun in Turkey back to Bristol on Thursday. I have a Covid vaccination booked up on the 'Mendips' on Saturday morning, and so long as that jab is Pfizer I should be able to download the certificate a couple of days later. With my Norwegian Pfizer cert I can then apply for my Thailand Pass and so long as it all goes through in ten days or so I'm good to go. I hope it all goes smoothly as I've already booked my flight to Bangkok for two Saturdays after my Covid jab, giving me exactly the 14 days grace required. I've also booked my SHA hotel and am waiting for confirmation.
I called my mum tonight, partly to warn her to expect me on Thursday night... but mainly to make sure there was steak and kidney pie on the menu for Friday lunch! I also requested a pack of decent sausages and back bacon in the fridge for a late snack when I arrive back on Thursday. The strangest thing happened... despite being determined not to slip back into my old ways, as I was talking to my mum, before I realised what I was doing I heard myself asking for a few bottles of Thatchers Gold chilling in the fridge. I was a bit pissed off with myself afterwards.
What a difference this Covid has made... a couple of years ago I would have just got on a flight to Bangkok from Turkey, end of.
Anyway, I really can't wait to get off this damn boat after 12 weeks... my head is fried but nothing a few days R & R won't sort out. All we need is for the bladdy Russians to release us by Tuesday morning. If they don't I'll be well pissed off.
A few stray grey hairs up there...
^^ Hello Stalker McStalk face, let's not mess up Mendy's thread, eh?
^ I'll take that!
It's better than the reality after 80 odd night shifts. I'm looking well haggard.
I'll ignore that. I thought we'd agreed to stop all this passport renewal nonsense talk?
I must admit though... it would be good to renew my medical before I head back up to Isaan...
Yeah, I didn't have a single one at the start of this trip!
Anyway, I'm way ahead of ya... got my strimmer out yesterday!
Yes, I've sat at this damn work station on the same damn chair for 82 consecutive 12 hour night shifts now... but just 2 more to go!
Productivity level... now virtually zero!
When do we get to see the final weighing? Please learn from Looper and wear some underwear.
Well done on the exercise front. The gf has asked for a treadmill but I tell her we can walk, run and cycle in the lane. We do 40 minutes of brisk walking most mornings. If I were to buy any machines then I reckon I'd go for one of those cross-country skiing machines, or possibly a rowing machine, because I am not going to ski or row around Isan. Frankly they are a bit pricey for me, the cheap ones are rubbish and the good ones very expensive. However, for a man who is in gainful employment it will be more affordable.
Safe travels.
Here you go:
Login - Chess.com
^^ Yeah, I don't want to do a 'Looper' that's for sure, although if I start walking around the boat bollock naked I reckon that forum embarrassment will be the least of my worries.
I'll weigh meself on Tuesday night... so long as we don't have a bad swell in which case maybe I'll have to delay it until my next work trip.
I've resisted getting a treadmill for many years, thinking that I can just jog along the local roads for free. Fifteen years of living in Isaan without a single jog has proved me wrong but to be fair who wants to jog in 40 degree heat along roads driven on by complete fuckwits? I've surprised myself by sticking with the treadmill routine for three months and so long as I have something to watch and a decent fan I'd go as far as saying it's almost enjoyable. I think it'll be a good addition for the daughter as well who gets nowhere near enough exercise with all this home schooling going on.
^ Thanks Nid!
(I've run out of time now...)
No good if you surround yourself with the equipment and then don't use it.
I am sure you are aware that you need to establish a routine and I know you can do that because you walk your dogs everyday and I dare say at about the same time each day, also you have your Leo's and ya dong regular as clockwork.
Good luck on you journey back hope it all works out.
^ just to add to David's comment and to head off bleaching my eyes again.
In case you are think of running this and using some pics as a guide for the forum punters, can we keep the pics to head shots rather than the before (in the garden in yr keks) and after in the shower room (in the same keks) - i think we can gauge on jowl shrinkage.
Thanks
I'm tipping a portly 89kgs.
^^What has your bending Malaysian ladyblokes over your balcony got to do with this thread?
There's nothing wrong with the chair, even after 3 months of heavy use... I wish I had one like this at home. Working for a Norwegian company you're assured good quality office furniture and you should see the standard of the pens, pencils and notebooks... the daughter will be the envy of all her classmates next year at school!
My one night quarantine is kind of for free... after a flight rebook back in January that meant a change of ASQ hotel (if I wanted a balcony), we agreed for the hotel to keep money on credit for later use. I had kind of written this off after all these months but they're honouring the deal. I've splashed out a bit on a nice room as I'm staying in Bangkok for a 3 day quarantine, just to be on the safe side.
Mind you, in saying that they haven't confirmed my booking yet!
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