Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 26 to 50 of 52
  1. #26
    Thailand Expat
    malmomike77's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2021
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    13,629
    ^ It is lovely there...when the weather is fair.

    The Yews in the UK are very long lived. Some they estimate to between 2-4 thousand years old so they are babies, many years of clipping ahead

  2. #27
    Isle of discombobulation Joe 90's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    Mai Arse
    Posts
    12,261
    Great pics and trip report commentary, looks like you fitted a lot in.

  3. #28
    Thailand Expat
    Shutree's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Last Online
    16-03-2024 @ 11:28 AM
    Location
    One heartbeat away from eternity
    Posts
    4,642
    Quote Originally Posted by Joe 90 View Post
    Great pics and trip report commentary, looks like you fitted a lot in.
    Thanks, I tried to fill up the time as much as possible. Lots of family and friends to catch up with after 3 years. Inevitably I missed quite a few.

  4. #29
    Thailand Expat
    Shutree's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Last Online
    16-03-2024 @ 11:28 AM
    Location
    One heartbeat away from eternity
    Posts
    4,642
    I am still in Shropshire with the ex. There's no escape. Fortunately we kept things civil and found some decent restaurants and pubs.

    Next stop was the Norman town of Ludlow, or the Ludlow Home for the Aged. I fitted right in.

    There are some interesting buildings. Feathers was built in 1619 and is now a hotel.

    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-ludlow1-jpg

    Not being a great history buff I never even knew that Napoleon had a brother, let alone that the brother found himself living here. Maybe it was a more exciting town, back in the day.

    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-ludlow2-jpg

    The most famous building is the Norman castle. Built to keep an eye on the Welsh. The town grew up around the castle.


    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-ludlow3-jpg


    On the day of our visit we found that tickets were being sold for Macbeth, an open air performance at the castle on the following evening. We went along with a picnic and essential cocktails. I really cannot recommend thse G&Ts in cans.
    Just as well it was close to mid-summer, there was no lighting. This pic was taken at the end of the performance, about 10pm. We enjoyed it, it isn't a play I know well and it was a reminder of how many quotes and phrases Macbeth has given to the English language, such as 'the milk of human kindness'.
    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-ludlow4-jpg

  5. #30
    Thailand Expat
    Shutree's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Last Online
    16-03-2024 @ 11:28 AM
    Location
    One heartbeat away from eternity
    Posts
    4,642
    We had another trip out, to the even sleepier town of Bishops Castle. We had a decent lunch here.

    A van had rolled back into one of the old houses here. It had done quite a lot of damage, some of these old wooden framed buildings are relatively fragile. This is probably about the most exciting thing to have happened in Bishop's Castle for quite some time.

    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-bcastle1-jpg

  6. #31
    Thailand Expat
    Shutree's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Last Online
    16-03-2024 @ 11:28 AM
    Location
    One heartbeat away from eternity
    Posts
    4,642
    Another day saw us up by Stiperstones ridge. There are colourful myths about the rocky outcrops which are simply the exposed end of a folded bed of quartzite. Mendip will be able to give us some more correct terminology. The surrounding area was once a hive of mining activity, mainly lead and some barium from Barytes ore. It's all gone now and the area is known for some rare wildlife - which I did not see.

    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-stiperstones1-jpg

    I did however see llamas and alpacas.

    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-stiperstones2-jpgAfter nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-stiperstones3-jpg


    "Look out! There are llamas."


  7. #32
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,558
    Very nice, shu. Pics and stories are appreciated. How are the wines & beers?

  8. #33
    Thailand Expat
    Shutree's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Last Online
    16-03-2024 @ 11:28 AM
    Location
    One heartbeat away from eternity
    Posts
    4,642
    Quote Originally Posted by katie23 View Post
    How are the wines & beers?
    All jolly good. One reason that I am posting this as a catch up after my return to Thailand.

  9. #34
    Thailand Expat
    Shutree's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Last Online
    16-03-2024 @ 11:28 AM
    Location
    One heartbeat away from eternity
    Posts
    4,642
    My time in Shropshire came to an end. I can understand why the ex chose to live there in the summer but winter must be a challenge.

    She agreed to drive me all the way back to LGW, with an overnight stop at my daughter's home, so an unexpected last chance to see the granddaughters again.

    On the way down she had a cross-country run to do in Malvern so I had a few hours on my own. I have never been to Malvern before. There are great views out towards the Severn valley.

    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-malvern2-jpg

    And of course Great Malvern Priory. There was probably a religious community here a thousand years ago, before the Norman invasion. Construction of the priory probably started about 20 years after the Normans arrived:

    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-malvern1-jpg

    That was my UK trip more or less over. One last night with the family and then the very long trip back to DMK. The flight was 2 hours late leaving because there was no one to load bags onto the plane. How many ground staff do you see here?

    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-lgw-jpg

  10. #35
    Thailand Expat
    malmomike77's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2021
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    13,629
    Quote Originally Posted by Shutree View Post
    I have never been to Malvern before. There are great views out towards the Severn valley.
    Its a lovely area, you can see one of my sisters houses down there if you look closely. I was down there about a month ago and it was prime asparagus season, had it in three meals and took some back. I'm over it now til next year.

  11. #36
    Away

    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    3,273
    Looks lovely, great pics. Blenheim palace is gorgeous!

  12. #37
    Thailand Expat
    Shutree's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Last Online
    16-03-2024 @ 11:28 AM
    Location
    One heartbeat away from eternity
    Posts
    4,642
    I returned to Bangkok, although this was just a short stopover as I had decided to travel on to Penang. The gf flew down to join me for a couple of days, no passport renewals on this trip.

    We went to Jim Thompson's house because she had never been there and knew nothing about his role in the Thai silk industry. It is all getting rather tightly organised for my taste. We opted for the Thai language guide which worked well because that was just us and the guide while the tourists had some shrieking harridan pushing them around.

    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-jt-house-jpg

    Back to the British Club for cocktails. They have this Fentimans tonic water that I hadn't tried before and frankly I did think it made a superior G&T. I looked on Lazada and found it at B74 a bottle, which is more than I'd like to pay. I might still get a few bottles in for when I fancy a change.

    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-fentimans-jpg

    Dinner was at a restaurant I used to like very much. I first went there not long after it opened and it was an atmospheric small house with very good food. Sadly it has changed, our experience was not better than mediocre.

    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-baanchiang-jpg

  13. #38
    Thailand Expat
    Shutree's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Last Online
    16-03-2024 @ 11:28 AM
    Location
    One heartbeat away from eternity
    Posts
    4,642
    Then it was on to Penang. My host has a comfortable apartment, the view to the East catching the sunrise over the entrance to George Town harbour.

    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-sunrise-jpg

    Inevitably, a swimming pool that nearly no one but I used.

    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-pool-jpg

    The hill behind had a couple of different kinds of monkey from time to time, plus occasional parrots and sea eagles. Here is the monkey picture that Malmomike has been waiting for:

    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-monkey-jpg

  14. #39
    Thailand Expat
    Shutree's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Last Online
    16-03-2024 @ 11:28 AM
    Location
    One heartbeat away from eternity
    Posts
    4,642
    We had a big lunch with old friends at the Penang Swimming Club. They have a nice spot with a boat park and some private beach.

    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-penangsc-jpg

  15. #40
    Thailand Expat
    Shutree's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Last Online
    16-03-2024 @ 11:28 AM
    Location
    One heartbeat away from eternity
    Posts
    4,642
    The house next to my friend's building belonged to Jho Low, before he decided to extract a few billion dollars from the Malaysian government. Jho Low was born in George Town.

    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-jl1-jpgAfter nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-jl2-jpg

  16. #41
    Thailand Expat
    PAG's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Last Online
    19-01-2024 @ 11:31 PM
    Location
    Chalong, Phuket
    Posts
    5,123
    ^^

    The boat park looks ideally placed. Slipway on the right corner? A great spot for my Boston Whaler, though I'm not too fond of Penang.

  17. #42
    Thailand Expat
    Shutree's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Last Online
    16-03-2024 @ 11:28 AM
    Location
    One heartbeat away from eternity
    Posts
    4,642
    I had things to do in George Town. I have done a lot of the touristy stuff before although I still enjoy wandering about. A couple of random pics sampling the interesting architecture and the whimsical artworks about town.

    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-gtown1-jpgAfter nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-gtown2-jpg

  18. #43
    Thailand Expat
    Shutree's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Last Online
    16-03-2024 @ 11:28 AM
    Location
    One heartbeat away from eternity
    Posts
    4,642
    Quote Originally Posted by PAG View Post
    Slipway on the right corner?
    Yes, a slipway there.
    I rather like Penang, it has some things in its favour including English being commonly spoken, along with Cantonese and Putonghua, which suits my old HK friends who have retired here.

  19. #44
    Thailand Expat
    Shutree's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Last Online
    16-03-2024 @ 11:28 AM
    Location
    One heartbeat away from eternity
    Posts
    4,642
    Getting home was less easy than I had hoped. Many Internet sources give the AirAsia office address in George Town and when I couldn't change my ticket on line I trotted down to the office. To discover that it is now a Family Mart. AirAsia closed up a year ago, it turned out. I eventually found a travel agency that sold AirAsia tickets but they couldn't rebook my 'flexible' fare. They couldn't even sell me a new ticket because their system couldn't access the page they needed to add a suitcase to the booking.
    The only option was a long journey to the airport, where their office was, you can guess, closed.

    After nearly 3 years: Back on a plane-aa-jpg

    It took some time to find the one counter handling ticket sales then queuing to meet the sourest young woman I have ever encountered in Penang. I eventually got a new ticket and a whole series of new reasons to be unhappy with AirAsia.
    I thought I was done until I arrived extra early to check in for my flight and found perhaps the longest checkin queue known to history. They had sent massages saying that online and contactless checkin was 'mandatory' but none of their machines was working so everyone had to queue.
    It was actually a joy then to arrive at DMK and find only one person ahead of me at Immigration. With no TM6 or ThailandPass required I was out into the baggage hall about 2 minutes later. A record.
    On then to the LionAir desk where the sales agent was a delight to deal with, such a contrast to AirAsia. I soon had a ticket and was later on my way home to Udon Thani.
    I had been on the road about 6 weeks. It was great to meet so many family and friends and just as great to get home again.

  20. #45
    Thailand Expat
    PAG's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Last Online
    19-01-2024 @ 11:31 PM
    Location
    Chalong, Phuket
    Posts
    5,123
    Great thread. I disliked travel even before Covid, with the exception of one or two sojourns within Thailand. Even with those, always a pleasure getting home again even after a few days away.

  21. #46
    Thailand Expat armstrong's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    6,854
    Quote Originally Posted by PAG View Post
    Great thread. I disliked travel even before Covid, with the exception of one or two sojourns within Thailand. Even with those, always a pleasure getting home again even after a few days away.
    Just spent a week at a decent place on Koh Samet which was lovely but the feeling of getting home was probably the best bit. I guess it's a good sign that you're living in the right place.

  22. #47
    Thailand Expat
    malmomike77's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2021
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    13,629
    ^ or we are all just getting old, even you Armstrong

  23. #48
    Thailand Expat armstrong's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    6,854
    Big fan of my sofa.

  24. #49
    Thailand Expat
    malmomike77's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2021
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    13,629
    sofas, i have a small 3 seat (2.9M) and a 4 seat (3.6M) but in Dill terms they are a 2 and 3 seaters - very comfy and i keep waking up at 12 and going to bed. Not midday Lulu.

  25. #50
    Thailand Expat DrWilly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2021
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    11,287
    George Town is nice but the traffic a bit of a nightmare.

Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •