atlas2

I have to go back today after 10 to collect my passport………..I'll see how busy it is. Edit in:……..Very quiet and pleasant Christmas Day. Smiles all-round ……Well from the Thais. All in red with Santa hats……Lovely. Falangs sporting frowns as always. I wanted to shout, "lighten up you buggers" But thought I'd would have got arrested for being cheerful.!

Sorta difficult to be full of cheer after that! Still the hernia didn't kill you….and that was lucky by your account. You're suggesting that the Jaw's getting better too…So that's good. The rolex ain't important by comparison. You done amazing to see this Christmas………Like Churchill said, "When you're going through hell…..keep walking" And you have done so Happy Christmas Bluchef. Now Happy Christmas to all……..And your Christmas poser is to tell me why Fred Flintstone always celebrated Christmas? I've always wondered!

I had until the 22nd of Jan to renew my visa……….I usually go about the 11th to be safe. Some perverse compulsion had me up this morning thinking I'll go Christmas Day….. ……..Should be quiet! But actually once I got started on collating all the stuff and having the pic taken I thought bugger I'll go today…..Christmas Eve' Got there at 12.45 to queue for a ticket…….About 15 people ahead of me. Got 641 at about 12.50……Which turned out to the first in the afternoon queue for the one year visa. Ping and an automated voice beckoned me to table 6. He shuffled and ordered my papers into the order that suited….I'd already stapled my photo... 15 secs gone. Counted on his fingers the months from Sept 1st and saw that it was the required 3 months that my account had been above 800,000 baht. 10 secs. Took the money and gave me 100 baht back and a number for collection tomorrow after 10 am…... Under a minute!!!! Put me in fine fettle! Out the door and back at my condo by 5 past 1pm Thai efficiency at it's best. I'm claiming the record.

For obvious reasons…….. A da de da song made something great……... RIP

We've had a lot of discussions regarding 'Real Football' i.e. which game is actually played with the foot. Ditto the Rugby Vs "football" which is the tougher? Ditto whether the Robo-cop outfits protect or contribute to injury. I like to watch all three. Though I only watch the highlights of real football……..as the frequent stoppages become annoying. I would love to see a shorter version of the game….. a bit like 'Rugby 7s' develop. Be great to have the same players playing offense and defense and taking on the kicking duties……..An all-round version that compliments the real thing.

Expect a hike in European gas prices.. If he can? Might the price of Russian hookers deflate.. ? There's a gorgeous one sitting next to me at a Teprasit car wash??

The recent fracas on an Asia air flight where boiling water was thrown over a stewardess because a Chinese couple were forced to sit apart. The plane returned to BKK. The couple got off lightly here but will be in trouble back home. Here's a very honest Chinese take on themselves.

In the spirit of Christmas…….. This curiosity was the 1967 Beatles Christmas flexi disc record for their fan club members…….Still got it somewhere. A nice little opening ditty……Some pre-Python…..stream of consciousness, un-connected sketches and 'Plenty of Jam Jars Baby.' Like it or hate it …Who else was doing this……?? If you can get to the end…….There's a nice bit of MacLennon http://youtu.be/I0r_9_n3ZlY OK something trad and nice to finish….

He was stoically disappointed as I remember ………His other great misconception was as a 4yr old…..after enquiring whether there were sharks in a Hampstead pond?………(To which I'd replied they live in the sea)……He said, "You get grapes in the sea" I turned the car radio down and asked him to repeat what he'd just said……"You get grapes in the sea." His tone was flat and certain…... It took me a few moments before I twigged... "Do you mean currents Joe?" Patiently he replied…..."Yes ……Currants"

Took my son for his first ski trip to Austria…. He was 3 then………On the flight home he complained to me that he hadn't seen any Ostriches…..

Queen Gorgo……..300. I was born a poor black child

Pat's the one who has the hump with me. For what I don't know other than for always choosing Anne! Pity……Next to the blissful Anne, Nong from Lolitas both retired…….My 5 year long-time, on off regular…Now in Europe……Pat is the best of the rest around. Like Ikkrang I thoroughly recommend her.

Great stuff. I heard about the Irish judge at the skating championships. One of the competitors comes out and immediately falls on his arse. He gets up and carries on but falls another 3 times. The music stops the crowd are silent and all the scores are held up 0 0 0 0 0 0 zeros all and then a 10 from the Irish judge!! The other judges turn on him in consternation and demand, "How can you give that man a 10?" "Well" says paddy….."You know 'tis very slippery out there"

Longer term what will this mean for the glut of condos under construction………? I'm still seeing Russians nest building in Index and Home Pro but when your currency takes such a hit…What was affordable becomes less so…..And backing out of deals is to be considered.

Et tu Jacko!

Seriously it looks quite tidy for the money being asked. The comment regarding….. 'as the bed is such a feature in a bedsit, why not make the best of it you can'…….is a good one. And I should not have pooh pooh'd it. My comment was shallow and without foundation……..And I wish I could turn back time so that I had never said such a repellant thing and that the whole shameful episode had never happened. I hope all gays can see through my bigotry and perhaps, even accept it as a backhanded compliment. I realize how stupid that comment has made me look and I apologize and indeed grovel at the reader's feet. To explain the sudden turn of events…..and indeed my predicament ….. A short while ago two rather handsome young men abducted me and brought me here to this garden shed.. They placed my most valuable and vulnerable member into a vice on a workbench…and have removed the metal bar that tightens and loosens the vice. Then with a menacing flourish they produced a wood-saw. I admit fearing the worst I'd screamed like a baby……."My god you're not going to cut my dick off are you??" "No," they said, placing the saw within my reach…. "You are, after we set light to this shed………Unless that is…..?" So you see dear reader, you hold my life in your hands……..If this post should receive one single red vote I'm assured I will be faced with a fundamental decision.

Only gays would care!!!

On the general subject I've been told I should check out a place called 'The Players' Best way for me to describe it's location is coming from Suk on Siam turn right at the last main Xroads before Butterfly. Anyone been?

I have heard The Wolfhound is fantastic too…….

Although I get the feeling this is genuine…... My worry would be……..that intermingled with an hour and a half of mostly innocent chit chat…….Details such as DOB, passport number, visa and bank accounts……could be given and possibly used in some way. Or sold on to third parties that specialize in creating 'false' identities. This of course could just be my own paranoia. But I wonder were you asked for personal details……? If not I'll give them a ring...

I'm pretty sure that amongst themselves, Thais think falangs are the really crap drivers….. These high and mighty foreigners who insist on following most of those petty rules set up to organize traffic at the cost of individual freedom which in fact only serve only to frustrate. However, in a frank display of honesty I was told once by a Thai girl that, "Motor Taxi drivers are an excellent example of Thai men's attitude to sex……They just pull out without a thought if anyone else is coming….."

Traffic traveling in all 4 directions as normal on Jomtien Beach road…...

This will be a month of fun and games…….. Miserable Russians and the others coming out of their beach front hotels and having to travel in the opposite direction to Pattaya on a baht bus or hoof it to 2nd road to travel towards Pattaya……..and then if they only wanted the other end of Jomtien having to hoof it from 2nd road back to Jomtien beach. The coaches struggling along sois 7 and 5….. The tail backs at either end of second road……….Mainstream traffic dodging the frantic U turners……. 'Appy days…….

I drink a lot of tea………Thanks to being forgotten about at my dentist in the 90's and having to sit there a lot longer than necessary I discovered thumbing through the trendy magazines this stuff…….. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pu-erh_tea The first cup of this is pretty strong but reheating the leaves 2 or 3 times more produces gentler flavours….. I think it's benefits outweigh the one draw back……I'm told by those 'who would know' that it makes my sperm 'Kom' or taste bitter.

Ahh touching…555! You have the Christmas spirit of this bloke Jacko