Gonzo

Hi Jacko, I went to my favourite PTT service station on Sukhumvit yesterday to buy fuel and have the tyres inflated to their correct pressure. They have mechanics working there in a workshop. They only speak Thai. The missus asked the boss mechanic to check the tyres. He told her they looked like new ones and it would be silly to buy a new set when we come back.. He said the people at Toyota were having a lend of me. I then had the car washed and now it's all wrapped up and stored undercover, as we are making preparations for our three month trip or longer early next week. Sorry Nightrider for mentioning my itinerary again.

Scrutinize your own posts.

I don't park in the sun often. When we drive to Pattaya, I use one of the undercover car parks we know and take a baht bus from there to other destination .There is an undercover car park at the JBC condos. Having the car parked there, not being driven for a few month each year, when we go overseas might cause problems for the tyres (tires), like flat spots? There are quite a few potholes all over the place on the roads and at times they are hard to avoid. That might also cause fine cracks in the tyres (tires), which cannot be seen? I want to be on the safe side and will probably buy a new and good set of new ones, when we come back. Thanks for trying to help.

That what I thought. I never do any 180s skidding and never had a tracking problem or an accident. It is probably another case of Thai business people trying to rip off a Farang.

I will do so when we come back from Oz in October. Leaving Jomtien early next week to fly to Singapore with Jetstar and after a 10 hour wait in transit at Changi airport will board another Jetstar flight back to to Darwin. Cheers

Unlucky USA. They were all over Belgium in the second half of extra time, but somehow failed to score their second goal. They were also unlucky to play against the strongest team in the last 16. Great game USA. Congratulations.

Howard, the USA goalie, is the true hero of this game. He denied the Belgians again and again. The USA nearly scored in added on time and almost won the game. Clint Dempsey is a great player and captain. It's quite amazing how many games go into extra time in this World Cup.

The USA played better in the first half than all the other teams already qualified for the quarter finals, Brazil, Columbia, Holland, Costa Rica, France, Germany and Argentina. Don't forget they are playing against a very strong Belgium, with young De Bruyen their best player, unlucky not to score twice. The USA had a couple of very good chances as well. Jürgen Klinsmann seems totally committed to his team and looks worried all of the time. He is an American now and sang the USA national anthem as well. Johnson is unlucky to be out of the game with a hamstring injury. One yellow card for each team from the good Algerian referee. The second half will be a thriller and if the USA wins it will be sensational and the whole world will talk about it.

Great picture report, firth 1974. I must put Vietnam on my to do list, before I run out of time.

Argentina scored 3 minutes before the end and Swtzerland than hit the lower left post. Argentina won 1:0, undeservedly. It is now time to wait for the USA game against Belgium. Too late trying to have a nap. I might fall asleep and miss out on the game in one hour's time. Good luck USA.

This game is well into extra time with five minutes to go before another penalty shoot out. Messi had a couple of good shots at goal, but didn't set the world on fire. The Argentinians, unlike the Swiss are good at taking dives in typical South American fashion and then roll on the ground in agony to get free kicks and have Switzerland punished with yellow cards.

I need some expert advice, if the tyres (tires) need replacing. They look all right to me and they have as much thread as new ones. I have done less than 20 000 km in four years and always take it easy on the brakes. If they indeed need replacing, I want to buy a good new set of tires and am not worried about the cost. I just had a full service done, had the brake fluid and the coolant replaced, the air con cleaned for 2000 baht and the car looks and drives like a new car.

Go Switzerland and USA. The Switzerland - Argentina match is underway. Switzerland has 7 Bundesliga players playing for them. Ottmar Hitzfeld is the trainer of Switzerland. His brother Winfried died last night. R.I.P. No score after 20 minutes play.

According to the Bundesliga website. Manuel Neuer made 19 trips into the outfield and saved Germany's arse (ass). He prevented at least three goals and Algeria would have won, if it wouldn't have been for him playing as a "Libero", as good as Franz Beckenbauer was in the old days. They are saying he could easily play as a back or as a midfielder. He always gives 100% and plays without fear, always putting his body at risk. He has certainly has given Joachim Löw fresh hope, when Germany are up against France next Friday.

207 teams from the six FIFA confederations around the world had to compete in the qualifiers for the 32 available places in the World Cup. I guess that why they call it the finals. Only Brazil, the host nation, did not have to qualify.

I will try that place when we come back from OZ in October.. When I had the Vios serviced not so long ago at Toyota, they would not rotate the tires, as they told me they had tiny cracks on them. They told me to buy new ones for safety reasons. The tires still have plenty of thread on them and I hope the Toyota service department is not telling fibs. Thanks for the info.

Germany didn't play well in the first half of normal time. Algeria had the measure of them and looked dangerous in attack.Germany improved in the second half, but the 0:0 result at full time was unchanged. Schürrle, who plays for Chelsea in the EPL, scored in the second minute of extra time and Arsenal's Mesmet Özil made it 2;0 in the 119th minute. Islam Slimani pulled a goal back in added on time in the 121th minute and the Germans won the match 2:1. The Algerian goalie made some very good saves. Neuer had to work hard to keep Algeria at bay as well and had to play at times as a defender outside the box of the penalty area. This seems to be a goal keeper's tournament. Germany now has to play France in the Quarter finals and I don't like their chances to win against them.

France will be the team to beat in this World Cup, the way they played against Nigeria tonight. It would have been 5 to 0 instead of 2 to 0, if it would not have been for the Enycama, the excellent Nigerian goal keeper. The dancer without her pants on would have distracted me from the game as well.

The best save by the Nigerian goal keeper you will ever see around the 25 min. mark of the first half. Still 0:0 after 30 minutes play. Great game this.

I would not put money on a Germany-Argentina final. My tips are wrong more often than not. Germany might find it hard tomorrow morning at 3AM Thai time to beat Algeria, who will be heroes forever, should they win against the Germans.

I was referring to Chile and the penalty shoot out against Brazil. You didn't have things mixed up, I did. All those late nights watching football (soccer) are taking their toll on me as well. I find it hard to get more than a couple of hours sleep during daylight, unlike Mrs Gonzo. She just goes to bed in the morning and sleeps like a log.

I really hope so. Belgium are a big threat and as strong as any European or South American team. The USA have been the big surprise of this World Cup so far and now have a huge following all over the world, including their own country.

I find the PTT stations to be good and honest. They have never tried to short change me and always seem very efficient.

Getting an Australian tourist visa for a Thai partner involves a fair bit of work for an Australian as well. I think our circumstances are similar. You won’t have any problems to get a tourist visa with your Brit passport. You will be able to do it on line, but since you are taking your Thai TGF with you, you might as well go to the VFS office (Australian visa application centre) at the Trendy building in Soi 13 Sukhumvit, close to the Nana station in Bangkok together. Your wife will need a completed 1419 Application for a visitor visa and so will you. Your TGF will need certain documents as well. A birth certificate, her name on your Tabien baan (house book), marriage and divorce papers from a previous relationship if applicable, a change of name certificate if applicable, a Thai passport, two passport pictures and her Thai I.D card, back and front (2 copies) and pictures of you and her together over a period of time. Pictures showing you and her with some of her Thai family will help also. A Thai Last Will & Testament with her as the beneficiary would help as well. Her documents will not have to be translated for a tourist visa only. VFS will only keep copies of her documents, but will want to sight the originals. Since you have been supporting her for a few years and she is not working now, any letters from previous employers should be less important. In her 1419 application, she can put down retired, but should know when she retired from work. She will have to leave a Thai bankbook in her name with VFS, which will be returned when she picks up her Visa Grant Notice. VFS will not keep her Thai passport and her Thai I.D. They only want the 2 copies of it. You will have to bring your Thai bank books as well, which VFS will keep also, until you get your visa, which should take about ten working days. The bank books should show all money transactions for the last six months. Don’t forget to make copies of your chanote (title) of your property as well. You will have to write a letter of Invitation, explaining as much as possible about your relationship and the reason why the TGF and you will want to visit Australia. Tourism and visiting your friend in Perth should be sufficient. You will also have to guarantee, that you will financially support the TGF in Australia. A letter from your friend in Perth saying that he will provide accommodation for you and the TGF is also important. Get at least three statements from close friends here in Thailand, saying that they have known you and the TGF living together as a de facto couple for at least 12 months Go the www.immi.gov.au website, where you can download the 1419 forms, which will save you a trip to Bangkok. The website will also give you all the information you need, probably more than you need. The Thaivisa.com web site is also a good source of information and so is the VFS website. Doing the visa applications by yourself will probably save you 50 K THB. Only you, being in a permanent relationship with your de facto wife, is allowed to assist with her application. I am sure Darren will give you a few ideas at the meetings at the club as well. Make sure you use the latest Visa 1419 application forms. The Australian Embassy change the forms every April, July and November and won't accept an outdated one.

Getting a Thai passport for your woman is easy. Getting a tourist visa for Australia is a lot harder, unless you fulfill all the requirements and are able to do the paperwork required. Darren is a great guy, but if you can do the visa application yourself, it will save you a fair bit of money. Applying for a partner visa might need the help from someone like Darren from Key Visa,