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December 21st 2003
Christmas Party
for the kids from the Orphanage.
| I have just returned from the
party and I am somewhat jaded (no pun intended,
well ok yes it was) after our day in the glorious
winter sunshine here in Thailand. Spending the day
out in direct sunlight is not the Thai way or mine
with my skin colouring. Thai ladies in particular
hide from the sun a great deal. For instance they
will walk down the road holding up a book or such
like to shade their faces. It is interesting to
note that it is for the same reason why western
ladies go to the solarium to get brown like the
Thais are naturally. For the Thai woman, white
skin indicates wealth, and for a western lady a
good tan means they have just had a good holiday
in the sun. For a Thai lady a nice deep brown tan
is considered ugly and they will spend fortunes on
cream etc, to make their skin lighter. They
consider dark skin ugly because it makes them look
like peasents who spends their lives working in
the fields - much the same as westerners did
hundreds of years ago. |
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This is a photo taken from the north end of
Jomtien Beach. The tower in question is
directly in the center of the photo. In my
opinion it's really a bit of an eye saw but it
sure is a focal point. You can see it for
miles in just about every direction.
This photo was taken on
the 28/12/03 on a busy Sunday afternoon while
the beach was full of tourists both western
and Thai's down from Bangkok for the week end.
Jomtien Beach is the next beach south of
Pattaya which gets busy most weekends but
through the week it is as nice and peaceful a
place as you can imagine, totally deserted in
the early morning,
this being the best time for me. There are
very many hotels and condominiums of all price
ranges. With 7/11 stores seemingly opening
daily I have lost count of how many have
opened in the Pattaya area that have opened in
the three years I have lived here.
You
can click on any of the photo's to get a
better view. |
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Now back to the day, it started
off cool - well cool for Thailand anyway - with an air
temperature of about 20C or thereabouts at six in the
morning. The sky was as clear as a bell without a cloud in
sight and the first order of the day was my giant mug of
tea while watching the BBC World news. Nothing at the
weekends starts any other way for me, well with a little
luck anyway. Slowly watching the sun rise over the roof of
the adjacent bungalow, while taking in - or almost anyway
- the vagaries of what is going on in the world. After the
news was ‘Holiday’ a very pleasant little holiday
destination program that helps you sort out where you
would love to go for you’re your vacation. For me it’s
very nice viewing but as probably my wife would say ‘You
are on holiday permanently’. She, however is probably
right as what is work, if you love what you’re doing,
other than a holiday. That being finished it was off on
the very long journey to my desk - five seconds later
across the living room there I was starting up my computer
to download my emails and see who wants what. There was
not much today, just one $49.00 US$ bangle, but every bit
helps.
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The
top picture here is of a your lad called OU. This
was taken in August 2003, at my first meeting with
the kids from the orphanage at a day out provided
by the flying club.
As
you can see he is happy but painfully thin and in
deed he is in the last stages of HIV AIDS. I spoke
to Georgiana Paddy's wife about him at the time
and she told me that he was not expected to live
more that a few days or weeks longer.
The
bottom picture is of OU in the second position on
the slide. It was taken on the 21/12/03 at the day
out at the water park. As you can see here not
only is he still with us and more importantly
really enjoying life, he is thriving as a result
of the loving care he receives at the centre.
This
is what your donations have helped to achieve. He
is saying now that he would like to fly down to
Pucket when he manages to get his weight up to
44LB, before he dies.
Lets
all pray that he makes it.
Please don't forget you can click on the picture
to enlarge it. |
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| By 8 o’clock I was impatient. I
had completed my tasks for the day and wanted to get the
party under way, when I realized that I had not checked
back with my friend Roland whether his son, Leroy, was
coming to the kid’s party despite having made several
visits to his home through the week (trying to get a free
coffee) only to find no one there. He is building a new
house so I am guessing that they were all up there putting
the finishing touches to their mansion. I must make a knot
in something to remember to pay more regular visits as I
don’t want to miss out on the house warming party. So it
was off a round the corner to make sure he would be ready
to go at 9 o’clock. I arrived there and pushed the bell.
Waited and waited; there was not a soul in sight but one
of the maids finally turned up and I left her with the
instruction to get Leroy ready for 9 o’clock. Apparently
they had a party that I missed the night before. Then it
was off to the airfield to make sure all my helpers from
the flying club were firmly in line with the meeting point
and time. Josh, the Flying Dutchman, was
there with Mr. Att, also from Holland plus two Swiss men
who had been flying students that morning. Coffee was
presented so we sat and chin-wagged for 45 minutes or so
with the warm morning sun on my back. I ask you what more
could you want more from life, sitting there in shorts and
a short-sleeved shirt at 8a.m. or so in the morning,
passing the time of day over coffee with friends. If I
could bottle this life of mine I would make a fortune.
Soon it was time. Nine o’clock, time to go and get Noi,
Black and Leroy from around the corner. Noi and Black
where not a problem they where there ready and waiting but
I had invited two of Black’s friends from the road neither
of which now wanted to go. OK their loss, but I have to
say I was a little peeved having ordered meals for 60
people. So it was off to collect Leroy only to find out he
was not even there. Even more peeved! Not to worry; less responsibility
for me so I should worry. I had packed all the sodas and a
few beers for the men in my very large freezer box the day
before with ice between the layers and I new that I would
need a top up with one more large bag of ice so the first
stop of the morning was the ice ware-house in Soi Nung
PapWan, leading down to the main road. This was done in a
trice and off to Food- Land’s supermarket to pick up the
two large Christmas cakes that I had ordered last week. I
picked up a few big tins of cookies, some bin liner bags
and the cakes without problem. Then it was off to the most
important stop of the trip - Rudy’s restaurant for the
party food. And just as importantly my own breakfast as by
this time with all the thoughts of the party, I was
starving. |
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Date 28/12/03
Rudy & Pla's Restaurant in Soi Cow Pai. Rudy
my Swiss friend is on the right with his arm
around Pla.
Rudy is one of those guys who is the heart &
soul of his bar. It's a real talent & sure one
I haven't got. |
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| When I arrived at the
restaurant it looked as though all the whole
Soi was helping out, with a production line of
Thai ladies. The first one had chicken legs,
no I don’t mean she had chicken legs her self
I mean she was putting fried chicken legs into
the packed lunch trays, another had the fried
rice with the last bringing up the rear with
the pork ribs. The fruit for afters was
already prepared the night before I reckoned
as it was already totally complete. It was
clear that all would be ready for 10 o’clock,
the time I had told Rudy I wanted to be on my
way. So it was more coffee, more chin-wagging
and toasted egg and sausage sandwiches.
Delicious they were too. |
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| Pattaya Park Hotel is down on
the beach side of the hill which separates Pattaya
from Jomtiem beach, the bottom of which is right
on the beach. You can see it from most of Pattaya
and Jomtiem because of the tower that looks as
though it was designed to be a Saturn Five rocket
look-alike. It is not particularly beautiful but
for sure you can’t miss it. At the entrance,
having driven down the hill, is a monorail which
travels around the park at about 5 m.p.h.. The
main building on the left that is part of the
monstrosity of a tower. If you so desire you can
go to the top which is really quite high and come
down by a harness wire thing, it must be a great
view but I will leave the description of this to
others. Now I love to fly, even in an aircraft
without doors, that is no problem. However looking
over a tall cliff or off the top of a building is
just not my favorite cup of tea. You can also come
down in a rather shaky looking gondola sort of
thing on the other side, if swinging in a
parachute harness is not for you. Not far past the
main building is the entrance to the Water Park, a
little obscured by the rather small fairground
rides that are really very expensive for Thai
people at about $0.75 a go. In fact Thailand can
be very expensive for Thais. I am told that fuel
is expensive compared to the US and for sure full
car insurance is also very expensive, similar to
costs in the UK. A factory worker on the line
will be very lucky to earn as much as $154.00 USD
per month. So when you find out that a very small,
two up, two down house is going to cost you
$75.00USD per month, you can see what I mean. |
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Date
28/12/03
This
day was a little cloudy from time to time at the
base of the Pattaya Park tower unlike the day of
the party when there was not a cloud in the sky.
Ok for my friends in the States the Empire State
Buildings it's not but it's high enough for me to
look over the balcony at the top. You can just
about see the wire's at the top that you if you so
desire can dangle from. All I can say is rather
you that me.
Don't
forget you can click on the photo to get a bigger
view. |
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Now I love to fly, even in an
aircraft without doors, that is no problem. However
looking over a tall cliff or off the top of a building is
just not my favorite cup of tea. You can also come down in
a rather shaky looking gondola sort of thing on the other
side, if swinging in a parachute harness is not for you.
Not far past the main building is the entrance to the
Water Park, a little obscured by the rather small
fairground rides that are really very expensive for Thai
people at about $0.75 a go. In fact Thailand can be very
expensive for Thais. I am told that fuel is expensive
compared to the US and for sure full car insurance is also
very expensive, similar to costs in the UK. A factory
worker on the line will be very lucky to earn as much as
$154.00 USD per month. So when you find out that a very
small, two up, two down house is going to cost you
$75.00USD per month, you can see what I mean.
| The week before I had arranged the
deal with the manager, Mr. Vitoon, at Pattaya Park. He was
giving us a discount of 50% of the normal price for the
adults plus allowing us to bring all our own food and
drink. So, on arriving I just had to drive the truck down
the delivery ramp and unload it right next to the tables.
Three of Rudy’s young ladies had joined us from the
restaurant and they very quickly got busy setting up two
rows of tables and chairs that were there stacked up just
there, Mr. Vitoon came across to make sure all was well
and it was just perfect. We were in the shade in a quiet
area out of the way of the main tourist areas and just
25yds from the maze of swimming pools. |
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This photo was taken
towards the end of the day after the children had
sung some Christmas songs for us all.
You can just about see me
at the back wearing Noi's son Black. |
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Now for my job - the really
important big job, walking back up to the entrance for
meeting my guests. OK, life is tough sometimes but someone
has to do it. First came Mr. Att, who promptly gave me
$38.00 US towards the day. “No.” I said, “The day is on me
but I will take it off you and give it with the donation
at the end of the month.” This was very quickly agreed -
as he said “At least my wife won’t get a chance to spend
it!” Then came Paddy and Georgina, the Canadian couple who
are volunteers at the centre. More chin-wagging and a few
minutes later the kids arrived with Father Nidini.
After much shaking of hands and
wai-ing, later it was the Pattaya Park staff’s job to try
and get some cash of me. This was something of a small
Thai pantomime as they insisted on giving everyone a
ticket instead of just counting them through the gate and
telling me how much they wanted. OK there is always a
procedure and rules I guess but there should also be
common sense, shouldn’t there? Not to worry we were all
there and on our way down to lunch which everyone enjoyed.
Well it all went with only bones etc, left over for the
dogs. Now, OK I hold my hands up. I forgot the paper
plates and a knife for the Christmas cake’s but I doubt it
would have been done justice to as they all seemed full
after the main meal. So the cakes and a few portions of
fruit went back with them to be enjoyed another day.
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Now it was pool time. I had roped
in the pilots from the airfield to act as life-guards for
the day. Off we went with the kids, the main attraction
being the water slides. There was already other
life-guards there in attendance so there we all were
chatting about this and that watching the kids up and down
the slides in the warm Thai December sun whilst the ladies
from Rudy’s restaurant drank all the beer!
Myself and the rest of the men
were content with a soda or so, but when I finally decided
that the party was in decline and the kids where busy
munching on the rest of the fruit and cookies I fancied a
beer.
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On the
28/12/03 I braved the tower to take this photo.
The balcony was high chest height but I was still
no comfortable & wanted to get away A.S.A.P. back
to the life going down. This day was a little
cloud on occasions so the picture doesn't show how
light bright & airy the water park is in the sun
light. When I arrived at the tower I was told it
cost $5.00USD to go up so I summoned Mr. Veitoon
the manager & he very kindly let me go up for free
when I explained that it was for my web site that
I wanted the pictures. |
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| This is
another photo taken from the top of the tower
unfortunately it was cloudy at the time & the
viability on the day was not very good at all. The
view is of Pattaya bay, please remember you can
click on the photo to see it enlarged.
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| I imagined there would be nearly a
full case left as I know Paddy had that one but as I said
every one else was on the sodas. So I thought one for me
and a load left for my friend Mr. Philip from Bangkok when
he is down here visiting. Yes, you guessed it. I opened
the freezer chest to find it totally empty, had the kids
drank it? No it was Rudy’s ladies. Never mind, it was very
kind of them to help out and they really did do a good job
sorting out the food etc, sorry Philip. |
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