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BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE

If only we had the power of seeing into the future and seeing what our lives would be like. Then we could empower ourselves to be the best from an early age. Whatever you do, whether you’re in the school volleyball team, or you’re striving to climb the ladder in your career, always try to do the best you can. Don’t be afraid of what others might think. Their thoughts are their own business, not yours.

LIFE’S TOO SHORT

Why wait until the kids are grown up or the mortgage is paid off? Life is far too short to wait until…what? The right time? Before you know it, you might not be able to do whatever it is you want to do. Learn a new language. Travel the world. Get a degree. Start a new hobby. If there is something that you long to do, GO FOR IT! Take hold of the reins and just do it!  Don’t Wait!

BE POSITIVE

It’s easy being positive when your life is going well and you’re happy with your lot. Even so, sometimes negative thoughts and feelings come into play.
Being positive is a choice. Even if your life sucks, it’s still your choice to stay positive. Negativity breeds negativity. Don’t surround yourself with negative people, don’t let them bring you down. Concentrate on you! It’s your life and you only get one, so it’s up to you to choose.

CHOOSE HAPPINESS

Choose to be happy. People with a happy disposition won’t be moping around, letting negative thoughts hold them back. Happiness creates power. If you’re happy, you’re much more prepared to face the trials and tribulations that life may throw at you. Happy people can be the scorn of others, so remember people who make snide comments, or bitch about you are only saying these things because it is a reflection of who they are.

FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS

When I was younger, I wanted to be a vet, an air hostess, a soldier, work with animals, the list is endless. None of these came to fruition maybe I didn’t dream big enough. In actual fact, in the end, I realised that these careers were not for me. However, one day, I decided that I was going to leave the safety of my comfort zone, travel around part of the world, and get a teaching qualification in Thailand. I dreamed of living there, so I did what I could to get there. And that’s where I am today. I dreamed of writing a book, I accomplished that, and now I’m writing another one. It’s not foolish to have dreams. If you have a dream, maybe a job you want, a place you want to visit, anything at all, do everything you can to accomplish the things you want in life. If it is what you want, and you dream big, success will be yours. Just don’t stop chasing your dreams.

KEEP WORKING HARD AND SUCCESS WILL COME LOOKING FOR YOU

Not my quote, but this speaks for itself. It is amazing how many people think they will be successful without working hard. No-one in this world gets something for nothing. A friend follows this motto in his working life, and his success has come in the form of many honours and awards. Why? Because he works hard every minute of every day. It’s not rocket science and it may be tough, but the effort will be more than worth it.

LIVE YOUR OWN LIFE

Live your own life, don’t worry about what anyone else is doing. The older you get the less time you spend trying to please others, or worrying about what others think of you. Who cares what anyone else thinks? Whatever someone might say about you, or whatever they think about you, it’s none of your business. Keep that in mind. Let them waste energy on being negative. YOU are in charge of your own life, not theirs. YOU can do whatever you want to do in life, so go and LIVE IT!

March on. Do not tarry. To go forward is to move towards perfection. March on, and fear not the thorns, or the sharp stones on life’s path. Khalil Gibran.

Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. Lao Tzu

 It always seems impossible until it’s done. Nelson Mandela

 

Looking out from a plane window the clouds are a sight to see

They look like huge ice formations sticking up from a flat, white landscape

Huge marshmallows, to eat

What if you could jump and bounce around on them? Laughter abound. What joy!

Next, mud-pools, bubbling away

And the tops of many mountains, all towering over the sky

So majestic

So calm

So serene

Clouds are beautiful

Above the layer that covers the land, it seems like a different world

It is the in-between part between earth and space.

Author
Gill Morris

If you’re in Bangkok and fancy a day out head to Bang Poo Nature Reserve. It’s not that far, and it’s great for bird-watching.

I went there with a friend in September and, to be honest, it isn’t the most attractive places and, apart from a jetty with a restaurant at the far end, there isn’t much there. Nevertheless, we enjoyed a few hours tramping around the mangroves and pathways. In parts, there are elevated walkways that take you through the mangroves and end with views of the Gulf of Thailand.

There are a fair few species of birds and, although this area may not be an obvious birding location, over a 100 different species have been spotted there.

 

It’s a great day out. Enjoy the birds and the nature 🙂

 

 

 

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When I am alone I often think of weird things and this is one of them. Do you like to sit inside or outside? 😉 😉

I’ve always been one for sitting outside in restaurants. Even in the blistering heat of Bangkok, you’ll always find me outside. It’s much more interesting; you can see more and it’s great for people watching.

A while ago, I went to a bar with friends, only to find, to my horror, that there were no seats available outside; there are always seats available outside, but not this night. We were offered seats inside the bar, so, along with my bottom lip and annoyed expression who had now joined the party, we took our seats. INSIDE! ARGHHHH!

You may be thinking that it doesn’t really matter where you sit, especially if you are with friends, and you would be right. It’s just that I prefer sitting outside. Each to their own.

Another week, another evening, and I was sitting alone in a restaurant having dinner. I watched as a group of three people came in, followed by another, separate group. The ever attentive staff asked, “Inside or outside?”  Both groups replied “Inside.” A rather more stern reply of “Inside” came from one of the guys before either of his two companions could say otherwise. His reaction was quite amusing; like he didn’t really know why the staff were asking that question, of course they wanted to sit inside, it’s too bloody hot. There you go, sitting outside has its benefits, you get to see all this action however trivial it may seem. It adds to the amusement of the evening.

When someone asks me to sit inside, I have to struggle with myself not to behave like a child but there are a couple of people that will get me to comply and my friend Mark, is one of them. We met for dinner and drinks a couple of months back and he is quite happy sitting outside, like me, but he requested that we go inside for dinner. A reasonable request, I thought, being as it was rather hot. I yielded and am happy to report bottom lip did not join us. Once we had finished we were outside again. Proving to myself I can do it if I am persuaded.

I know it’s hot in Bangkok but for me I shall continue to station myself outside. It’s fun and the people watching is hilarious. You should try it.

Which do you prefer? Inside or outside? 😉

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Abu Dhabi ay? I had never been to that part of the world before so when a friend of mine suggested it, naturally, I wanted to go.

As I sat on the flight to Mumbai, I knew this trip was going to be amazing and I couldn’t wait to spend time with my friend. I was full of excitement and anticipation of seeing a new part of the world. After a couple hours layover in Mumbai, I arrived at Beach Rotana Hotel in Abu Dhabi to find that my friend had already changed rooms because he had wanted a beach view for us. Unfortunately, there was construction going on so a beach view we did not get but the room we had was perfect with a view of the impressive buildings on Al Maryah Island on the other side of the water.

Beach Rotana is a 5 star hotel, luxurious in every way; 11 restaurants, a few bars, swimming pool, private beach and tennis courts. It could be very difficult to leave the place because whatever you want to do, the hotel caters for it. It really was stunning. I congratulated my friend on his impeccable choice. The water by the beach is so calm and clear, except when the odd boat passes causing waves to lap onto the shores of the small, man-made, beach. I sat on a sun lounger feeling like the cat that got the cream, I was going to relish the 4 days I was there.

On the first day, we just relaxed all day. We had breakfast which is buffet style and there is a huge choice of food to start your day with; delicious cheese omelettes, cereals, full English breakfasts, toast, fruit, coffee and juices. The weather was hot. Around 40 degrees but there was a lovely breeze and not much humidity so it didn’t feel so hot. There were quite a few people around but the atmosphere was so calm and peaceful it didn’t feel at all crowded or even as if anyone else was there.

The evening was spent with a quick wander around Abu Dhabi mall, which has a private entrance from the hotel, followed by dinner at Prego’s, a lovely Italian restaurant and one of Beach Rotana’s 11 places to eat. The pizza and pasta was delicious and afterwards we had a couple of cocktails in Trader Vic’s, a French Polynesian bar, where we listened to a band playing salsa music. Food, cocktails and music; simple pleasures in life. I could get used to this 5 star living.

Abu Dhabi is the playground of the rich. Just an hour and a half away from its more touristy neighbour, Dubai. There were construction sites all over the place so I imagine in a few years there will be even more hotels and tourist attractions but for now it has a real laid back feel to it.  From where I sat on the beach that day there is a bridge over to Al Maryah Island but there was hardly any traffic on it and what traffic there was you can hardly hear it. In fact, when I arrived and took a taxi from the airport, I was surprised by the lack of traffic. A less congested and smog-filled destination. It’s a refreshing change coming from Thailand.

The following day, we took a trip to Dubai. We went to Dubai Mall and I was amazed at how plush it was. Probably, the most extravagant mall I have ever been in. The souk area had Greek-like columns and huge extravagant lighting, there were carpets on the floor and there was even a huge aquarium which was home to some beautiful fish. Flash eh?

We had planned to take a trip up the Burj Khalifa; Dubai’s iconic tower, but we were told that the tickets were more expensive if we bought them on the day. If you book a day ahead you can get the tickets for around 125 AED (21 GBP) but on the day they were 400AED (67 GBP.) So we went to see how much a bus tour of the city would cost. The bus tour takes four hours and you can get on and off where you want and much cheaper than the ticket for the Burj Khalifa. However, after a little conversation about the fact that it was too hot to be sitting on a bus for four hours and we probably wouldn’t be in Dubai again for the foreseeable future, we went back to get tickets to go up the Burj Khalifa.

It really was worth the expense though and I am very glad we decided to; the views are phenomenal. In the lift, the guy gave us a little speech about the history of the tower and told us that it takes around 1 minute to get up to the 124th floor.

Since it was completed in 2010, the Burj Khalifa is ranked as the tallest building in the world, and on the observation deck you can enjoy 360 degree views of the surrounding area of Dubai.

It was busy with everyone having the same idea as us trying to get the best spot to take pictures of the sunset. We stayed up there for a couple of hours, and we were glad we did because the views became even more spectacular when the sun went down and the neon lights of the city came on. We took so many photographs; it was an amazing experience.

In the distance you can see the Burj Al Arab Hotel, the world’s only 7 star hotel, and Palm Jumeirah and the World; only in Dubai will you find a group of islands shaped into a palm tree and the world both of which house a range of  luxury hotels, residential beach villas and apartments, marinas, water theme parks, restaurants, malls, sports facilities and spas.

When we decided to go back down we queued for about twenty minutes, and we were nearly at the lift before we remembered we had fast track tickets. Having paid 400 AED each, one would expect a little reward. We laughed when we realised that we could have got down much sooner.

The next thing we saw at Dubai Mall was the Dubai Fountain and, I have to say, it is one of the most spectacular things I have ever witnessed. It gave me goosebumps. The Dubai Fountain sprays 22,000 gallons of water into the air in many different combinations and patterns and, accompanied by music, the water appears to dance as it is projected upwards.

Outside the mall, we amused ourselves by taking photographs of the very expensive but very beautiful cars. I am not one for cars but even I had to admire them. Money talks in that part of the world and people were pulling up in there Maseratis, Roll Royces and Audis, getting out and leaving them for the valet service to park.

We watched as one guy was parking his car at the same time as another guy, in a range rover, drove into the same space. They proceeded to argue with the range rover guy saying that it was over an hour to get parked and how much money did the valet guy want so he could park there. I don’t think he got away with it; if everyone did that there would be total chaos.

The next day, we slept through breakfast until the early afternoon and relaxed on the beach for a couple of hours. Then, in the evening, we got dressed up and went to Indigo; a lovely Indian restaurant and another of the hotel’s many restaurants. Afterwards, we laid by the beach under the cool night sky chatting about what we had done there. A perfect end to a perfect few days.

On the journey home, at Mumbai airport, all I could hear was “flight to Abu Dhabi departing…..” and I was on my way home. Time goes far too quickly sometimes but I enjoyed every second and it’s a trip I will always remember.

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I have wanted to go to India for such a long time and I got the opportunity to visit a friend in Goa and when opportunity knocks you should jump at the chance, right? Well I did. I didn’t quite jump mind you, I deliberated-a lot. In the space of a few days, I was going, then I wasn’t going, then I was going again and it was only after approval from my dear mum (I still need her approval at my tender age!) that I decided life is too short for this much deliberation.

The journey was far from uneventful. I have never flown on an international flight followed by a domestic flight in one day before and it was confusing to say the least. When I checked in at Bangkok I asked the lady if my bag went straight through to Goa because I was to get a connecting flight in Mumbai. She told me it would but I needed to clear customs in Mumbai.

I didn’t really understand that but nevertheless I got to Mumbai with no problems. It wasn’t so plain sailing after that. I got to the arrival hall where there were signs for domestic transfer, so far so good. I followed them and it took me passed an office for diplomatic passports and, as it turned out, E-tourist visas, which is what I had arranged before my trip. The office was exactly the place I needed to be to clear customs but at the time I didn’t realise that. There were no signs for that!

Now slightly baffled, I asked someone which way I needed for domestic transfer and she directed me to the immigration queue. Now I realised what the lady in Bangkok meant by having to clear customs.

After about 10 minutes, I walked up to the desk only to be told that I needed desk numbers 4-6. Yep, you guessed it, the office where I had passed earlier. So, back I went and now I saw the sign for E-tourist visa, not a sign with an arrow but on the window. Honestly, who looks at those! Not me, apparently!

There weren’t many people in the queue, so I waited in line to be stamped into the country. I waited and waited. Each person had to have biometric tests done; fingers scanned and picture taken. But the scanner wasn’t working properly, so it was taking up to 15 minutes to get one person done and there were about ten people in front of me.

By this time I was starting to panic; what if I missed my connecting flight? I had a good two hours between flights but with all this delay the time was ticking on. Eventually, after an hour and a half I cleared customs and I had to race to the domestic terminal. It wasn’t over yet!

If you remember, the lady in Bangkok told me I wouldn’t see my bag until I reached Goa, so I by-passed the luggage carousel and queued at the bag-drop counter. B-A-G D-R-O-P! Still the penny hadn’t dropped. I stood there wondering why I had to wait as I had my boarding pass already, so I asked the lady if I needed to check my bags in. She told me I did.

At this point, I began to lose the power of speech. I babbled what I had been told in Bangkok. The lovely lady replied, “Yes, they do go through, but you need to drop them here. Go back and get your bag and come back here.” Time still ticking!

So, I ran back to the luggage carousel only to met by a large security man who asked, “What happened, ma’am?”

I could hardly get my words out. But he let me pass, only to find that my bag wasn’t on the belt. I felt like crying by this point. I am not going to Goa today I thought. I ran up to the desk and tried to explain, I am going to Goa, the delay, my bag, blah blah blah……….He replied, “Is that your bag?” I turned around and, lo and behold, my bag was sitting on the, now stationary, carousel looking as lost as I felt.

I could have kissed that guy. I rescued my bag and made my way back to the bag-drop counter. Before I got there though, I had to get my bag scanned but the security guard must have seen my face, nearly in tears, because he told me just to go through. As I approached the bag-drop counter for the second time that day, a guy came racing along shouting “Goa! Goa!” Now I knew I was on borrowed time. The lady quickly checked my boarding pass, I said goodbye to my bag once more and I walked, half-ran actually, to the domestic terminal. I got there still with ten minutes to spare.

Finally, I arrived in Goa in one piece, although I had to fight back the tears a few times. I actually consider myself well travelled and know what I am doing at airports but that day I was certainly put to the test. Thankfully I passed! Just!

 

I was invited to write about a new website that proposes to “Understand Thailand and Thai people better.” In order to do that the website offers 49 essential lessons to understand Thai culture.

Sam, who was born in Chiang Mai, obviously knows a lot about Thai culture; he is Thai. He also has many western friends and has spent time in the US so he is aware of the many differences there are between both cultures. Thai Culture Guide was launched in the hope that people can understand each other better, whether that is for daily social interactions if you are on vacation or whether you have decided to make Thailand your home and have a Thai partner and/or friends.

Do you know why Thais love to smile? Or the correct way to wai to greet, say thanks or apologise to someone?

Find out how Thais name themselves or why it’s hard for some Thais to understand English.

You can also learn the more intriguing aspects, such as dealing with Kreng Jai and the dos and don’ts of Thai culture.

Superstitions, the Thai family structure, giving and receiving gifts, dating, lady-boys, and losing face are among the lessons. Everything from the basic to the more in-depth has been covered in this online guide to understanding the culture.

Each lesson includes an explanation of the different aspect of Thai culture and, in most lessons, there is a scenario and possible reactions to that situation. Then each reaction is commented on giving the correct or incorrect way of doing things. Check out Lesson 1 : Smile. At the end of the lessons there are further tips and facts to help with your understanding.

As well as lessons there are interviews that support some of the lessons. In the videos, people are giving their own opinions about subjects such as dating in Thailand and having good manners.

Thai Culture Guide is a new concept and one that is a working progress, so expect more and more lessons to be added. In fact, Sam invites visitors to suggest who he should interview and also to come up with more topics to be included.

As I was going through the lessons I learned a few things that I didn’t know before;

• When it comes to names, certain alphabet characters are never used for children born on a Monday. It’s considered bad luck.
• Just as the head is regarded as the highest and most sacred part of the body, books are also classed as high objects, so putting your feet on or sitting on a book is considered impolite.
• There are different laundry lines for different types of clothes. The highest line is for items that are worn above the waist, such as shirts and blouses. A lower line is used for pants, skirts, sarongs, lingerie, and socks.
• The thumbs up gesture means a person is angry, not, as it means in the west, a good sign.
• Saying “Na-kliat na chang” (ugly kid) to the kid makes sure that an evil spirit won’t take the baby away for being too cute or beautiful.
• It’s bad luck to cut hair on Wednesdays, so most barbers and hairdressers are closed.
• Thais don’t leave home if they hear a gecko call. It’s bad luck.
• Giving handkerchiefs as a gift is deemed bad luck; the belief is that it will be used to dry away tears.

The website is simple and easy to navigate and there is lots of information on Thai culture. Whether you check out the lessons one by one or just look at the ones that interest you, you will definitely learn some things that you never knew before. For me, it gave me a better understanding on how Thais think and act and made me think about how I behave in certain situations.

The lessons can be viewed on the Thai Culture Guide website or they can be downloaded as an ebook. Membership costs $19 for the Thai Culture Guide Pro package which gives you access to all 49 lessons.

The Thai culture I find myself living in is so very different from my own and it’s a culture that isn’t always easy to understand, for both parties. But this new and different guide to Thailand is a helpful and useful resource for both newcomers and expats alike.

In the spirit of full disclosure, this is an affiliate link, which means that I may get a commission if you decide to purchase the Thai Culture Guide Pro package. I only recommend products & systems that I use and love myself, so I know you’ll be in good hands.

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The world’s gone mad with technology. Everywhere you go people are glued to their devices like their life depended on it. Nobody is making conversation, everyone is on their phones; checking in, checking out, checking feeds, checking tweets; just in case we’re going to miss something.

Like we are going to miss anything. Statuses like “just had the most amazing dinner” or “just got back from the gym.” Yes, the second one was me!

Where we have been; where we are going; where we have checked into; photos; comments; likes- it’s all crazy. It’s like we live our lives through social media.

Everyone has internet on their devices. And, until recently, I didn’t. I was happy to log onto the WiFi connection which most places have these days. I never wanted to be online 24/7.  I have a friend who thought I was crazy. He still does, but he was always telling me to get internet on my phone. “Get with the 21st century” he told me. “No, I don’t think I will!” I used to say. I liked being out of touch for a while. But now, even I have succumbed to it. I have gotten with the 21st century. Do I like it? Mmm, shall we say I am getting used to it.

I must say one thing in its defence, it is handy for finding your way somewhere using Google maps. Although, I still like to have a printed copy of the map in my hand so I can find my way to somewhere new. I don’t know why, I’m just old school. Or maybe just old?

However did we manage when we didn’t have mobile phones? When we had to use the house phone to speak to our friends or meet them at a place previously arranged. There was a time when we had to go and knock on friend’s doors to speak to them. I am far too young to remember doing that, ahem!

When we go out with friends they are half listening to what you’re saying because they are distracted by that device that appears to be attached to them. And God forbid that device beeps or vibrates, you become second best. The conversation is halted and you have to wait until they are finished, and then the conversation is forgotten. I find it very off-putting sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, I have been guilty of using my phone in company before now but it’s time to leave it alone for five minutes. Five minutes, that is all. Engage in the conversation around you. Don’t forget your human friends.

 

What do you think? 😉

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Going on holiday? Taking a long haul flight? There is no getting away from the dreaded jet lag. The disruption of the body’s normal circadian rhythm, as a result of flying, can make it seem like you haven’t slept in weeks. You feel spaced out, almost delirious in your actions and speech, and it can last anything from one day to several days, depending on whether you travel from east to west or west to east. Here is my (tongue in cheek) guide to getting over it.

1. Don’t fly with a hangover or have little sleep the day before a flight. Instead, do the boring, ahem, I mean sensible thing and invest in a blindfold, a neck cushion, ear plugs or a blow up pillow or all of those things. 😉

2. Night flights can be better because you would naturally be sleeping during the night. Once they have fed and watered you, the window shades are down so it is fairly dark, so you should be able to get some sleep. Unless, that is, your neighbour has decided to read the whole way and has the light on above you. 😉

3. If you are struggling to drift off lay your head on your fellow passenger’s shoulder. I am sure they won’t mind. 😉

4. If you can’t sleep, and said neighbour does mind, take advantage of the free booze. That always helps! 😉

5. Make sure you drink plenty of water before landing, that free booze will make you very dehydrated. 😉

6. Get up several times during the flight to walk around. This helps to reduce the effects of jet lag although will increase your neighbour’s annoyance, even if they don’t show it. 😉

7. Set your clock to your destination’s local time. The confusion, when you are working out how long it is until you land, will make you sleepy. 😉

8. Once at your destination try to stay awake until your normal bedtime. Even if that means showing your parents, friends or relatives 500 + photographs of your trip, to the point of them falling asleep. 😉

9. The day after landing, sleep until you can sleep no more. 😉

10. If all fails, just continuing drinking until you collapse into oblivion. At least you will have had a few hours kip before arriving. Just don’t blame me for the horrendous hangover you will have. Believe me, I have been there!  😉 😉

 

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Happy Happy Joy Joy; I can remember crying with happiness three times in the past few years. It’s a very strange feeling crying tears of joy because sometimes they really do come out of nowhere, and at the strangest times.

I have already written about my time in Vietnam, but, when I stayed on Cat Ba Island, I went rock climbing for the first time.

The instructor, Onslo, and I still remember his name to this day. I was in awe of him; he could climb up rocks, without a rope, very nimbly. I took a shine to him instantly. Onslo explained how the equipment worked, and then I was ready to go.

I started climbing up the rock. It was fairly easy to start with, although it’s quite a struggle trying to haul your whole body up vertically. As I got higher, I started to panic a little, froze, and could not move a muscle. I was stuck halfway up the rock. I started hyperventilating and was shaking all over; I thought I was going to fall to my death. The, very patient, Onslo told me to let go of the rock and hang in mid-air. I thought he was crazy, and whimpered that I couldn’t possibly do that. I, eventually let go, and once I realised I wasn’t going anywhere, because I was harnessed, I managed to climb the rest of the way.

When I made it back down to the beach, my legs gave way under me and I literally collapsed onto the sand, and I started crying like a baby; tears of joy at having climbed the (not so very tall) mountain. It was such a sense of achievement; I’d tried something new and had been able to do it, eventually.

The second bout of joyful tears came when I passed my degree in 2013. I had started the degree, with the Open University, in 1993, and completed two courses with them, but then my life got in the way, and I didn’t continue it.

When I moved to Thailand, I restarted it. In 2011, I moved back to the UK to finish it, because it was cheaper for me to do so. I completed four courses in the space of three years. It was such hard work; at one point I was doing two courses at the same time, as well as having a full time job.

Each time I received an email to say my exam results were available, I didn’t want to look. I was afraid I hadn’t passed. But, I plucked up the courage and found I had passed every course. I cried tears of joy at the satisfaction of knowing that all the hard work I had put in had paid off.

Then when the time came for the degree ceremony, I wasn’t even going to go but my friend, Dipesh, said that I should go, and that I would be glad that I went.  On the day of the ceremony, my Mum and I arrived at the venue. I was really nervous about going up on stage to collect my degree certificate.

I sat and listened to the director of the university telling us that we had made it, and that we should all feel proud after months and years of studying to achieve the degree. When my name was called, I went onstage to receive my award.

Afterwards, I was so glad that I had gone to acknowledge my achievement, I cried tears of joy once again because I felt so proud of myself.

When have you cried tears of joy?