Sawasdee bi mae - Happy New Year from Thailand

[X5Sport]

Happy New Year to all the members from us out here in sunny Southern Thailand

Today is the start of year 2554 and is celebrated with the Water Festival (Songkran). Bonnie and I wish all of you a great day. We are heavily armed with super soakers as everyone goes nuts. Sounds like we're going to get wet

EDIT: As expected, the celebration turned into the biggest water fight I have ever seen. At least 150 guests and most of the staff armed with super soakers, fire hoses and iced water spent a happy hour celebrating the New Year. Good thing the air temps are in the 30C mark. Everyone is very wet and very happy.....those checking in this morning must have wondered what on earth was going on.

Tonight is party night.....

Richard & Bonnie

[Waka]

[bayrak]

You lucky people

[Sanj]

I hate him - don't reply to this thread! Seriously jealous!

Enjoy buddy!

[AW8]

Happy New Year out there

[X5Sport]

[quote=""Waka""]

[/quote]
Sorry guys, I haven't got a waterproof camera out here or means to transfer them. I'll put piccies up when we get back.

[X5Sport]

[quote=""Sanj""]I hate him - don't reply to this thread! Seriously jealous!

Enjoy buddy![/quote]

Especially for you sir........

The Andaman Sea looking West from Karon beach, Phuket....

[Sanj]

That's lovely....

[5hep]

Phuket is my fav place in the world.

Take it you have seen the delights of Bagla Road.

Pop down Soi Tiger to Bar Funk and have a beer

[X5Sport]

We know Patong well, and Bangla Road is indeed an 'experience' Did you ever go to Simon's Cabaret? Now there's n eye-opener of an evening Some of the 'girls' are prettier than the biologically naturally born ones.

Methinks certain people would need to have their wits about them, or they might get a surprise Pictures to follow of what I mean - and no I wasn't caught. I'm happily married..... I did get offered a massage or two dozen though, along with several new silk suits, T-Shirts, Tuk-Tuks, fake Rolex watches and Louis-Vuiton luggage (whoever they are).

We're on our way back tonight after three great weeks here. It absolutely chucked it down this morning - which will please Sanj - and there's a risk of flights being affected if the storms return tonight. Deep joy, 18 hours of airports and planes. Still, flying Business Class on Thai is very pleasant. Back to normality tomorrow morning The M25 on a Monday!! And with the M1 screwed up too. Aaaarrghhh!!!

[Sanj]

[quote=""X5Sport""]It absolutely chucked it down this morning - which will please Sanj - and there's a risk of flights being affected if the storms return tonight. Deep joy, 18 hours of airports and planes. Back to normality tomorrow morning The M25 on a Monday!! And with the M1 screwed up too. Aaaarrghhh!!![/quote]

Hope my comments were taken in jest - wish you a VERY safe trip home with minimul disruption.

If it helps, I'll be heading North on the M1 at 06:30.

Glad it rained!

[X5Sport]

Of course they were taken fully in the spirit they were meant. This is a nice club after all. And a SAFE journey to you too.

Logging off til we get back as my wireless card is about to run out......

[X5Sport]

Back safe. I only saw one X5 out there and a few E46 style plus a couple of older 5 series. The locals tell me that the Thai Gov't imposes massive import duties on certain 'luxury brands' and BMW are in that group. In some cases the taxes are 450% - no that's not a typo! You realky do need to have a load of cash to buy anything other than a Honda, Toyota or moped out there. Mind you with the way they drive it may be a good thing. The X5 gearbox would be shredded in a week.

For those ho have never seen the driving out there it is an experience to behold. As an example, imagine if you will a Honda 90 moped and sidecar. Now build a barbecue into the sidecar and add a tall cover, loads of hooks for the produce, a shelf for the condiments, a gas cylinder exposed and mounted behind the rear wheel and covering the rear light, a six month old baby in front of the driver being held by one of the driver's arms, a young teenage girl sitting sidesaddle behind the driver and tending the barbecue and then add a 50mph headwind! The end result is a mobile blast furnace whizzing past you and on the wrong side of the road too!!

Last night we saw a roadside cafe that actually sprawled into Lane 1 of their three lane North-South route to the airport!! Tables and chairs and all! But it was alright because there was a (possibly borrowed) roadworks sign to warn you that youbwere about to plough into this obstruction. And no we could not stop and get a picture sorry.

No wonder their road death toll is about 30,000 a year! 5 were killed in one pick-up that hit a bus head-on on the wrong side of the road. Another 15 were in the back and seriously hurt. But as they believe in re-incarnation everything was just fine. Me drive out there? Uh uh. Absolutely no effing way on Earth - EVER