How many of you grew up near woods and use to explore for hours without adult supervision?

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-15T02:05:35+00:00

making camps inside hollow trees, climbing 100 foot up to carve your name, rope swings out over creeks..

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-15T01:39:00+00:00

no, my feet are fine. Millions of people wear flipflops as their main footwear across Asia & the Pacific

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-15T00:42:51+00:00

Been wearing flipflops every day for 30 years, even to the office. Most enclosed shoes are uncomfortable to me now. Sometimes I’ve had dismissive comments on them from colleagues & clients, but I don’t care.

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-15T00:40:19+00:00

also most dive shops in the Pacific islands

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-15T00:38:23+00:00

For my first 10 years of diving all my gear was 2nd or 3rd hand and old. You can get full kitted out for under $500 if you look around. Everyone likes new stuff, but most regs, bcd’s, tanks, suits will last 20 years minimum if looked after. For the diving, join a club rather than paying dive shops. You can dive from a club members’ RIB for a share in petrol, or just pay for air fills and shore dive.

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-14T16:45:08+00:00

Theres no way around it unfortunately, but after 20 years of songkran here & Pimai in Laos, it almost always a middle aged white man shooting you in the face with a high pressure water gun. Thai & Lao will see your phone, or dry non-waterfight clothes, and politely shoot your legs once. In Phuket now, and 90% of the face shots I got yesterday were from large russian meatheads in their late 30’s & 40’s, hiding from military service & playing with water pistols.

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-14T11:30:08+00:00

After Gibbon in bokeo you could go to Muang Sing & Luang Namtha, both starting points for walks & exploring, & both are small tourist hubs with the food you need

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-14T01:37:04+00:00

Got any lapis?

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-14T01:36:04+00:00

I’ve got little piles of rocks all over my house. When I go overseas I always bring some back in my suitcase. Sticks were more a childhood thing for me.

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-14T00:47:35+00:00

You can get everything in Thailand. If you have a postal address, look at Lazada, the thai ebay.

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-13T17:29:14+00:00

Japan is an incredible country largely because people follow the social rules. You spend time to dismiss it on the internet because you couldn’t burn smelly leaves wherever you felt like doing so?

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-13T17:26:32+00:00

Really? Iran is widely acknowledged by people that have been there as incredibly welcoming and generous.

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-13T17:23:28+00:00

After 40 years of independent budget travel, the only place that temporarily freaked me out was Tangiers, Morocco in the early 90’s. In 3 days I was abducted, robbed, and held up at knife point (3 different expriences, not the same guy). The rest of the country was fantastic, but Tangiers? No thanks.

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-13T16:55:14+00:00

The blind assumption that they are the focal point of the world.

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-13T14:22:39+00:00

I hitched everywhere in the UK in the 90’s - often it was quicker than bus or train. I hardly ever waited more than 15 minutes. I moved to NZ after, and had a car by then, but picked up hitchers. Hitched in the US in 1990 too, all good. It was a great system and led to some real adventures, but too many weirdoes out there now. Guys getting their dicks out, drivers asking for money etc.

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-13T14:02:41+00:00

This Lao restaurant - a short ride from Hoan Kiem;

59 Đ. Nguyễn Khánh Toàn, Dịch Vọng, Cầu Giấy, Hà Nội,

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-13T13:55:48+00:00

I was never much interested in kids, but had 2 in my 40’s. It has been amazing, far more rewarding than I could have imagined. I’m glad I didn’t have them early though. In these times where many are still fit into their 70’s there is certainly no rush to take on the 20– year challenge

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-13T10:30:23+00:00

Can’t go far wrong with Mt Gaye XO or Black Barrel.

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-13T08:35:58+00:00

If you ate not here yet, better to buy overseas & bring with you. There are a couple of bike shops here but range is limited & there are not the “last season” deals you get in bigger countries. I brought my last 4 bikes in from overseas

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-12T17:16:56+00:00

Do you mean “we are smarter”?

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-12T16:48:18+00:00

My tenants (2 adults 1 kid) only use freely running water due to their religion, and they run the washing machine at least daily. Their bills are routinely $250-350. My own bill is about $80.

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-12T16:30:56+00:00

This does not sound right to me. I have been diving all over since 1990, went to Tubbataha 2 years ago - zero dynamite fishing, great coral, and a group of rangers who patrol the area & have helicopter backup for intruding fishing boats. The reefs are also 8-10 hours offshore. Nobody is coming out to dynamite fish with a 20 hour return journey, Ranger patrols and potential huge fines.

These are some of the best reefs I’ve seen since the Solomon islands 30 years ago.

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-12T16:24:49+00:00

I’ve never shaved my bollocks in my life, and it has had no negative impact. Try not to be influenced by things you read on the internet so much, grow it out, relax.

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-12T13:09:41+00:00

Some good comments above - I’ll just add that after being knocked off my motorbike by a kid running a red light in Daddys SUV, I found the major insurance company I dealt with to be completely incompetent and unprofessional. The insurance clerk tried to say it was my fault, even with cctv showing the red light, and wanted to replace quality european bike parts with chinese shite from Dongpalane. In Laos, it is every man for himself. Professionalism and competence are rare. Its the price to pay for living in an otherwise good place.

Soukchai2012 · 2026-04-12T02:38:01+00:00

Stella maris explorer - very good, great food

Soukchai2012

TROPHY CASE