Dear Ross

Thought that it was about time I dropped you a line, but I don't know your email address! Life here in Bangkok is pretty cool and we are settling in very well.

It's Monday morning, Lisa, Jacob and Isabel are at school and I am at the apartment being the proper little house husband. Kissed the family on the doorstep, cleared away the breakfast stuff, did the washing and went to the gym for an hour. Am now having my morning coffee break as I write this, and then on with my chores - deciding what to wear when I pick up the kids, shorts or slacks, sling backs or flip-flops! Haven't been invited to any coffee mornings yet.

Started to do the TEFL course again, from scratch, and it doesn't get any more interesting second time round. But I have to stick to it as it could be the only chance of getting a job out here. IT jobs are not very abundant for farangs (white folk). Am also doing some research to try and find a Thai 'Spotlight' if one exists, as the film industry seems to be quite buoyant and the Thais love their films.

Sorry to hear about Mr Cash, The Man In Black - lying on a hill in Somerset with a hundred thousand others, drinking scrumpy and getting sun burnt will never be the same again. Lisa put your 'Best of ' CD on the other night. When I say 'on', she played it through the primitive setup that we have here, which involves playing CDs through the xBox and the TV - not exactly hi-fi. Still researching what to do on that one, as well as waiting for the tax man to send me a tax rebate to that I might have some money. Home theatre kits seem to be the in thing over here, but the sitting room ends up as speaker city! Still the xBox apparently sounds amazing through a 5.1 sound system. Then again I might just buy an iPod.

Watched the film 'Almost Famous' on tele the other day. It's about a young kid reporting about a rock band on tour in 1973. And his mentor is Lester Bangs, and Lester is sitting in his room listening to records surrounded by piles of vinyl, mountains of it - have you guessed where this is going yet? Well it was quite a cool film and you should watch it some when. By the way, I hope that you are looking after my record collection!! Of course you are, and thanks again. How's it going with that bottle of Jim Bean?

Whisky seems to be dead cheap over here - about a fiver a bottle - but I haven't tried any yet, apparently Thai whisky is hallucinogenic. Beer can also be quite cheap, especially the local Chang brand which is also fairly strong. Wine is fantastically expensive due to a 400% tax.

Anyway, must go - have to get my hair done.

All the best

Gav

Posted on 15 September 2003.

Back