Thailand

Left the beach at 9am drove into town posted letters. Eat good breakfast. Ferry across to the mainland  Butterworth. Through customs then on toward Malay Thai border which we reached sooner than expected, and nearly zoomed through without stopping. The road to the boarder was good, through jungle and rubber plantations on both sides of the … Continue reading »

About 11pm then drove on through the night. All the signs in Thailand are in Thai which makes it very difficult to know where we are going. Route 4 seems to go all the way into Bangkok, took turns driving and sleeping for the 1000 miles it turned out to be from Penang to Bangkok. Arrived here at 6.30 … Continue reading »

Splendid nights sleep, parked in Chinese hotel car park, fantastic day been driving around Bangkok like millionaires in a taxi. Tried to order Ham and Eggs but it was a failure tried a Chinese soup, no good . Night time Beef and crisps no good. Called round and collected the monk and 2 friends from the Marble Temple and visited … Continue reading »

Went to see the monk again hoping he can help to sell LD. Called on the Indian dealer but he says we must have ‘chit’ from customs. British Embassy say its impossible to sell. Seemed more concerned with who should have dealt with us. On to Immigration, No good. Tried a few car dealers this … Continue reading »

So far so good, customs clear now it depends on the business. One minute were up thinking everything will work out, next thing were back to square one without a lead. I wonder on the outcome of the next hour. Another knock back!! He wanted to give us 10 thou baht, the bloke who took us there … Continue reading »

He came back but he wouldn’t buy, the engine number was different !! Last night went with an old boot 50 bhat, its like a brothel in here they were all in the corridors and blokes kept coming up. But it was hopeless I’d have been better not bothering. Brian went with one also. Been … Continue reading »

It was great talking to the 3 monks last night they’re marvelous people Nagasena especially, he has read no other books in his life except philosophy and great works and he’s personally known to the King of Thailand and many other knowledgeable people, yet he’s so easy to talk too, a good friend, The sequence … Continue reading »

Come day go day, each day brings new experiences and ideas. We’ve been having some really good talks with the months about many things and life in general. Though I admit what they think of as logical according to the way you accept ‘the mind’ I don’t think its possible to ‘think’ on those terms … Continue reading »

Had a good, run out today to a beach about 50 miles from Bangkok on the road to Cambodia, Pattaya beach. The whole family went, they’ve cleaned out LD taken the beds down and taken the wheel off the back , so I hope this deal goes through, we’ve agreed on 19thou baht. Drank a bottle of whiskey on the … Continue reading »

Wrote to shipping corp of India to claim damages for LD on the ‘State of Madras’ Woken to a voice singing Mr Ken in a strong Indian accent at 6 am. To be informed its time I was up and let’s get going, I don’t know where!!! It turned out to be a 120 mile drive loading bales of … Continue reading »

Letters home L, 4 What a day today has been, started with the familiar ‘Mr Ken’ call, then off we went to cash a cheque  took in the biggest temple in Asia on the way, were Buddha made his first speech. Then on to customs what a time! We travelled from desk to desk, up and … Continue reading »

Well still no solution we have to go back again tomorrow. We’ve made a personal application to the director of Customs in Bangkok pleading for permission to sell LD. Had a good swim tonight. LD had a flat tyre this morning, something always happens when the time comes to sell. Been talking with the Swedish Monk Peterson … Continue reading »

Same old story back to customs to find nothing has changed, just had to compose another letter on the sectary’s desk asking him politely to consider our case, hung around till 3 pm still no reply. Back again tomorrow. But begging to think we’ve had it, getting very fed up with these 2 blokes now, … Continue reading »

After all the wondering and waiting its no use. Even after we asked personally the director of customs it was still a no. The blokes who work in customs felt so sorry for us the took us out to dinner.. And now were left with the landrover with no beds and no cupboards which they proceeded to … Continue reading »

As soon as the deal was off they didn’t waste any time even before we had finished our breakfast they wanted us to leave. Went to customs with  Nagasena but to no avail. Now we have a few more leads. Called atAustralia embassy they say we can emigrate no problem. The mons friend is a Chinese man and … Continue reading »

Breakfast in style in the Atlanta hotel went to Marble Temple with Nagasena to a lecture, didn’t understand much of it but have a book to read ‘Buddhism in daily life’. Well we still have a few things to go on Went to the Australia Embassy to see about Immigrating, American embassy to see if they can buy the car, then ours … Continue reading »

Nothing all day but we’ve eaten well, swam in pool lazed a while, had a smoke of grass before eating. Then at night a fantastic scene watching a piece of plastic burning and dripping while we all sat round smoking from what they call a bomber, a bamboo tube half full of water with a … Continue reading »

Visited American Embassy in the hope they would bye LD but no good. We left an advert in there then went to Laotian embassy but no good either. British embassy can send us back to England but not to Australiaunless we have a job waiting. We cannot emigrate from here only from our country of origin. Got the … Continue reading »

Another day that produced nothing!! Had a discussion with the monks about metaphysics and Buddhism.  We were also talking with a woman whos dead husband was the America ambassador to Thiland for 8 years. Back to the hotel again hashed up at night, not paid for our room for yesterday thets 40 baht . If nothing comes up we have to leave on Friday … Continue reading »

Up early 6.30am drove 6 blokes to the airport made 60 baht out of it. All Helps. Nagasena took us to see a millionaire today but he wasn’t home then took us to see the owner of an ice factory he’s going to tell us tomorrow if it will be possible to buy LD. I think Nagasena feels bad … Continue reading »