Tuesday 22nd August

 Sunday 20th August 5:00pm

I was thinking of what I have read on the internet in preparation for trips overseas.

The one solid truism that has been confirmed and reaffirmed, ad infinitum, is that this medium delivers the user "a diarrhea of words and a constipation of useful and valid ideas". To balance one against the other I hope that my offerings under the "Lessons Learnt" banner are going to clear up a few unknowns and misconceptions. Please bear in mind that I write about my "unknowns and misconceptions", not yours.

Lessons Learnt #1

1. What ( name of the person that "knows") told me about flights
   What you are told about what happened to someone, anyone, on their boarding a flight with luggage isn't worth relying on if it deviates from the rules as set on their website on the day you are going to fly. The rules, from what I have observed, are applied ad hoc. Airport's security works in the same manner. My advice is follow to rules and if you get caught out breaking them or think you're being treated unfairly then complain about it through the appropriate means AFTER the flight(s). I have seen way too many "Do you know who I am?!" and "I'm an American and I'll sue your ass!" dig themselves into a deep, deep hole with that sort of behaviour. Especially in Asia, they don't give a damn who you think you are, to them you're a visitor and owe them the respect of following their rules.
   
   
2. You will not be fully prepared for what awaits you in a new, to you, country.
   Thailand is an industrious, surprisingly modern country but it is still a very cash favouring economy. Not only does it favour cash, their preference for favouring only one card from one provider is prevalent.
   For example, yesterday we went to a Costco equivalent, called Makro.
   We used to go to their Cha Am store frequently as it was only 50m away from our villa and it had a lot of "western" produce, sadly at "western" prices.
   Sometimes circumstances force you to shop at these stores despite being surrounded by wonderful local produce, food and products. 
   We walked around the whole store which is a little smaller than a standard Costco and definitely much larger that any Australian supermarket, that I know of.
   We did our shopping and pushed our well loaded trolley up to the cashier.
   Halfway through checking the items the cashier noticed Tiz holding her Revolut card and said "Sorry, we only take Citibank VISA. Or cash."
   We had a lot of different cards but not the one they accepted or any cash. 
   We jumped back onto a songthaew empty handed and returned later in the cool of the afternoon with a fistful of baht. Carry cash, carefully.
   
   
3. Knowing and getting around new places
   When someone tells you that they know the topic well or have the definitive answer to a question because they "researched" it, be very, very skeptical.
   In my experience these "researchers" have rarely, if ever gone past the third line of a Google search for their wisdom.
   And, more or less on the same topic, when someone believes they can help you with directions or information on a country or its components because they "looked it up on  Google/Apple maps" ... yes, be very, very skeptical.
   I have often found that these "geographic conoscenti" do not know their left from their right, do not know north from south, have NO idea of scale (e.g. Rome and Madrid are "really" close because on their phone they're 2 inches apart. I kid you not.) and often couldn't read a paper map (like the Melways) to save their lives. 
   If you don't know how to get from A to B find out how for yourself .
   If you don't how to out for yourself or you're not able then you will need to trust someone but never expect them to be right about the information they give you. 
   
   
4. Choosing your gear for trips
   You always overestimate what you need to pack when travelling. I've found that doing a trial or two around where you live is very helpful. It's cheaper, and far less inconvenient when you get it wrong, which you will, to do it at home.

  It's ~6pm. We've had our afternoon downpour and now we're off the Hua Hin Night Market     

Monday 21st August 7:00pm

Today was spent doing laundry, cleaning and preparing for our trip to Barcelona to catch up with our youngest, Emma. We're very excited about catching up with her.

Tuesday 22nd August 6:00pm

We had a great day today. a bit of gym work followed by some pool time and then off to wander around Hua Hin for the day. We walked north to Market Village for some lunch, first of all. 

Market Village is a mall, and there's no mincing words for it. But, it's a mall that has maintained it's  respect for the country that it's in. It has a "Street Food" area that every shopping complex should envy.

It's an area where you can get very good local cuisine, for near actual street prices and cooked very hygienically (which, let's be brutally honest here, a lot of street vendors just can't do). 

All of that is worth mentioning because some of us, like me, can eat "shit off a stick", in a manner of speaking, and would not be bothered in the least by it. "If it looks dodgy put more chili on it!" - Anon. 

Others, like Tiz, are very prone to getting quite ill at the merest hint of any bacteria in food prep. Market Village Street Food is a great compromise.

Lunch was great and it was nice to visit Market Village again after a few years. We both got tasty dishes, no-one got sick and it cost 1/4 of what it costs at home.

We decided to walk down to the old railway station which has been renovated whilst they finish the new station for the new dual track high speed train, currently predicted to be ready in 2032. 

We're at the old railway station waiting for them to finish the dual track line!

They really have done a great job making it a  beautiful station

Yes, the obligatory Thai twist

They never forget to pay homage to Buddha, beautifully

Whilst we walked the streets of Hua Hin there was one glaring oddity that I had noticed since arriving a week ago.  Cannabis. Cannabis, being sold everywhere.

A bloke I know, who knows a little about cannabis, said to me that it was funny how, not that long ago, anyone, especially farangs (foreigners in Thai), with even the tiniest amount of illegal drug, which cannabis was, would end up being 'Bubba' Somchai's "girlfriend", for life, at the Bangkok Hilton (aka  Bang Kwang Central Prison).

Now .....

Just up the road from our apartment complex

50m from our apartment, in the complex

Inside the shopping centre near our favourite Street Food hall

You don't have to go far to get very, very strong (21% THC, which according the bloke I know, that knows these things), very cheap cannabis products. 

I don't know what to make of it. 

I'm not sure what the reasoning is behind this 180° turnaround by the Thais.

I hope more good than harm comes from it.

But, I am completely ignorant of these thing.

As we walked home from the railway station we found more interesting places and shops.

Including "The Chocolate Factory"

We went in for a look and it was one of the nicest chocolatiers we had ever visited. The prices were a bit rich for this 'Moser Roth' guy.  Maybe on a special occasion before we leave Hua Hin, maybe.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog, and please feel free to leave a comment.

Feel free to pass it on to anyone you know that might be interested.

Cheers, Marino & Tiz