December, 2016

The Digital Age

The Digital Age

I can’t think of too many things that have been a game changer as much as digital photography, especially when you couple that with a smartphone. There used to be a cost associated with photography and you would have to make a conscious decision to take a camera somewhere with you to take pictures, and then pay to have them developed before you could see the results (or own a Polaroid) – now almost everyone has a camera with them all the time and we are drowning in a sea of selfie-sticks. The result, of course, is an alarming amount…

GoPro Hero3

GoPro Hero3

Even though I’m someone who’s unlikely to ever get onto a surfboard, I somehow got sucked into buying a GoPro Hero 3 (Hey at least I got it duty free, so saved some bucks there.) After letting it sit unused for the requsite 6 months I finally got around to using it as a means to teach myself more about video. Opening the enclosure Should be easy right? Noooo. Obviously there’s a latch but several attempts to open the case have me feeling like I’ll break the bloody thing. YT to the rescue! Let’s hope this video never disappears as…

Koh Samed

Koh Samed

Due to it’s proximity to Bangkok, this island1 is usually busy. While many claim that it’s not the hidden gem that it once was, I still find it to be a pleasant getaway for a few days, especially to escape the stifling heat of Bangkok. Getting There Head to the southern bus station at Ekkamai and about 3 hours later you’ll arrive at the wharf at Ban Phe in Rayong Province. You won’t even notice that your wallet is a few hundred baht lighter. The well-heeled will be able to high-tail it in a speedboat across to the island while…

Getting around Bangkok

Getting around Bangkok

BTS and MRT The skytrain, or BTS, is the above ground transit system, with two lines – the Silom and Sukhumvit lines which interchange at Siam station. Bangkok’s MRT metro system is very straightforward with a single line1 running from the main train station at Hua Lamphong in the south to Bang Sue at the north. Both systems have a separate re-loadable contactless travel card, which will save you a lot of time if you use them frequently. Otherwise you will need to queue twice – once to get change and then again to purchase tickets from coin-based ticketing machines…

Four Wheels

Four Wheels

I must have a genetic defect in my DNA as I’ve owned1 exactly ONE car in my life. For the male of the species, that’s highly unusual to say the least. Where I live now, there is absolutely no reason to own one – about as useful as a chocolate teapot. Where you headed? Jump in and I’ll take you for a drive down memory lane. 94 Nissan Pathfinder She was a good ride, even if she did chew through the juice having a V6 under the hood. A 1994 Nissan Pathfinder 4WD, she got me from Tassie all the…

Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Kanchanaburi, Thailand

I’d forgotten about the day trip we made to Kanchanaburi a few years ago with the old man in tow. Will be heading there again next year for a friends wedding, so will be good to see some more of the place. We hired a private car for the return journey at a cost of around THB 4,000 – probably paid overs there, but hey. From memory it was a pretty boring trip from Bangkok with solid traffic all the way. Death Railway Museum I think they’ve done a great job in putting this place together and enjoyed my visit….

Bangkok Screening Room

Bangkok Screening Room

Rejoice! Bangkok has a groovy new arthouse cinema! It’s a little hard to find if you haven’t been before, especially if coming by taxi. Went along wife the wife for ‘date night’ (actually date afternoon) and saw the 1954 Hitchcock classic ‘Rear Window’. Isn’t Grace Kelly a dreamboat! Booked the tickets online, but don’t think that’s necessary at the moment. Drinks are a little pricey (for a pauper like me) but the setting is cosy and I much prefer this style of theater to the mass-cineplex offerings that are ubiquitous these days. Join their mailing list to keep up-to-date with…

Review – Tacos & Salsa

Review – Tacos & Salsa

Authentic Mexican cuisine in the heart of Sukhumvit The Back Story When I first stayed in Bangkok, back in 2012, I stayed at the Town lodge hotel at the end of Soi 18. it’s now been re-branded, another part of history gone. Run by the affable Ralph from Switzerland, it housed the Toxic nightclub on the ground floor and rooms that were a peaceful oasis due to the location at the end of a dead-end soi. Sure the AC was terrible, but I liked the place and stayed there many times on subsequent visits. A small Mexican restaurant by the…

Vientiane to Bangkok

Vientiane to Bangkok

The visa run is the bane of all expats staying in Thailand for an extended period. The days of being on overstay are long gone, with the recent crackdown by Thai immigration. Good guys in, bad guys out, and all that – of course I’m a good guy 🙂 As the time had come to renew my visa, I once again had to make the trip to Savanakhet, Laos. I decided to drag the wife along, as promised, and make a small trip of it, so she could see the sites of the Laos capital, Vientiane. Le Hôtel de Horreur…

Death of the Desktop

Death of the Desktop

I’ve disassembled what I imagine is my last desktop. While I’ve wanted to build an HTPC for some time I doubt that will happen anytime soon, either. It gave me pause to reflect on the PC’s I’ve owned over the years. Vic-20 Mum helped me buy a VIC-20 when I was in my teens – OK, so I’m showing my age now. It came in handy when I was holed up in my room while the parents waged war on each other elsewhere in the house. Endless hours of playing Rat Race, Lunar Lander and Night Drive, while teaching myself…

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