14th August

Great flight back ... didn't seem like 12 hours ... swift passage through airport then a taxi with "go faster stripes" getting me back in record time.

Good news ...New air-conditioning installed downstairs and new lock on front door
Bad news .... House very dirty from the air-conditioning being installed and maid hadn't been in to clean due to not having key to new lock on front door......    Mai pen rai!

15th August

Hmmmm.. I had forgotten just how good Thai food can be ... Geng keo wan moo ...Aroy maa, Chop!

16th August

Tonight was supposed to be the grand opening of the new "Lamb Kong", my local Thai music club, but as I guessed the building is not finished yet. The date is now set for 10th September featuring top group Carabao.

Had a good evening nevertheless in the old room at the back of the new building. I'd bought the band some English sweets which they really liked ... so to show their gratitude they kept dedicating songs to me and mentioning my name (Mr John) in the middle of Thai sentences I could not otherwise understand.

17th August

Been into school today to check mail etc..  Venturing into the city tonight for a drink or two with Zita who has just moved into her new city centre apartment (see May diary)

18th August - 22nd August

5 days relaxing on the island of Ko Samui. Got the sunburn to prove it!

23rd August

Couldn't resist sharing this e-mail I've just received from Shep:

> Hi John
>
> Hope you had a good trip back and arrived safely.
>
> I don't know if you recall but when 'Out of Reach' was released, I couldn't
> get a copy anywhere. I went to Weston today for the day and called in to a
> record collectors fair. There, in all the displays, was a 12" version which
> I bought for £1!
>
> Is this what happens to the famous? Their records end up in collectors
> fayres! Mind you, the Des O'Connor records were
>going for 50p. I also picked up 'Sound Effects of the Cross Channel Ferry'
>- a useful Christmas present for someone.


> Shep

24th August

Right now I'm enjoying the sounds of Rakmaninof on the tenor Oboe in E flat major from Young Earls Minor in bedroom number 3 next door!

Yes; the very musical Earls family have moved in next door and each member of the family practices their instrument on a different floor. Mr Earls, who is Head of Strings at school (whatever that means) enjoys thumping away at the piano in the lounge. Mrs Earls strums the double bass in bedroom one and young Miss Earls can often be heard fiddling away in the floor above. What with the son and his oboe as I've mentioned before... I'm thinking of buying a drum kit and accompanying them!

25th August

Officially the last day of the summer holidays for us teachers (thinks... must get a job with more holiday time!)

26th August

Officially the first day of the new school year for us teachers (thinks... must get a job with more holiday time!)

27th August

Well it's the last Friday in the month so every Brit for miles around congregates in the "Bull's Head" for overpriced beer and a 60s/70s disco.

A few of us with more discerning taste left the revellers at 11pm to go on to see Carabao (top Thai pur-chi-vit group) perform at yet another local venue that I'd not been to before. ... Now I'm going to blame it on the booze ... but in the excitement at the end of the evening, Ad (the lead singer) came over to our table and I asked him to sign my T shirt... sad but true! Trouble is I can never wash it now.

[p.s. I hope the last sentence above didn't give you any ideas that I was washing my own shirts now!]

28th August

Saw China Town in all it's glory. A confusing and crowded array of jewellery, hardware, wholesale food and fabric shops...

" A census of Chinatown taken in 1882 found 245 opium dens, 154 pawnshops, 69 gambling establishments and 26 brothels. Pawn shops remain popular Chinatown businesses while the other three vices have gone underground; brothels continue to exist under the guise of tea halls."

Now we did not have any tea thank you very much!

29th August

At last have purchased a nice pair of speakers to go with my gi-normous TV. Watch out next door ... it's payback time!

30th August

Aha... Simon Foley has now got his own digital camera, so it's my turn to pinch pictures from his web site. He's only had it one day and the first pictures he took were at Pantip Plaza as soon as he'd receive it. Pantip Plaza is known for selling cheap software and video CDs...

"It is so good that even the local monks come in for a quick browse in between morning alms and evening  meditation.  A shop owner once told me that they buy the porno CDs regularly.  Buddhism must me a lonely religion"