July 2001

Hi all !

Frosty and Bird will be on the move again at the end of the month. Fortunately we will still be residing in Bangkok just having to move apartment. We are actually only moving one road over so quite happy to be still in the same area. I am sad to be leaving Kallista Mansion but they are renovating so we have little choice. Once we get the new address details I will let you know.

The other change is that I have started a new job. Koolfish will still be continuing but I have now started as Web Production Manager for CanThai Virtual Solutions. After being my own boss for a year it has been a shock to the system this week having to get up early-ish every morning and put in a full day at the office. Its strange also being the boss of 4 people a position I haven't been in before. Fortunately Mawf isn't too much of a slave driver. Will keep you posted on how I get on!

We have done quite a lot this year. We started the year with a trip to Borneo and along with Phil Sheridan climbed Kota Kinabulu at New year. Climbing Kota Kinabulu was an experience. Phil and Mike strode off at a pace I couldn't keep up with and reached the summit hours before me. I was literally dragged up the last big rocks by the guide Melvin (very Malaysian name!) where they were already sitting in the freezing cold. It was a little scary in parts when we had to climb in the dark and hang on to ropes with one hand and a torch in the other. I found the altitude hard going though Melvin didn't seem to bothered as he stopped for a cigarette everytime I had to get my breath! The first day we were climbing through rainforest and it rained all day. By the time we got to the hut on New years eve we were wet and cold. We started the climb to the top at 2am New years day and got to see the sunrise around 6.30. Truly spectacular. The climb down was just as hard as by then all our knees had decided to give up on us. For three days none of us could negotiate stairs with out being in agony. I refused to go out because I couldn't face the steps to the skytrain and Phil was confined to his office one lunch time because the lift broke and he couldn't bare the thought of going up and down three flights of stairs. Once again after hiking both my toenails decided to drop off completely and they are still growing back. I have decided enough is enough I can't face having no toenails again so I think I will be hanging up my hiking boots for a long while.

Then there was the wedding and lots of visitors. (see the archives) After the last visitor left we took a diving course and learnt to dive after work everynight and then completed the course in Pattaya where we did our open water dives. In the middle of that we rushed back to Bangkok in the evening for Jamie's Wedding, then back to Pattaya and finished up the course on the Sunday. Amazing how competitive Frosty got over the multiple choice exam!

After learning to dive we set off on honeymoon which was a much needed break. Not having been on a relaxing holiday for 2 years it was just what we needed. Flew first class to the capital Mali and then an exciting 30 minute journey in a tiny seaplane. I was rather nervous when we landed in the middle of the ocean and saw just a small square wooden raft like landing board bobbing away. A speed boat then came and picked us up and took us off to what I can describe as yep what you imagine a tropical desert island to look like. The whitest sand I have ever seen and also the clearest water I have ever swam in. I was amazed at all the fish that were even in the shallows. We lazed around on the beach most days. (well I did, Frosty was in factor 100, t-shirts and well under the shade). Read loads of books. One morning we got up at 5am and went in search of dolphins which we were lucky to find. Truly amazing seeing them in the wild. Saw about 10 of them and they were rather cheeky and swam around the boat for us. We also did a couple of dives and after diving in the Maldives I won't be satisfied with the murky waters of Pattaya anymore! The food in the Maldives is not that great but our island did have 2 other restaurants on it as well as the buffet dining that was included. Imagine our surprise to find two Thai chefs on the island, and with a bit of the old Thai patter we were soon enjoying star treatment and hot and spicy food how we like it within no time!

Social life in Bangkok has been good. Check out the pics of the St.Patrick's ball. Who remembers Johnny Logan from Eurovision song contest fame? Well he was there topping the bill. Now fat, forty and rather porky, the shirt unbuttoned to the navel and his sweaty hairy chest didn't do anything for me but he did put on a rather good performance. The Marriot hotel after a slap up meal provided cooked English breakfast around 2.30am so we could keep up our stamina for a few more hours. Mawf has been leading us astray lately and many a hangover can be blamed on him. Phil and Laura are having a bollywood party soon. I think Phil just wants to be a regular feature of the photo page.

Frosty has been working hard. ING have him all over the place at the moment. We spent some time in Singapore while he was working there and he should be on his way home from England as I am writing this. We should both be paying the UK a visit again sometime in September so I will keep you all posted about that.

Bird x x x