I love this photo of Clare - I took it at the Kylie Minogue concert last Sunday night.
Note:
This is a picture of a few blokes fixing a wind break on the 17th floor of a building being constructed near our apartment. Clearly not ones to worry about heights.
| Image is everything here in Bangkok. You see hundreds times each day people checking their reflection in mirrors, spoons, shop windows, computer screens - the works. Here's a video of a cabbie here in Bangkok who used his rear vision mirror to perform some extra special nasal grooming as we waited in traffic... |
Usually when I tell people I live in Thailand, their eyes come alive with exotic mental images of saffron robes, beaches and bucket boozing. However, they often forget that there's at times an emotional tax in living overseas.
Yesterday morning, a dear friend of Clare and mine died suddenly in Australia.
Paul was a delightfully thoughtful husband and father, a godfather to Clare, close friend to the O'Connor family and no doubt many others.
Spending time with him was as crisp and refreshing as a morning springtime walk...he seemed to have that knack of energising you in a way that only a new morning could.
In our private discussions, Paul was an amazing source of confidence and quiet advice. Apart from being a first-class, fun bloke to hang out with, he was a wonderful support as I awkwardly shuffled my way into Thailand. We discussed everything from dealing with different cultures, family and relationships, work and improving my terrible golfing short game.
And this is exactly one of those times I wish he was around for.
So right now, we have mates and family in Australia who we can't look after, and an impending funeral which we can't attend.
Those that have lived overseas know what I'm talking about, some more so than others.
Thailand sucks right now.
I wrote this post while flying from Bangers to Dubai for quick business trip...I'm not really flying and blogging right now...
There's something quite enticing about a 3049 mile trip with free booze.
Not only am I excited about being on my first fully-paid overseas business trip, but also the fact that it's Friday night and I'm in the mood to have a couple to relax after a massive week at work.
Right now I'm flying over India, roughly about 500km east of Mumbai. I've so far tallied a jovial two beers, five wines, three X.O.s and two shots of port...oh, hang on...another X.O. has just arrived.
Right, back to it.
So anyway, I'm bloody excited.
The problem is, the bloke next to me is an Arab who, despite intermittently hocking up the most obscene wads of phlegm from his throat, doesn't look like he's keen for a drink.
Meaning - there's free booze and I don't have a drinking partner.
Which made me think - who would I most want to spend a few hours of stratospheric boozy bliss with?
Well, I reckon Barrack Obama would be a good start. Just picking his brains on his campaign strategy and the whether secret service agents actually have a sense of humour would be pretty sweet.
But then again, seeing as he's now just made President, he's probably not really one to risk a hangover, not to mention the fact his surrounding agents would be clicked off safety with all of our middle-eastern brothers sharing the flight.
So what about Germaine Greer?? Could be an interesting discussion. I think I'd start proceedings off with an ice-breaking joke: How many feminists does it take to change a light bulb? None. Feminists can't change a thing.
Oh the hilarity! Her voracious and much more educated tongue may get a little too intense for me though...and I'm not sure what her aim is like with a wine glass...
Tom Jones? Dig it. But only if there's karaoke. I've always wanted to do a topless rendition of 'It's not unusual' with the big man.
A trio of my all-time favourite three ex-international rugby hookers, Phil Kearns (Australia), Keith Wood (Ireland) and Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand)? Loose. Talking rugby and getting on the cans for 7 hours with these blokes would make a bloody good trip. We could even pack down a few scrums with the Thai hosties.
Prince Harry? I'm not usually one for the British Royals, but I reckon this fanta-pant regal bad-boy might have a bit of bubble inside him...I could easily see us spraying beer about the cabin and partaking in the odd push-up comp.
The mind boggles, really...
Who would you like to spend a boozy flight with?
