Manchester - Doha - Bangkok

Well here am doing my Dame Judi Dench bit again (Marigold Hotel), sitting in the little cafe opposite my lovely hostel, drinking an iced coffee writing my blog.  Nothing has changed, just I am a year older but certainly no wiser 😏

So the flight lol.  I was sitting next to a woman from Sheffield who was a dead looker for Whoopie Goldburg. Seriously.  She was returning to Zanzibar as she plays the ukilalie in a band and is in tour.  She originates from Zanzibar. So I have learn how took cook okra so it tastes lovely and not slimey.  We had a good old natter.  I must say, I was impressed with Qatar airways. Lovely, planes, plenty of leg room, curteous staff and good veggie food.  So me and Roxy (that's her name lol) had a good chat.  Then as I'm getting off the plane there were two blokes behind me going back to Sydney via Malaysia. I do like the Australians lol. Anyways, it turns out that they live in Port Douglas.  Some of you may recall that when I went to Australia I stayed at Port Douglas and totally fell in love with it and was quite happy to stay there. We talked about the Sunday market lol and the dog treats I bought my dear, sweet Hetty back lol. The. He says to me do you know where Coles supermarket is in Port Douglas? I did as I went I there to get nibbles for a day out.  I mean, how random is that lol.  He run the bar opposite lol.  Crazy, crazy.  They were dead impressed that I had gone snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef and laughed their heads off when I told them my fear of stingrays.  They said that they had never met any british person who had heard of Port Douglas, let alone been there or knew where the supermarket was lol. It really is a small world.  We said out good byes; Roxy and her ukilalie to Zanzibar and the Australians of to Sydney via Malaysia.  But they are moving to NZ Jackie in July but the South Island but they knew where Lyall Bay is ....... Apparently north of Wellington.

So Doha mmmmm.  These Arab countries might have oil and wealth in abundance but they don't have deodorant 😟 what a pong.  For goodness sakes, get some deodorant. I dread to think how it is going to stink when the World Cup comes to town lol.

So it was a quick Dush across the terminal to my connecting flight.  I saw the first leg by drinking gin, taking ibuprofen and cups of black coffee and one hours sleep.  The second flight again was a lovely plane and this time I was sitting next too love lasts dream - oh well.  So there we are are sitting on the plane, waiting and waiting and waiting and then the police come on and then some more police.  Cabin staff are handing out cups of water (alas no gin at this point)! One hour, yeas one hour later, three people are escorted off the plane.  The. We have to wait for their baggage to be taken off.  So we eventually take off from Doha just over an hour late! 

So no one to talk too on this flight except a young Vietnamese girl I was talking  too as I boarded the plane.  She said she had seen me at Manchester.  Once seen, never forgot lol.  I finished watching Bruce Willis save the world in Armageddon had an hours kip then Andy you will be impressed, watched Batman lol.  Well if I am going to be 'living' with a geek I better start learning.  It was the Batman film where I was the body double for Catwoman lol in my leathers on a bike 😉

So eventually Bangkok.  I was out of that seat like a greyhound out of a trap. Good job, immigration was very busy.  I asked a Thai airport worker if he would lift my case off the carousel for me, he was lovely BUT I do not like not having my independence.  Then downstairs to get a taxi.  Bit of bartering with taxi driver as he tried to rip me off (only by a couple of quid but I am not having it lol)! Actually he was ok started talking football lol they always talk football well Manchester United or Chelsea, nothing else.  I said old Jose was easy on my eye and he laughed and laughed.

It was so good to get back to Bangkok and I started to recognised places and I was so excited and had that silly contented smile.  Arrived at the hostel and the girl who was there (who I only met once before) was so pleased to see me.  I had a quick shower, logged on the wi fi.  Then I saw the older woman lol she smiled and smiled and hugged me, I was made to feel so welcome.  They really are such lovely people.  So I have thrown some clothes around, sprayed myself with mosquito killer (remember last time on my last night in BKK and how I got bit terribly) and here I am, across the road writing this and drinking iced coffee.  I'm very dehydrated and can feel cramp coming and going in my calves so I need to take on board some fluids lol, but don't mention my back 😊🙏

So I think I will have another iced coffee (it's 30 bhat = 60p lol)! Then I will go for a stroll to the temple down the road then I think it will be Jenny's for dinner.  I have been dreaming of that food for months oh and mangosteens, lotus apples, papaya salad, mossaman curry, brown rice but alas no Thai massages this year.

So on second ice coffee now.  The time here is 15:30 so it's 8:30 where you are. Considering I have had two hours the most sleep, I don't feel to bad.  The best thing with jet lag is to just go with the time where you are! So I'm telling my body it's 8:30 but to be totally honest I haven't a clue lol. As I am sitting here, women are going by with carts of vegetables and fruit.  Nothing is wrapped in plastic or labelled or probably washed. I'm hoping the pancake omelette man comes round in a minute, they are lovely.  Not quite sure what the are lol but they are tasty.  Oh and the two dogs are still here but no sign of the cat/kittens.