Terminal 21 and the Movies

Ended up staying home this weekend. I decided I didn't want to stay out after midnight. The BTS shuts down and I don't know any Thai, yet. So, I can use Grab Taxi, but I have no back up to that except walking. Sunday I felt really poorly so I stayed home. So, I ended up quite isolated. I stayed Monday, too. However, my legs are a lot better and they have stopped leakin. I will have to be careful where I sit from now on. The first thing to do when I get to Nepal will be to buy a secretary chair like that was at dad's house. Better, yet, I will look for a chair like the one that is in Julie and Sal's dining room.

I was really getting cabin fever, so I went out Tuesday to Terminal 21. After brunch, I saw Beauty And The Beast. It was surprisingly good. The theaters here are interesting.

1. You buy a specific seat; their is no general admission - sort of like going to a live theater performance.

2. The back row is a row of love seats. I was going to take a picture because they were empty last time. This time some people were sitting in them, so I didn't.

3. Goodies only cost about 50% - 60% compared to the U.S. and economy tickets (about 2/3 the theater) are about $4.00 (this was during the day).

4. Due to the heat Bangkok is a night city. There were few people during the day (20 out of 200 seats?). However, They have showings that start after midnight.

5. They have a listing of exactly how long previews and commercials are. There actually seem to be more previews, so previews may be free ones the theater shows and commercials may include previews the studios pay for. The above shows there will be 14 minutes of commercials, 15 minutes of previews, the movie lasts for 2 hours and five minutes, and the total time is 2 hours and 35 minutes.

6. Like we have the national anthem here, we all have to stand up between the commercials/previews and the movie while they play a song for the King while his picture is on the screen.

Here are a couple of pictures from the same spot. One is a picture towards the BTS station gates (3 stories above the street) and the other picture is toward T21 along the skywalk - really convenient!

Here is a picture back toward the BTS station.

Here is a picture of the innards of T21. It is 11 stories high with 600+ stores in the middle 9 floors. The top story is a fitness center and the bottom story is a maintenance floor, although they both have escalators. The elevator you see in the back is one that goes 3 floors at once.

This is from the top of the 3 story escalator.

Another picture showing the innards of T21.

Bye-bye T21. I took this picture of T21 from the loading platform (6 stories above the street) as I was leaving. There are actually 2 skywalks connecting the BTS station and T21. This outdoor walkway connects the 2 outside of T21.

Today is my first day at E88 (a play on the word egg (e88) - a place to hatch ideas), a Co-working place. More about this place and pictures in another post.

Namaste From (halfway to) Nepal

George MacDonald

Before I left I loaded up on zombie stories from fanfiction.net, specifically fan fiction written for the book World War Z. Fan fiction are short stories written in the universe of a book, movie, or television series. Some of the more popular ones, like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings have thousands of fan fiction stories on fanfiction.net. Anyway, I downloaded about 100 for WWZ before I left.

 I have decided to reread some George MacDonald next since his stories are in the public domain and available at the Gutenburg Project.  He lived in the 1800’s and was a Scottish author and minister. He inspired many people, including Tolkein and CS Lewis.

He wrote 2 fantasy stories that are famous, Lillith and Phantasies which I don’t understand. However, people like CS Lewis raved about them. I really enjoy his other fantasy books/stories, though. The Princess and the Goblin and The Princess and Curdie are a pair of books like the Chronicles of Narnia, except Jesus is the Witch instead of Aslan. He has a bunch of short stories like The Light Princess which are also fascinating. I am starting with At the Back of the North Wind. It is an odd fantasy where one might say that the North Wind is the Holy Spirit. It has a sort of Screwtape Letters flavor to it.

He also wrote a bunch of Scottish novels. My favorites include:

1.Sir Gibbie – about an orphan

2. Donal Grant – a sequel to Sir Gibbie

Many of the others look interesting, also.

Namaste from (halfway to) Nepal

Battlefield Bangkok

Visited the game store for the first time yesterday. It is nice. It has lots of tables and comfortable chairs. Has nice large, clean rest rooms. Like most public toilets, you have to bring your own toilet paper.

It also has its own small coffee bar with cheap coffee, tea, and slushie drinks, both hot and cold, as well as snacks and ramen noodle cups. All the drnks seem to be 50 baht, about $1.35, a lot cheaper than Starbucks. Since gaming is free, I will probably spend 150 baht or so each time to help support the store. We think ramen noodles are to salty and bad for you. But, if you live in SE Asia, you need the salt. Whew!

Like some Thai places, you have to take your shoes off.

There is a hamburger place next door that will deliver. It seems to be the Bangkok HQ of gaming. He has 5 or 6 of each game for sale. Hopefully, I can find one opponent each week for a nice wargame.

Namaste From (halfway to) Nepal

Grab Taxi

Had a good day yesterday. Practiced using Grab Taxi and visited the Game Store (Battlefield Bangkok.)

Bangkok has 4 services to use that are not fixed routes like the Metro or Skytrains or busses. Tuk Tuks are expensive 3 wheeled motorized vehicles that are for tourists and they are expensive.

Taxis are really cheap. I can hail one now in a busy area and there are over thousands of them here. However, calling for one is impossible due to the language barrier.

Uber has started. They are still rare, a bit expensive, and currently illegal.

Grab Taxi is working great. They are the ones the Hotel called for when I was there. For now, they are the main reason I got my new phone the day before. You download their app, just like Uber. Instead of special Uber drivers, regular Taxis sign up with Grab Taxi. Your phone is in English, their phone is ion Thai. You mark your origin and destination on their app, which uses Google Earth. You then press Book It. Your desire is broadcast to all Taxis nearby that are signed up. When one agrees, you notified and their picture appears on your phone. You can watch their little Taxi travel to you on the app. Their app shows them where you are and will give voice directions in Thai if they want. It will also map directions to your destination and even give voice directions again if they want. You can even watch your progress on your own phone if you want. You pay regular Taxi prices plus a 20 baht fee (50 cents.)

I used it both to and from the game store yesterday and it worked great! 61 baht + 20 baht fee to the game store (I gave 100 baht even.) So, the whole trip was less than $3.00. Likewise, it was 79 baht home (heavy traffic) plus 20 baht fee. I gave him 120 baht, or about $3.50.

Now I can go to church on Sunday. I already emailed the pastor of the Bangkok Calvary Chapel Church.

Between Church and gaming I can finally make some friends and not feel so isolated. Whoo - hoo!

Namaste from (halfway to) Nepal)

Terminal 21

Progress is being made. After getting a cramp in my leg on Sat., I rested in my apt on Sun. and Mon. After reading info on the internet and mulling various strategies, I went to Terminal 21 (a shopping center) on Tuesday. I bought a regular Android phone to replace my trac fone type of phone. I have the same phone number. People use their phone as their main device here. Service is cheap - unlimited data, etc. is 200 baht per month ($5.00).

Then, I ate brunch and went to see a movie - Kong. It was good. They are making a trilogy, Godzilla, Kong, and a third monster, I forget which one. Both Godzilla and Kong were good guys - a nice twist.

Lastly I went to Boots pharmacy. Just like the US has 2 major drug stores, Walgreens and CVS, Thailand has 2 major drug stores, Boots and Watsons. They are both at every shopping center in the city. Anyway, I bought a bunch of packets of electrolytes. These should really help. They are packets that you add to water. They are orange flavored, but taste bad - sort of like that stuff you take for a colostomy every 5 - 7 years.

So, it was a good day. The phone will help my mobility and the electrolytes will help my health and help me feel better. In fact, after a couple of days, I definitely feel better. Oddly, I drink a bit more and I get rid of a bunch more from my calves where it pools. They look a lot better and any leaking should be even more inhibited.

So, progress is being made.

Namaste from (halfway to) Nepal.

And, a new week begins. Last week was basically dedicated into moving in to my apartment, getting organized, and developing a routine.

My legs continue to get better as I watch where I sit more carefully. My left leg has stopped leaking, too.

I am adjusting my pills. I had been taking 1 coumadin every day while all this hustle and bustle has been going on the last 3 weeks. I have cut back to eliminating 1/2 pill 3X per week, which was my regular dose.

Saturday, I decided to go to Tescos as I hadn't ridden the BTS in a week, only walking back and forth to it every day. I waited until dusk when it was cooler, only 85 degrees, although it was also about 85% humidity. I had an ice tea while I was there. However, on the way home my leg began to cramp and I limped home in the dark.

I am going to have to push more fluids. I have started taking only 1/2 water pill beginning that night.

It is also interesting the difference meat makes in these harsher conditions. The difference is definitely noticeable. It reminds be of a great biography I read, "A Chance To Die," by Elizabeth Elliot. It is the biography of Amy Carmichael. She was the Mother Teresa of the first half of the 20th century in India. While Mother Teresa concentrated on the poor, Amy Carmichael concentrated on orphans. Like J Hudson Taylor and Mother Teresa she adopted the lifestyle and diet of the locals. Many doctors came to orphanages for 6-8 months at a time from England. She insisted that these volunteers and the locals all eat together to negate the class structure she found in India. But, she found the volunteers were able to do less work than expected. Eventually, it was found the lack of sufficient meat was the cause, since it takes a year or 2 to adapt. So, she re-segregated the dining groups so she could get the most work out of the doctors.

By the way, if you are looking for a good book, "A Chance To Die" is a great read.

Got groceries, and most importantly - water, delivered to my apartment. So, I am all set up to work on my book and work on my health and fitness here. Having a blast.

Namaste from (halfway to) Nepal

My left leg continues to get better. It is very hot here. I walked to the Skytrain/7-11 this morning and returned by 8 am. At that time it was 86 degrees and the heat index was 99 degrees. Wow! We are entering the worst time here, apparently. It was 99 degrees yesterday with a heat index of >110 degrees.

Beware the Ides of March! As the spring equinox approaches, it is the hottest time here. We are under constant UV warnings every day, as well as the sun disrupting satellite communications, like TV signals. They say this will happen until the 24th.

When the going gets tough, the tough . . . melt?

Ain't life fun? (grin)

Namaste From (halfway to) Nepal

My Humble Abode

Not much has been going on. I am still nursing my left leg. The knee is still giving me problems. Meanwhile, I am trying to get my laundry done. They moved the laundry room to the roof. The washers work but the dryer doesn't. I guess I will have to draw them a picture.

My room is smaller and not as nice as my hotel room. However, I was paying $15.00 per day there and I am paying about $5.30 per day here. More importantly, I am only 300 meters from the BTS station compared to 1700 meters (1 mile).

The bathroom is smaller and more Asian style. The shower is not really separate from the rest of the bathroom. So, everything gets washed when I take a shower. There is no hot or cold water, just room temperature. However, the shower does have an instant water heater where you dial how hot you want the water.

I have a little porch. But, I can't imagine spending any time out there. It is just too hot.

This is my room facing from the door. Another nice thing is that I now have a microwave. So, I can make coffee and tea. The bed is nice and firm and comfortable.

This is my room facing the front door. Notice I am drying a pair of shorts on the TV. I have stooped sitting on the hassock and put it on to the chair and use the combo as a desk while sitting on the bed. I am hoping this will help my knee.

That's it. I am taking pictures of the apartment building and surrounding areas. I will post them when I finish.

Namaste From (halfway to) Nepal

Wed & Thursday I finished moving into my Apartment. I was able to resume work on my book on Wednesday. It felt very good to make progress. My apartment is only 300 meters from the BTS station, compared to a mile (1700 meters) that my hotel was from a BTS station. Actually, I am only 1 BTS stop from my hotel, now. This BTS (skytrain) is fantastic!

I am setting up house here. I got my first grocery delivery from Tesco Lotus today. There is actually a 7-11 under the BTS station (as well as a myriad other shops.) I could survive just with it. Competition must be fierce. They are very cheap, unlike convenience stores in America. However, water is heavy. I got 4 x 6 Liter bottles delivered, along with various groceries and supplies. I have showered and washed dishes with the faucet water and it is supposed to be safe. However, even most locals buy their water for drinking. Delivery is only 60 baht. I tipped the 2 men 20 baht apiece. So, my delivery cost was only a total of $3.00 a huge bargain in this environment. They even threw in 4 free Kung Fu Panda tumblers.

In my order were 2 x 32 GB micro SD cards I got for my phones. Now I will be able to take pictures, maybe even a video or 2. A video of the Taxi I am in would be fun to watch - just imagine drivers all around you playing a giant game of chicken. I guess I will have to get a Youtube account to host the videos.

My legs are getting better. I think I was sitting on a bad chair in my hotel, which gradually degraded my nerves/muscles by pinching them. But, God has been gracious and shown me many ways to correct this. There was a hassock in my new apartment, which is another great provision by God. I am using it as a seat, since it is low and soft like the secretary chair downstairs and my 5 gallon drum + cushion upstairs at dad's house. My right leg is pain free and good to go. My left leg is getting better, as long as I lift it up an extra 2-3 inches while walking (like you are marching, left leg only). Weird. But, I was able to walk pain free to/from the 7-11, so I am very happy.  My left leg is barely leaking any fluid, so maybe the pinching was also exacerbating the leaking problem also.

I will hang out here today (Sunday) and just take my evening walk to 7-11. I need to buy coffee. I haven't been able to find ice cube trays anywhere. I may buy some ice at 7-11, also. They have 1 kilogram bags (2.2 pounds) for 8 baht (23 cents). Then, I will have to walk home - fast! (grin) Then, I can use one of my free tumblers.

Today, I happy as a clam.

Namaste From (half way to) Nepal

(Day 14, March 7)

Tues. - Took a load of stuff from my hotel to my apartment. Nursing my legs along, especially my left leg.

(Days 11 - 13, March 4 - 6)

Saturday (4th) was a good day. I left the hotel early (9 am), took a bottle water that was 3/4 ice, and hoofed it to the BTS station. Everything went well. So, now I know that with ice and water and an early start, I can function outside on really hot days.

Sunday, (5th) everything fell apart. My left ankle started squirting blood (actually, just red fluid). I got it stopped and bandaged up. It shook me up some. However, in the evening I noticed my feet were sitting in a puddle of water - not good. It turns out my left leg is leaking clear fluid. I looked it up on the internet and found good/bad news. The good news is that it is not deadly. The bad news is that it is hard to fix.
I was really bumbed out. Should I return to the US? Should I stay? Will I be able to go to Nepal? In my Daily Bible Study I am reading through the Bible Chronologically this time. I listen to J Vernon McGee and Thru the Bible, but in chronological order from a sheet I got on the Internet. At the same time, I am reading Bishop Ussher's Annals of the World as I go along to see how Biblical events mesh with world events. Anyway, I am in Genesis at the part where Jacob wrestles an Angel and is crippled to keep him dependent on God. So, I kinda figure that is why God allowed this to happen - so I don't get into trouble. So, onward I will go. Kathmandu is pants weather. So, at worst I'll have to wear an adult diaper on my calf under my pant leg (grin.) ONWARD!

Monday, (6th) I wrapped my left leg and went out and rented an Apartment. I was looking at this one for a couple of weeks on the Internet. It met my requirements:

1. Close to BTS (about 300 meters)
2. Furnished
3. AC
4. Includes free Internet
5. Elevator
6. Laundry Room

It is 1/3 smaller than my hotel room. But, there is plenty of room. At 5,500 Baht per month, it is a great deal. 5,500/35 = $158/month plus water and electric, which is standard. I will move in Tues., Wed., and Thurs., and start my regular routine on Friday.

God taketh away and God giveth.

Namaste from (halfway to) Nepal.

(Days 8 - 10, March 1 - 3)

Wed - Nothing much. I ran errands and explored some more. For the second day in a row, I walked to the BTS station. It gets shorter each time. The nice thing is that I made another order and they arrived this time - Lots of cheap bottled water and fruits and vegetables.

Thur - Stayed at home and studied.

Fri.- The wheels almost came off the wagon today. My plan was to walk to the BTS station and look at a couple of apartments and a coworking place. Today was the first hot day. It had been 90. Today was 100 degrees. I started walking at 1 pm all gung ho and feeling great and spunky. But, it felt like an oven out there. I noticed some of the people walking had parasols/umbrellas. I started walking in the shade when possible. I got real thirsty and stopped at a 7-11 and got a bottle of water. About halfway to the BTS station I got dizzy. I think I was getting heat stroke or something. But, God was watching out for me. I started rubbing the bottle of water on my forehead until I wasn't dizzy. Being halfway, I pressed on, occasionally rubbing the cool bottle onto my forehead. I wasn't dizzy anymore, but I felt a little off. I made it to Tescos, which has a food court. I ordered french fries and tea at one place and ate all the ice. Then I went to the next booth and bought a fish sandwich and tea at McDonald's and ate all the ice. After an hour at both places and sitting inside where it was cooler, I felt normal again. It was only 3 pm and still blazing hot, so I grabbed a taxi and went back to my hotel.

They said summer began in March and they weren't kidding! It was brutal. I noticed the people in their little booths were setting up fans and many locals were drinking while they walked. So, when it is this hot, I will have to develop a new regimen.

1. Leave by 8 am when it is still 80 - 85 degrees and find a shelter (mall, coffee shop, coworking place, etc.) out of the sun by 11 am.
2. Bring a bottle with me from home, about 12 ounces, that is 2/3 frozen ice and the rest water. Apply ice to forehead frequently.
3. Walk in the shade whenever possible. Actually, it is still nice in the shade. It is a couple degrees warmer than before. But, the onshore breeze (about 13 mph) keeps it nice.

Namaste from (halfway to) Nepal

Walking To The Skytrain (Part 2)

Now were on the big street that goes to the main street. Not only do we have 2 lanes, we have sidewalks. Except for construction zones and klong (canal) areas, there is always a business of some type.

Typical little eatery if you want to duck in for a snack.

High rises are going up all over Bangkok. Notice the one on the left. Many of the are condos, as well as businesses.

The second 7-11 I have passed on my mile journey. There is a third one at my destination. 7-11 may be dying out in the USA, but it is flourishing here. Maybe it is time to check out their stock. They are especially good if you need a safe hot meal (hot dog, etc.) or top up minutes for your phone. 

An empty lot which will soon be built on.

Meanwhile, a homeless person lives here, as well as some feral dogs.

I pass over a klong (canal). Bangkok is a city of canals. It has more working canals than Venice. It is on a rising tectonic plate at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. 3000 years ago, Bangkok (and the shore) was 100 miles inland. Gradually, the Klongs are filled in and become streets. Many of the streets still have Klong as part of their name, such East Klong Street or Yellow Flower Klong Street.

Same bridge as last picture, but facing from whence I came.

Facing where I am going.

Just about there. Tesco is on the corner. You can see the skytrain track above the Tesco sign. Fortunately, Thai uses our numbers so you can get some info, such as their hours, here. You can go in if you need a bathroom break. There is a skywalk from the upper level of the store directly to the skytrain station. Notice the 2 "trolleys." Hey, you learned some English, today!

The little spot I took the last picture from. It is a nice cool place to rest after my walk and before I enter the crowded fray at the train station. Although it is 90 degrees and very humid, it is nice in the shade. There is a constant onshore breeze that makes the city tolerable.

Walking To The Skytrain (Part 1)

It is about 1 mile to the skytrain. It easy to find a cab back to my hotel. But, getting to the skytrain from my hotel can be a hassle. Ordering a taxi is hard and I a tired of asking the front desk to hire one. Besides, it is cheaper to walk.

This is the view from the front gate of my hotel. First, I have to walk down this tiny street. It is lined with mostly apartment buildings. They don't have elevators, so they seem to max out at 3 to 4 stories. That seems O.K. My dorm at UNL was 3 stories with no elevator and i had no problem.

In general Thailand is very clean. They have lots of street sweepers (human.)Here is a sign on a wall to remind people. There are very few pets, a few cats.

The ground floors often have little businesses. Here is a tiny cafe. 

I'm still on the same tiny street. Lots of mobile sellers, also.

Getting near the end of this tiny street. Balconies are a good place to dry laundry.

At the corner is a laundromat and water station. I am not sure how well this machine works, so no thanks. I have a nice laundry in my hotel, fortunately. Another street seller. This one is a bit more prosperous, since he is motorized.

This street connects my tiny street with Alley 4, the next street. The laundry is on the back right (see the vendor). On the right are motorbike Taxis that can take you to the skytrain. They ask to take me. But, I say I am too big and we will fall over. They just laugh. They sometimes carry huge loads, say 8 - 10 propane tanks at once.  My next street is to my left.

The little connector street is to my right. This street I walk to the end. it is full of shops, too. At least this street has 2 lanes. Like England, they drive on the left.

This more modern apartment house has a nice coffee house on the ground floor.

A Morning Visiter

Yesterday, I had a visitor. I think he was trying to enjoy some of my AC. I seem to have a 5 am bird alarm every morning. But, it seems to only last about 10 minutes until they all finish their morning wake up calls.

Light Traffic And Taxis

This is during the day with light traffic. When the office buildings empty around 5, the traffic doubles until after midnight. On the weekends the traffic is heavy all day long.

The huge increase after work/night time/weekends is mostly due to Taxis. By then, half the cars on the road are Taxis. You will notice many colors of cars. They are all Taxis, each a different company. In the foreground you see a blue one and a yellow over green one. The latter color is for independent Taxis. In the left you see orange,pink, green, yellow,gold, and another yellow over green.

At the rare stop light the motorbikes flow to the front. When traffic is moving, they drive in between all the cars. Notice the one on the left with the orange vest. He is a motorcycle taxi. There are zillions of them, again, about half the motorbikes are taxis. Women in skirts and dresses ride side saddle.

This picture is taken from a skytrain station (more about those in another post). I find the best place to get a taxi is under these. There are bus stops and taxis stop there too, picking up people going home after riding the skytrain. Around the corner in the picture is a motorbike taxi area with 10 -20 motorbike taxis. They do a brisk business.

To get a taxi, you open the back door and tell him your destination. If he nods, you get in. If you need to hail a taxi on the street, you face traffic, extend your left arm out, and wiggle your fingers. I did this for the first time yesterday. There are usually taxis at the taxi stops. But, even if you have to hail a taxi, you will never have to wait long, 5 minutes max.