Fat Fest 8

Well, Fat Fest 8 has come and gone for me. I am pretty sore and tired from standing so long. Ultimately it was a lot of standing to basically see 3 bands. I think I have decided to skip tomorrow since there's no one I desperately need to see. I think I got some good photos but they will take some tweaking.

ModernDog's set was cut short, I think because the bizarre Japanese performance artists a couple acts ahead of them took way too much time over their already-extended allotment. So everyone else had to get cut. Which is a shame. But I got to talk to them briefly afterwards and pick up a t-shirt that they autographed.

SoundLanding was tops again as far as I am concerned. Supersub had sound issues which was too bad.

I saw a lot more foreigners there this year for some reason.

That time again...SE Asia 2008

Well, it's finally time to head out to Asia again. Back to Thailand and then off to Laos for a week and Cambodia for a few days before spending another week in Thailand.

The flights are pretty much the same as last year. ANA from Dulles to Tokyo to Bangkok. It looks like the flight from Tokyo to Bangkok is on an updated/upgraded plane that has the newest business class product which will be great.

The itinerary:
5 Nov - Depart Washington
6 Nov - Arrive Bangkok around 11 PM...and straight to bed at the Triple Two Silom hotel again
7 Nov - A free day in Bangkok. Maybe go see ModernDog tonight late at Central World
8 Nov - Fat Festival 8, day 1. It looks like most of my favorite bands will be playing on the first day, Supersub, Soundlanding, ModernDog, Slot Machine
9 Nov - Fat Festival 8, day 2. Not sure if I will go to day 2 or not. Only a couple of bands I am interested in so it may not be worth going
10 Nov - fly to Luang Prabang, Laos, arrive there 3 PM. By the time I get to the hotel and get all settled there I would guess that daylight will be coming to an end so I am not sure how much I will get to see
11-14 Nov - Luang Prabang
14 Nov - fly to Vientiane, Laos (about 30 minutes) to spend a couple of days and nights
16 Nov - fly to Phnom Penh, Cambodia and overnight at the chic Quay Hotel
17-20 Nov - Kep, Cambodia. we drive down to the coast to spend a few days in Kep and explore Bokor National park and Rabbit Island
20 Nov - fly Phnom Penh to Bangkok and drive on to the beach
21-24 Nov - beach for a couple of quiet days
24-27 Nov - drive back to Bangkok for a few days at the Sukhothai Hotel. Guide day Tuesday. Meet Nirun for lunch somewhere probably on Wednesday
27 Nov - late night return flight BKK-NRT around midnight
28 Nov - complete the trip Tokyo - Dulles arriving back here around 9:30 AM.

Planning for lots of great photo opportunities. Hoepfully the weather will cooperate. I see that the forecast for my time in Bangkok is rain showers and thunderstorms. Luang Prabang should be nice and cooler. But those long range forecasts can change.

back so long

I can't believe it's been two weeks already since my trip ended.

For those who haven't seen it, I had a photobook made that turned out pretty beautifully. I used MyPublisher.com Their software is very easy to use and the end product is really very nice altho a bit pricey. Here's a link to my book

I have already begun thinking about next year. I plan at this point to spend a week in London at the end of August for the IGLFA world cup. It should be a great event. Then I am thinking back to Asia for a few weeks around November once again. Probably some time in Laos along with the usual time in Thailand.

Fat Festival - Supersub

big in Japan

I am at my Japanese way-station at the moment. The immigration line at the airport was unbelievably long. They just instituted procedures here to photograph and fingerprint every foreigner that enters the country. Luckily I happened to be at the right place in line when they opened some new windows.

It is cool and misty here. It was about 50 degrees when I landed. There are Xmas decorations up all over the place. It was the same in Bangkok. All of the malls had giant trees and decorations and they were playing Xmas songs.

The flight was a short 5 hours. I think going this direction takes less time for some reason. It will be nice to get a real night's sleep before we take off tomorrow.

I spent some time editing photos on the plane and intend to do some more of that tomorrow.

The food here is really expensive. I paid about $30 for dinner! But I should be able to eat breakfast at the airport lounge tomorrow. Since I am staying at the ANA Hotel I can check in for my flight down in the lobby before I leave for the airport.

I seem to have done something to my knee as well...the one that has been fixed. Any torque or twisting makes it feel unstable and there's a fair amount of pain. I hope I didn't do something to undo the surgical repair. It could just be that meniscus acting up. But I am concerned.

time to go

I can't believe it's all over. :-( Everything is almost packed and it will be another early morning wake up. They are taking me to the airport at 5:30 AM.

Today was a bit sad. I stopped by the Purple Dragon office this morning and learned that Joe, who had been my tour preparer passed away on Saturday. He was a very nice guy and he did a great job for me putting my trips together.

After that I didn't do a whole lot. I bought some CDs and then I went to see the movie The Love of Siam one more time. It was just as heartbreaking if not moreso the second time around. Then a nice relaxing massage and dinner and then it was time to come back to the hotel and pack. And now it is bed time.

Monkey City

Today was a day trip to LopBuri which is a city that has a couple of temples that are overrun by monkeys.They are adorable of course. We also visited buildings from when the city was the "second capital" during the Ayutthaya period. There are ruins of the royal temple as well as the royal palace that were built in the middle of the 17th Century. Unfortunately the museum at the palace is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays so that was a disappointment.

My guide today, Nicky, was my first guide on my trip last year. He only vaguely remembered me. He's a nice guy but very reserved so it is difficult to build much rapport since we are both fairly similar in that regard. The drive back and forth was about 2 hours each way, so it was another day with lots of driving.

Yesterday was shopping spree day. I spent way more money that I was expecting to. My guide, Mickey, happened to be my guide last year during the ill-fated, coup-interrupted ModernDog concert. He knows how to shop! We went to a couple of jewelry stores including one at which he has his jewelry made. I bought a couple of rings that are quite nice. One is another sapphire and white gold ring with little bitty diamonds and the other is a custom made green tourmaline white gold ring also with little bitty diamonds. Then we went to look at silk and I shopped more there than I was expecting to but picked up some nice gifts. I also had a shirt made that was delivered to me today. It was much cheaper than the ones I had made back home but I don't think it is quite as nice as those were.

I am a little worn out this evening. Tomorrow is my last day here and I am not certain what I will do. I think want to go down to Siam Square to shop a little at DJ Siam. I suppose I can hang out at the malls over there a little bit. I will have to pack a little as well but there's not too much to worry about there. But I will need to get to bed early for my early trip to the airport.