MEETING ROYALTY

Today the princess of Thailand opened a ceremony that I attended. She arrived with a full entourage in tow to view the exhibition, and every member of staff, several hundred people, came out to see her. As she moved the crowds melted away in front of her with many bows to let her pass.

She took a keen interest in what was going on, taking copious notes and asking lots of questions. For the final ceremony I got to stand about 3m’s away as she metaphorically cut the ribbon. Then she boarded a trolley car and was gone. All the Thai staff were ecstatic, and relieved that things had gone well.

ROYALTY COUNT: 2 – I saw the King of Cambodia drive past in his car waving.\

OTHER FAMOUS PEOPLE SEEN (LIFETIME): Guy Pearce – in international customs; Nelson Mandela – outside a hotel in Cardiff; Conor Oberst – he signed my concert ticket stub

POOL EMPTY

It’s hot, so hot, so so very hot.

So the pool decides to leak. And to need repairing. For two weeks, 15 hours a day, seven days a week 7 Thai workmen have been trying to fix it. I woke up on Sunday afternoon, it’s stinking hot, instead of a pool full of water I’ve a pool full of workmen. And one of them’s using an angle grinder. There is no God.

Work faster damn it, I don’t care if it’s a public holiday.

BKK BLUES

The Bangkok Blues Festival came to town for 3 days this weekend, and played to a packed house. Sure, the house held about 30 people, but it was packed. I headed along for 2 nights, saw some good bands and had a really good time. It was just brilliant to see some live music again, at last. It’s the key social thing I’m missing from home, and it was good to get a refresh.

BROKEN FINGER, WHAT A CATCH

Playing cricket on Saturday I took my second screamer of the season (still no runs though), and came up with blood coming from the end of my ring finger. As the game was close, and being the hero that I am, I played on till close and the found some ice.

A couple hours later, in the pub, while my finger still continued to gently bleed I decided it was probably time to head off to the hospital. The new, private Bumrungrad Hospital had me with a doctor in 15 mins, and x-rayed in 20mins. The Doc decided it was time to get the pliers out, and after 4 shots of local anaesthetic I was ready.

With my eyes firmly shut, he began to cutaway the nail.

“You can open your eyes to see.” He said

“No, that’s OK, really.”

“You can see, then tell your friends. Look.”

“No thanks buddy, unless you want me to feint.” In one of those quirks, the sight of my own blood makes me feel like passing out. Other people’s is OK.

Last time I had to go to a doctor with a bad hand was in Barcelona, when one of my fingers became infected. The most beautiful woman in the world was working as the triage doctor, who referred me back to another doctor. He came in and said, “You have left it too late.” As visions of meat cleavers flashed through my mind, I hoped it was a language issue. It was.

Now I’m stuck with this big stupid metal thing on my finger for a couple of weeks until better.

PICTURES ADDED, BACK TO ANGKOR ENTRY

I've finally managed to make the computer do what I want, so pictures have been added going back to my trip to Angkor Wat.