This update is a bit later than I expected. I did not have the time to do an update while in Bangkok for a short stay.
The return trip to here was not without some unexpected events. The trip from the town of So Phisai on July 1 to Udon Thani is, as I have said only 127 kilometers, but the bus took us almost four hours. The only things that did not pass us were two men walking, and someone with a motor bike that had broken down. We stopped many times to pick up and drop off passengers, in an air conditioned...Thai style bus....all windows open four inches, and a door at the front and back open all the way.
A Tuk Tuk, (took took), was our ride from bus station to the airport, and a good 45 minute back to Bangkok's second airport, on the north side of the city known as Don Mueng. It serves most of the domestic travel. It was dinner time when I got to the hotel. The following day had been reserved for dental appointments so that went good, got excellent report, good for another year.
I wanted to do some work at the Canadian Embassy, so did a short walk over there on July 2. Despite all the crap that the Government tells travelers about checking in and being welcome, that was not the case. I do a good amount of Travel Consulting work, so do visit many embassy's here and in other lands. With the exception on our Embassy in Paris, I have not a good word for Canada. More on that in another post. In this instance, I wanted to talk to the people in the Visa section. The Canadian Embassy is on the 15th floor of what is said to be the most expensive office building in Thailand, known as Abdulrahim Place. Security inside the door directed me to a counter where a Thai told me I could not go up, then told me the Visa section was about five kilometers away, and not easy to get to. They had no cards or any document to give, but a plastic coated sheet that one could take a photo of, with the contact information; I wrote that info down, held up the line to do so, then, back at the hotel, found all information was outdated, and emails all returned as "unable to deliver."
July 4 was a day to do a bit of small item shopping, and relaxing, and on 4th, had a massage and readied for trip home. I went to the hotel lobby at midnight and read until three A.M., when I took a taxi to the airport.
Upon check in, I was given the three boarding passes and, only then discovered that United had changed my flight from Newark to Ottawa, almost two hours earlier than original.
The flights with All Nippon and United to Newark were great and on time. While flying over Sault Ste Marie, we were served a "lunch snack", in a bun...the food was totally unidentifiable. Later, as we were going through the security checks at Newark, for the first time in my travels, ever, by carry on bag was taken from the x-ray machine, and I was asked to step aside for a check.
This big chap, with a Brooklyn accent asked me if I had any "Unidentifiable food", in the luggage, because there was something inside they could not identify. I told hem, "No, United served us that over the Soo, and I gave it back to them". He had a good laugh, then I opened the bag and showed him.....the found nothing unusual.
We finally got on the flight to Ottawa, and returned to the terminal after twenty minutes due to thunder storms in Ottawa, Toronto area. We finally arrived in Ottawa, a bit later than the original schedule.
I will do a fill in blog by the end of this week, and also outline plans for the next adventure, which will be in the winter for 75 days.
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