Ottawa, June 28, 2022

 Hello all; It has been some time since my last report, but there are several reasons for that. The most important, as many of you may know, was a statement by the authorities in Bangkok that their borders would open on July 1 to all foreign visitors. That happened in the third week of June. After three days of late hours and assorted travel issues, I now have confirmed travel dates for my first trip to Thailand in two and a half years.

I will proceed to the Ottawa airport late on July 1, and at 07;00 in the morning of July 2, I will fly with WestJet to Vancouver. I must stay overnight in Vancouver, as connecting flight space was not available. This is the first time that has happened  to me in all my travels. At noon on July 3, I will fly with All Nippon airlines to Tokyo Narita airport, and after a change of planes, will fly on to Bangkok, my final destination. I will arrive there at midnight on the 4th. Remember, when we cross the International Date line at approximately 180 degrees west, we pass into the next day. On my return flights, which are the same carriers and routing, we go back a day. That will be August 4, which I will live twice.

While the "Rules of Rome", will apply to some of the activities in Thailand, I can say that I have dental appointments at my Bangkok Smile dental office on July 6, and then one or two other dates to be determined. After a week in Bangkok, I will go with Thai friends to Pattaya, which is a beach city, and while there, I will also visit my friends at the Pattaya Orphanage where I sometimes do volunteer work. For this trip, the visit is social only, as I did not get a work Visa. In Thailand, one must pay 80 dollars for a work Visa even to do volunteer work. The last ten days or so will be spent at a resort just north of Bangkok  (sixty miles or so), called Baan Dala.

 Because of medical Insurance rules, I can only be out of Canada for 40 days at a time without having to pay extremely expensive additional days. I will be doing updates as my trip unfolds.