There is no re-experience.

Bollicks

When I embarked on this adventure 12.5yrs ago everything felt fresh, vibrant and exotic. And it was. For sure. The sights, colours, smells, sounds, languages, cultures, food and women. Everything was electric and it resonated through my soul. All the way from the peaks of Icelandic volcanoes to the rainforests of Borneo. Good times.

I still find myself chasing those ephemeral morsels of experience today, yet they remain tantalisingly out of reach. Just over the horizon. Like a dog chasing its tail. Intangible.

My last trip to a new land was Nepal in 2015. It was a brilliant experience trekking to Annapurna Base Camp and absorbing the Himalayan culture, but it wasn't as exuberant as 2006-2009. It was somehow less rich. Viewed through a black and white lens.

So where has the freshness gone? I had some time to reflect on this during 6 days in Prachuap - a 700km ride north of the Hat. Many hours were spent staring at the sea. My mind drifting much like the odd coconut that got washed up. I came to the conclusion that I've finally grown up ... and, sadly, the world seems to have lost some of its magic.

Or ... perhaps I'm simply happier staring at the sea for hours on end these days? No need to climb volcanoes, take trains across Siberia or ferries to Japan. Just ride a motorbike, eat some scran and look at the ocean. Content.

My ego needs to let go of its first experience in Thailand. (Which was awesome). There is no re-experience. We can't lose our virginity twice.

Mmmmm food for thought ... stroke chin.

Anyway, enough of that shit. What have you been up to?

Trang

Coffee break on the way to Trang.

Went to scatter Monkey's ashes at PakMeng. Another Trang friend passed. Sad.

Maintenance

Saved 800B repairing the fan. Nowt like clarting with motorbikes over a few beers. Replaced the excellently named petcock fuel valve. Paul knows his way around a bike.

Health

Being an Englishman, clinics and pharmacies are an absolute last resort. Bit the bullet and bought some eyewash. Shocked to see the gunk that came oot. Nee wonder me eye knacked for a whole week.

Availed myself of a free haircut while there. Their first ever falang hehe. Top eyes. Top hair.

Aroond the Hat

Found Admiral Alan Aft of the Anchor in Songkla before coffee-ing with me fancy bird in the sticks.

End of the road. Loving convex mirrors and hairpin bends.

Good laugh cruising round the sticks at night. Scott has a beast of a machine.

Note to self - get some sun on those legs.

Wat KaoRupChang west of Pedang Besar on the Malay border.

Nice spot.

Couple of kids in traditional Thai costume for WaiKru.

The Gym. Love this pic.

Prachuap

Rode 700km north, spent a week by the sea and took two photos.

One, staring at a monkey. And two, with a lad from Blyth.

Didn't do much there. Hung out with Matt who'd come down from Bangers. A few steaks, swims, massages and runs. Sabai sabai.








Portfolio

5 years after losing everything I've re-established a rudimentary portfolio (love that word .... sounds so very grand). No dumbass financial advisors this time. All my own research. Mostly low-cost-index-ETFs and a few months of living expenses in a FU fund in case the job goes tits up.

If the stock market shits the bed I'll have no one to blame but myself. And that's fine.

I've already been a dumbass investor once. The future will show whether I'm a dumbass again .. hehe.




Either way we'll still be here to marvel at fantastic sunrises like this. There's nowt better than getting up early, sitting in me deck chair and observing this with a morning coffee. Best part? You don't need a portfolio at all. It's free.