Category: Travels

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A JOURNAL

I’ve written in a journal every day for years. I glue in photos, ticket, maps, draw pictures and generally keep records. Each evening I like to sit and reflect on the events of the day. I blogged about covering the journal, marbling the inside lining papers and making the elastic hold-alls for pens and papers.

SUNGLASSES, READING GLASSES, ZIPLOCK BAGS

I can’t see outdoors during daylight without sunglasses, can’t read without reading glasses and have found so many uses for ziplock bags! I use then for packing wet swimsuits, controlling chargers, securely carrying shampoo and conditioner bottles in my toilet bag and they’re good for day packs of nuts and crackers. I’ve seen really glamorous jewelry rolls but put my necklaces in ziplock bags, too.

PASHMINA and FOLDUP MAGNFYING GLASSES

Big and warm, this pashmina has been used to keep the three of us snug on ferries, as an extra blanket, a curtain to reduce glare, a knee rug on flights but mostly as a scarf.

I need magnifying glasses for reading and twice these have broken, once early in a flight and another time, at our destination. I read a lot when we’re away, especially on long flights. I was able to buy replacement fold-up glasses at Changi Airport and the other pair were replaced at an optometrist, but only after lots of difficulties so now I carry these fold-up glasses in their hard carry case as emergency back up supplies.

PENCIL CASE

I have a pencil case mostly for journal entries. It has

• pens
• pencils and an eraser (useful for crosswords)
• highlighter pen (great for marking routes on maps)
• scissors ( just make sure your scissors are in your luggage, not carry on bags)
• mini glue stick

ANTIBACTERIAL HAND SANITISER

Great for freshening hands when we’re out and about, for all those WCs without paper towels, for cleaning up spills on clothing and general clean ups. I refill a collection of small bottles from a one litre bottle before we travel as they are easier to carry in my handbag.

I also buy small spray bottles of my perfume to reduce baggage weight.

MOISTURISING MASKS

My normally dry skin totally dehydrates on flights, especially long ones from Australia. I liberally apply lip balm, lots of moisturiser plus I drink plenty of water en route and then use a moisturising mask when we arrive.

Other basics include a small SEWING KIT in a plastic box and nylon SHOPPING BAGS that which are tiny when folded into the cover and huge when you pull then out. Many shops don’t provide plastic carry bags for shopping.

Today is World Teachers Day which is celebrated in more than 100 countries world wide. The day was declared by UNESCO in 1994 to recognise the role played by teachers in society. Internationally, World Teachers Day is celebrated 5th of October but this falls during school holidays in Australia, so we celebrate on the last Friday of October each year. If you can read this, thank a teacher.

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Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, was a small trading post 200 years ago but now covers a vast area. So many things to see and do with shrines, palaces, lush parks and gardens, shops and restaurants and everything else you’d expect in a vibrant Asian city which welcomes more visitors every year than any other capital in the world.

View of the Chao Phraya River from our balcony. The moored ferry, bottom right of photo, takes people from the hotel to Saphan Pier, linking with the Thaskin Bangkok MRT, the Sky Train. Lovely way to avoid the traffic.

Barge being pulled by four tugs, plus a stabilizing tug at the rear, taking sand to building sites along the river.

Time for lunch, so up to the 36th floor of our hotel for yum cha. Very good food, very good service and amazing and distracting views.

More yum cha. These treats are unusual as we’ve never had sweet buns like this before. They are crystal cream buns and cream buns.

The cool hotel garden. The path goes down to the river where we catch the ferry to Saphan Pier for the train or nearby shopping.

Entrance to Jim Thompson House and Museum. Jim Thompson, born in 1906, was an American architect who joined the US Army and was in Europe and later Asia, where he was sent to Bangkok as a military officer. He admired the local architecture and bought and transported six traditional Thai houses, most of them more than two centuries old, to Bangkok, where he amalgamated them into one house where he lived. He began filling them with local antiques and artifacts.

He revived and developed the old cottage industry of silk weaving. He achieved world wide recognition for silk woven in Thailand. He designed the fabrics and the pieces to be made from it.

In 1967 he went walking alone in the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia and disappeared. No-one knows what happened to him. His house and collection are now overseen by a Thai Foundation. It was an interesting place to visit and see what he achieved.

The garden at the Jim Thompson House and Museum. It was very hot so we sat to cool down for a while before heading back into the traffic.

Dinner Choices.

We have been to Bangkok twice in the past three years and prefer using the river to get around. Traffic is congested and can be slow. A good way to see everyday Bangkok is to take a local water taxi and head up some of the canals.

We like to sit and watch the mesmerising views on the busy river. There is a lot to do in Bangkok and we are planning a return journey.

Today is Information Overload Day. Information overload can have a negative impact on our happiness and productivity. Try turning everything off for half a day and feel how relaxing it is to control your own time, or maybe, you’ll suffer from dreadful FOMO! ( Fear Of Missing Out) New research suggests engaging in any screens, even e-readers, an hour before going to bed interferes with sleep.

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Hanoi is one of the most ancient capitals in the world. It is known for it’s architecture; some of it very old, contrasting with the very new. South Eastern Asian, Chinese and French influences are all evident. In the Old Quarter, narrow streets are named after the trades that traditionally flourished there, for example, silk street, gold street and embroidery street. There’s also lots of little temples and cafes if the crowds or heat get overwhelming. This is a vibrant and rather chaotic part of town!

Entrance foyer flowers, very beautiful but no scent.

We visited Hanoi last year and enjoyed it so much we returned. A contrast of the traditional and the contemporary, there’s always something to do, see and, especially, eat!

I get itchy ears, too! National Gallery of Fine Arts.

Womens’ Museum. The fabrics were grown, woven, dyed and sewn by hand.

Womens’ Museum. Wedding attire, 1970’s.

Wedding attire, October 2017.

Old buildings in shopping area.

Hot Pot lunch.

Hoan Kiem Lake, always busy with people exercising, walking, chatting with friends and snacking.

Mid Autumn Moon Festival (Tet Trung Thu ) street parade so lots of beautifully decorated moon cakes on sale everywhere.

Hanoi Opera House.

Interesting array of electrical wiring.

Reflexology followed by a pedicure. Such lovely ladies!

Wet Green Papaya Salad, shaken then dropped onto the bowl. Delicious.

Slow Cooked Duck Breast, potatoes and beans.

Breakfast. Really good coffee, too.

Began with foyer flowers, so ending with flowers in the restaurant at our hotel. So pretty.

Today is World Maths Day. Founded in 2007, the intention was to get students away from standard maths lessons and take part in games, aiming to raise standards of numeracy.

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