Monday, March 31, 2008

31.03.2008: Only 6 more weeks

Not long now, only about 6 more weeks before your arrival. We can't tell you how excited we really are, this coming weekend we are planning to get you a super hi-tech pram, I am sad to say there is no place to plug in the iPod but I am sure you can live without that :)

Gio's tummy is so big now, and every time you move, it is like a big tidal wave running from side to side, soon I shall try to catch and record it so you can see your mother's smile when it happens.

Luckily I shan't have to go to Vietnam now (I was supposed to be going tomorrow), that is certainly good news as I don't really want your mother to drive any more, besides I want to be here to control your mother's diet (or the lack of it), at the rate she is going I won't be surprised if you are 20 Kgs and ready for your first shave right out of your mother's tummy.

Cheers

P

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Thursday 27.03.2008: Back from UAE

I hope you have behaved yourself while I was away, your mother said that you were dancing quite a lot, did you have a chance to say hello to your auntie Tip?

Anyway, the trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi was great, it was organized by Keanan Institute (in corporation with the government), 'Business Matching' was the objective, the group of us were there to propose 'Thai Franchise' opportunity to UAE's investors, not a bad effort from my point of view, but for us (me and uncle Payon) we really didn't have anything to sell... but even that, several investors were more than interested, which makes uncle Payon and myself very 'Puad Hua' ปวดหัว... :)

We landed in Dubai before going to Abu Dhabi, what an amazing place!

25032008 (3) IMG_1276 There are more cranes than people (that is a slight exaggeration), but you get my point! Constructions everywhere, and most of it would be finished by the time you are probably about 5 or 6, and I promise to bring you and your mother here, hopefully by then all of the public transport projects would be running, I couldn't endure another traffic jam in Dubai




This is a picture of the 'tallest building to be' (as it is still under construction), the final height is a closely guarded secret in fear that other countries will try to beat it... and this land was a desert a few years ago!

Everything will be the biggest in the world, biggest Shopping Mall (not that the current isn't big enough, with over 700 shops, I would have thought that it was already big enough), biggest Airport, Tallest Building and the list goes on and on.

This is an indoor skiing place (see right) (don't really know what to call it, it isn't a resort, just a place to go skiing in the desert!, located as part of the Mall of Emirates)

One of the most impressive construction for me wasn't the tallest building, but the man made Island in a shape of a Palm tree (and there will be 3 of them not to mention Island in the shape of the World!), I am sure you could Google Earth it once you've learnt how to use the mouse.

Abu Dhabi was lower keyed than Dubai, but there are also many, many projects that will be coming up soon. UAE has a intriguing dynamic, 7 individual states (sheikdoms) melted into one since 1971-1972 (just Wikipedia it for more info.)

25032008 I am afraid this will be a rare sight pretty soon in Abu Dhabi, if it follows Dubai's progress. Abu Dhabi is only 130+ Kms away from Dubai, and there are a lot of competitions between the two sheikdoms.  






 
 

 
  

IMG_1284This was a wonderful sight for uncle Payon and I, to see uniform buildings on one of the main street, very different than in BKK

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

 

IMG_1294

Presumably, this is to make way for more development

All in all this was an eye opener trip, quite tiring, but worth every second of it, looking forward to take you and your mother there one day :)



Cheers

Dad

Friday, March 21, 2008

Friday 21.03.2008. Going away...

I shall be leaving you for a few days, from this Sunday and coming back again on the following Thursday. Don't really want to go, but this is a business trip and couldn't really be avoided, sorry.

So don't dance too much while I am away to Dubai, your mother gets tired easily now. Luckily your auntie Tip will be coming to stay, you will love her, she is a PE teacher so when you are here she will teach you how to swim and everything :)

After Dubai, I shall also have to go to Vietnam, but this is just an over night trip, not too bad really.

Your mother is just as bad as your Gran when it comes to shopping, she is expecting me to get her something from Dubai :) It is really my Boss's fault, on the last trip (Milan) he was the one who pushed me to get something special for your mother, and now I don't think I can break the trend... hee hee, don't tell your mother, I am thinking of getting her a Playstation 3... :) (If I did, I don't think she will let me live long enough to see you walk... haa haa)

Cheers

P

Monday, March 17, 2008

Walk about

I have an annoying habit of snapping random pictures, so have a little patience with me as I shall always be pointing a camera in your face, especially for your 1st year... :) I am not claiming to be a professional but it is just so much fun taking photographs (that is as long as I am behind the lens); using mobile phones, point and shoot or even DSLR, absolutely anything will do for me... This will probably rub off on you as well... hee hee.

05012008(004) From Central World side entrance leading to the upper walk way that leads to the BTS













09032008(002) 09032008(004w)This is where I waited for your mother every Sunday for the past 5 - 6 years... :)











15032008(008) Whilst walking at Central Chidlom (if your mother has her way you'll be spending a big part of your life right here... shoes shopping is her thing)

Anyway, sorry for not getting to the point. Here are the daily clothes that I think you would prefer to wear over your mother's amazingly nice, smart, and acceptable attire.

You'll find many strange but very wonderful things when you are here, just an example, the economy is very tough at the moment, not as bad as the 'Tom Yum Kung' back in 1997, none the less it is still difficult.





I think the retail section is suffering the most, and here is just one of the campaign that brought a smile to my face... Bringing Europe to Thailand...

15032008(014) Just in case you are wondering what I am going on about just take a look at this, and no, your eyes are not fooling you, that is 'Big Ben' (one of the most well known landmark for London), it is now in Central's parking lot...  

16032008(001) Sorry for such a poor picture, with the Big Ben sitting peacefully outside next to a Toyota pickup, while the Eiffel Tower standing proudly right in the centre of the department store (I had only managed to get the top of it)... What a wonderful sight to behold... :)

Cheers

Dad

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Sunday 16.03.2008

You'll be glad to here that you have a bed/play pen now, to me it still looks like a prison ( a nice one at that... :). Your mother have also bought you some clothes with matching bibs and everything, don't worry you won't be a fashion victim, I can only imagine that half of the babies your age in Thailand would be wearing the same outfits. Personally, I didn't think you would be needing any clothes from 0 to 6 months, but your grands and your mother thought differently :)

We also got you a plastic bath (classy), there were so many choices, I was going to use a 'Ka-La-Mung' that we are now using to wash our clothes, hee hee.

Your mother is now into making smoothie, so I think I shall be having loads of smoothie for the next couple of weeks, after that the blender would be packed neatly away (by me) somewhere in the house, until she gets the urge again, we also have a juicer (just packed it away this evening), a Soy Beans drink making machine (also packed away tonight)... The BBQ thing was packed away many weeks ago, I think you get the drift... hee hee.

Cheers

P

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Wednesday 12.03.2008

Your mother had a bit of a shock this morning, she felt down in the shower and she was so worried about you. I had to reassure her that everything was fine, because she has such a big bottom now so that acted like the best shock absorber in the world... hee hee.

Seriously, she was so worried, especially when you danced so very little today as well. I think you are more than alright, because after our nightly chat just now you did your little dance again, and you should have seen the smile on your mother's face... :)

When you are here, one of the first people you'll get to meet will probably be our parents, follow closely by uncle Chat and uncle Oop... all I can say is that you'll love them both... more on them later (mostly about beers and cigarettes).

Cheers

P

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Saturday 08.03.08

You must be so disappointed in us today, as was mentioned to you yesterday, today was supposed to be your shopping day. Earlier on everything went according to plan.

Got up, done the laundry, left home around 14:00, first port of call was Sirikit's conference centre, your mother wanted to drop by the booth. Second stop was Saint Louis Soi 3 we wanted to check out some properties (your mother is working on something, tell you later).

Then it was supposed to be a shopping spree for your arrival. Got to the department store, went straight to the baby section... and nothing happened... We didn't know where to begin! You will appreciate this when you get older, I mean, there were tons and tons of 'things'. So we decided to buy the big thing first, your bed :)

We haven't got it yet, but the one we have marked out, you'll love it, although it looks like a mini prison with a tent and everything, at least it isn't blue (because everything else were blue (either that it was pink) from bottles to everything wearable.

Actually it was all my fault, I told your mother to leave the 'mega' list behind... sorry, promised to make it up to you next week.

Cheers

P

Friday, March 7, 2008

Friday 07.03.2008

I took a day off work today, you'll notice that I shall always take 7th of March off as it is my birthday. Your mother also took a day off as well, she is just using me as an excuse :)

Although we took today off, but your mother managed to go to work again. Right now she is working at low cost airlines (I am not sure if I should have said low fare airlines or something more politically correct). Don't ask me what she does, she has a lot on her plate at the moment, and on top of all that she has to also carry you everywhere, and you are getting heavier everyday... haa haa haa.     

IMG_1236 There you go, Nok Air, one of the latest low fare airlines. The event you are seeing right now is 'Thai Teaw Thai', where many travel agents, tour operators, Hotels, Resorts and airlines come together to sell their inventory at discount prices.

The industry is quite tough, two of the main competitors are Air Asia and One Two Go...










IMG_1240 I am not sure what kind of a person you'll grow up to be, but if you turn out to be political minded then you'll be interested to know the story behind Air Asia, there is a rumour that it involved one of Thailand's most controversial Prime Minister, I am sure you can read this theory in a book somewhere.








 


IMG_1242This is One Two Go, not so long ago one of its plane had an accident while landing with dire consequences. All seemed to be forgotten judging by the queue here.












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I believe your mother is now lying on the bed, with the laptop resting very close to your head, so don't be surprised if you can here her air-card signals flying across your head. I am going to totally blame her if you arrive here without any hair... lol

Tomorrow we are going to start shopping for you, I hope you do like the colour blue with silly characters all over the place, I am saying that because you don't seem to have that many choices.

When you get to be about 5 you'll probably want one of those Batman attire (cape and hood included), I am sorry to say, there is no way your mother will allow that. If it was up to me, now that would be different. You can wear your Batman attire any time, as I have always wanted to be Superman... :) Imagine us walking down Sukhumvit road! haa haa haa.

Cheers

P

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Wednesday 05.03.08, changes...

Hello, just wanted you to see your mother before and after...

IMG_5496 This was taken in May of 2003, right in our garden (the garden is no longer there, an extension was put up ready for your arrival).

















IMG_0772 This one was also taken in 2003 but in October. This was on our trip to Siem Reap (Cambodia)... great fun.

















Now are you ready for this! hee hee hee, February 2008, this was a one day trip to Tombol Umpawa...

IMG_1141 So you can see why the Doctor moans at your mother every week... +17 Kgs...

Well at least I can rest assure that you are well fed :)

Only 2 more months, can not wait to see you...

Cheers

P

Monday, March 3, 2008

Monday 03.03.08

 
I am sorry for not being there this past Saturday, so I couldn't see your little dance. Your mother told me, you were hiding your face again, it's a shame I was hoping for a good picture this time.
 
I think your mother got told off again, gaining 3 Kgs, 0.6 Kg was you and the rest just went straight to her arms and legs... haa haa haa. She is as heavy as her big sister now but Tip is at least a head taller than Gio, I think you get the point, and soon she will he heavy as your grandfather...
 
I promise to keep her in line this month :) (if possible).
 
Cheers
 
P