Bangkok Week 428

September 8, 2016

The rainy season hasn't completely ended yet, but we can still make our way around town.

There's a big downpour not far from our office.

Off in the other direction, as well.

Went to visit Baby Kin -- younger brother of Ken -- on Saturday.

Stopping for some mint ice cream on a stick on the way back from the hospital.

A tall stack for dinner!

Interesting pricing strategy for the ice at MBK.

Lots of home-made food on Sunday night!

Cheap take-out dinner for one in Singapore.

Bangkok Week 427

September 1, 2016

A weekend in Trat with our favorite band of hooligans.

Passing a caravan of tanks on our way to Trat.

And a gang of four water buffalo going on a field trip.

Enjoying a vegetarian feast upon arriving.

Maruay, just hanging out with the men.

I found me a cat!

Namtan is up to no good!

Posing nicely with big brother Maruay.

Namtan thinks he can take on Maruay.

Maruay gets an eyeful.

New eye cover for our car, courtesy of Chula.

The Laem Ngop lighthouse - haven't been here since 2009.

Wefie with the sea and Koh Chang.

Someone snuck up on me while I was working.

I wonder who's under there?

Playing with the mat.

Looking cute and innocent.

Maruay gets another eyeful.

Maruay gets yet another eyeful!

The next morning, the monks are here!

Maruay looks distressed by all the commotion.

And Top has a brand new new sign!

The sign gets its blessing.

Applying the gold.

What a production!

Just hanging out.

A dessert tray. Not sure if there's enough.

Getting ready for lunch!

Lunchtime already!

Time to catch some coins.

Namtan is exhausted.

Uzbekistan Airways, spotted!

Bangkok Week 426

August 25, 2016

Just another week: Purple Line to Auckland to Singapore to Jakarta to Bangkok.

A woman whose hair is as colorfully ugly as her dress.

We're off to try the brand new Purple Line! Shall we go by bus or steam engine?

The Purple Line & Blue Line station at Tao Poon.

Perpendicular to the Purple Line, the blue line is almost done too!

Nice open platform.

Here's the Purple Line. No mistaking it; it's branded as such.

Nice and spacious inside. A little too few passengers though?

The line starts getting a bit rural.

Enjoying the view.

A highway out in Nontaburi.

Almost in farmland!

They seem to be operating 4-5 trains on the line.

Enjoying the ride!

High rises off in the distance.

Back at the starting line, the new line overhead.

Trying on some shorts in a very public area at Decathalon.

Off to Auckland. It's just as far as London!

Here we are! That was quick.

Traveler stats on display at the Auckland Airport.

Arrivals hall; I never did find out why there's a giant plane hanging from the ceiling!

Stopping quickly for a view from the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

Said view from the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

An even wider view.

A view of downtown Auckland from the Port.

Ports of Auckland!

Looking east - beautiful day!

The Auckland Ferry Terminal - which looks suspiciously like the Flinders Street Railway Station in Melbourne (http://bit.ly/2c3QxVo).

More downtown Auckland.

Beautiful blue sky reflecting in one of the two "tall" buildings.

Proof I was there!

It's gonna be a long journey back to SEA.

A hand washer and dryer, all in one!

Philippines, Air Asia X, and Air New Zealand - this can only be one tiny Kiwi airport.

One of these is my flight to Melbourne!

Saying farewell to Melbourne for the last time - for real this time!

Settling in for a comfy 7-hour flight on SQ.

Very cubic!

The chair back folds down to reveal an entire bed!

Finally back on solid ground in Bangkok!

Bangkok Week 425

August 18, 2016

From Singapore to Bangkok to Jakarta and back!

Too bad I forgot my Ethernet cable. No internet on this flight!

I have to say, Air India has done a great job making a new plane look old.

In home in time for Friday night Korean ramen!

A spicy fried rice with salted egg post-gym on Saturday. Yum!

Setting up for our annual photo shoot.

Does this prove to Immigration that we're still a legitimate married couple?

If that photo didn't, this one sure will.

Home-made Sunday night dinner - can't beat that.

Freebies at the airport on Monday morning, thanks to Citibank.

The traffic in Jakarta hasn't changed.

The hotel, however, has changed its approach to cereal. Can't say this makes much sense.

Uh oh! The Thursday night flight back to Bangkok is looking worryingly empty!

Bangkok Week 424

August 11, 2016

Storms a'brewin!

This wholesome meal is what you get for breakfast if you order Indian Veg on Thai.

Hot dog fried rice at a "Thai and Vegetarian" restaurant in Siam Square.

Spoons are never flattering.

Enjoying my cashew fried rice!

Checking out the renovated town houses in the old part of the city.

There are 9 units in all; he's done one so far.

Almost-overdone grilled cheese for Sunday night dinner.

All the veggie options at the seller across from my office.

Storm's a'brewin' in all directions over Bangkok!

It's already raining in Siam Square!

A very cool new feature on Google Translate.

Singapore in cardboard! At the luggage carousel.

Now THAT's what I call an entry stamp!

Bangkok Week 423

August 4, 2016

Maruay and Namwan get a new sibling!

Dinner at Charcoal - where every customer gets a bib!

An unlucky pickup truck capsizes on the way to Trat.

Nothing healthier than a brekkie of Dunkin!

How high can they pile?

Newest member of the family! Little Namtan the cat!

Sleeping with the baby.

Up-close-and-personal with a giant bee.

Maruay's not sure what to do with the little one. Eat him?

Namtan's not scared of the giant dog.

Namtan probably thinks he IS a dog.

One day, he thinks, I'll grow up to be the size of Maruay.

The bite is fiercer than the bark, in this case.

Everyone wants a ping pong ball! (The dogs don't realise it's not food.)

Namtan is surprisingly personable!

Very, very personable.

The man and his durian. Do not disturb.

The two original pigs.

Riding his older brother.

"I can take you on, Maruay!"

He's got him cornered!

Yum yum, it's my favourite time of day.

The next morning, Maruay laughs at the little ones around him.

The most ergonomic way to sit in the doorway.

Munch munch munch.

"What's that?"

"Excuse me, Namtan. I see you. And feel you."

A final farewell to Sydney. My heart stays, my baggage returns to Bangkok.

Ari, and Tum Load, were mentioned in the Qantas in-flight mag!

Celebrating the end of Australia at a neighbourhood fave!

Bangkok Week 422

July 29, 2016

Sydney, Melbourne, Bangkok, Sydney, Melbourne, Bangkok, Singapore... all in one week :|

Michael and Naomi - featured on Qantas's fix-my-home reality show - they look a lot younger here.

Back in Bangkok - time for a new pin!

Just in time for Tumn's wedding.

Struggling to stay awake!

A reunion of the high school classmates - 19 years later.

The reception.

And the first dance.

Meanwhile, at the gym, you can take a dance class with Master Ham!!

The egg is going up in Ari!

Back in Sydney - one last winter view.

And off from Melbourne to Bangkok.

Lunch in Bangkok on Wednesday at Front Page, which has recently re-opened.

A decent offering of veggie foods.

Thai dancers get overlooked by outbound passengers who have just cleared the long immigration queues.

Hello, Singapore! Hello Marina Bay Sands.

View from the convention centre.

Inside the famed 2561-room hotel and casino.

Looking east toward the Singapore Flyer, and ultimately Changi.

View from my window, looking south-east over Gardens by the Bay.

The famous infinity pool overlooking the CBD from the 57th floor.

The pool is set on top of the world's largest public cantilevered platform. (What a claim!)

A relaxing view.

Too bad I forgot my bathing suit!

The Singaporeans were jealous of the fly-ins; only hotel guests have access to the pool.

Don't look down!

A final week in Sydney

July 21, 2016

A final farewell to the capital of the land down under.

A Sheraton warm welcome to Sydney.

Sydney was hosting a Bastille Day fair at Circular Quay.

For some reason, there was a Canadian Village within. Maybe for Quebec?

We hopped on the 11:00 ferry to Manly - with great views of the Sydney Harbour along the way.

A new view of the Opera House.

Straight on from the side.

From this angle, you can clearly see the two sets of shells.

Opera House and CBD in the background.

A unique -- and relatively compact -- CBD skyline.

It's a nice day for a Saturday sail.

Lots of boaters out to enjoy the (relatively sunny) winter day.

More views of the harbour.

A boat parks at a lighthouse to take stock.

A sandwich of sea, cloud, and Sydney Harbour National Park.

The Hornby Lighthouse on South Head. Operating since 1858, it is the third oldest lighthouse in NSW.

The cliff of Sydney Harbour National Park.

Arriving at Manly Wharf, where the locals like their yachts!

A colourful sailing lesson is taking place in the harbour.

We've reached our destination, 9.5 km from where we started in Circular Quay.

Free chips for all! What a promotion.

Walking long the Wentworth Street promenade toward the beach.

Famous Manly Beach, with its winter population density.

Winter wefie on the beach.

Looking North, toward Queenscliff Head.

An artist paints his interpretation of the surroundings.

Props to these surfers for their year-round dedication to their sport.

Catching the waves.

This grumpy seagull got up on the wrong side of the nest.

Layers of waves.

Calling it a morning.

These waves wait for no one.

Meanwhile, back on the harbour side, the colourful boats are still out making a statement.

The marine-life rehabilitation facility.

One of the half-hourly ferries coming in from Circular Quay.

Coffee from a Thai-run cafe.

And we're off on a 10-km segment of the Manly Scenic Walkway.

Sailboats and cliffs.

More Sydney Harbour.

One of many public pools built into the open that we've seen along Sydney's waterfronts.

This bird dries himself off in the sun.

No shortage of yachts in this town!

Walking on water! I have to learn from this man.

We found the local dog hang-out. See the one rolling around in the sand?

No trip to the harbour is complete without playing in the water.

Crystal clear water, at that.

More boats.

Korean grannies stop mid-walk for lunch.

More colourful sails.

Synchronized swimming for one?

Happy Thanksgiving in July!

More harbour view.

The photographer in action.

The output!

About to scale a decent hill inside the national park.

Great view from half-way up.

More great views.

We stumbled upon a soccer match, in the middle of the national park. Hmm.

More great harbour views.

Hidden houses at the base of the cliff.

I think I'd live here.

Spotting the city skyline, not too far away now!

A bird nibbles on those funny brush-shaped cones.

Posing nicely.

Doesn't this look like an inflatable tree?

Kids in a dinghy. Should someone rescue them?

A diligent guard dog was watching the passers-by on the hiking path.

A man and his lab getting some exercise in the sea.

Finally. Some respite for Fido.

Why not also do some windsurfing?

More white trees.

This one in the foreground looks like a tug boat.

Our friend, the Pelican.

He swam in circles around the fishing boat until they threw him some fish!

Another blue beauty.

Back in the city, and up in Glebe for some late lunch.

Landsdown Hotel has seen better days.

A burger at an all-vegetarian cafe.

The next morning already! We're here to pick up our tickets for tonight!

One more ferry trip - this time to Parramatta.

Another misty morning! Will the sun come out?

Any crazy bridge climbers?

Our front-row seats in the nose of the ferry.

Under the bridge!

Cold, and suffering from wind-shuffled hair.

Seagulls welcoming us to Cockatoo Island.

"Stay away from our island, tourists!"

More sailors further inland.

Passing under the A40.

Passing a fellow ferry, coming back toward the city.

And a water taxi.

Two daredevil kayakers dare to go out in these busy waters.

Waterside garage.

A working boat outside the Sydney Rowing Club.

What's this Chilean airplane doing here? Turns out they operate routes between Sydney and Auckland.

A posh country club on the water.

These two boys were narrating the entire ferry ride very audibly.

The Rivendell Child, Adolescent and Family Unit; formerly the Thomas Walker Convalescent Hospital.

The river is finally narrowing as we head further west.

More pelicans! Straight out of Finding Nemo. (http://pixar.wikia.com/wiki/Nigel_(Finding_Nemo))

A penguin-like bird.

Flying pelican!

More "penguins"... and mangroves in the background?

Finally, we reach Parramatta - the oldest inland European settlement in Australia.

This modest bird welcomes us to his hometown.

The Parramatta River - beyond where the boats are allowed to operate.

One of these birds is not like the others.

The ducks are out, enjoying the morning sun too.

One of Parramatta's original buildings.

A neat sculpture hanging over an intersection.

Another 1881 classic.

St John's Anglican Cathedral Church - the oldest church site in Australia in continuous use.

Parramatta Town Hall - here since 1883.

On our way back into town by train.

Stopping at a hippy-dippy Sunday market in Marrickville, Inner-west.

All the dogs were out!

Fresh local produce and exciting lunch options.

I couldn't resist my Gozleme.

Yum yum!

Antiques, arts and crafts, and more.

Like these fun pillow cases.

And nuts for all!

Aww. They call them Avos.

These colourful boxes were being sold by Thai people.

I would love to know how the DIY coin-operated dog wash works...

Next stop: the ever-posh Surrey Hills.

Where the money lives.

Lots of late-brunchers were still out.

This dog guards his owner's bike while she gets Gelato.

Heading back via Oxford Street.

Christmas in July here in Sydney, too. This festival was outside St. Mary's Cathedral.

These kids came for snowy powder... but by this time, it's cold wet slush.

Grumpy seagulls who want nothing to do with the Winter Forest.

Brr! A chill is in the air.

Skating outside the cathedral. Have to say, Sydneysiders seem to be slightly better on blades than their Melbourne counterparts.

The ice struggled to stay frozen in the 20-degree weather.

If one isn't stable enough, maybe 3 will be!

It's a bit tough on the mind to be celebrating winter in July.

This "Toboggan Terror" was truly terrifying. The kids kept slamming into the side, and landing in a mud puddle at the bottom. What an idea!

Final stop of our Sydney tour - a night at the Opera (house).

Moon is out over the Sydney Opera House!

Ticket-holders are given free reign of the building after entering.

The rear lobby, which overlooks the harbour.

View from our seats. What a beautiful concert hall!

Nothing to complain about!

Our box seats were fewer than 10m from the stage!

Who's this crazy man?

Packed theater eagerly awaiting Ira Glass and his dancers.

Post-performance.

A foggy-filled Monday morning!

Tuesday morning is much nicer.

Dramatic sky!

I'm going to miss this view!

Dinner at our favorite Chinese vegetarian joint.

Bon appetit!

Fare-thee-well, Sydney. Picked a good day to leave!

A weekend in Melbourne

July 14, 2016

A jam-packed 2 days in the culture capital of Australia.

On my way to Melbourne: in order to sit in the exit row, you need to wear a feather in your ear!

Sunny Saturday morning over Melbourne - the first in weeks!

View from our hotel room, of Flinders Street Station and the CBD beyond.

Someone hasn't yet adjusted to the time difference.

Potato Rosties. So cute!

Colourful Australian fruit.

The Kiwi monster.

He heard someone ringing.

Our first stop is Federation Square, which has a bonfire going for the cold winter days.

The National Gallery of Victoria.

I found me some snow in July!

St. Paul's Cathedral.

The famous Flinders Street railway station, opened in 1854.

Next colorful stop: Hoiser Lane, famous for its graffiti!

I dare say there wasn't a square inch not touched by the street art!

The mess outside didn't seem to bother this chef.

The filmographer in action.

St. Michael's Uniting Church.

Vintage Melbourne.

The interior of Collins Place; it was designed by I.M. Pei.

At the top of the 50-floor tower is the Sofitel - the bathrooms of which one can access for a great (free) view!

Looking south-east toward the cricket ground.

Above the clouds!

Expressive sculpture outside Collins Place.

The famous City Circle Tram, operating with classic W Class rolling stock.

On the steps of the Parliament of Victoria.

Ornate since 1855.

The Hotel Windsor, a luxury hotel dating back to 1883.

The Princess Theatre, built in 1854 and now showing Matilda!

Entering Chinatown - which runs along Little Bourke Street.

A cute mural.

Her Majesty's Theatre, built in 1886. Coming soon: Kinky Boots!

Kids dueling each other with their phones in a cafe window.

Chinatown - still sleepy from a late night before.

Slightly more elaborate gates.

A cute bike, and a cute head.

Preparing for a busy day!

More Chinatown.

The Bourke Street Mall - open only to foot traffic and trams.

A swanky new tram, in front of an impressive H&M outlet.

This H&M sits inside the Victorian-era former Melbourne General Post Office.

Street musicians turning heads.

People-spotting.

One of Melbourne's many alleys.

The hopping Saturday morning cafe scene!

Someone dropped a giant coin purse!

Heading into the Royal Arcade, originally constructed in 1869.

A heritage shopping arcade at its finest.

An entire store of Russian Nesting Dolls.

Mythical figures Gog and Magog, who help ring in the hour every hour.

I fear the coming of the hour!

More hopping cafes in alleys.

Where to see and be seen in Melbourne!

Block Arcade.

A cute sculpture of kids having fun inside the arcade.

Block Arcade opened in 1892.

Mmm! Let's stop here for lunch.

No shortage of people here!

The graffiti artists have also been here!

Guess how they take orders at this cafe.

All food $5 ... with lots of exceptions!

No privacy with these suitcases!

Cute cafes at every corner!

Back to Flinders Street Station - we've completed our giant loop.

Flinders Street Station is apparently the busiest railway station in Australia... which I find a bit hard to believe.

Another City Circle Line tram.

Another tourist attraction: horse-drawn carriage rides.

Dog and master, in matching outfits.

Next stop on this Sunny Saturday: Luna Park Melbourne!

These seagulls don't seem to think it's anything special.

The park was packed - it was the last weekend of the Victoria schools' winter holidays.

The famous Scenic Railway, which has operated continuously since 1912.

One of only 3 coasters left that have a brake man.

Two thumbs up! The boy behind me also agrees.

Great timing - it's also Christmas in July!

Kids and parents were queuing to play inside the snow globe.

I even got a chance to meet Santa mid-year.

And kids got a chance to ride reindeer. (That's a bit weird, right?)

One final shot of the Scenic Railway.

The Palais Theatre, which first opened in 1927, is somehow the largest seated theatre in Australia.

No trip to St. Kilda is complete without a stop at the beach.

The St. Kilda beach is one of the most famous beaches in Melbourne.

It's never too cool to play in the sand.

Looking north.

The St. Kilda pier is home to a colony of Little Penguins! (We didn't see them.)

This dog had crazy energy. He was running laps up and down the beach, trying to catch flying seagulls.

Getting ready for a day at sea.

Relaxing on the boardwalk with a good read and a good coat.

Do you think they're siblings?

A seagull showing utmost respect to the statue below.

Back in Central Melbourne for a stroll along the Yarra River.

Guardians overlooking the water.

One of many wire sculptures lining the Sandridge Railway Bridge.

The Southbank Pedestrian Bridge.

95 photos later, it's finally time for lunch!

Last stop of the day: the State Library of Victoria.

People outside were gathering to meet up, play chess, and catch Pokemon!

One such chess game.

The famous Domed Reading Room, which opened in 1913.

The reading room is 34.75 m in both diameter and height!

The dome was the largest of its type in the world when completed.

Anyone is welcome to come work in the grand reading room.

Outside the reading room are galleries that feel like a museum!

One piece of modern art made entirely of old paper tickets from the city's transit systems.

A cafe that operates out of a cylinder on the street!

This seagull has shown the ultimate disrespect!

Back in Federation Square, the bonfire has more customers at this later hour.

And the skating rink is open for business. Have to say, based on this sample set, Melbourners don't know how to skate!

Posing with his like-coloured friends.

A book fair inside the ACMI.

We got a new fangled room! The massive Regent Suite.

Puts our condo in Bangkok to shame.

We'll just have to hang out in the hotel all day tomorrow.

View from the new room - overlooking Melbourne City Town Hall.

The Regent Theatre, with our hotel to the right.

Cute owls guard a bookstore on Collins Street.

Another spotting of the City Circle Tram!

The Treasury Gardens.

The Department of Education and Training.

A Conservatory inside the Fitzroy Gardens.

A nice warm greenhouse.

We did a walking tour through a cute area in East Melbourne, filled with old Victorian houses.

Like this one.

And these.

This church has been thoroughly renovated, and is now condos.

Would be a neat place to live.

Any idea what these plants are? They're perfectly round, for starters.

Queen Bess Row - built in 1886, but now 3 private houses.

Someone's excited by his car!

Spot the little green man at the base of the tree?

Which way do we go?

One of many statues surrounding the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Melbourne Cricket Ground... also known as "The G."

Another statue to a rugby great.

There was a game on between two city teams.

Crossing over the tracks, to the Olympic Park.

Melbourne hosted the Olympics in 1956!

This statue, called Sportsmanship, is dedicated to John Landy, who stopped mid-race to help up a fellow runner who'd fallen, and then went on to win the race.

Crossing back over Yarra River, heading toward town.

No city is complete without a skate park.

There was a happening Sunday market outside the Arts Centre Melbourne.

Freshly grilled wieners on the grill of a car!

And no shortage of fresh pastries.

The Arts Centre Melbourne - where Ira Glass will be performing next weekend!

Turkish women making Gozleme - my new favourite.

Continuing our way back north.

This pup's enjoying his Sunday afternoon drive.

Colourful buildings -- part of a campus?

At Queen Victoria Market - there was a massive line for these fresh hot doughnuts.

Organic produce from around Victoria.

You can tell that these are organic lemons!

No shortage of meats and other deli items.

Freshly baked breads.

And of course, Star Wars Shortbreads. I knew we were missing out on something at Christmas!

Honeycomb by the kilo. That's my style.

Enjoying a freshly made flat white.

Regular produce elsewhere in the market.

Spending the rest of the rainy afternoon at the National Gallery of Victoria.

This was a watercolour exhibit.

Lots of neat aboriginal art.

A man and his ram, just trying to cross the street.

The ram is as puzzled as the other pedestrians.

It was a rainy day for wedding photos!

Taking a loop on the City Circle Tram, to take respite from the rain ... while there was still some daylight.

Enjoying the 1920s tram.

Finally splurging on a $6 gourmet doughnut. It's doughnut time!

A good choice?

Bye bye! Off to Sydney! (Somehow, you're still allowed to go to the gate, even if you're not flying!!)

Good morning, Sydney.

Blue skies over the City of Celebrations.

Bangkok Week 419

July 7, 2016

An Indian wedding, art in Siam Discovery, and some blue skies over Sydney!

The neighbourhood egg is nearly capped off!

Friday night at Anshul & Natasha's sangeet.

One perk of an Indian wedding: ample vegetarian food!

New dress for the wedding season.

It was a flashy, colourful, musicful affair! Nothing like a Thai wedding!

The bride and groom doing the first of many dances that evening.

(A subset of) the BCG crowd.

Next day at a Thai Designer expo: not so sure I'd where these bikinis!

A tasteful new sculpture outside Paragon and Siam Center.

The newly reopened Siam Discovery has a small gallery space for Galerie Adler, the gallery tucked away in the bowels of Sukhumvit 33.

Interesting pieces of art -- mostly by contemporary Chinese artists.

Like this flying pudgy person.

Another weekend, another Sunday evening. The sun sets over Suvarnabhumi.

A treat when I reach Sydney centre: a suite upgrade for the week!

One of the only clear mornings all week!

It was brighter out than the previous picture made it look.

Blue skies over Sydney! At long last!

Bangkok Week 418

June 30, 2016

A short weekend in Bangkok post-London, and then another chilly week in Sydney.

Great British imports! Didn't fare so well in the checked bag, though.

My homecoming dinner at our favourite Isaan restaurant.

Storm's a comin'! (1 minute later, we were in the middle of a monsoon.)

At Suvarnabhumi, you can see into the Duty Free shop from the D-gates with surprising clarity.

Got a room with a balcony this week in Sydney - lucky me!

Except it was too chilly to spend much time out there!

My Qantas bento on Thursday night.

Chilly in Melb! Better bundle up next weekend!

Four days in (outer) London

June 25, 2016

A whirlwind trip to London, centered in Syon Park. Oh yeah, and did I mention Brexit?

Our plane for the 12-hour, 5-minute flight. Luckily, it's a new one!

View from my seat - that old guy is what flies me to Sydney.

Just south of Suvarnabhumi - you see the blue bike track that circles the airport perimeter.

Highway mayhem!

A good view of the BTS Sukhumvit Line extension.

Spotty clouds over Kanchanaburi.

And suddenly the ground below has turned into London countryside.

Approaching Heathrow from the east; here's Canary Wharf.

And the rail lines toward London Bridge station and the Shard.

The Shard, Tower Bridge, London Bridge, and all the other fun spots.

The London Eye, St. James Park, Westminster, Buckingham Palace, and the rest.

Kensington Gardens...

... Royal Albert Hall, and the Chelsea neighbourhood.

Remember this view - especially that large Art Deco building.

Heathrow cars!

Made it to Syon Park. The lovely view from my window.

The grand (former) entrance to Syon Park, home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland.

Remember that Art Deco building? It's the Gillette Building - former European HQ of the Gillette Company, from the early 1930s until 2003.

The grounds of Syon Park.

More Syon Park.

The Great Conservatory, designed by Charles Fowler and completed in 1827 (Wikipedia).

Massive leaves!

Inside the Great Conservatory for our "Welcome" Dinner.

Wednesday night on the town! Here's our sweet ride.

Looking south down the River Thames, from the Lambeth Bridge.

The veritable Palace of Westminster.

Looks great in this late-evening sunlight.

All the news stations were poised in position for the next day's Brexit vote.

Eurovision booth.

AP booth, right next to Westminster Abbey.

How grand!

Big Ben is fearing for his future!

A group of "Remain" activists sings a lovely chorus of unity.

The Old War Office Building, used by Churchill has HQ during WWII.

The Westminster entrance.

Horse Guards Parade.

And also, the site of the Beach Volleyball events in the London 2012 Olympics.

Looking up The Mall toward Admiralty Arch.

The sun has finally set over London, and New Bond Street.

Friday morning, we were in for a surprise. But The Times went to print before the news broke. See the subhead: "Farage concedes it looks like Remain will edge it".

And a few minutes later.

Letting the news sink in under the sun.

And some clouds. And planes.

A short walk into the town of Brentford nearby.

The River Brent meets the Thames in this town in the London Borough of Hounslow.

Finding my way back to Syon Park, through this labyrinth of brick walls and trees.

Follow the blue sky!

The British countryside is indeed lovely!

Finally the papers have caught up with the day's news!

Hmm. Not the same sentiment I witnessed.

Bye-bye, London! Til we meet again.

Back in Bangkok, we took a strange approach into the airport, ultimately backing in.

And then we overshot the gate. Well, who said the airport can't be a drive-in?

Bangkok Week 417

June 20, 2016

Tourists in Bangkok for the weekend!

Celebrating Friday night at Another Hound Cafe in Emporium.

Found the hound!

Customers #1 and 2 of Bangkok's new service, Tuk Tuk Hop (coming soon!)

Our first stop: the Giant Swing.

And a visit to Wat Suthat, across from the Giant Swing.

The Wat's entrances were guarded by giant axes.

One of these Buddhas looks cleaner than the other.

Posing with one of the skinny horses that guards the centre of the Wat.

The large Buddha image inside the Wat Suthat Thep Wararam (full name).

The entire interior of the building was covered with hand-painted images - but entire layers were peeling off.

Granny and her friend, the fan.

Next stop: Wat Loha Prasat, a geometrical, multi-tiered temple modelled after two others in India and Sri Lanka.

Cross-section of the castle-like Wat.

The detailing in the roof is made of metal.

The interior, however, looks more European.

For the first time ever, the black metal is being re-done with gold and colors. Work starting from the top down.

View of the rest of the temple grounds below. See all the pigeons in the red roof in the mid-ground?

At the top of the 7-storey spiral staircase is a Buddha relic.

There was an odd sort of interactive exhibit back on the ground floor.

Trying to figure out our next destination.

Back in the tuk tuk!

Next stop: the Bangkok National Museum - another first for us.

A large Buddha head discovered in Ayutthaya.

One of the museum buildings - looks like a Wat.

Who's this guarding the building?

The extremely ornate interior - with more Buddha relics on display inside the glass cases.

A very tall ladder to access the attic storage.

Golden shutters.

A bright red house containing many belongings of Queen.

An ornate Sala.

A really tall front door!

Going way back in time; urns used to be used as coffins.

Chasing down our earlier ancestors.

A very neat building, which showcases many of the royal "vehicles". This one is for the funeral procession of a royal family member.

This is what they use to raise up the remains for display in the parade.

Not sure who she is!

The ornate coffin of the King's Mother.

Penultimate stop on the tour: Khao San Road - our fave!

These 3 elephants stand guard at the southern end of Sanam Luang park.

The Bangkok City Pillar - which we have somehow not visited until now.

Final stop of the day (unfortunately not part of the tour) - Finding Dory!

But only in 3D IMAX, where we look super-cool.

Bangkok Week 416

June 16, 2016

From Sydney, to Bangkok, to Sydney, to Melbourne. Enjoying winter down-under!

Stumbled upon a wooden escalator at City Hall station in Sydney!

My heels got stuck in the wide gaps!

Gourmet (?) Indian meal on the 9.5-hr flight back to Bangkok.

First day back at the gym in 3 months!

Got a new backpack out of the new membership.

Modeling the new gym bag the next morning.

Monday morning in Sydney - looks like it'll be a nice winter day today!

Monday morning Sydney coffee fix at my favourite cafe - Workshop.

Meanwhile, in Bangkok, Ethel Quokka is ready to come home!

Thursday night, it's a direct flight from Sydney to Melbourne!

Qantas lets its guests check in their bags by themselves.

What a coincidence! There were 4 flights heading from Melbourne to Bangkok at 23:30 on Thursday night!

A rainy week in Sydney!

June 9, 2016

Our Vivid Sydney weekend turned into a waterlogged Sydney weekend. But it was fun nonetheless!

What better to do on a rainy Saturday in Sydney than tour the Opera House!

Tickets in hand and headphones on head - we're ready to go!

Touring in style!

The interior of one of the 3 smaller theatres in the Opera House, which has 5 theatres in total.

A Le Corbusier tapestry commissioned by architect Jørn Utzon in 1960, but only on display since 2 weeks ago!

The exterior of the main concert hall.

The glass separating inside and outside of the shell.

The shells are made of poured concrete; it took 6 years and 12 iterations of the sail design to find one that worked structurally.

Glass, shell, and theatre wall. (The interior theatre building was designed by a different architect, after the shell was finalised.)

View from the main staircase inside.

This one!

Not too shabby a view - at least on nicer days!

The foyer behind the concert hall - with a special photography exhibit for Vivid Sydney.

Bridge from the foyer.

In the foyer of the Joan Sutherland Theatre, beds were set up from a sleepover the night before - another special Vivid Sydney event.

Exterior of the second, smaller shell.

Crossing from one shell to the other - during a temporary pause in the rain.

The lobby of the Joan Sutherland Theatre.

More lobby.

Photo books were available for purchase - no thank you. But this does show what the interior of the Concert Hall looks like.

A very cool elevator - with no ceiling!

A twister of a tunnel trying to exit the Opera House.

Enjoying the lull in the rain.

Not a bad group shot this time.

That poor seagull was bobbing up and down with the waves, stuck against the wall.

CBD, and storm clouds.

Did we mention that it was windy, too?

Something tells me more rain is coming!

Let's push our luck and go for a walk in the Botanical Gardens anyway. These lights are part of Vivid Sydney too.

Tucked away at the back of the garden is the Government House, the official residence of the Governor of New South Wales.

Uh oh! Our luck has run out!

Spotted in the garden: what kind of flower is this?

Fall has felled the leaves.

Also in the garden: the castle-like Sydney Conservatorium of Music, part of the University of Sydney.

A quick visit to the rose garden, where roses grow on trees.

Had to stop and smell the roses.

Many of them had broken in the wind!

Found a thorn!

These dogs had a story behind them, but now I forget what it was.

Castle, garden, Opera House in the background, and rainstorm behind that.

That's basically the extent of Sydney's CBD.

Onward we go! Reflections in The Bar.

High pedestrian activity. Look at all those activities!

It's Ethel Quokka! Her unframed sister will be coming home with us to Bangkok.

Posing with Thomas.

Next indoor stop: the Museum of Contemporary Art.

They had many neat modern installations, like this one made of a roll of scored vinyl.

Viewing aboriginal art.

More aboriginal art.

These paintings are made out of instant coffee!

Can you guess who's standing behind the screen?

No shame.

Interesting exhibit of routes fleeing Africa.

The museum's rooftop restaurant is not rain-proof.

A wet opera house.

Stopping for lunch at Pie Face!

And after drying off at the hotel, we're off to the Carriageworks once again, for their evening market - another Vivid Sydney special.

Same market as two weeks ago - but at night!

This time, an entire pizzeria came by truck.

It was much more crowded than when we came in the morning the other week.

But the fresh baked goods still look delish!

Our dinner? A monster falafel salad, made to order.

Another lull in the rain - great!

Final stop on the tour, while the weather is dry: Circular Quay!

The centrepiece of Vivid Sydney: the Opera House! Lighting the Sails "Songlines".

More Lighting the Sails "Songlines".

More Lighting the Sails "Songlines". (Cool 3D effects!)

We were blown away by the projections!

No, really.

More Lighting the Sails "Songlines".

And here's the little booth that makes it all happen!

We found Ground Zero!

More Lighting the Sails "Songlines".

The crowd of viewers below. They haven't figured out that there's a great vantage point overhead.

More Lighting the Sails "Songlines".

The bridge was participating, too.

As was the CBD!

And many cruises and ferries.

More colours!

A movie being projected on the front of Customs House.

It's never too cold for Gelato!

Up close and personal. Still looks good from here!

Bridge from afar - it reflects nicely in the water, too.

More of the aboriginal designs.

This one was my fave.

The next morning, it's too stormy to go out! So may as well go to the gym.

Finally, around 3pm, we make it over to the Newtown neighborhood.

It feels a bit like Cambridge or Somerville.

Lunch at a very Thai restaurant.

More ornate shops.

Vegan propaganda that I do agree with.

More cute shops - lots of them with very neat, original products.

And a "J" vegan Thai restaurant.

Mmm... chocolate!

How colourful!

Nice mural - and setting sun. It's only 4pm!

Back in the CBD, this mall has a piano that's open for anyone to play -- provided you know how!

Hah! What a tease. Monday morning is beautiful.

As is Tuesday morning.

Mid-week, we found another great Thai restaurant. They did a great job recreating the feel of Bangkok.

And it was filled with Thai customers! Very disconcerting!

Bangkok Week 414

June 2, 2016

A classic Bangkok weekend: Malls, Malls and more Malls!

It's been a while! Lunch at the Amarin Food Court!

And conveniently, an ice cream fair at CentralWorld!

Some mimes -- or some unlucky store employees -- try to shock guests to come to G2000.

On Sunday, it's a trip to the newly re-opened Siam Discovery!

It looks nothing like the old mall. Open floor plans...

... with no clear delineation between stores.

Opening Weekend gimmick? Take your photo and have it projected as a collage on the screens that hang over the atrium.

Public seating area - and stairs. Can you tell where one stops and the other begins?

Checking out a (cozy) new home design shop.

The mall was redesigned by a Japanese architect, and the renovation reportedly cost over 4 Billion baht.

But wait! The most critical feature -- the link to the skywalk -- didn't come back after the renovations!

Sunday afternoon at the airport: seems like a VIM (very important Monk) is departing, too.

A teaser of what's to come: colorful lights as part of Vivid Sydney 2016.

And a brief sneak peak at the light show on the Opera House. Stay tuned for more!

Another week in Sydney!

May 26, 2016

Another fun weekend in Sydney! What a great place to be outdoors!

My weekend house guest stopped by again on Friday morning, just as I was heading out the door.

Friday night dinner at a Nepalese restaurant in Glebe.

It's like Indian cuisine... but runnier?

Saturday morning, and we're off on an adventure. With a train to ourselves!

Central Station, where the Light Rail u-turns.

In Redfern, on our way to the Carriageworks.

A bustling Saturday farmer's market at Carriageworks!

Local produce from around NSW.

Lots of colorful "greens"!

Pepper's long-lost Australian cousin!! Same posture and personal grooming habits.

This little wiener dog had his eye on the prize: drippings from the barbecue above.

Apart from veggies, there were also fresh flowers...

... and fresh baked goods!

Local artist "busking" for change.

The Carriageworks used to be the site of the Eveleigh Rail Yards in the late 1800s, where train carriages for Sydney's expanding rail network were built from scratch.

Diners, as seen through massive hydraulic presses.

Twin Westies.

Posing with my locally grown-and-brewed (that's right: the beans were grown and brewed right here in NSW!) coffee.

Also happening at the Carriageworks this weekend: Mercedez-Benz Fashion Week Australia.

Iconic something-or-other at the Carriageworks.

I guess it was garbage day!

Making our way back through the campus of the University of Sydney.

Whoops! Someone had an accident!

Sign on push door: "Beware of Sliding Door". What a great design!

The University Lawn and the famous Quadrangle.

The Quadrangle design is based on those of Oxford and Cambridge -- I knew it looked familiar!

The Quadrangle apparently took over 100 years to complete: construction started in 1855 and finished in the 1960s.

A great roundabout in the Chippendale residential neighborhood.

Food for the Future: a public food garden in Chippendale.

A little mosaic inside Peace Park in Chippendale.

Someone mature took this photo.

Inside the White Rabbit Gallery, a private collection of 21st-century Chinese contemporary art.

This sculpture, entitled "European Thousand-Armed Sculpture" by Xu Zhen, align to form a Buddhist Deity when viewed from the front.

And here, from above.

This is He Xiangyu’s "Tank Project", an extremely impressive (deflated) replica of a Soviet-Chinese tank made entirely from hand-stitched leather.

Check out the detail -- and the handles. It's meant to be a massive handbag.

Another floor.

These look like photos of sculptures, but they're actually paintings!

These leaves are all hand-painted porcelain!

Organic creatures climbing up the wall.

This knitting is made out of the pages of a dictionary.

The massive "Central Park Mall" complex, with lots of public green space.

Pausing for a lunch break - freshly made cheese breads from the morning's farmers' market.

Playing a full-family game of chess.

And a very large Connect-Four.

I know many people who would agree with this mantra!

Strolling through the edge of Chinatown, where there are many a Thai Massage joints.

"Gold Water Mouth" -- a gold-plated Eucalyptus trunk -- marks the entrance to Chinatown.

Back at Town Hall, street performers entertain on Saturday afternoon.

At the Pitt Street Mall, a young street performer entertains his fair share of a crowd.

Inside the famous Strand Arcade shopping complex.

A new birdcage art installation tucked inside a small laneway in the CBD.

Great view from the lobby of the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Saturday afternoon at the Rocks Markets, a hodgepodge of sellers coming together in the posh neighborhood.

Here, some street food.

A colorful grill!

Hot roasted chestnuts reduced to clear? Something tells me this isn't quite the flash sale he's making it out to be.

This pup must be tuckered out from a long day of shopping.

More stalls in the historic neighborhood.

These tents look awfully permanent!

Soontaree. Straight from Thailand!

The Walsh Bay area, just to the west of the bridge. It's recently been restored and reopened to the public.

Prime pier real estate at the foot of the bridge.

Great views of dinner cruises and Luna Park, too.

Not a bad place to live! I wonder how much these condos go for.

A stroll through Barangaroo Reserve, at the northern tip of Darling Harbour. Would you know it, it's not even 5:30pm!

Night lights!

Dinner at our favorite Chinese Vegetarian joint!

The next morning, it's a dig-off in downtown Sydney.

Time to venture into Darling Harbour. Despite overlooking it from my hotel the other week, I haven't yet paid it a visit.

Great weather for cycling and running.

It's a pretty touristy place. The ship belongs to the Australian National Maritime Museum.

Over on the Pyrmont side of the harbour...

... things feel awfully like Kendall Square, Cambridge.

Here we are at the Sydney Fish Market.

It's the largest Fish Market in the Southern Hemisphere!

There were surprising numbers of people eating fresh seafood - before 11am!

That's one way to cook a clam!

Fresh and colorful. Pleasing on the eyes, even if I don't eat it!

No shortage of colorful juices either.

Colorful local fruit. Can't find all of these in Thailand!

The Anzac Bridge and Blackwattle Bay.

Having a stare-down with his new friends.

These seagulls are waiting for their ride back to sea.

Taking the light rail back to Chinatown.

Visiting the Chinese Garden of Friendship.

The garden was designed by Sydney's Chinese sister city, Guangzhou, and gifted to Sydney in the 1990s.

A very large and creepy spider blends in with the leaves behind it.

Costume rental available, for your own photoshoot.

I guess locals have figured out that Bamboo makes a great canvas for carvings.

Venturing into the black bamboo.

The Golden Pagoda centrepiece of the garden.

This local ibis bit off more than he could chew (and swallow)!

Aww! Time to see off my visitor. Lucky for him, he has an express path pass!

Ready to run the 8.5 km back to the city center!

Bangkok Week 412

May 19, 2016

An honorary guest and mini-CADLAB reunion in Bangkok!

After a long two weeks away, we can finally add another pin to our map!

Look who we found wandering through Soi Aree. It's James Penn!

James wanted to test every Thai fruit he could find -- especially mangoes.

A quick Saturday afternoon visit to Wat Pho, where I was made to wear a hideous neon gown to show my "respect" to the reclining buddha.

Reclining Buddha - still smiling.

Never noticed that his head piece barely fits in the building!

Mimicking my new friends.

The Wat Pho monks were chanting for the evening.

We'd never seen actual monks there before!

Teaching James the tricks of the trade.

Dashing over to the river to catch a glimpse of Wat Arun before the sun sets.

The next morning, we decided to give "Now's Fitness" a try. Veridct: we'll stick to Olympic Club.

Hands-down the weirdest plane food I've ever been served. Boiled broccoli set inside jelly, wrapped in some kind of leaf, and then sliced. And served with cream cheese and lime. Uhh...

This just in: Sydney commuter prefers to mimic gym equipment (elliptical) instead of biking or running.

View from my hotel room this week: Sydney Tower Eye and cloudscape.

A week in Sydney

May 12, 2016

An action-packed weekend in Australia's largest city!

I went to meet my special guest bright and early on Thursday morning.

And then I didn't see him again until dinner time.

And here he is at breakfast the next morning. Keeps popping up everywhere!

Same with this cruise ship passing by Darling Harbour.

Finally! Friday night!

Seeing the famed Sydney Harbour Bridge for the first time.

It's the Sydney Opera House! Looks just like it does in all the movies.

Up close and personal - there was a function going on inside. Also, can you spot the stars (in the sky)?

The opera house roof is actually made up of many small tiles. Who knew!

Friday night dinner at a pizzeria in The Rocks.

It was a cozy little place with walls lined with celebrity photos.

The next morning, we were in for a surprise. A haze-filled Sydney from the controlled burning in the Blue Mountains.

This man has something on his mind.

Walking through The Rocks, on our way to the bridge.

A convincing facade?

The rays of sun are easy to spot with so much haze in the air.

A neat mural on the side of the on-ramp to the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Looking toward Circular Quay. Can you see it beyond the cruise ship and through the haze?

I think that's the opera house over there.

It was a lovely walk; just felt like we were seeing everything through a smoke screen.

A pirate ship.

Some color-correction helped the opera house pop out more in this photo than it did in real life.

Peeking into some neat back yards. Spot the emu?

Milson's Point, in Kirribilli, is a very cute part of the city with a suburban feel.

Lots of green, and a great view!

This seagull looks like he woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

You can see one side of the bridge clearly, but barely make out the other.

This kayaker is very daring. I'm sure he's the smallest boat in these waters.

The famous Luna Park Sydney! Not quite as famous as its Melbourne predecessor.

Spot the difference.

The classic Rotor. Free to watch!

Don't think I could stomach this ride anymore.

Very picturesque. The park has been very well restored over the past decade.

Classic!

The Wild Mouse! Originally built in 1959, and relocated a few times before returning home.

I reckon I can't stomach most rides anymore!

Inside "Coney Island," a fantastic little well-preserved funhouse. In fact, it's the only operating example of a 1930s funhouse left in the world.

Like this dense spaghetti string.

And a mirror maze.

And these rotating bridges.

And this crazy rotating tunnel!

Whoosh! There I go down the slide!

A late lunch at a delicious Chinese Vegetarian place not far from the hotel.

Next stop: the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park.

The ANZAC Memorial was completed back in 1934.

The interior features a domed ceiling (not shown!) adorned with 120,000 gold stars – one for each of New South Wales' military volunteers during World War I.

Continuing north through Hyde Park: a helpful sign warning of "tree failure".

Still hazy!

Families enjoying the warm afternoon, and local ibises enjoying their crumbs.

Learning to love pigeons at an early age.

Inside Saint Mary's Cathedral, where a wedding ceremony had just finished.

An Australian White Ibis welcomes us at the entrance to the Royal Botanic Gardens.

These 'bird of paradise' flowers really look like a flock of birds!

Careful! Train coming through the gardens!

The videographer in action.

And a local duck coming over to see what's so interesting.

"Hello! Hello!"

Making friends with the Chinese tourists!

Not so interested in saying hello to me.

Resting at a safe altitude.

The opera house and bridge at sunset.

Great view of the CBD.

Single-handedly holding up this rock.

More Opera house.

Went to go see it up-close and personal during daylight. Did you know that there are actually 2 theaters inside?

Great place to hang out on the weekend. Spot the bridge climbers?

And all the cafe-goers next door.

Back at The Rocks, where we heard there's a good view.

Proper sunset now, and a nicely-lit Luna Park in the background.

Old buildings lining Campbell's Cove Jetty.

Well-restored.

Photographer in action.

The famous profile pic!

Here comes the pirate ship, home after a long day at sea.

A 3D map of Sydney in the floor of Customs House, the building that served as the headquarters of the Customs Service until 1990.

Back at the hotel, a light dinner and sparkling wine in the lounge. And planning for tomorrow's activities.

Great view over Hyde Park and the Cathedral from the hotel.

Here's our trusty Sheraton on the Park.

And we're off to Bondi Beach, where all the surfer dudes and dudettes hang out.

The overcast skies and 20-degree weather don't deter the local surfers!

Or the Chinese tourists.

Setting off to catch some waves.

A cute mural on the side of the boardwalk.

More waves, and the surf splashing up against the Bondi Icebergs Club in the background.

Two boys practice their scooter skills at the skate park.

More surfers and spectators.

We're off on the cliff-side walk from Bondi to Coogee!

Skills I'll never have!

An impressive female surfer.

The famous Bondi Icebergs Club, winter swimming club.

Great cliffs, worn smooth by the waves over the centuries.

These girls don't seem to be afraid of heights!

As we rounded the cliff, we were treated to a show by a pod of dolphins.

There seemed to have been at least a dozen of them!

Next up: Mackenzies Bay and Tamarama Beach in the background.

Great skills!

Looking backward. Some nice real estate!

A little Westie who's not so sure about the giant cliff he's on.

This guy had to weave his way through all the other paddlers.

The weather was good enough for many games of beach volleyball!

Tamarama Beach used to be home to a roller coaster that went out over the water! I imagine the wood had to be replaced often.

Seagulls standing guard until the lifeguard returns.

These two have an even better vantage point.

Another ocean pool - this one open to the public.

The Waverley Cemetery, which contains the graves of many significant Australians.

Lawn bowling at the Clovelly Bowling & Recreation Club.

And a group of local boys practices their teamwork at Burrows Park.

More great real estate!

Park your dinghy here!

A memorial to the victims of the Bali Bombing. The local Malabar community lost 9 residents who were traveling there as members of a Rugby team.

An enterprising bird finds a way to get his drink of water!

6.5 km later, we've made our way to Coogee Beach.

Where (almost) all the locals are having beach-side brunch.

We take a bus back to Surrey Hill, to see what all the fuss is about.

Cute, colorful homes.

No parking -- or else!

Always was, always will be!

A tasty lunch at Whole Meal Cafe.

The massive Coke sign at Kings Cross intersection.

A modern house among classics in Woolloomooloo.

More classics.

An aboriginal-inspired mural.

"Almost Once", a giant sculpture outside the Gallery of New South Wales.

Coffee break at a cafe inside said gallery.

In the basement of the Gallery of NSW, an art exhibit of local high school students. This Seuss-inspired one was amazing!

And a ball-point pen rendition of the view from above the CBD.

Giant pieces of chalk - remnants of a fascinating social experiment in which artists had left similar pieces of chalk in the CBD and filmed.

Up-close and personal.

Tuesday morning Sunrise over Sydney. Beautiful!

Office workers queuing for their coffee. We all knew Aussies were crazy for coffee, but never knew it was THIS important!

Bangkok Week 410

May 5, 2016

One last weekend with mum and dad in Bangkok - and the official start of the Sydney run!

Celebrating Friday with lunch at a (very slow) Japanese restaurant across from my building.

And dinner at Sfizio in Asoke.

Mama Mia! What a nice pizza!

On Saturday, it's river-hopping around the Sirirat campus and Peninsula Hotel.

Enjoying the free shuttle to the other side.

A posh lunch at one of the poshest Thai restaurants in town.

Inside the famed Blue Elephant restaurant.

Enjoying the amuse bouche.

Next stop: stuck in a cage at Em Quartier.

Just like this sociable trio.

The Garden at Em Quartier affords a great view over Bangkok (and the Ferris Wheel that was aflame not long ago).

What's that?

A very short zip line right in the middle of the mall!

My new friends!

Enough said.

What a better way to start a Sunday than with a trip to Paul's bakery!

Enjoying the fresh croissants!

A BTS trip (or 4) well spent.

Next stop: Bangkok Comic Con!

Do you see the resemblance?

I guess these guys are used to posing for cameras.

Not sure which comic this brain comes from.

This was one of the more clever displays there.

You can have a tiny 3D print of yourself made! Not creepy at all.

Almost as strong as Iron Man.

Mum tries out her favorite Toyota Avanza.

At least some people came in costume, making the trek worthwhile.

Last stop: Decathlon, Bangkok's newest import, straight from France.

Trying on the new little backpack. We ended up with not-this-color.

Plane spotting while waiting to bid Bangkok a final farewell.

Anything interesting out there?

Everyone looks pretty happy to see me go!

Boo! I'm not supposed to be the one leaving first!

Good Morning, Sydney!

And hello, Darling Harbour!

Look at the feast they enjoyed without me!

Nothing like waiting til the last minute. Trying the new Gelato place in Ari, before heading to the airport.

Farewell, frequent flyers! See you in Bangkok in October!