December Update

Just wanted to pop in and wish everyone a happy holiday season. It's been a bit quiet over here, just getting ready for Christmas and New Year's. I hope you're all having a great time, however you're spending it.

Whether you're celebrating Christmas, New Year's, or something else entirely, I hope you have a fantastic time with your loved ones.

Here's to a bright and prosperous new year! (Christmas pics to come after weekend)

Food Food Food

Khao Soi Gai, charcuterie plate, temple, some type of soup with beef, but not exactly sure what it is called.

The Latest from Chiangmai

Friend’s condo. Night market. Some type of Llama? Duck curry.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Rainy / overcast day so decided to order Thanksgiving for lunch and relaxed inside rather than go out. Not a bad way to spend a Thursday.

Saturday — Go Karting & Dinner

Went go karting, then had dinner by the river, and some drinks on a rooftop bar. Not a bad way to spend Saturday with friends.

Chidlom Restaurant

Happy Loy Krathong from Chiangmai 2022!

Birthday Birthday

Played trivia with friends on Saturday, cleaned condo Sunday, had charcuterie and oysters on Monday after work, and that about sums it up. As I get older, I find myself left inclined to do a big birthday thing. Happy to spend time with friends, have a nice dinner, and be home by 10pm. Looking forward to Loi Krathong festival over next few days.

Week Ahead of Birthday

Went to a comedy show for my friend’s birthday last week. I've never done that before, and I likely won’t go again — not that funny, and it was a 3-hour show, which is longer than any comedy show should be.

Loi Krathong Festival 2022 is on November 8th — day after my birthday — so the city is covered in lanterns.

Latest Short Story — The Place Beyond

Just finished my newest short story titled “The Place Beyond.” Would love to hear anyone’s thoughts who gives it a read!

Go Karting

Difficult to get a picture of us racing, but these things slapped. They were super fast and definitely a lot more difficult than it looked. It's always nice to get out and do stuff in CM.

Not Much to Update

Now that I’m back in Chiangmai, work is in full swing, and my daily schedule is gym, lunch, work, movie, and sleep. Not thrilling, but I’m happy to be back in my condo and employed. Though part of me still wants to push and do something of my own, from inception to implementation. Ideas are still out there, but I think 2023 is when things might start to kick off.

Haven’t been out much, but here’s some cool graffiti near a market in Nimman I went to.

That Chiangmai Life

Having been back in Chiangmai now for almost 2 weeks, I’m happy to be here. However, I can’t help but feeling like there’s more out there, almost as if I’ve gotten what I needed out of Chiangmai and it’s time to move on. Hard to put that feeling into words, but for now, just a passing thought. We’ll see how the rest of 2022 plays out and what 2023 holds.

Post it note wall is from a new Mexican restaurant in town. Thought it was cool. Took a picture. There ya go.

Sunday Night Market — CM

Back in Chiangmai — And It's Flooded

I land at 12:30 pm on Tuesday, October 4th. Tell the airport taxi guys I want to go to Changklan road. They say “That’s ground zero; there’s no way we can go.”

I place my hand on a driver’s shoulder and say, “Get me as close as you can.”

I’m dropped about 2 km from my condo, right off the highway — ankle-deep water. I have a backpack and my 20kg suitcase. I pick it up and start sloshing through the water. Ahead of me, I see a small boat and immediately start moving toward it while yelling and holding up 500 baht (USD 13). Without speaking the same language, we negotiate a deal — he’ll take me as far as the end of the street. In goes the suitcase and backpack, and we’re on our way. The water at some points was waste deep.

We reach the end of the road, and he says, “This is as far as I go” — or what I assumed he said, he was speaking Thai.

I thank him, pay him the money, pick up my suitcase and backpack, and start walking to my condo, about 800 meters or so. It’s heavy, I’m sweating, and the water is smelly and up past my knees, but the condo is in sight.

I finally make it. Friends in CM had told me there were floods, but I didn’t realize it was so bad. Food can’t be delivered, and my buddy told me the 7-11 close to the condo looks like something after Katrina hit in Louisiana — empty shelves and barren supplies for those brave enough to venture on over.

The water looks like it is receding today, which is good, but it was a helluva trip back from the airport yesterday.

2nd Article for The Bullet

Temasek’s $100 Million Bet — Brilliant or Brash?

New Column for KrASIA

I was recently given a new column at KrASIA — The Bullet. Here is first article

Big Upcoming Trip

Over the past week, I’ve been working on finalizing an upcoming trip, and it’s been a bit hectic.

Here’s where I’ll be:

• CM — BKK (August 26–27) | Quick 1 day visit, layovers from CM — Bali were a mess, so staying overnight was cheap and a lot less of a hassle.

• BKK — Bali (August 27–September 17)

• Bali — Singapore (September 17)

• Singapore — CM (???)

In Singapore, I’ll be attending Token2049 as a reporter for KrASIA, and then checking out Formula 1 just by myself. Things were getting a bit too comfortable (and boring) in Chiangmai, so I thought I needed to take advantage of my remote work situation and do some traveling. My buddy and his GF are in Bali doing visa stuff, so spending a few weeks there with them will be a nice change of pace.

I’m not sure when I’ll leave Singapore, but hopefully sooner rather than later. It’s expensive, and it’s so “curated” that things get boring real quick, especially since I’ll still be working and not as keen to go out, especially at the cost of $10 beers. From now until my first flight next Friday, I’ll continue going to the gym, working, and getting everything ready for my trip.

Driving Range

Hit some balls the other day. Only left-handed club was a 7 iron, and my obliques are paying for it today, but nice Sunday afternoon.

Nimman, Chiangmai

So the statue of the guy is the owner (developer?) of this giant shopping area in Nimman (Northwest Chiangmai). There are about 10 statues of him, all in various pop-art styles scattered around this shopping complex. Cool? Egotistical? Still unsure what to think of it.