Merry Christmas

Christmas has come and gone. I had Christmas with friends and family at my sister Ann's condo in downtown Ottawa. It was very pleasant and the food was great as always. The weather also cooperated and it snowed on Christmas Eve so we had a white Christmas.

Boxing day sales were hectic as usual. I went to the Rideau Centre and it was very busy with lineups to get into many stores. I also had lunch with Jordan at a restaurant in the market which is called Fat Boys, and the food was great. I am also seeing Jordan today at 7 pm at the Prescott Hotel. It is great to see him :-)

Today is a programming day for me as I have some updates to work on for the public school board in Ottawa. They are a great client and we try to keep them happy.

It is off to work I go ... ttyl,

Jim

Homeward Bound

It is my last day at work at the American School of Bangkok and I have quite enjoyed the experience. The staff is great and the school has a nice warm feeling to it. John McGrath is of course responsible for all the good things happening there.

I will leave about 11 am today and walk back to teh apartment to pack and I will be in a taxi at 12:30 pm to the airport. I fly out at 3:30 and it is a 2 hour flight to KL with an hour time zone change so I get in at 6:30. I am flying Royal Jordanian Airlines as the price was right ($145 CDN). I will then take the 45 minute taxi back to Subang Jaya where I will meet Jaime for supper and drop off some luggage for storage.

I will sleep one last night in the condo and will be on the road at 6:30 am for airport limo ride to the airport. I am Cathay air to Hong Kong and then Air Canada to Vancouver. I leave on the Saturday morning and arrive at 2:30 Saturday afternoon, courtesy of the International Date line that I cross. I effectively gain the day back I lost going to South East Asia.

I must remember to call my Mother :-)

TTYL,

Jim

Still Alive and Kicking :-)

It has been so long since I have posted. I have been very busy in Thailand, working on a 4 week contract at the American School of Bangkok. It has been a lot of fun, both the work, and the social life. The staff is wonderful and Bangkok is as exciting as ever.

I am in my last week of work and I fly back to Malaysia on the 16th for a day, to grab some luggage, store the rest of my luggage with my daughter Jaime, and then head back to Vancouver the next day via Cathay Air (good airline). I fly via Hong Kong.

I will spend a couple of days in Vancouver and then fly back to Ottawa to spend Christmas with my family. I am not sure when I will return back to Vancouver but it is likely the first week in January.

The first item on my agenda when I get back to Vancouver is to get back into the gym and lose the weight I gained in Bangkok. I figure 7 lbs aught to do it :-) There is just too much beer drinking and good food in Bangkok. I was also too busy to hit the gym. Lots of excuses :-)

Bangkok is very pleasant during the dry season which is December to May. Highs of 28 degrees and very dry. Ottawa weather may be a bit of a shock to me.

Here is the link to my flood pics: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=102711678297509447313&target=ALBUM&id=5680975121885601729&locked=true&authkey=Gv1sRgCMWjpIT3gNDMbg&feat=email

TTYL,

Jim

I moved into my Condo in Yaletown Vancouver on November 1st. I spent some time learning downtown Vancouver and then had to fly out to Malaysia on November 11th (11,11,11) as I had a week long contract with Taylors to work on the October ONSIS submission. I also used the evening to pack up all the belonging in my apartment (4 large suitcases) and then I flew to Bangkok where I will spend the next 4 weeks working with the American School of Bangkok, training teachers in the use of technology with their students.

I the fly back to Malaysia on December 16th, pick up 2 suitcases, close out the apartment (store 2 suitcases in Taylors) and then fly back to Vancouver. I will then fly to Ottawa to spend Christmas with my Mom, my 2 sisters, and possibly Jordan. Jaime will be in Sweden with Shelley.

So I continue to travel the world and my butt complains from time to time, but for the most part I am happy and I enjoy life.

TTYL,

Jim

Cathedral Grove and Vancouver

I was up and out of Victoria early on on Hallowe'en. I traveled up the eastern cloast of Vancouver Island to Nanaimo and Parksville, and both those towns had grown up. I did travel a bit down the Port Alberni hwy to Cathedral Grove where some 800 year old trees still survive inall their splendor, some reaching almost the length of a football field.

I spent the night in Nanaimo and was up early the next morning to catch the ferry from Departure Bay in Nanaimo to Horshoe Bay in Vancouver. I then picked up the keys to my condo for the next 4 months and I am in the process of unpacking.

TTYL,

Jim

400th Post

It is fitting that my drive from Ottawa to Victoria end with my 400th post since I started this blog. The blog has been quite a journey as well over the past 2.5 years.

The day started out sunny in Kamloops, which is actually located in a desert but most of the 4 hour trip into Vancouver was driven in heavy rain. As I approached Vancouver, the rain let up and disappeared by the time I approached the ferries to the island. I lucked in and hit the ferry 15 mins before sailing time.  The ferry was also much improved since I last took it 20 years or so ago. 

I arrived on the island and I am now in Victoria typing out this entry. I am quite tired and will be asleep by 10 pm.

TTYL,

Jim

Calgary to Banff

I decided to travel to Banff the next morning and then on to Lake Louise. Starbucks has discovered Banff and Banff has grown up over the past 15 years since my last visit. Ditto for Canmore which is now much larger and way more commercialized now. Lake Louise was no different and I decided to push onwards to the Columbia Ice Field and Jaspar until I hit the roadside update sign that announced that the road conditions were poor up ahead and travel was not recommended without tire chains, so I decided to head to Kamloops.

The drive to Kamloops from lake Louise was awesome and when I arrived in Kamloops I discovered it too had grown in size since my last visit. I spend the night and was up early to head to Vancouver and eventually the ferries to Victoria. What the heck, I figured I might as well go as far west as I could on this drive.

TTYL,

Jim

Booted from Brandon to Calgary

Apart from some oil pumps plugging away in Saskatchewan and Alberta, there was not much to see in the 1200 kilometres between those two cities. However, the 110 km/hr speed limit was appreciated as I dialed in 123 kms and cruised all the way, stopping only for coffee and gas as required.

I spend the night in a Quality Inn and was up early and hit the treadmill in the gym. Ouch, had not run for a month and it hurt. As soon as I get to B.C. I have to get into my routine again. I was afraid to get on the scales and rightly so, as I had crept back over 190 pounds. At least my breakfast was free - no cost, included in my lodging, and I burned 425 calories, so no cost to my weight :-)

Today I plan to visit Banf, Lake Louise, the Columbia Ice Fields, and Jaspar. Not sure where I will spend the night, but Kamloops is calling my name, and I love the desert.

TTYL,

Jim

Spending the Night in Brandon

I had originally planned to spend the night in Winnipeg but I gained an hour on the time change and decided to press on to Brandon, 2.5 hours down the road. I managed to get the last room at the Motel 6 for a decent price but the internet here is slow. Must be the 4 basketball or hockey teams (girls) that checked in. They are all probably on the net downloading the latest 'Glee' show :-)

I will be up early and plan to scoot across Saskatchewan (with a quick stop in Regina) and head into Alberta and spend the night somewhere there, depending how far I get. The driving is certainly easier on the prairies as you just point the vehicle in one direction and drive straight until you need gas.

Manitobans pay about 15 cents less per litre for gas. I assume that is because of fewer provincial taxes on gas. Their roads are as nice as ours so I wonder what gives?

TTYL,

Jim

At the Lake Head

I am now in Thunderbay. If you have never driven around the top of lake Superior I strongly suggest you do it. It is a very scenic drive and is not busy in October and the colours are beautiful.

I found another Mom and Pop motel and they all seem to have very fast internet that works - and is free unlike the more expesive hotels which seem to want to charge for it. Go figure!

Tomorrow I head out to Winnipeg and my first visit is to Bulk Barn because Jaime has placed an order for some 'Fruit Salad' candy. I also need to pickup gravol and advil to bring to Malaysia for her.

I will head out tomorrow about 7 am dependent on when Starbucks open up.

TTYL,

Jim

In Sault Ste Marie

I left Ottawa at about 8 am and 2 Tim Hortons and 12 hours later I pulled into Sault Ste Marie and found an inexpensive Mom and Pop Motel for the evening. I had previously done this trip 5 years ago when Jordan was playing with the Ottawa GMEN in the provincial Div 1 championships where they won the Gold medal. 

Tomorrow will be more interesting as I head off into the unknown (for me) around Lake Superior. I am quite looking forward to the middle part of the trip as it is all new ground for me.

It is now 8 ish and I will read my new book, Terry Brooks Legends of Shannare, The Measure of the magic. All of Terry's Brooks books are highly recommended!

I am out the door at 7 am tomorrow morning, so TTYL,

Jim

Off Across Canada

I plan to leave Ottawa about 6 am tomorrow and drive to first North Bay, Sudbury, and Sault Ste Marie which will take me about 10 hours.  plan to spend the night there and drive 9 hours the next day to Thunder Bay. Day 3 will see me in Winnipeg after another 9 hours. I have don ethe Sault Ste Marie trip twice before but the loop across the top of Lake Superior is new to me as is the segment to Winnipeg and across the prairies. I am quite looking forward to it.

I had a great time in Ottawa and saw lots of my mom, sisters, and friends. The weather was great for the most part, and I plan to get back for Christmas.

I will try to keep you informed of my progress across Canada whenever I happen across WiFi.

TTYL,

Jim

Loose Ends

I am still working on cleanup. I was at the lawyers for almost 4 hours yesterday. I hate to think what that cost me. Last night I bought new tires and that bill came to $922.00. I went with Canadian Tire as their warrantee is good across Canada. SUV tires are $$$.

Today I am getting the right brake light fixed. In case you think I am automobile repair impaired I want you to know the screws are all rusted in and I can't get at the bulb to change it. Ka ... ching. I was to lazy to clean the interior so I paid to have it done ... love the smell of armour-all :-)

I am seriously considering buying another GPS (mine seems to have headed south with the females) and I don't know what to get. I have used Garmin mostly and they work but there has to be something better. I guess I will look for a sale and get whatever is the best deal.

I will leave Ottawa to drive across Canada on the 25th of October. I am leaving myself 6 days and that should be fairly easy. Jaime and Jordaan did it in 3 days but they went through the states. I want to do it all in Canada.

I am planning on flying back to Malaysia on November the 11th to close out my condo and start shipping books and things home. Maybe I will bite the bullet and just chuck it all :-)

TTYL,

Jim

Getting Stuff Done

I am finally getting all the loose ends tied up. Johnson Insurance is just plain stupid. I can't cancel the insurance on my house even though I no longer own it unless both Shelley and I send in a cancellation form. I even sent them the sales closing document.

I managed to get all my automatic house related payments stopped. Now I need to decide on a cell phone plan. $1,500 later, the SUV has passed its eTest, had its left front wheel bearing replaced, and all transmission hoses are secure, replaced and not leaking. All I need now are 4 new tires at a $1,000 total. Did I mention I did not miss car ownership in Malaysia?

Liz Klassen is hosting a get together at her place on the 21st of October in the afternoon. I have not seen Liz for over 2 years and I am looking forward to seeing her.

I will spend the first 3 days of this week at the public school board working on their software as I customize TPA to work with Active Directory. IT nerds will understand the quest for a single login to all software applications.

I am reading the last book in the Sword of Truth series, called 'The Omen Machine' which is book 12 in a great series, much better than Jordan's 'Wheel of Time' series which probably outsold it but is not as good a read.

TTYL,

Jim

In Canada :-)

I arrived in Vancouver on the morning of October 3rd, picked up my car rental and checked into my hotel. I had previously scoured the internet, mostly CraigsList for apartment listings and managed to see about 4 listings over the next 2 days. I was looking for downtown, fully furnished, and a short term lease (4 months or less) and was expecting about $2,200 per month in rent and that was what I found. It is not as bad as it sounds as it is all inclusive, heat, hydro, high speed internet, cable, parking, swimming pool and fitness centre. I really did not want to tie myself up in a 12 month lease as I am still not sure of my plans for the next year.

I flew to Ottawa on the 6th, checked into my sister Ann's condo, recovered on the 7th, had a 90th bday dinner for my Mom at a local restaurant in New Edinborough, got my motorcycle runnning, blew 4 transmission hoses on the SUV and spent $900 getting it fixed, got license plate stickers for the SUV and the motorcycle, and booked yet another emission test for the SUV as they gave me a 10 day temporary permit which is just enough because of the long Thanksgiving day weekend. It is funny that we worry about our carbon footprint when there is close to 3 billion asians fouling the planet in an unbelievable manner!!!!

Today is Sunday and I am just taking a break and tomorrow I have Thanksgiving dinner at my sisters Ann's log house in the Val Des Mont woods. On Tuesday I meet with Brent over Intelliga business, take my Mom to her physiotherapy appoint over lunch and continue with Brent in the afternoon. My schedule is enough to make me yearn for a SouthEast Asia beach with nothing to do but put lime in the coconut and spread a little suntan lotion on every now and again.

TTYL,

Jim

Last Night in Malaysia :-)

It is Saturday, October 1st, and it is my last night in Malaysia. I leave for the airport at 10 pm Sunday, Oct 2nd and my flight is at 1:30 am on Monday, Oct rd. I arrive in Vancouver at 9:30 am on October 3rd thanks to the international date line. I will spend 3 nights in Vancouver looking at places to rent to determine if I can afford to live in Downtown Vancouver.

I leave for Ottawa on October 6th and will be staying at my sister's. Don't forget October the 8th is my Mother's 90th birthday and Monday Oct. 10th is Thankgiving day so there is lots going on.

Of course, a quart of beer and a meatball sandwich from the Prescott is also high in my priority list. It will be nice to be home for a while.  Send me an eMail if you would like to get together. I will be leaving around the end of October as I am driving across Canada to Vancouver which is something I have always wanted to do.

Take care, TTYL,

Jim

3 Work days - 5 Days Until Flight

Not that I am counting. My ONSIS training went well and I am into a day or 2 of review. Timee to start planning for packing my suitcases. It is best to take just what I need and give everything else away.

I hope to fit everything into 2 large suitcases but that could be wishful thinking on my part. I really have not accumulated much "stuff" here in Malaysia apart from memories and that is probably good.

TTYL,

Jim

Starbucks and Last Week - 5 days!

I am at Starbucks having my usual tall latte, double shot. This is my last week at work and the end is in site. It is a little bittersweet because my 2 and a half years in Malaysia have been life altering to say the least. What if ...

However, there is no looking back and you do not want to live your life in a rear view mirror but rather looking forward optimistically and making the best of what life has to offer you.

So I return to Canada, without a house or permanent address, a divorce in the process, and nothing guaranteed except for my teacher's pension :-)

I get into Ottawa on the 6th of October and if anyone wishes to get together give me a shout at CoachJimDale@gmail .com.

TTYL,

Jim

11 days and 9 Working Days Left

I am getting excited as the countdown enters single digits. I have not seen the Autumn colours in Canada for almost 3 years! I am so looking forward to it. I am also looking forward to a few brisk rides on my motorcycle before I have to put it away for the winter.

I have many things to do before leaving to return to Canada. I am coming back to Malaysia and Thailand in late October for the month of November and part of December. That takes some of the pressure off me as I will have a chance to finish packing and tie up the usual administrivia of leaving a country. I will soon go from a working visa to a visitor's visa (90 days at a time in Malaysia).

I had a great time in Bangkok this past weekend and really enjoyed my visit with John. If you ever get to Bangkok, 2 places I highly recommend is Seafood Market in Soi 23 and Hillary's 2 in Soi 4 (Nana) for live bands and a great crowd.

TTYL,

Jim

16 Days - 12 Working Days

It will not be long now before a major event in my life comes to an end. My contract at Taylors ends in 16 days on September 30th. That is only 12 more days that I have to get up and go to work. Actually, it is only 11 days as this Friday is Malaysia Day, a national holiday. For the first time in my life, I will actually be retired. The last time I retired, I go on an airplane the next day and flew halfway around the world, found a condo to live in, and started teaching 4 days later. So much for my first retirement. Hopefully this time around I last more than 6 days without working :-)

Having said that my company that I share with Brent Wilson always seems to need some programming done whenever I have a moment to spare. I guess I should thank Brent for saving the work until he knows I have time to complete it :-)

Jordan just asked if he could take a young lady that he met at U of O out for a ride on my Motorcycle. That is great that he is having some fun and my motorcycle gets some exercise. I hope he enjoys his last year at university :-)

I am booked with China Easter Air for my flight on October 3rd. For those of you who have flown Cina Eastern Air, you will feel sorry for me ... $1050 return, but no movies, or other inflight
entertainment :-( However, lots of noodles for dinner :-)

I fly to Bangkok again this Thursday see about a job, visit John, listen to some music, and maybe eat some fried bugs or grasshoppers. Did I mention that beer and booze is much cheaper in Thailand?

Take care, TTYL,

Jim

18 days - 14 working days

I have 18 days and 14 working days until the end of my teaching contract at Taylors. The end is in sight and I am so looking forward to fresh, unpolluted air, the moment I step off the plane in Canada on October 3rd. I think I have mentionned that we Canadians should never feel guilty about our carbon footprint and the amount of pollution we add to the earth's atmosphere. It is miniscule compared to China, India, the rest of Asia and all South east Asia.

Then there is the massive amount of clear cutting without replanting or replanting cash crops like palm oil. All in the name of ecomnic development. There is also no world price for gas or oil. Would not get relected if the government were to do that. However, sooner or later they will have to move the price of gas to discourage the waste that goes on.

My programming is going well as of late. However that is good, as I have been logging many hours and it is good for me to see the results of my labour. Remember, Programming is the only art form that fights back!

TTYL,

Jim

22 Days left on Contract

It is coming to the end of my 4th last week at taylors and there are only 22 days left. My flight back to Canada is booked for October 3rd and I managed to get a flight for $1050 with China Eastern Airlines which means BUDGET, no movies, lots of rice and noodles.

I arrive back on October 3rd as I gain a day flying west. I fly into Vancouver and will spend 3 days before flying on into Ottawa, about October 7th.

I will soon start packing up my things and I guess I will need to purchase a larger suitcase for the trip home. I hate to do it, but I will leave lots of books behind. They just weigh too much to take with me and I seldom reread fiction or refer to technical books much these days as I have the internet for research.

TTYL,

Jim

25 Days Remaining Until Canada

This morning I visit the Malaysian Income Tax Department and EPF (Employee Pension Fund) Department to arrange for my tax clearance and pension payout prior to leaving Malaysia for good (or until I visit again). It apparently takes all day which somehow, does not surprise me in the least.

I will spend the next 3 weeks training Taylor's staff on how to complete the ONSIS reports that the MOE in Ontario requires from all Ontario schools, including private overseas schools, which Taylor's falls under.

I will also start packing up my apartment and arrange to ship some of my stuff home (sorry Mom) before my final flight. I have to start cancelling things as well as any kind of administrivia stuff usually requires a face to face meeting to accomplish in Malaysia. Try to do it via eMail and phone and you get the proverbial 'Can not'!

I am also into programming now as Brent has sent me a list of items that need my attention.

TTYL,

Jim

Last Day now September 30th

It appears my last day here in Malaysia will now be the end of September. I met with HR today and it appears that is when I will receive my final pay, EPF payment, and tax clearance out of the country. Yippee Kai Yai I say :-)

I will be back in Canada for Thanksgiving and my Mother's 90th birthday on October 8th! Not many folks make that ripe old age so it is cause for celebration.

Most teachers have disappeared for the coming week as it is a week of school holidays. Some to Sri Lanka, some to Thailand, one to paris, etc. I will stay put I think because I am just coming off a 10 day vacation.

I ask Jordan to take Yammy, my motorcycle for a spin so the battery will be charged for when I get back. I should be able to get a few weeks of riding in before the cold hits Ottawa.

I am still not sure where I will be living but I am not too worried as things usually work out okay.

It looks like rain and I did not remember my umbrella so I make leave a little early to miss the rain.

TTYL,
 have a great weekend :-)
Jim

390th Post :-)

I definitely slowed down in my postings over the past year. As most of you know, my personal life was in great upheaval and most of the time I did not want to, or could not share what was going on in my life. However, I will soon pass 400 postings in a two and a half years so that is not too bad.

I hope to be in Canada in October and really look forward to seeing the trees colour and smell fresh, unpolluted fall air. You folks really do not appreciate the air quality you have in Canada. Living in Malaysia is like toking on an exhaust pipe much of the time. It is so bad, that you have to rinse your eyes with sterile water to flush the crud from them if you do much walking outside.

Another thing I miss is being able to turn on the cold water tap and get cold water ... that, and being able to drink it, knowing it is free of sediment and heavy chemicals. Canada is blessed with much of the world's clean, fresh water and that bodes well for the future in a world that is running short of water in many countries.

I don't take many pictures these days as someone kept all the cameras when I seperated. That is why you have not seen many pics as of late. I have many fond memories of trips to Krabi, Phi Phi, and Bangkok and hopefully I will share those stories in this blog one day. They are interesting tales and those of you who read my camel diaries will enjoy them.

It is also interesting not having a place to call home. My house is sold now and when I arrive back in Canada I may have claim to being the oldest boomerang kid on the planet as I will be staying with my mom for a while. I left home at 19 ... strange :-)

I do have my SUV and motorcycle so I am mobile when I get back. Some of my teacher friends are returning back to Canada with no place to call home and no car. It is not that big a deal as that is how we live here in S.E. Asia. We rent and walk or cab everywhere and own very little. It's a very nomadic lifestyle and I am sure it is not for everyone. Many of these teachers, however, do not have the luxury of an Ontario Teacher's pension which is something I can always count on. Teacher's employed in Canada have something very, very special and is becoming exceedingly rare in modern society, a pension that is indexed.

TTYL,

Jim

A Little While Longer :-(

It appears that I will be in Malaysia a little while longer. The Malaysian bureaucracy is slowing down my exit procedures. Next week is also a major Muslim holiday period and the government will not start processing my EPF (Malaysian pension benefits) and will also withhold my August pay. It could be kraft dinner or peanut butter toast for a month.

I really can't leave Malaysia without getting paid first. Can't really travel much either. Good news is I will have lots of time for programming :-)

I will be back in Canada in October which is probably my favourite month with the trees changing colors, warm days, and cool nights.

TTYL,

Jim

Back in Bangkok

I had a great time on Phi Phi island and took the time to get to know some locals and now have great info on how I can live in Phi Phi for $450 for a month (room). The food was great and the variety of visitors coming and going was awesome ... folks from all over the world.

I figure I can survive quite easily on my pension and live like a king in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, etc. I have also heard it is pretty much the same in Venezuela and perhaps Brazil, which I would like to explore next.

I would also be remiss if I did not say you can get a very nice condo in North Carolina for $1,000 CDN in November-March frame time as it is off season. This is Larry Brown's favourite destination as he is adverse to leaving the continent.

Now, the problem becomes finding a reasonable place to stay in canada for 6 months of the year and travel to other exotic places for a month at a time from October to April. That could present a problem. Maybe a long term rental of a cottage property.

Seafoof in Krabi, Phi Phi, and Bangkok is simply incredible.

TTYL,

Jim

Phi Phi

I am writingthis from a seaside bar in Phi Phi. Apparently this is the off season in Krabi and also the rainy season. It has rained once in 3 days at 5 am in the morning for an hour so rain is not an issue. There are also lots of travellers as well so I guess I am not the only one that does not check the rainy seasons. The weather is great.

The hotel rooms are also quite a bit less expensive because it is off season. Apparently September is the month of greatest precipitation so that month may be a little iffy so be warned.

I head back to Bangkok on Friday and timing is a little tight. I catch the ferry at 9 am and it is 90 minutes to Krabi and then I must catch a taxi to the airport which takes about 45 minutes. So 9 am feery, arrive at 10:30, taxi to airport for 45 mins and arrive at 11:15 and fly out at 12:15, tight but doable I hope,

Time to enjoy the scenery and weather.

TTYL,

Jim

13 Days :-)

It is the weekend and I am off to Bangkok to visit my friend John. I find I need regular mini vacations after 2 years in Malaysia. I find Bangkok refreshing, not in terms of climate, but in terms of spirit, kharma, or whatever. It just seems less messed up and more fair.

Not much else going on in my life at the moment so TTYL,

Jim

14 Working Days

I am busy cleaning up the June ONSIS submission so I leave Taylors uptodate with ONSIS. It is pretty boring work, work I usually refer to as monkey work. The hard part is concentrating so you don't make mistakes.

Other than that hot and humid as always. I had supper with Jaime last night, pizza at Papa Johns. Jaime had to choose between 2 pizzas, one with a cream sauce and one with a tomato sauce. She wanted the tomato and asked the waitress which came with the tomato and she pointed it out. Unfortunately Jaime has not learned to choose the other and she got the cream sauce. That is life in Malaysia.

I was in a book store the other night and wanted a book in the 'Chicken Soup Inspirational Series' and asked the clerk to take me to where I would find it. He obviously understood chicken soup but not inspirational as we ended up in the cooking section. I long for people who I can actually speak the Queen's English with and be understood. That is life in Malaysia. Singapore, in contrast, is an English speaking nation.

That's enough for today, so TTYL,

Jim

17 Work Days Remaining

Singapore was fantastic as always ... very clean, people are courteous, and Universal Studios has very small wait times for attractions. You can even find Black Angus steaks and prime rib.

Drivers stop at stop signs and beckon you to cross ... rather than trying to run you down to get to the mall 30 seconds earlier.

It's all good,

TTYL,

Jim

29 Days

Jaime has come down with the Asian flu/first year of teaching bug and has been sick for a few days. Jordan has finally surfaced and answered my SMS so all are present and accounted for.

I have been indulging in too much beer and wings and have to either start working harder at the gym or go on a diet. Coach Brown would be proud of me, giving into the dark side of the wings :-)

Not much else to say ... today is like every other day in Malaysia, hot and sticky. At work I am writing up my report on the CPU Blended Learning Pilot which was semi successful and supported the research in it's findings. Students do a little bit better or the same academically but prefer the freedom to work any place, anywhere, anytime.

Change is never easy and we are having trouble getting the other 50% of the teachers onboard and willing to take the change. Sometimes the younger teachers are the worst because they just want to teach the way they were taught and it is very fresh in their minds. Go figure. Oh well, you don't find many risk takers in education but you would think you would find more of them from the select few that would consider teaching on the other side of the planet.

TTYL,

Jim

30 Days Remaining

It is the month of August and my last month at Taylors. Just to reiterate, Taylors is a great place to work so if you are considering teaching overseas, you could not ask for a better place to start. Most teachers come and stay for 2 years but 1 and 3 years is also not unusual.

The students are great and the staff is varied. The only downside is about 33% of the staff turns over every year. The students also change over every year as they are usually only at Taylors for 2 semesters. I do stay in contact with many of my students through facebook.

I checked with many of my ex students and most of them seem to be maintaining their averages that they obtained at CPU. If a student graduated with an 85 average at CPU they are maintaining that average at a Canadian University. I would think we did a good job at CPU or they are just working really hard. Probably, a little bit of both.

This weekend I am heading to Singapore to visit Sentosa Island which is home to Universal studios.  I will report back to you on how it stacks up with Orlando's Universal Studios.

TTYL,

Jim

34 Days Left at Taylors

Today is a good day. What makes a good day and a bad day? Certainly not the weather as it is always the same. Most of the time it is communications and most communications these days are electronic. So, that buzz on my phone or that waiting email usually sets the tone for the day.

The people in your life are important. There are those that try to bring you down and those that boost you up. Try to divest yourself of the downers. If they want to be miserable then so be it, but do not let them make you miserable as well. There are lots of wonderful people in the world so take a chance, say hello, and strike up a conservation as you will never know where it takes you.

I am bad at calling people. Mom, I will try to call tonight ,,, but you know my email!!! I sms Jaime once a day and Jordan about every 3 days. Got to get better with Jordan :-)

Coming up in the near future is a trip to Universal Studios in Singapore and a weekend in Bangkok. I love Bangkok and the people you find there. They come from all over the world. I must remember to take some pics as I have been very bad lately. Must be because someone stole all the cameras :-(.

It may be time to upgrade my phone to a new HTC Sensation which has a very fast 8 megapixel camera which is more than good enough for my needs.

TTYL,

Jim

38 Days and Counting

I spent the weekend in Bangkok and I am now pretty good at getting around downtown and I am also developing an appreciation for Thai food. I dropped in and said hello to my tailor Ram and, as always, he was enthusiastic about seeing me. The music in the bars I visited was great as usual. Many of the singers seem to be from the Philippines.


It's Monday and I am a little tired after my busy weekend. I am trying to clean up all my ONSIS work before departing and that is keeping me busy.

I had dinner with Jaime last Thursday and hope to have dinner at least once a week with her. It is nice to have Jaime in Subang Jaya :-) She seems to be enjoying Sunway and it's staff. I have met about 6 of them so far and they seem very nice.

Better get back to work, TTYL

Jim

41 Days Left

I guess it is time to start another countdown. August 31st is my last day at Taylors College. Taylors is a wonderful place to teach and I highly recommend it.

Malaysia is a developing country shopping malls 10 stories high and open sewers with garbage. It is definitely a land of contrasts. Most teachers seem to stay on for 2 years and move back to Canada or head out on another international teaching contract. I think there is a reason for it and it may be the climate. Hot and sticky wears us westerners down. Perhaps we never learn the Malaysian amble walk!.  Seems like I am always in the pedestrian passing lane.

Strangely enough, I will hang around South East Asia for a while as there are things to do and places to see. My condo is rented until the end of December. I will make another visit to Canada in the Fall before returning back to see Australia, New Zealand, Laos, and China. I will return to Canada in December.

I am still undecided where I will live when I return and that decision need not be rushed. I will have lots of time to ponder life's great decisions after August 31st. TTYL,

Jim

Rant Against Gossips and Rumour Mongers

It has come to my attention that I have been judged (in absentia) and found guilty. I am now gossip material and the butt of jokes. In case you have not heard the many rumours, I am apparently engaged in intimate acts with former students and/or their mothers, or perhaps both, dependent on the sick perverted person who is spreading the rumours.

There is absolutely no truth to this rumour and I am collecting names of those responsible for spreading the rumour and I am considering reporting them to the College of Teachers. I am surprised that a Catholic community would get involved in spreading rumours with absolutely no truth behind it or at least not contact and ask me if it is true. I find this extremely insulting to my morality and character.

The other rumour is that I am being duped by some Russian women and I am being played for a fool and they will dump me once they have spent all my money. There is some basis to this rumour as I continue to help students and families in need where ever I find them. If you attended my retirement party at the Board you probably heard that the $500 raised for my retirement gift was donated to a needy Catholic basketball family to enable one of their children to attend basketball camp that summer. Over the years, I helped many students, long before the Board set up a fund to do so.

It is ironic that one teacher used the venue of the Father Baxter Golf Tournament to make jokes about me and the 17th hole. You know who you are and you are one sick puppy!

I also find it very insulting to my intelligence that the gossips think so little of my intelligence that I would be so easily duped.

I thought I would take the high road and just ignore the gossip and jokes but I find it despicable that educators would stoop so low and have decided to call you to account and ask, 'Why would you do such a lowly, cowardly act, without at least searching out the truth, and ruin a person's reputation?'

You should be ashamed of yourselves!

To my friends who have supported me I thank you :-). To my friends who never even asked me for clarification and judged me guilty, I am disappointed with you :-(

Jim

Back in Ottawa

I arrived back in Ottawa after a 15 hour flight from Hong Kong and a 4 hour flight from Kuala Lumpur, and then the final hour from Toronto. A little jet lagged today but looking forward to getting out and visiting a few folks today (Sunday).

First up is Timmy's for a coffee!

TTYL,

Jim

Jaime has Arrived

Jaime arrived in Malaysia yesterday about noon and made the mistake of taking a nap about 4 pm and woke up the next morning. That is not unusual when flying halfway around the world. I met her for supper and we went to Tony Roma's and later visited her hotel where Sunway is putting her up for the next two weeks while she finds a condo to live in.

It was really good to see jaime as I had not seen her in about 6 months. I leave this Saturday for Ottawa for a 2 week working holiday and hope to spend some time with Jordan.

Oh yes, Jaime was very excited about her new iPad 2. :-)

TTYL,

Jim

Home on July 2nd Saturday

I am travelling back to Ottawa on July 2nd and due to the wonders of the international date line, I arrive July 2nd. I am quite looking forward to a more relaxed visit this time around as I am there until July 13th.

Things I have to do include, seeing the realtor, the lawyer, my Mother, thanking my sisters and Bill, visiting the Prescott, seeing King Louie at Rideau Ferry, and going for a few motorcycle rides and spending some time with Jordan who is working this summer in Ottawa.

If you want to get together just send me an email to CoachJimDale@gmail.com :-)

TTYL,

Jim

Home from Bangkok

I had a great visit with John Mcgrath in Bangkok. In one day we took a motorcycle taxi, tuk tuk, river boat taxi, and a regular taxi. We managed to hear some great music in a couple of bars, shot some pool, and had a great 40th birthday party for one of the school's VP's.

John cooked up a great breakfast one morning of bacon (real pork bacon), eggs, and brown beans with fried up potato slices. It was great.

I also discovered a great drink, votka and Red Bull. The votka makes you happy and the Red Bull keeps you awake all night to enjoy your new found happiness. It also tastes great and did not leave a hangover for some reason.

Thanks a lot John :-)

TTYL,

Jim

Bangkok this Weekend

I am going to visit John McGrath this weekend in Bangkok. I have not seen John for quite some time so I am looking forward to it. The population of Bangkok is 12 million people so you can imagine how busy and large it is. John is very adept at getting around which really amazes me. John is the principal of the American International School in Bangkok.

I am preparing to wrap up my stay here in Malaysia. My exit meeting with personnel is on June 22nd and my last day of work is about August 31st.

What I really like about Canada, is that you can actually do things outdoors, like go for a walk without having sweat dripping into your eyes after 5 minutes. I look forward to biking and bicycling again, picknics in the park, running outside, and all things outdoors, including winter activties :-)

What will I miss? Taylors is a great organization to work for and the people are fantastic. The malls are awesome but life is about more than a shopping experience.
TTYL,
Jim

Why?

I have been wondering ... why can't you deselect a button in an elevator? It is a simple programming task :-) I suppose the big question is what happens when there is only one button selected and the elevator is moving to that floor. Simple, go to that floor unless the user chooses another button then go to the new choice.

Common elevator manufacturers ... this is not rocket science stuff. Have you never got on an elevator with all the buttons pushed by some kid?

TTYL,

Jim

Sunday Night/Monday Morning

It is 1:47 am and I can't sleep :-( Is anyone awake? I guess so, as it is Sunday afternoon back in Canada. Parents are taking their kids to soccer games, active people are riding bicycles on the bike pathways in and around Ottawa. Hey, you could even be travelling back from Algonquin park after a weekend of hiking and canoeing.

Here in Malaysia the family takes the car to the mall and shops and eats. I still have not figured what else they do but I know I do not see bicyclists (dangerous to your health), games on the outdoor playing fields (too hot and humid), people walking outside (just me usually and the odd Indonesian illegal worker).

They do like to skate on the ice rink, but that may be because it is in the mall so I am not sure. The malls also have large open areas where they stage entertainment of various kinds (talent shows, fashion shows, car shows, etc.)

I am thinking of going to langkawi this coming weekend as I am going a little stir crazy in my apartment in Subang Jaya. Not this coming weekend, but the following weekend I am visiting John McGrath in Bangkok. That should be fun as I have not seen John for 4 or 5 months and there is lots to get caught up on.

I am also trying to get back to Canada for a couple of weeks in July. I have been working on a new software project and it is time to demo it to the clients to make sure what I am building for them is what they want :-) It all depends on how many holidays I have coming to me.

I am trying to make the time go a little faster here in Malaysia by engaging in travel over the next 3 months.

TTYL,

Jim

TGIF

Another Friday without the chimps and a TGIF :-( Is East Side Marios still the prefered watering hole or are you lost without me?

I think I will head out to a restaurant for a bite to eat tonight. Somewhere in downtown KL and maybe then a beer or two. I have some new programming that needs to get started this weekend and some old stuff that needs to get finished.

The new countdown is at 89 days until August 31st.

I hope your weekend is more exciting than mine, TTYL

Jim

Time in Malaysia Extended

I will be staying in Malaysia until the end of August so my countdown is now at 90 days not 70. taylor's requested that I stay until that time in order to get some things completed. I was okay with that as it is important to me to fullfill the duties you were hired to complete.

I have gotten into the habit of exploring KL. There is lots to do and many, many restaurants and smaller malls to explore. The other night I went to the Hard Rock cafe for some western food and to listen to a live band. The food was great, music not so great, but the crowd was mostly white folks like me which is unusal most places I go.

There is still lots of time if anyone wants to visit and we all know you teacher types have the months of July and August off. I would be happy to show you around, feed, entertain, and accommodate you.  I will draw the line at free beer for larry as no one can afford to feed free beer to Brown Bear :-)

I am doing some ONSIS work and have just completed in-servicing 75 Malaysian teachers on Blended Course delivery and implementing Gizmos in their Science and Mathematics courses. If you have not used Gizmos, check them out at http://www.explorelearning.com/. You can use any Gizmo for 5 minutes ... just enough time to get a feel for what it does. There are several hundred Gizmos to explore.

I am surviving well on my own and have even started to cook now and again.

That's about it for now, so TTYL.

Jim

70 to Canada

I have started my countdown and I have about 70 days until I return to Canada. It always seems more real when I have a countdown :-) I am making a list of things I have to do before departing from S.E. Asia.

Visit Australia
Visit Langkawi one last time
Walk in a thunderstorm
Watch a sunset and sunrise on the same day
Have one too many beers :-) with some friends

I guess that is about I want to accomplish.  I came for a year and stayed 2 years.

It is too bad that I will miss being here in Malysia with Jaime, however, I do know the way and I hope to visit once or twice while she is teaching at Sunway College.

I am still working at the Blended Course initiative here at Taylor's. I also have lots of ONSIS work to complete and training for the staff who will take it over once I leave. I doubt if I will have time to get bored.

TTYL, 70 and counting ...

Resigned

Big News ... for me anyways ... I handed in my resignation today. I hope to be back in Canada in early August (Ottawa). It is time to put my life back in some semblance of order and I figure I can do that best in Ottawa with some help of a few good friends.

Shelley will be joined by Jaime in June and they will reside in Subang Jaya. Jordan will be working in Ottawa for the summer, attending the Faculty of Education at U of O in the Fall.

So that is my big news. Other than that, it is 33 degrees and 90% humidity as usual.

TTYL,

Jim

Back in Malaysia

Jill McGrath coined the phrase 'sauna hell' when she was describing the climate here in South East Asia and she had it correct.I spent a day in London (actually in the Air Canada Lounge at Heathrow), transfered in Singapore, and arrived in Subang Jaya on last Monday night. I spent the week jet lagged (travelling around the world in 13 days does take it's toll) and had a relaxing weekend.

Here it is, Monday again and my first full week back. I have workshops for Malaysian teachers on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday of this week.The workshop is on how to use Math and Science Gizmos (learning objects). That will make for a long week. I also have to meet with the eLearning folks from Taylor's University as they just announced they will be 100% blended course delivery for 2015.

My time here in Malaysia may be limited as I find my feet are itching to be elsewhere, mainly back in Canada. I miss the seasons, my family, and my friends and I have things to take care of back in Canada related to my separation that are very difficult to complete from the other side of the world.

Not much news :-( I guess that is a sure sign it may be time to move on :-)


TTYL,

Jim

Currently in Halifax

I am currently in Halifax, awaiting my 11:30 pm flight to London England. I did take the airporter into Halifax today and had fish and chips down by the harbour. I hope to get into downtown London as well tomorrow as I have about an 8 hour layover before my flight to Singapore.

Travelling around the world can result in lots of wait times. My daughter Jaime had warned me about that after her first European trip.

Not much to talk about as airports are kind of boring, even if you are in a lounge with free booze and food :-)

So far I have enjoyed the fresh air in Canada, but have been way too busy!!!

TTYL,

Jim

Jordan's Graduation :-)

May 30th has come and gone and Jordan has graduated with a Bachelor of Kinesiology from Trinity Western University. The convocation ceremony was held in a large Pentecostal church in Abbotsford B.C. and was well done. Jordan was happy, but I think I was happier seeing him graduate. He has worked hard over the 4 years and should be proud of himself. He has been accepted to the Faculty of Education at the University of Education this Fall.

I met jordan the next morning and he showed mehis new set of wheels, a 2003 BMW 325. He says he looks better getting out of a BMW in a suit, rather than a truck.

After I met Jordan for coffee I decided to drive to Whistler as I have never been there and I hear the drive is great now that the roadwork for the Olympics is completed. I fly out the next morning to Ottawa and look forward to visiting some friends and my mom.

TTYL,

Jim

Fly out tonight

I fly out tonight on the start of a 34 hour trip back to Canada. I have quite a long stop over in beijing and I am hoping I will be able to leave the airport and head downtown for 4 or 5 hours and do some sight seeing. I am not sure I need a transit visa for that. If I can't do that, I have access to the lounge at the airport.

The good news is the longest legs of the flight are both at night but as I mentioned I arrive at night in Vancover, so no matter what, my internal clock will be messed up and I may be awake all night long. May get some work done!

I must remember to pack a jacket for the trip. I think my TWU jacket wold be appropriate seeing as Jordan is graduating.

TTYL, probably from the airport :-)

Jim

2 More Sleeps

Two more sleeps and I head back to Canada. I fly out Subang Jaya airport via Firefly to Singapore at 8 pm and arrive in Singapore at 9 pm. I then switch airports/terminals to catch a flight to Beijing at 00:15 am. I then get to spend all day in Beijing before heading out to Vancouver that same night. Jordan's convocation is on Saturday May 30th and we will celebrate with a beer later that night.

I am in Vancover from the April 28 to May 2nd and arrive in Ottawa later that day. It appears the weather in Ottawa is a little warmer than that in Vancouver which is good as it is the start of the Tulip festival in Ottawa on May 6th. I am looking forward to Spring weather as I have not had a Spring in 2 years now :-)

I have lots to do, meet up with the chimps, see the lawyer, see the real estate agent, visit my mom, etc. It will be a quick visit in and out.

I am then back to KL via London, England, having circumnavigated the world in 13 days. Should be fun, I hope :-)

TTYL,

Jim

Back in Canada Soon

I must admit I am a liitle homesick for Canada at this moment. You have no idea how much you miss the 4 seasons until you do not have them. I quite enjoyed winter when I was back at Christmas and I look forward to my first Spring in 2 years.

Not much happening here. I am in a routine where I swim early every morning and workout every second day at the gym. I am now 180 pounds and have not seen that weight since I was about 21. I am also in great shape without any aches or pains. I have the perfect weight loss program ... travel half way round the world, exercise a lot, eat 3/4 of what you normally do, and get divorced at teh same time. It's amazing how stress burns calories :-)

I miss seeing Jaime while I am in canada as she will be practice teaching in Sweden while I am in Canada. The closest I get to her is passing through London England on the way home. However, she is always just an SMS away from anywhere in the world.

I am looking forward to Jordan's graduation on the 30th of this month. It is a real sense of accomplishement for a parent when all their children achieve a university degree. You feel that you have done a good job! However, Jordan has done all the work and should feel fantastic with his accomplishments. He has been accepted to the Faculty of Education at Ottawa University and thanks go out to Bill Fox for his great reference :-) Thanks Bilbo :-)

TTYL,

Jim

Day off Work

My eyes have been causing problems for me over the past week and today I came down with 'Pink Eye'. Pink Eye, both in Canada and Malaysia is an automatic get out of school for a while disease. I went to a clinic, walked in and the Doc asked what are you here for and I said 'Pink Eye' and she said yes, good diagnosis, wrote me out 2 prescriptions, and a MC (medical certificate) for 2 days off work. Pink Eye is pretty contagious :-) It is a malaysian law that requires a MC if you miss school or work for any time. I think the law exists because their are too many doctors and they can't make enough money. It is pretty easy to get qualified as a doctor in many parts of the world so it is very good that Canada does not let them practice until they recertify in Canada.

So, I left work, walked back home, and spent horizontal time catching up on my Zzzzz's and then read for a little while. Every 2 hours the antibiotic eye drops go in and tonight I get to spread some antibiotic cream on my eye lids. Should be great fun.

Not much has changed since yesterday. I am reading the final (book 10) of a great fantasy series called 'The Malazan Book of the Fallen'. It is highly recommended if you are into Science Fantasy, but if you are just starting out, the 'Sword of Truth' or 'Sword of Shannara' series are much more apporachable for newbies.

I get to sleep in tomorrow so I guess I will read late tonight.

I get my high speed internet installed on the 28th of April and it gives me 20 MBS upload and download guaranteed due to the fact it is fibre. However, once I leave their network and head across to Canada or the USA the speed usually drops off but I am still able to stream movies, sports, and television shows immediately. Do we have fibre to the home in Canada yet? Malaysia is a country of contrasts, no pollution checks of cars, 2 stroke motorcycles, mega malls, and fibre to your home.

TTYL,

Jim

Stages of Life

When you reflect back on life there are some pretty simple stages. There is childhood, the teenage years of rebellion and trying stuff on, and the 20's where you think you have it all together, graduate, get married and start having kids. Then comes middle age and the family rearing years. Before you know it, you are in your 50's at the top of your career and thinking about retirement.

THEN you are retired, or in my case, still working full tilt, teaching, and volunteering for extra 'stuff'. It is also a time in your life when you start reflecting on the big question, "Is that all there is? "

It is also fairly easy to do the Math to figure out how many years you have left. Then you subtract off the years at the end of your life span and you are left with a figure that may just give you a decade of quality life. Been there, done it, it is kind of depressing. I have a friend whose, whose favourite saying is, "What to do?" I asked myself the same question.

 We have all heard the expressions, "Life is not a dress rehearsal", and 'You only go around once". They start to take on real meaning later in life. What to do? You can travel halfway round the world, you can simply travel, looking for new experiences and wonders in the world, you can volunteer and do good deeds, you can meet new people from different cultures, or you can simply live your life the way you always have and wonder, "What if?"

I decided to try on some new things in life. Along the way, I lost my marriage, and someone who was very dear to me. Kind of reminds me of the Arlo Guthrie song with the lyrics, 'You can't always get what you want, at Alice's restaurant'. Then there is my favourite, "I don't want a pickle, just want to ride my motorcycle!" (pronouncd motorsickle). By now, you are probably thinking Jim has lost some of his marbles. Some folks think so, but I don't. You can judge for yourself.

So, the big question that you are thinking about may be, "Does Jim have a romantic interest and is that why the marriage broke down?". The answer to that is no, so sorry to disappoint you. I wish :-)

I live alone, do the same old things like go to work in the morning, come home in the afternoon, make dinner, read a little, and go to sleep. Kind of like my dog in the park outside my window. I have to make a point of taking him some food one day and see if he needs a friend.

So, what does the future hold? That is a really good question. In the short term, I will continue as is. There are some items on my bucket list I have to attend to, like my motorcycle circumnavigation of North America with my son Jordan. Then there is the tour of tour of legendary NCAA basketball stadiums with Coach Brown and any other basketball junkie who wishes to join us. I wish to relocate to British Columbia sometime in the future and I would not say no to coaching some youth basketball if the opportunity arose.

I am travelling to Singapore, then Vancouver for Jordan's graduation on April 30th. I then travel to Ottawa on May 3rd for a little business and to meet with my lawyer. I then fly to London, England, on May 7th, and then on to Singapore, and then back to Malaysia. That will tick off another item on my bucket list, circumnavigating the world in 10 days.

I am now Head of Instructional Technology for Taylor's College. In particular, I am in charge of implementing 'Disruptive Technology' at Taylor's. Those of you who know me, will be smiling, saying Jim does know how to be disruptive.

That is enough for now. I am doing the Prescott in Ottawa as soon as I get back. Give Coach Brown a call if you wish to join us.

TTYL,

Jim

Separated

You probably noticed the lack of posts during the past 3 months. There have been many changes in my life and the biggest is that Shelley and I are now separated as of March. I will not go into the marriage breakdown as this is not the appropriate venue, but I will now talk about how I am adjusting.

I bounced around a few hotels while looking for a new condo. The Subang Dorsett was great and I got to know the staff on a first name basis but unfortunately could not afford to stay there more than a week. I then moved to a low cost hotel that I refer to as the Cockroach Hotel. It was never boring because killing cockroaches is quite challenging. The little buggers are fast :-)

Eventually, I decided that I needed to rent a condo and enlisted our (my) previous real estate lawyer Elissa. I was looking for someplace inexpensive and Elissa dutifully showed me around some places where she knew I would never live. I realized she was humouring me and I evenually looked at a new building, Saujana Residency, and rented a 2 bedroom unit for $2,700 ringgit per month which compares favourably to the previous rental of $2,500 in Boulevard Condos where Shelley is still living.

However, as always, I had to put down 3.5 months deposit t move in, so I am broke for a month. It is back to peanut butter and toast! The new building is with a 2 minute walk to 2 shopping centres with grocery stores. This is much more convenient than Boulevard where a taxi was always required. It is also a new building with a much better fitness centre and huge swimming pool.

I have a view of the park and noticed there is a wild dog living there. He is almost always there and almost always alone. I have begun to identify myself with this dog as my life is very much like the dogs. I am pretty much always alone and can do whatever I want, whenever I want. That is good, but life is lonely at times. I try to stay as busy as possible as it keeps me happier, especially as the divorce proceedings are starting to begin.

So you are probably wondering; am I happier now that I am separated. The answer to that is yes/no and it depends. You will have to read this blog over the coming year to get the answer to that question. I will ask you not to pass judgement on me until that time.

TTYL,

Jim

Alive and Well :-)

In case anyone is wondering, I am alive and well and hope to start blogging again, sometime soon.

Lots of stuff happening in my life.

TTYL,

Jim

Home at Last

I arrived home at 1:30 am and the alarm went off way too soon at 6 am. Note to self: Don't book the last flight out from somewhere when you have to work the next day!

I start my new job today but still have no office and/ or job description.  Sounds like I could be working from the beach. When I find out what I am supposed to be doing, I will let you know.

TTYL,

Jim

Beach Briefs - Day 7 - Phuket and Homeward Bound

I slept in a bit and headed off to Starbucks at 9 am. I had the usual latte and blueberry muffin. Last night I went for a walk about 11 pm and found a Hard Rock Cafe and sat and listened to the last 2 sets of hard rock and roll. The music was quite good and I was entertained for the price of a beer. Today I think I will splurge and have a beer and lunch there.

I have also found a very nice air conditioned mall that I will tour and window shop for a while this afternoon to kill some time until I take a taxi for the airport at 6 pm. Of course I will finish off my Phuket experience with a Starbucks latte before heading out.

This will be my last post on my island hopping. It has been a lot of fun and I highly recommend the trip with perhaps the change of venue from Phuket to Langkawi for the return flight home.

The trip was not expensive and the ferries for the most part are a great method of travel in Thailand.

TTYL,

Jim

Beach Briefs - Day 6 - Phuket

I had a great dinner last night and splurged on a fresh barbecued Sea Bass at one of the many seafood resturants in the Patong area. After dinner I walked the night club area and found things had not changed much since I was there last time. Lots of lady boy shows and go-go girls. They seem to be stuck in the 70's for some reason. Before long I headed back to my hotel and the sports bar to watch some sports and called it a night about midnight.


The next morning I was awake by 7, showered and headed out to a Starbucks I had spotted last night. The latte and blueberry muffin were great and the only thing I was missing was an English language newspaper. Later today I plan to catch a taxi to the Premium Outlet Mall just outside of Patong as I need a new pair of shorts and would also like to pick up some dry-fit Nike t-shirts to workout in.

I discovered that not all Premium Outlet Malls are created equal. The Patong outlet looks great from the road, just like the ones in North America, but the stores are much smaaller and have mostly junk and seconds. I did, however, manage to find another pair of Khaki shorts so the trip was not completely worthless. However, be warned and avoid the outlet.


Actually now that I have had lunch and I am sitting around reflecting on my last day of beach hopping in Thailand, I would probably skip Phuket altogether. A nicer trip would be to stay a night or two in Phi Phi, and then catch the ferry down to Langkawi and spend two nights in the AB Motel which would have fit better into my budget and been more relaxing. The best thing about Patong Beach is the Starbucks which says a lot. The actual beach area is way too busy and not relaxing at all. The night life is also tacky. I would rate the restaurants, especially the seafood restaurants quite highly.


I have another day in Patong Beach tomorrow and I will start the journey out to the airport about 6 pm. My flight is 9:15 pm and puts me into Kl about 11:30 pm. I start work the next morning :-(

I plan on having some more fresh fish tonight and will probably forgo the nightlife for hopefully an NBA game in the sports bar and an early night.


TTYL,

Jim

Beach Briefs - Day 5 - Enroute to Phi Phi

I was awake for breakfast at 8 am and had the usual fried egg, sausage, juice, toast and coffee. I showered and awaited the transportation to the pier where the boat departs at 10:30 for Phi Phi. I arrived about 9:30 and had about an hour wait and found a nearby restaurant that had decent coffee. The boat finally showed up and I discovered that not all ferries are the same. This boat was filthy and the seats in disrepair. Unfortunately I was still a little sunburned and had to make use of the seats. Oh well, the ride was only 90 minutes so it was not too bad.

I eventually arrived at Phi Phi island and finally remembered that I had been there previously. Phi Phi is very clean and beautiful. The island officials collect 20 Bhat from everyone entering the island and use those funds for maintenance and keeping the island clean. It works, more islands should adopt this pracice.

I still do not have a place to stay so I decide to look around and have some lunch. I find a harbour restaurant and order some spaghetti and a beer for lunch. The restaurant overlooks the harbour and the view is spectacular. When I pay for the bill I ask the cashier if she had a place to store my rollie for a couple of hours and she said yes.

Devoid of my rollie, I wind my way through the throngs of tourists looking for hotels in town. I don't have much luck as most of the accommodation is of the resort type and is located outside of town accessible by long boat. I decide at that time that I will continue on to Phuket later in the day by ferry and spend my remaining time there. Lesson learned ... if you want to stay in Phi Phi during Chinese New Year, book ahead and book early.


I decide my best plan is to purchase my ferry ticket and find an internet cafe and start surfing for inexpensive hotels in Phuket. I get a wifi connection and search for hotels in Phuket for tonight.


I have purchased a ticket to Phuket on the 2:30 ferry and board at 2:15. I soon discover where all the Chinese families went on Chinese New Year. They all went to Phi Phi Island and are returning home via Phuket airport on the same ferry I am on. I scramble for a seat and sit back and have a nap for the next 2 hours. On arrival, the company running the ferry annouces they a bus that I can take for 150 Bhat that will drop me in the middle of the Patong area. I purchase a ticket as a taxis is 500 Bhat.


I have found that hotels in Patong were also in short supply and I had to spend $75 a night to get a room. I booked for 2 nights and that still leaves me within my budget because of the 2 nights I did not use a hotel in Krabi. The bus drops me off and I ask directions to the hotel and it turns out to be a 10 minute walk. I check in and I am pleasantly surprised with a bright airy modern room with free internet and a sports bar with a large video displays for ESPN sports channels and even get to watch some NBA basketball although most folks are watching the Steelers and Packers in football.


I think I will now go for a walk in the infamous night district of Patong :-)

TTYL,

Jim

Beach Briefs - Day 4 - 2nd Day in Ko Lanta

I decided to spend a second day in Ko Lanta because it is quite laid back and the resort at $35 a night fits nicely into my budget and I can eat very nicely on the remaining $15. The in house restaurant has an eclectic mix of food on its menu and the beer is cold and cheap. They also have sit on top kayaks to rent and I always wanted to give that a try so I think I will.

The electrical power problems seems to have sorted themselves out as well.

The beach is endless and I have trekked one way but today I will trek the other way to see if there is any break in the resorts. There is an amazing amount of resorts available at just about any price range.

On Day five, I plan to head to Phi Phi island, and at this point I do not have a place to stay as the whole island seems to be booked. My plan is to catch the 10:30 ferry and then try some of the smaller hotels to see if they have a room available. If not the ferries run at least 4 times a day and I can continue on to Phuket. I can always pull an all nighter again, but I admit that is getting a little boring.

I do seem to remember that Phi Phi had quite a few restaurants and bars so I will have to wait and see what to do. The ferry ride will put me into Phi Phi at noon so that gives me lots of time to decide on a plan for the rest of the day.


TTYL,


Jim

Beach Briefs - Day 3 Enroute to Ko Lanta

I catch the van to the ferry and get onboard about 10 am. I move forward to the prow of the ferry and find a great place to sit overlooking the front of the boat. Seems like everyone else likes this spot and I am soon surrounded with lots of people looking for a great view, breeze and some sunshine. 90 minutes into the voyage and I am starting to feel sun and wind burn so it is time to retreat inside for the remaining hour. Too late, I realize that I am just a little sun burned. I should have put the sun block on! Be warned, when on the ocean, make use of sun block!!!

I arrive at the terminal on Ko Lanta and I lucked in and noticed someone standing with a sign for the hotel where I had booked for the night. This quite surprises me as the room was only $35 for the night and I anticipated having to shell out cash for a taxi. I jump in the back of a truck with about 8 germans and off we go on a 20 minute drive. I asked one of the men where he was from and he mentioned Germany and asked about me. When I mentioned Canada he stated that he loved Canada and had visited Vancouver with his family and had hunted in the interior on another trip.

I arrived at the hotel and it reminds me very much of the AB Motel at Langkawi, except the rooms are individual mini chalets and quite decent for $35 a night.This is definitely in my budget and there is an inexpensive restaurant and bar on the premises as well. I checked in and explored the beach area. The beach area goes on forever and is make up of similar levels of resorts/hotels, each with its own bar on the beach. The downtown area where the ferry checks in also ha many inexepensive seafood resturants and there is also a 7/11 just outside our hotel on the road.

I think I will spend 2 days here, get some rest and enjoy the ambiance. They have a nice beach as well as a swimming pool, and this place fits my budget nicely. A large Singha beer is only 120 Bhat :-)

Oh joy, the power keeps going on and off. The front desk assures me it is not their problem and the whole island is affected. Apparently this is not all that uncommon in Ko lanta

I just have to remember the sun block :-)


TTYL,


Jim

Beach Briefs, Day 2 - Morning

I watched the sun rise at about 6 am and I decided to grab some sleep on the beach. The long boat operators are awake and preparing for the day and the mosquitos have gone to sleep for the night. I think 3-4 hours would be good and then I will grab a Starbucks and explore my options for Phi Phi and Ko Lanta ... I have woken up and feel very relaxed but I desparately need my cafeine fix so off to Satrbucks I went for a latte and a blueberry muffin. It is now about noonish and time to explore my options. Oops, you snooze you lose! I have decided to go to Ko Lanta first and yesterday when I read the signs they indicated the ferry left at 10:30 and 3:30. When I enquired about the 3:30 ferry I was informed that they do not run the 3:30 ferry any longer. I guess I will spend another day in Krabi and take the 10:30 fery to Ko lanta tomorrow morning which will be day 3. I will add to this post as the day goes on.


Late afternoon - I took a long boat to Realey Beach, a short 10 minute ride and had an inexpensive lunch at one of the local restaurants. I also took advantage of the relaxed atmosphere at the beach to go for a swim, wash up, and have another 2 hour nap in the shade. I then caught the longboat back to Ao Nang and I decided to splurge and have dinner and watch the sunset at one of the beach seafood restaurants.

Evening - It is now about 6:30 pm and and I have ordered a couple of strawberry dacqueries and a grilled sea bass on rice. Both are excellent and I watch another superb sunset at about 7:30. I decide another dacquerie is in order and I pay the bill and finish up at about 9 pm. Time for another latte and then I need to find a bar with some live music where I can while away a few hours. After my latte I decide to walk the beach and people walk for a while. A commom practice on Ao Nang beach is mini hot air balloon launching. You apporach the vendor, write a bunch of wishes on the outside of the squarish balloon, and light the burner at the bottom. You end up holding the balloon for about 5 minutes and the air inside becomes hot enough and the balloon lifts off over the ocean with your wishes. It takes about 15-20 minutes for the balloon to diasappear and there are usually about 10 of them visible at a time. It is a beautiful clear, starlit night just like last night.

It is about 10:30 now and I find a bar with live music and a patio and proceed to people watch. Most of the clientelle is European with some Aussies thrown in for good measure. Despite it being Chinese New Year there are not many Chinese in Ao Nang. I chat with some Aussies for a while and decide to try another bar after a couple of hours. Before long it is about 2:30 and all the bars are closing and it is time for an early breakfast at the 24 hour McD's. I am lucky enough to find another newspaper and also type up this entry and manage to stretch my time out to 5 am. Time to head down to the beach area and watch another sunrise and then catch another couple of hours sleep on the beach.

I also need to purchase my 10:30 ticket to Ao Nang and find a wifi connection and start hunting for an inexpensive place to stay in Ko Lanta. I have never been there and have no idea what it is like. It should be exciting. I thnk the ferry takes about 2.5 hours to get there and I am looking forward to some time on the ocean. Oh, and yes, I have to retrieve my rollie and find some place to get cleaned up.

My next update, hopefully will be from Ko lanta.


TTYL,

Jim

Beach Briefs - Day 1

I arrived in Krabi about 3 pm Krabi time.The last thing I wanted to do was trundle around Ao Namg with my rollie so I decided to check it with a hotel. The Best Western was on the main drag and I decided to make use of its luggage check. Two minutes later I was footloose and fancy free with nothing but my packsack and what I was wearning. I had transfered everything I thought I would need into my backpack but it was still pretty light.

I decided to reacquaint myself with Ao Nang and toured the U shape main drag. The bottom of the U sits along the beach and the 2 arms extend into the business portion of Ao Nang. I searched out the usual suspects and sure enough Starbucks was there (wifi not working) and the McD's was indeed 24 hours. I visited Starbucks and had my usual double shot tall latte. It was now about 5 pm so I was getting a little hungry and being on a budget I decided a quarter pounder meal was in order. It was about 6 pm so I decided to go for a walk on the beach and when I reached the end I decided a nap was in order and grabbed a quick hour.

I was still undecided if I was indeed going to pull an all nighter or whimp out and grab a room. I decided to be adventuresome and check out a bar and grab a beer or two. I decided on Tanda Bar on the main drag as it enabled me to sit and watch the steady stream of people walking by. They were mostly Europeans of scandanavian type. After 2 very inexpensive beers (100 bhats) I joined the stream of traffic and walked along the strip. A bar was playing jazz and featured live entertainment as well so I decided to settle in for the night. The bar closed up about 2 am and I had the munchies so it was time to walk over to the 24 hour McD's and I ordered a chicken dinner and a coke, ate dinner and read the newspaper someone had left behind. It is now just after 3 pm and I am typing this blog entry.

I figure there is not much point in grabbing a room as the sun comes up in less than 3 hours and the coffee is hot. Unfortunately McD's does not have wifi here in Thailand so I will have to post this later today when I find an access point. I plan to walk along the beach and watch a sunrise and then I will explore my boat options to the local islands. I may spend another day in Ao Nang as there are some really good seafood restaurants that I would like to sample. I also need to grab 4 or 5 hours of sleep this morning on the beach while it is cool.

I also need to find some wifi, post this entry and book a place to stay in whatever island I hit first, I am leaning towards Ko Lanta or Phi, Phi but room availability and price will determine my eventual destination.There are lots of rooms here in Ao Nang as well and it is not a bad place to spend an extra day. The good news is I saved $50 on room and have more cash to play with over the next few nights. Now if I pull another all nighter ..

TTYL,


Jim

On my Way

The airport limo picks me up at 10:30 and I am on my way. I am travelling with my carry on rollie and a small packsack for my electronics, toiletries and valuables. I plan to check my rollie at some hotel as soon as I hit Oa Nang as I do not want to trundle it around after me. Everything I need until sunrise of the next day will be in my packsack.

I have a plan, now time to execute it! How does that saying go ... the best laid plans ...

I will be off the grid (including cell phone to conserve battery) for lengthy periods, but I hope to post daily :-)

TTYL,

Jim

Island Hopping at Under $50 a day :-)

I am off to Thailand tomorrow for 8 days including the 2 travel days. Excluding transportation costs, I am attempting to complete the trip spending under $50 CDN for food and accommodation. This should be a challenge for me as I usually like to stay at the best of places and book everything ahead of time.  So first challenge is to go in without a booked hotel, and shop around to find something decent but inexpensive.

This should prove to be entertaining for you my readers as I progress throughout the week. I fly into Krabi where I have visited previously and hope to hit Phi Phi island, Ko Lanta, a couple of other islands, and end up in Phuket where I will fly back to KL. My mode of travel will be Thai longboats where feasible.

I may cheat in Krabi and not book a hotel my first night. I know they have lots of bars where I can sit and people watch until 2 ish and then they also have a McD's that I am pretty sure is open 24 hrs. Not only that, they have a Starbucks that is open early for coffee in the am. So, stay up all night and catch 4 hours of sleep on the beach when the sun comes up. Then I have $100 for day number two. Hey, this may be just doable :-) Stay tuned for how my island hopping turns out :-)

I will try to update the blog daily if I can find wifi daily. This should be fun and a challenge for an old guy like me.  I am in need of challenges at this moment in my life. Must be my ADDH :-)

TTYL,

Beachcomber Jim

Mea Culpa

I have been bad and even my New Year's resolution to update more often has failed ... however lots of news!
Today is my last working day at Taylor's Canadian Pre University program. I have been assigned a new job, Head of Learning Technologies for Taylor's College and report directly to the president of the college. I start immediately after Chinese New Year holidays on Feb 9th. My major role will be promoting disruptive technologies in the classroom :-) The book below describes much of what I will be doing with all of Taylor's College (4 schools).


Those of you that know me well know that I can be quite disruptive and realize this job is perfect for me. This means I will more than likely be in Malaysia for another 2 years with trips back home every 6 months.

The other major news is Jaime (my daughter) attended TORF this past weekend and was offered and accepted a job teaching at Sunway College in their Canadian PreU program. This makes mom and dad very happy as she will be 20 minutes away from us :-)

I leave tomorrow to go island hopping in Thailand and Shelley is off for a week's rest in Tioman. Shelley has been quite sick with a virus and I had something similar but not to the extent Shelley had. We have nothing planned yet for march break but Hong Kong and Macau may happen.

Jordan is doing well at TWU and is in his last semester and is scheduled to graduate this Spring. He then plans to attend a faculty of education in September, preferably at UBC.

TTYL,

Jim