27.5.14

Visa ... NO!

I have been swanning around for decades and whilst i have not been everywhere, I have travelled extensively.

I came to Bangkok almost a week ago to get a visa to enable me to go to work in SA.

I did everything and presented it to the agent. The visa agent presented my application to the relevant consulate.

Cut a long story short, they refused me a visa.

No reason. No explanation. No help.

That has never happened to me before. I have had many visas for SA before. Many.

I had three jobs lined up for SA this year ... all evaporated now.

DW

Don't you Just ...

So, your car is ready, parked properly and next to a wall. That wall is about three quarters of a door's width away from the car. You noticed that.

You open the door and make sure you don't hit the wall with it. You make sure the door stops moving in the middle open position.

Don't you just hate it when you do all of that and then crunch, the door decides of its own free will to open fully and as it tries to do that, of course it hits the wall.

Another small chip in the paint work ><

DW

25.5.14

Thailand Coup

I am a guest in Thailand and i am happy to be here.

I have lived in a wide range of countries and although i have lived in a war zone and in unstable countries, i have never lived under curfew before or in a country that is undergoing a coup.

I am happy to say that all i have seen is peaceful people leading peaceful lives even though virtually all power is now in the hands of the military.

I saw the motivation for a coup after months of political paralysis at the hands of people with various motivations.

Thailand relies on tourism to a great extent and i really hope this business does not suffer. Bangkok is the centre of attention and will remain so. The rest of the country should remain calm and relatively free.

Thailand has undergone many military interventions and i hppe no one is killed here and that life can go on as normally as possible.

My long range photo shows soldiers around the MBK Centre, Bangkok.

DW