tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87403694355908374592024-03-16T08:09:18.907+07:00Little Wandering Wren …. chats!
Bangkok Blogger's birds eye view of the world
Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.comBlogger499125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-88956696015178313662023-10-22T16:54:00.011+07:002023-10-22T17:23:45.684+07:00Autumn Spice and everything nice!<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Hey, what ever happened to Summer? I hope yours was lovely, mine was pretty amazing! It feels like my whole year has whizzed past in a flash, how about yours? <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I've had a year of saying "yes" to everything offered to me. It has been exciting to put it out to the Universe to see where I should be. We feel very fortunate to be able to do this in my husband's early years of retirement.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I'm just back in Asia from the US. I never feel my year is quite right without seeing British daffodils in the Spring and a pumpkin and the leaves turning in Autumn. Yay, the world nailed it this year, thank you. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Read on to find out what happened when my ultimate yes occurred on a trip to Montana to meet Ruth, an IG friend. I know Bloggers will smile and not be at all concerned, we've been meeting up around the globe for years, haven't we...?! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But let's just say some of my family and friends were, you're doing what?!</span></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQELwXySoHNpOnv0_KK8TWq7wBqN42J39sEa_p9CMUG4MJApmIYzI8Zr6wWamI_KdfBQsquvx3xlJlRLpssEzhLcw2-SCADrRmZiCBR3Tvqn9PSmnqeyxqa4TCJ6XohIoumpYO8R3vufV3-MaGZ47S-dfqq0fhB3hJlBUyajGmx2kN-nlGbVyaoM8xGFH-/s4032/IMG_2883.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQELwXySoHNpOnv0_KK8TWq7wBqN42J39sEa_p9CMUG4MJApmIYzI8Zr6wWamI_KdfBQsquvx3xlJlRLpssEzhLcw2-SCADrRmZiCBR3Tvqn9PSmnqeyxqa4TCJ6XohIoumpYO8R3vufV3-MaGZ47S-dfqq0fhB3hJlBUyajGmx2kN-nlGbVyaoM8xGFH-/w640-h480/IMG_2883.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></h1><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">But first some Little Wren updates!</span></h1><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">France</span></b></h2><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I had some fun days in Europe. Mr Wren has always wanted to live in France when he retired, which hasn't quite worked out. Instead, we are happy for whatever time we can have in France and we had a fabulous time exploring three great destinations - with a little help from the respective French Tourism Boards (full disclosure below)</span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Lyon, France: </span></b></h3><p><b>Wandering Lyon with a 48-hour Lyon City Pass</b></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;">'<i>It was like an </i></span><i><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Amazing Race</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;"> to discover as much as we could with the clock ticking down! With </span><strong style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">2000 years of history</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;"> it’s impossible to cover it all. Our plan was to get a good feel for the diversity of Lyon, an old city with a modern twist and dramatic flair'...</span></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Read on to find out how we did <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/wandering-lyon-48-hours-with-a-lyon-city-card/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5BLjcsonnXHm4RJEH-d2b3fSGi9_VykKEV3xIJ6he1ZMITlNUx7a8QrT26PLL96wZdfmnikCy7mEeQDvt4Lkt8gpNx-XYqVMWYgOG2HD8Xr4wbBRaTrXZouDIRucjUA2XSRLyeXi3EvQJke-LC63Lrk_hy8NgCegMS0GXRB_yWvAP0XUJHoScuHoyvqtR/s3942/IMG_7500.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Lyon city view from the rooftops of Basilique Notre-Dame de Fouvrière" border="0" data-original-height="3021" data-original-width="3942" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5BLjcsonnXHm4RJEH-d2b3fSGi9_VykKEV3xIJ6he1ZMITlNUx7a8QrT26PLL96wZdfmnikCy7mEeQDvt4Lkt8gpNx-XYqVMWYgOG2HD8Xr4wbBRaTrXZouDIRucjUA2XSRLyeXi3EvQJke-LC63Lrk_hy8NgCegMS0GXRB_yWvAP0XUJHoScuHoyvqtR/w640-h490/IMG_7500.jpg" title="Lyon city view from the rooftops of Basilique Notre-Dame de Fouvrière" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lyon city view from the rooftops of Basilique Notre-Dame de Fouvrière</td></tr></tbody></table><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Avignon<br /></b><b><span style="font-size: medium;">How to get the best from a 48-hour Avignon City Pass</span></b></span></h2><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">'<i>Here is our two-day itinerary, using the Avignon City Pass with tips and insights for the best time.</i></p><p><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #313131; font-size: 15px;"><i>We loved Avignon and if you enjoy medieval history, visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites, exploring enchanting cobbled streets, and generally immersing yourself in the French way of life, read on. Hands up who’s off to get the croissants for breakfast?'</i></span></p><p>You can read more <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/how-to-get-the-best-from-a-48-hour-avignon-city-pass/" target="_blank">here</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikVQgiUiAThmJPrXSjiGCqblOtwIe1Clgc-oLhjdScfYlUKv6gppVdol7hxhtIXQY49tg8LtS8-5hFjMaKIF1K-jajwbOv872zr_33g4Vu3JFpa5PUUA9T35qQQ_HZhaSNaPkmHt9hXENFijFDx-VrlhcmwTTvajBedsmxsIWcrU0XK_X7oVGgzl6hdhoh/s4032/IMG_7804.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Wandering Villeneuve lez Avignon" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikVQgiUiAThmJPrXSjiGCqblOtwIe1Clgc-oLhjdScfYlUKv6gppVdol7hxhtIXQY49tg8LtS8-5hFjMaKIF1K-jajwbOv872zr_33g4Vu3JFpa5PUUA9T35qQQ_HZhaSNaPkmHt9hXENFijFDx-VrlhcmwTTvajBedsmxsIWcrU0XK_X7oVGgzl6hdhoh/w640-h480/IMG_7804.jpeg" title="Wandering Villeneuve lez Avignon" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wandering Villeneuve lez Avignon</div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Montpellier</b></h3><p><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Discovering Magnificent Montpellier Southern France Tips for the Best Trip</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;">'<i>We very much like this area of Southern France for its </i></span><i><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">joie de vivre </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;">ambiance, wonderful history and architecture, not to mention the sunny days, and great food and wine in the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;"> </span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Languedoc region</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;">. </span></i></span></p><p><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;">We had never before lingered to explore the city, thinking it was the surrounding cities where the greatest fascinations lay. So when Office de Tourisme & des Congrès Montpellier invited us to spend a few days discovering magnificent Montpellier, we accepted with intrigue and a big</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Merci Beaucoup</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;">!' </span></span></i></p><p><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">You can read more <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/discovering-magnificent-montpellier-southern-france-tips-for-the-best-trip/" target="_blank">here</a></span></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnbJJ6NIvZWxDC-UG0sPJtW8eTSV1_PGCOB5MUq5DTA2ZG7oczqujBYZ1f-WYCaIjVSKt1Aeo6vcDu6IMp5fWObmSfsc-lIo66NtPQR5jxCP7zbE-iDoghiNMqSl69dPyiN2pEwiUpuF0i9mX6tMgUekW3eUFd6acqMYH58M_Z2cog4Bimpjki-suxMXKo/s2000/ContemporaryMontpellier.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnbJJ6NIvZWxDC-UG0sPJtW8eTSV1_PGCOB5MUq5DTA2ZG7oczqujBYZ1f-WYCaIjVSKt1Aeo6vcDu6IMp5fWObmSfsc-lIo66NtPQR5jxCP7zbE-iDoghiNMqSl69dPyiN2pEwiUpuF0i9mX6tMgUekW3eUFd6acqMYH58M_Z2cog4Bimpjki-suxMXKo/w640-h512/ContemporaryMontpellier.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">My Tennis Fan Slam 2023</span></h2><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">My summer included attending three tennis Grand Slams, meaning I'd completed a Fan Slam. It's my equivalent of running a marathon! A Fan Slam is attending all the tennis Grand Slams in a calendar year. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Yes that means Australia (January in Melbourne Park) ~> Roland Garros (May in Paris) ~> Wimbledon (July in London) ~> US Open (September in New York )</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xiyPn1d0Ufl4iyLzfvysq13vYAU4SeFl9PPBcs7mmH2MOSlS9qunRD5Z21S8DhFcvQKrErB9cmp0Z7LGbWFuo8dLJMD-Uhv6WNtaWMIMy_kwrDw0rCOZtiq1HzBexCbPp0LxtkvePUfZdMYfCCz_Ulm4suRsCmVuqYA5K3RFhvwBOKMJDFxPw29ECodj/s2000/AC935D48-C2C0-40B0-9EC1-094C46439AED.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xiyPn1d0Ufl4iyLzfvysq13vYAU4SeFl9PPBcs7mmH2MOSlS9qunRD5Z21S8DhFcvQKrErB9cmp0Z7LGbWFuo8dLJMD-Uhv6WNtaWMIMy_kwrDw0rCOZtiq1HzBexCbPp0LxtkvePUfZdMYfCCz_Ulm4suRsCmVuqYA5K3RFhvwBOKMJDFxPw29ECodj/w640-h512/AC935D48-C2C0-40B0-9EC1-094C46439AED.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It's been epic! You can read some of the back story here:</span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">French Open 2023</span></b></h3><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;"><i><b>Is anyone for Tennis? </b>Have you ever been to Roland Garros? Or wondered what it is like wandering the grounds of the fancy French Open? It’s been seven years since</i></span><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;"> </span><a href="https://littlewanderingwren.blogspot.com/2016/06/anyone-for-tennis.html" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #a67c52; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">I was last at Roland Garros</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;">in Paris and it was great to be back. I loved seeing all the changes since I was last visiting. I’m here to share my reflections, experience, and tips for a great day of Grand Slam tennis'.</span></i></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">You can read more here at <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/how-to-enjoy-ace-days-at-roland-garros-tennis/" target="_blank">How to enjoy ace days at Roland Garros</a> </span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFNr8WW1ZWB7y8EGM8G28vaY_S_U2otO6WMPfVntiyMm57RMFC8cWnxfT3K5AfVBDSUj-pFccMSrZbwKLqGpCxURdIGH0sXXnsyAmWuH4u0JqLnlybwQemKm0zxhklzgApjXkebQANi8gno4pkzBjVTihNCUM1LIuKbEKev_-j0r2JkxZTTX6tzdrRsdl/s1080/8E295268-45CF-4177-B216-B4A4088A5BE5.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFNr8WW1ZWB7y8EGM8G28vaY_S_U2otO6WMPfVntiyMm57RMFC8cWnxfT3K5AfVBDSUj-pFccMSrZbwKLqGpCxURdIGH0sXXnsyAmWuH4u0JqLnlybwQemKm0zxhklzgApjXkebQANi8gno4pkzBjVTihNCUM1LIuKbEKev_-j0r2JkxZTTX6tzdrRsdl/w640-h640/8E295268-45CF-4177-B216-B4A4088A5BE5.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><b style="font-size: large;"><br /></b><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Wimbledon 2023</span></b></p><p><i style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We’ve loved our three days at the Wimbledon Championships this year. We’ve watched players competing in several tournaments including Qualifying, Doubles, Wheelchair, and Junior tennis. </span></i></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We started at the Qualifying Championship in Roehampton and ended up watching the Wheelchair Semi-Finals on Court No 1. </span></i></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">There is so much more to the Wimbledon Championship than the Gentlemen’s and Ladies’ main draw.'</span></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;"><i>For more see </i></span> <a href=" Hosted byNorth AmericaWorldwide Wren Weekend Wanders In The Hudson Valley: Exploring New York’s Backyard by wrensrambles@gmail.com My Dutchess Story My Dutchess Story starts in the Hudson River Valley ten years ago. We discovered New York’s backyard when looking for a few days’ escape from The Big … EuropeFranceHosted byWorldwide Wren Wandering Lyon : 48 hours with a Lyon City Card by wrensrambles@gmail.com You need to be fit for Lyon, France’s second-largest metropolis, as there are some serious steps to climb wandering this beautiful City of Gastronomy. We took off with a Lyon … EuropeFranceWorldwide Wren How to get the best from a 48-hour Avignon City Pass by wrensrambles@gmail.com Hello fellow wanderers! Are you planning to visit Avignon? Here is our two-day itinerary, using the Avignon City Pass with tips and insights for the best time. We loved Avignon … EuropeFranceHosted byWorldwide Wren Discovering Magnificent Montpellier, Southern France (tips for the best trip) by wrensrambles@gmail.com Take a wander with Little Wandering Wren as she discovers the delights of Magnificent Montpellier. Best of BritishUnited Kingdom Best of British: The Royal Academy of Arts, Summer Exhibition 2023 by wrensrambles@gmail.com The Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition is back and we sent our roving reporter Mr. Wren, our resident art enthusiast to enjoy and find his favorites in the show. … Best of BritishUnited Kingdom The Wimbledon Championships (and how to be part of it in 2024)" target="_blank">The Wimbledon Championships and how to be part of It</a></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HbLEq8GjZBKsSYhxB6JNPSw7QI28RqCl6AXEVS6rMckOJvl2jGcDBnLqSIAddJcrHKrzNmHm_Jx7NrHcf43FvvChMuvEBQNylkEhCdjw-HLNUcpSbbngdPLvZCNlUBcWT-E8zAITDtlXqlKXzftNGPGpVbQpBGfeHGfbTPcqs-tSxpS5GKIWj86nt4nc/s2837/IMG_9223.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2125" data-original-width="2837" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HbLEq8GjZBKsSYhxB6JNPSw7QI28RqCl6AXEVS6rMckOJvl2jGcDBnLqSIAddJcrHKrzNmHm_Jx7NrHcf43FvvChMuvEBQNylkEhCdjw-HLNUcpSbbngdPLvZCNlUBcWT-E8zAITDtlXqlKXzftNGPGpVbQpBGfeHGfbTPcqs-tSxpS5GKIWj86nt4nc/w640-h480/IMG_9223.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #313131; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">US Open 2023</span></span></h3><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">My two weeks at the US Open were incredible it was the second year in a row I have been. You can read all about it via my Little Wandering Wren IG page <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CxApy4JOwOp/?hl=en" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMBXnPMii6z263ju5RgnekOGxPDoyX5Qjz0tJWYy7clMqidzAAhG8sB4u8B9DGagu37Iq5NixvHIDk1VzxM3FFcfD0Fs7JUrCtlnB1vgEHucmDWv0vj1YboakeDVqTHMW4vu8wx538-dsd-OqWJC410SHO-NDCekOTvpdGiMS6xzgoWjklr0ObdWO4Qs_/s4032/IMG_1844.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMBXnPMii6z263ju5RgnekOGxPDoyX5Qjz0tJWYy7clMqidzAAhG8sB4u8B9DGagu37Iq5NixvHIDk1VzxM3FFcfD0Fs7JUrCtlnB1vgEHucmDWv0vj1YboakeDVqTHMW4vu8wx538-dsd-OqWJC410SHO-NDCekOTvpdGiMS6xzgoWjklr0ObdWO4Qs_/w640-h480/IMG_1844.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Hudson Valley</span></span></h2><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">After the US I was invited by Dutchess Tourism to visit the Hudson Valley area.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">My Dutchess Story</strong> starts in the <strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Hudson River Valley </strong>ten years ago. We discovered <strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">New York’s backyard</strong> when looking for a few days’ escape from The Big Apple. Our daughter was studying at New York University and having a whale of a time. We’d arrived in New York only to find her busy – honestly, kids! You fly over 10,000 miles and they’ve got a placement project with Google and a meeting with Hilary Clinton on campus to attend. Anyways, with a few days to ourselves, we set off to explore <strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">upstate New York</strong>...</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">You can read more about what happened on my return a decade later <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/weekend-wanders-in-the-hudson-valley-exploring-new-yorks-backyard/" target="_blank">here.</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> The fun part about this blog being around so long is that you can also read about our first trip here: <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/victory-fdr-style/" target="_blank">Victory FDR style</a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivN6y-XIt20XfTeFfAnrVEZ97VG1wiO36E6RzANO2pHQTly6V2PJXb32ZJEo9oWcVQN67LFC2H4fhGkzeWfVzScaLzCuQfD_z7RIWebJeiJ5TbQV0XX8HbfaHEtXRLiqs9GQdWWf1Uo-agg8r3R34Zkh6hYdi9k3JaWdHg2Tao-GOEmZcZHEvj_M4JjaG/s4032/IMG_2128.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivN6y-XIt20XfTeFfAnrVEZ97VG1wiO36E6RzANO2pHQTly6V2PJXb32ZJEo9oWcVQN67LFC2H4fhGkzeWfVzScaLzCuQfD_z7RIWebJeiJ5TbQV0XX8HbfaHEtXRLiqs9GQdWWf1Uo-agg8r3R34Zkh6hYdi9k3JaWdHg2Tao-GOEmZcZHEvj_M4JjaG/w640-h480/IMG_2128.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Montana</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So finally that brings me to Montana, I travelled from the Hudson Valley to Montana to spend a week with an Instagram Friend, I knew but had never met...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The story is <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx2BHabNMr7/?hl=en" target="_blank">here on my IG account</a>. Long story short, we had the best time thanks to Ruth @elysianreflections.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh24lpvY6WNiv7XRkBEelHiICHdyQ3gx5xvYvDFcTK6CBXNLpc6TEJldBKbATBl2sQ4ZCByRLqZsKFZ1A6TD5tQvuaekYA5-jMJ5eeQb04qsBBR1FL-VZ2MlsQ2VtsUirjgf-NJqHFAunK_zADYs80ozljxfaPa6CaOg-cKrRgR7f3SZw19b7oF-d6X1Ld0/s3916/IMG_2581.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3916" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh24lpvY6WNiv7XRkBEelHiICHdyQ3gx5xvYvDFcTK6CBXNLpc6TEJldBKbATBl2sQ4ZCByRLqZsKFZ1A6TD5tQvuaekYA5-jMJ5eeQb04qsBBR1FL-VZ2MlsQ2VtsUirjgf-NJqHFAunK_zADYs80ozljxfaPa6CaOg-cKrRgR7f3SZw19b7oF-d6X1Ld0/w640-h494/IMG_2581.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">For those who may be pondering their travels for 2024 I say, say yes to solo travel adventures, do something out of your comfort zone, and happy wanderings! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Does anyone have any exciting plans for 2024, I have nothing at all booked!</span></div><div><br /></div><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Many thanks for reading to the end.</span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="color: #313131; font-family: helvetica; font-size: large; text-align: left;">Full Disclosure:</b><span style="color: #313131; font-family: helvetica; font-size: large; text-align: left;"> Little Wandering Wren was an Invited guest of Montpellier and Dutchess Tourism. City passes were provided by Lyon and Avignon Tourism Boards. All thoughts and opinions are my own. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqs3JXkQYoZXaxdJBRJDNjjfWe_LZ_5vH4anCwpZmF6x40H2RJRzGN-U34IRZTW53ISTj5sCfDvsWOx8ow_fNdYAbENTP7-UsYWdlqTskCdmHNHQgRzVvNCfE_Ie1GoBTax-FsvmVIInBrPgX8_vfTfVROAiq2fe2aoGi384ftK0MXtEsRUFVaH2Csjj3e" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="1024" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqs3JXkQYoZXaxdJBRJDNjjfWe_LZ_5vH4anCwpZmF6x40H2RJRzGN-U34IRZTW53ISTj5sCfDvsWOx8ow_fNdYAbENTP7-UsYWdlqTskCdmHNHQgRzVvNCfE_Ie1GoBTax-FsvmVIInBrPgX8_vfTfVROAiq2fe2aoGi384ftK0MXtEsRUFVaH2Csjj3e=w400-h146" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">PS To keep up with all my wanderings I'd love to see you at the following:</span></div><div><ul><li><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/" style="background: transparent; color: #f44c83; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Little Wandering Wren Travel Blog</a></li><li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/littlewanderingwren/?hl=en" style="background: transparent; color: #f44c83; cursor: pointer; outline: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Little Wandering Wren Instagram</a></li><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lwwren/" style="background: transparent; color: #f44c83; cursor: pointer; outline: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Little Wandering Wren Facebook</a></li><li><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@littlewanderingwren" style="background: transparent; color: #f44c83; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Little Wandering Wren TikTok</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaD2QL1XpSOL1q7N3qWmlZg" style="background: transparent; color: #f44c83; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Little Wandering Wren YouTube</a></li></ul></div><div><br /></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #313131; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kvdTwYbae-YeSrWyM9GR_oExu9GdsHv8Wj3naBH_CJxsNqZPf7KX55uK7BpRVNSH0k5ldZ-NvD_4jIyVQuD_szqLDfiV3tRm7rHm9lHYWUUDJ0YubqfYwrN9UgNHHPERU_GH47IHx6xeq079OKFgSq4wh8qWkOmx0OI0eZsjo_52PyINQAKk-okttMgd/s1500/369E2EF9-59F6-4E3A-9CB2-9B35E3DBBD13.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kvdTwYbae-YeSrWyM9GR_oExu9GdsHv8Wj3naBH_CJxsNqZPf7KX55uK7BpRVNSH0k5ldZ-NvD_4jIyVQuD_szqLDfiV3tRm7rHm9lHYWUUDJ0YubqfYwrN9UgNHHPERU_GH47IHx6xeq079OKFgSq4wh8qWkOmx0OI0eZsjo_52PyINQAKk-okttMgd/s320/369E2EF9-59F6-4E3A-9CB2-9B35E3DBBD13.png" width="213" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #313131; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wEiihCyYFe7eJuKEFlPccKCJudSzbcBE5-nzbnBXfDxlsOiZub-iN8K5wzI9Wluijc_G7X5qnNfns5eqjKh2ILyiQqGlKw4ArsZLSPmj-CzMNso0DstIfM48BNgDqpL-l9ogQ-jl4K92Xvn1RM3E45qj9YFtoVReZkyo5KjEWpf-KCYjQWes9f1S6VTp/s1500/7CD7CE14-8B10-43CD-91A5-1CE14511DA0F.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wEiihCyYFe7eJuKEFlPccKCJudSzbcBE5-nzbnBXfDxlsOiZub-iN8K5wzI9Wluijc_G7X5qnNfns5eqjKh2ILyiQqGlKw4ArsZLSPmj-CzMNso0DstIfM48BNgDqpL-l9ogQ-jl4K92Xvn1RM3E45qj9YFtoVReZkyo5KjEWpf-KCYjQWes9f1S6VTp/s320/7CD7CE14-8B10-43CD-91A5-1CE14511DA0F.png" width="213" /></a></div><br /><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #313131; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #313131; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #313131; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #313131; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #313131; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #313131; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #313131; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com12Singapore1.352083 103.819836-28.426295193381314 68.663586000000009 31.130461193381315 138.97608599999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-56227894292968256172023-07-05T23:47:00.000+07:002023-07-05T23:47:26.932+07:00Hello Summer 2023!<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hello Everyone</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;">I hope you are having a wonderful July whereever you are in the world. As it's been a wee while since I stopped by I thought I'd fill you in. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The last three months have been epic. Here is my flight schedule alone:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Phuket --> Bangkok --> Singapore --> Melbourne --> Gold Coast (overland to --> Brisbane --> Sydney --> Phuket --> Bangkok --> London --> Paris (overland to Montpellier) --> London.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">As they say I haven't been everywhere yet but it's on my list!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">April ended up being an incredible month as I returned to Australia, thanks to a wonderful invite to attend a 7 night Detox at <b>Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat</b> in Queensland. Here is a little excerpt: </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><h2 class="wp-block-heading" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; font-family: var(--pchead-font); font-size: 22px; line-height: 1.3em; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Gwinganna Detox Program</h2><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">I’ve been invited to join a <strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">seven-night detox program</strong> at Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat. They are winners of the <a href="https://www.gwinganna.com/winners-announced/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #a67c52; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">World’s Best Eco Spa Awards</a> (2022 World Spa Awards) and it is beyond exciting. Well, until I read the small print…</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">So it’s no gluten, dairy, coffee, alcohol, no processed sugar, AND no Wifi. If the list of dietary exclusions doesn’t send me into a tailspin, the thought of a digital detox does. A wave of self-doubt comes over me.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">I was sure it would be incredible, as all the <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g1826241-d608375-Reviews-Gwinganna_Lifestyle_Retreat-Tallebudgera_Gold_Coast_Queensland.html" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #a67c52; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank">online reviews</a> suggest, but how would I cope? Was I just setting myself up for a week-long cold turkey headache and one where I couldn’t even post a ‘<em style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">rescue me</em>‘ message on my social media?</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">My friends didn’t help either! One friend commented on my Facebook page ‘<em style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">This sounds like NO fun at all</em>!‘ <em style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Those are all the things I love</em>’, another lamented. I was getting the sense that they all felt I was off for some Iron Woman challenge...</p></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">You can read the full blog post here:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/the-gift-of-a-gwinganna-lifestyle-retreat/">https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/the-gift-of-a-gwinganna-lifestyle-retreat/</a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHJmsmCULAqMP6rlx2ZKlfp06LdMSpC5tPS1hCgq9ylA9A8MSIXcnFxjBrHuqLUGbU6PwwqrbNRzeV3SKGkVFj9VrmYf4X4GgR8YvxUG0FhMq6M5Z6iQTUu9O3wR_HqH6L0VUWR04Dy9P5cq1_oR8XNJfTpHeAKTkvmVnJoPO21hwHR8pmGrh_rH8N2R7/s4032/IMG_5710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHJmsmCULAqMP6rlx2ZKlfp06LdMSpC5tPS1hCgq9ylA9A8MSIXcnFxjBrHuqLUGbU6PwwqrbNRzeV3SKGkVFj9VrmYf4X4GgR8YvxUG0FhMq6M5Z6iQTUu9O3wR_HqH6L0VUWR04Dy9P5cq1_oR8XNJfTpHeAKTkvmVnJoPO21hwHR8pmGrh_rH8N2R7/w640-h480/IMG_5710.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><h2 class="wp-block-heading" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; font-family: var(--pchead-font); font-size: 22px; line-height: 1.3em; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Why visit the Yarra Valley?</span></h2><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">The Yarra Valley is known for its beautiful Victorian countryside. You’ll find rolling hills, lovely vineyards, and charming small towns. For me, you must visit and enjoy the mixture of fabulous nature and wildlife, world-class wines and gins, the opportunity to enjoy local gourmet food, and of course to meet the friendly locals. </p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">It’s great for a day trip, perfect for a girl’s dream weekend, and the sort of place you could easily stay a while...</p></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">You can read the full blog post here: <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/weekend-wanders-a-guide-to-the-yarra-valley/" target="_blank">Weekend Wanders a guide to the Yarra Valley</a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoDspUxfuc5crD7JBRfacgQn08xuv9-b-Q208AN5lya-uVop3_CEMsslT_kw3LleVlYhd6RNk2bqC9LoiMYof9LolFuF56F-pXdj24p0i1wEoGu28LqCuH1PghRmrdeU1sX-VN3N1a2USaDmEBw6p7IMfzuvHRWj0RC5y2ToyNsJ2I-FKgdn3eHuUVl8v6/s2000/YarraValley.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoDspUxfuc5crD7JBRfacgQn08xuv9-b-Q208AN5lya-uVop3_CEMsslT_kw3LleVlYhd6RNk2bqC9LoiMYof9LolFuF56F-pXdj24p0i1wEoGu28LqCuH1PghRmrdeU1sX-VN3N1a2USaDmEBw6p7IMfzuvHRWj0RC5y2ToyNsJ2I-FKgdn3eHuUVl8v6/w640-h512/YarraValley.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">The keen readers amongst you will see that France has featured heavily in our recent travel plans. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">Some of you may know that Mr Wren would love to live in France. As this is not currently practical, we will try to enjoy some time in France each year. Thank you to the Tourism Boards in <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CtQm0zKMSB-/?hl=en" target="_blank">Lyon</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CtgW7NGMxs-/?hl=en" target="_blank">Avignon</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CtjiJh9t1QA/?hl=en" target="_blank">Montpellier</a> who kindly shared their city passes for us to enjoy their cities.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">The other reason for our French trip was to attend Roland Garros. This year I am hoping to complete my Fan Slam which is to attend all four tennis Grand Slams, from the <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/why-you-will-love-the-australian-open-tennis-qualifying-tournament/" target="_blank">Australian Open</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs5Ykp5rYcQ/?hl=en" target="_blank">Roland Garros</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CuQJOegsFdj/?hl=en" target="_blank">Wimbledon</a> and in September to return to Flushing Meadows for the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cia2KUgrYWw/?hl=en" target="_blank">US Open</a>.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><h2 class="wp-block-heading" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; font-family: var(--pchead-font); font-size: 22px; line-height: 1.3em; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Why is Roland Garros so special?</h2><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">'This tennis tournament is a top sports event in Paris and one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">The tournament is held in the fancy Roland-Garros Stadium located on the edge of the <a href="https://www.parisdigest.com/paris-gardens/bois-de-boulogne.htm" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #a67c52; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;">Bois de Boulogne</a> in the western suburbs of the city, part of the affluent commune of Boulogne-Billancourt. The French Open is a smart affair. Spectators arrive looking well-dressed unless they are tourists!'</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtlMHqupKbHb7juvkaqASJ-FAPcJAabb1z7oQaUynS-UtBYS9Tx50exy2uh2xdHC6ayYKIGqtwtni_cRsTIbczcyVnJm_ico7PD6Os2NGv97f5jUqi2-sTZErSe2Fw9gMqalcd6O_or2FbHWvIZdqhNVHhc2ZujG-0nfsTs7y6OLNKjebNvhUDpjb6Xn2q/s1080/575F29B9-7773-41FA-B973-B935F684AF82.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtlMHqupKbHb7juvkaqASJ-FAPcJAabb1z7oQaUynS-UtBYS9Tx50exy2uh2xdHC6ayYKIGqtwtni_cRsTIbczcyVnJm_ico7PD6Os2NGv97f5jUqi2-sTZErSe2Fw9gMqalcd6O_or2FbHWvIZdqhNVHhc2ZujG-0nfsTs7y6OLNKjebNvhUDpjb6Xn2q/w640-h640/575F29B9-7773-41FA-B973-B935F684AF82.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">We can't leave without a little trip to enjoy the beaches of Thailand. We were invited for a wonderful stay at the Outrigger Beach Resort, Khao Lak. </span></p><h2 class="wp-block-heading" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; font-family: var(--pchead-font); font-size: 22px; font-weight: var(--pchead-wei); line-height: 1.3em; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Why visit Khao Lak?</h2><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">'Khao Lak is always in our humble opinion worth the trip. It is quieter than Phuket Island.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">The white sandy beaches are very natural and whilst the hotels and resorts are beachfront, they’ve been developed to be set back and nestled amongst the trees. It gives a wonderfully unspoiled feel to this area, despite there being a plethora of holiday choices.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 17px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">For now, and especially in May typically at the start of the rains, it is blissfully quiet'</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">You can read the full post here </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/tucked-away-in-beautiful-khao-lak-outrigger-beach-resort/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Tucked away in beautiful Khao Lak:</a> <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/tucked-away-in-beautiful-khao-lak-outrigger-beach-resort/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Outrigger</a><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/tucked-away-in-beautiful-khao-lak-outrigger-beach-resort/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank"> Beach Resort</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufV98-NeKRvsxV7m0YWIpQ0AXR0htOg_UbFhylDdPQ_BpKe7oAMk51m68XJENMztf9jJNLvREgaRKGWW-l_lz-z9yPHxRZwabdt4rGL7K9DjmXTKHbCz2sFOuvmrdzKlnvvBWQar7gwdk-eycYv69g94RKYDK3h-UiF-HYNJMh8orpHCphyK4uNdpninK/s1500/EBF2A63F-E6B1-48B5-9A82-A6C6E8CD4F0E.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufV98-NeKRvsxV7m0YWIpQ0AXR0htOg_UbFhylDdPQ_BpKe7oAMk51m68XJENMztf9jJNLvREgaRKGWW-l_lz-z9yPHxRZwabdt4rGL7K9DjmXTKHbCz2sFOuvmrdzKlnvvBWQar7gwdk-eycYv69g94RKYDK3h-UiF-HYNJMh8orpHCphyK4uNdpninK/w426-h640/EBF2A63F-E6B1-48B5-9A82-A6C6E8CD4F0E.png" width="426" /></a></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">Lastly how do you feel about the Artifical Intelligence (AI) of ChatGPT? </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/little-wrens-guide-to-finding-great-massage-in-thailand/" target="_blank">Little Wren's guide to finding great massage in Thailand</a> was a chance for me to try this out and see how I might integrate AI into my writing and whether I felt there was a place for it in my writing. The above massage blog post was written used ChatGPT in some parts. I challenged my readers to work out if they could tell which parts were a robot writing and which parts were me.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">For me the joy of blogging is to write the posts. I'm sure I would be more eloquant if I used a computer to generate my words but it goes against the grain of what I'm trying to do.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">So for the record all of the above was written by me!</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJrAEPZMMsdS-5mug9hqEL9Fpd9aa2JLRox-BuDLCE0S_IV65drkc5jYOUCfNI2XwDedGbM7ttx_PZ_QN3X7VK_p0X2ZmkrMNUtVhXqKb1i23KB-3hKoFu_t3oE2JJ3tyBo3WrcnVlfQXGefsF4yIU0s_VE2kQuAs0Ye697cA4uOoCceRKRNEl5ItbME8/s1500/9E50A4DC-3A5D-4C8B-909E-A90507E72FB1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJrAEPZMMsdS-5mug9hqEL9Fpd9aa2JLRox-BuDLCE0S_IV65drkc5jYOUCfNI2XwDedGbM7ttx_PZ_QN3X7VK_p0X2ZmkrMNUtVhXqKb1i23KB-3hKoFu_t3oE2JJ3tyBo3WrcnVlfQXGefsF4yIU0s_VE2kQuAs0Ye697cA4uOoCceRKRNEl5ItbME8/w426-h640/9E50A4DC-3A5D-4C8B-909E-A90507E72FB1.PNG" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">If you would like to keep up with all my wanderings I'd love to see you at the following:</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><ul><li><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/" style="background: transparent; color: #f44c83; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Little Wandering Wren Travel Blog</a></li><li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/littlewanderingwren/?hl=en" style="background: transparent; color: #f44c83; cursor: pointer; outline: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Little Wandering Wren Instagram</a></li><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lwwren/" style="background: transparent; color: #f44c83; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Little Wandering Wren Facebook</a></li><li><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@littlewanderingwren" target="_blank">Little Wandering Wren TikTok</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaD2QL1XpSOL1q7N3qWmlZg" target="_blank">Little Wandering Wren YouTube</a></li></ul><div><br /></div><div>My TikTok and YouTube Channels have some of our other fun events of the past few months from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm48ovRnKyU" target="_blank">Bruce Springstein </a> and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@littlewanderingwren/video/7249470928780840199" target="_blank">Glastonbury Festival</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Jm2UiWOss2FoUmB19VZnTE7I_KfLj7djou2Ubs72hO0h863IOeSjq1_BW3qI8Oz4tSJAbHf48zb4N3oP3Lea2InIlzL2upcf4uWHySuQ-qlr_tKEVHuwOLFHNXeBBgCJwhD6XvvtmhCzCw5N25iMaeSYcIAkyldmM6Hsc-54BYCoCT3w2hOWHfVw5xhY/s4032/IMG_8860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Jm2UiWOss2FoUmB19VZnTE7I_KfLj7djou2Ubs72hO0h863IOeSjq1_BW3qI8Oz4tSJAbHf48zb4N3oP3Lea2InIlzL2upcf4uWHySuQ-qlr_tKEVHuwOLFHNXeBBgCJwhD6XvvtmhCzCw5N25iMaeSYcIAkyldmM6Hsc-54BYCoCT3w2hOWHfVw5xhY/w640-h480/IMG_8860.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Phew that's me ready for a cuppa here. Thank you so much for stopping by to read. How's your summer going?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Disclosure:</b> Some of the above are from my sponsored trips, all these are clearly identified on the posts.</div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Wanderings to you all, near or far! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfrk0plDDrCkTvEibLYBu3beZPlz18S0lfYXOP0fNjp-QJS1xRTBCtV8cvGNQPxBfCUUScfs2VlcJWM1xOklZ6DS6SpiEslVAbd2fbUkhTLrSkM524HM0Cq88aU1FLNsEaWZr1qV6wfxVPrF_dscgOFS9OMUVeDSkCm9CbNGGNAOQZOOgeHSbmxW_BBUbh" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="1024" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfrk0plDDrCkTvEibLYBu3beZPlz18S0lfYXOP0fNjp-QJS1xRTBCtV8cvGNQPxBfCUUScfs2VlcJWM1xOklZ6DS6SpiEslVAbd2fbUkhTLrSkM524HM0Cq88aU1FLNsEaWZr1qV6wfxVPrF_dscgOFS9OMUVeDSkCm9CbNGGNAOQZOOgeHSbmxW_BBUbh=w400-h146" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">PPS Linking with thanks to Heidrun's <a href="https://happy-hour-with-picts.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mosaic Monday.</a> I hope you will stop by and enjoy all the Mosaic Monday posts</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">PPS I keep intending to delete this blog as I spend all my time at <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/" target="_blank">www.littlewanderingwren.com </a>but everytime I come back to it after several months away I see all your lovely comments! So thank you!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Please save and pin </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1ryJ6TmNgfh-QontcoDTRH0awlaKi6Wb5axqmasdRjRlz0mXFDL-De2lo25dn25yIW6WZV6u2-wCQrtZwtvMTIrel7RFV4QJx9YwP1qujczFv7CnJSbIaHxMUfrxd01dwF_mRJEtCw9i6AsvUpvQx5vKHDu63kdAyT8EYV-_M3EzPnIbkrZoxai89M0_/s1920/RolandGarrosPintrest.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Little Wandering Wren at Roland Garros" border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1ryJ6TmNgfh-QontcoDTRH0awlaKi6Wb5axqmasdRjRlz0mXFDL-De2lo25dn25yIW6WZV6u2-wCQrtZwtvMTIrel7RFV4QJx9YwP1qujczFv7CnJSbIaHxMUfrxd01dwF_mRJEtCw9i6AsvUpvQx5vKHDu63kdAyT8EYV-_M3EzPnIbkrZoxai89M0_/w180-h320/RolandGarrosPintrest.png" title="Roland Garros" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com16London, UK51.5072178 -0.127586223.196983963821154 -35.2838362 79.817451636178845 35.0286638tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-27547607970498889662023-03-24T21:26:00.004+07:002023-03-24T21:26:49.042+07:00With a Spring in my Step! <p> Hello Everyone!</p><p>It's been a wee while since I was here. There have been some big life updates and drumroll...</p><p>The first one was that we made it back to Australia. Having left in February 2020 saying to the dog see you soon, we finally made it home to Melbourne Australia in December 2022, after you know what!</p><p>We had the most glorious Summer Down Under and I have been enjoying writing all about our Western Australia adventures on my <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/">Little Wandering Wren Travel blog</a>.</p><p>You can probably see why it was so lovely to finally make it back to Australia. The sunshine, the beaches, and reconnecting with family and friends after such a long time away.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibtr6R5Vz0r2ZXrtifLi4RXcW4QdECKAqT9e2aW0ogW_KEgELbACSIXmFTZh0op-h0VA93nQGqk1ZPXpIT7wI3N--sX1U1tk7lNUupShc3-DjVC150GDg9t5dhRPUPuxrQ67a178QBGSvraODsQG6AOUaIXZqDezKu0AfgqiWnI9sR02zyT9BCbsEmQw/s6364/IMG_1141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Bunker Bay" border="0" data-original-height="3814" data-original-width="6364" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibtr6R5Vz0r2ZXrtifLi4RXcW4QdECKAqT9e2aW0ogW_KEgELbACSIXmFTZh0op-h0VA93nQGqk1ZPXpIT7wI3N--sX1U1tk7lNUupShc3-DjVC150GDg9t5dhRPUPuxrQ67a178QBGSvraODsQG6AOUaIXZqDezKu0AfgqiWnI9sR02zyT9BCbsEmQw/w640-h384/IMG_1141.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Our holiday and more specifically our <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/western-australia-road-trip-itinerary/" target="_blank">Western Australia Road Trip</a> introduced us to new delights in the region. We especially loved seeing thousands of limestone pillars at the other wordly<a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/the-pinnacles-desert-nambung-national-park/" target="_blank"> Pinnacles Desert</a> and the <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/hamelin-bay-stingrays-wa/" target="_blank">Stingrays at Hamelin Bay</a> that swim around your feet in the shallows of the glorious Hamelin Bay Beach.</p><p>If you love huge murals you might enjoy these huge painted silos and water towers across WA's Wheatbelt land that connect rural communities through art. </p><p>I love that the silo art attracts tourism to regional areas that need our tourism dollars. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNkLCCTGkmhRyUzWY_n6mgsSgiU5nKfu8swDJIFo1pPmvYwq2oTRaQ_nBlxIxKxd-4HveLy7wKBMGrOdx30KZFNrs_Ni_K9AmS-KHDHB1pvnd2C1TaWEThcewfXgWAyMtzZfPvjjJZTBvEY14aNpKUY6C6gkXKJEZTG70DWEExK1izLhtWSFU7XFyX-g/s2000/F9654357-12F4-40E2-B81E-E608FE40CBD9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Silo Art Trail Northam" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNkLCCTGkmhRyUzWY_n6mgsSgiU5nKfu8swDJIFo1pPmvYwq2oTRaQ_nBlxIxKxd-4HveLy7wKBMGrOdx30KZFNrs_Ni_K9AmS-KHDHB1pvnd2C1TaWEThcewfXgWAyMtzZfPvjjJZTBvEY14aNpKUY6C6gkXKJEZTG70DWEExK1izLhtWSFU7XFyX-g/w640-h512/F9654357-12F4-40E2-B81E-E608FE40CBD9.png" title="Silo Art Trail Northam" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our stays in hotels, resorts, motels and local Bed and Breakfast cottages in Western Australia brought to an end a busy year of travel. You can see all our 70 plus stays across the globe in 2022 together with recommendations for stays in the UK, US, France, Bali, Thailand and Malaysia here at <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/little-wandering-wrens-good-hotel-guide/" target="_blank">The Good Hotel Guide</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKNzOIrPBSrzJ2VBCZ3JtpTK2EjeIfCIwOrl5SRK0BrbVj3u101zX1ioRMXmUURl9_DW7drhIhkUoJ1pJGNk6Ui-b8XqRLkme8mFRqQOdHWsy-aB7J1qlC42fZA1_pSb4n0B-1a0pjoQ3qGx7uZcAgAErtoOK2m5z1Q-5jjGZhoaJtCjvsrkDLu_FYxg/s4032/IMG_1242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKNzOIrPBSrzJ2VBCZ3JtpTK2EjeIfCIwOrl5SRK0BrbVj3u101zX1ioRMXmUURl9_DW7drhIhkUoJ1pJGNk6Ui-b8XqRLkme8mFRqQOdHWsy-aB7J1qlC42fZA1_pSb4n0B-1a0pjoQ3qGx7uZcAgAErtoOK2m5z1Q-5jjGZhoaJtCjvsrkDLu_FYxg/w640-h480/IMG_1242.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roseneath Cottage Northam WA</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Back in Thailand I was invited to enjoy a few treatments at a new Bangkok Spa: <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/the-sensational-new-sense-cera-spa-at-wyndham-bangkok-queen/" target="_blank">The Sensational Sense Cera Spa</a> They are focusing delivering Spa treatments which help guests tackle the health and wellness concerns, such as insomnia, Long Covid, pollution and jet lag. It was a real treat. </p><p>This Spa has a pretty garden feel, with incredible views of Bangkok. I'm sure it will do well, once the word is out. (Hosted by Sense Cera Spa)<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4fvMVvTgI8ePv3h-ks_DPxmXPEZ4jFudl4fGbBqXObmOJHdpjNQFPh-9iE4za1UmB477P-8tycm3bFl2V7ANEBhHUIyxh5GSAw7FJPWle_KvRcA6HP-x4xaFmdYK_hg9vFMYmah4U2TDtxxqGYVy9D3Vv56NjXaau3M3qBahc8W79OCyaqI7OSrdqw/s4032/IMG_3730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4fvMVvTgI8ePv3h-ks_DPxmXPEZ4jFudl4fGbBqXObmOJHdpjNQFPh-9iE4za1UmB477P-8tycm3bFl2V7ANEBhHUIyxh5GSAw7FJPWle_KvRcA6HP-x4xaFmdYK_hg9vFMYmah4U2TDtxxqGYVy9D3Vv56NjXaau3M3qBahc8W79OCyaqI7OSrdqw/w640-h480/IMG_3730.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>We are back on the road travelling again. Little Wandering Wren keeps me busy and so far this year I have plans to travel in Asia, Europe and the US. I have a very exciting trip planned to Montana. This is my year to say Yes to everything. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm the year of the Water Rabbit which means I have had a big birthday in March and <i><b>not all those who wander are lost </b></i>as they say!</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm looking out of the window in the UK to see that after the showers, the sun is shining and the daffodils are looking blooming lovely this Spring in the UK.</div><div><br /></div><div>I hope Spring is well on its way for you. Do you have any exciting trips coming up? I do hope so.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you would like to keep up with all my wanderings I'd love to see you at the following:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/" target="_blank">Little Wandering Wren Travel Blog</a></li><li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/littlewanderingwren/?hl=en" target="_blank">Little Wandering Wren Instagram</a></li><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lwwren/" target="_blank">Little Wandering Wren Facebook</a></li></ul><div>Happy Wanderings to you all, near or far! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqokxScOSs1OZQkUeNMFqYFCeEHg7LpSxge2jVDJEYfQkjeQALwFSgw43kNexDOKgW6RVAd8-GrlVtyfNBf3GbkZV8XpbIQa9xNybtu8gIk1pTLc9QJQxKFNhmk8kWlHyepV4VGiTZKyVpmANzZbYLEvAID7EBiV564_uuyeBBwcoOcSCJ6Sepl6L_w/s1780/LWW_text_straight_no%20bg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="1780" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqokxScOSs1OZQkUeNMFqYFCeEHg7LpSxge2jVDJEYfQkjeQALwFSgw43kNexDOKgW6RVAd8-GrlVtyfNBf3GbkZV8XpbIQa9xNybtu8gIk1pTLc9QJQxKFNhmk8kWlHyepV4VGiTZKyVpmANzZbYLEvAID7EBiV564_uuyeBBwcoOcSCJ6Sepl6L_w/s320/LWW_text_straight_no%20bg.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">PS I keep intending to delete this blog as I spend all my time at www.littlewanderingwren.com but everytime I come back to it after several months away I see all your lovely comments! So thank you!</div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-84930011647909027372022-11-28T03:12:00.004+07:002022-11-28T03:12:34.893+07:00Thankful and Grateful<p>Hello everyone it's been a while! Life back travelling again has been epic. I so enjoyed my Summer in the UK, the sun shone and we were able to revisit old haunts including returning to Glastonbury as volunteers and also find some new places that we'd never been to.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UOExoVGR3aduXLjsAo9YcUYYd2ix06ZdBP3x8t4IBEC-1ry_B7YSWgi0pOTsx-0BH6H-gK77S2-nsNYGlLKLmfXYpGBmNduYQaD7K2k1K929jQYjwCnnEUM8LA7oMK4ucPut2TOarZEHXnbFP_5uX9hYRwIc05YhA4mvlH35lSrwQnb1E2tOJRgFSQ/s4032/IMG_2707.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UOExoVGR3aduXLjsAo9YcUYYd2ix06ZdBP3x8t4IBEC-1ry_B7YSWgi0pOTsx-0BH6H-gK77S2-nsNYGlLKLmfXYpGBmNduYQaD7K2k1K929jQYjwCnnEUM8LA7oMK4ucPut2TOarZEHXnbFP_5uX9hYRwIc05YhA4mvlH35lSrwQnb1E2tOJRgFSQ/w640-h480/IMG_2707.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Glastonbury Festival 2022</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Then there was America. Oh my gosh, another <i>pinch me </i>is my life for real, wonderful times which have come as a result of hosting tennis players for twelve years playing at the Australian Open. I thoroughly enjoyed my twelve days of tennis completing my Fan Slam at the US Open. You can have a sneak peek into this via my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/little.wren.71/posts/pfbid0AfQtRBSEwDvHzh9tncaRdevxSBKG4Xbw9U3C17cEqbgk8krVeoNwoeGRLetZbfqzl" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> or on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cia2KUgrYWw/?hl=en" target="_blank">Instagram. </a></p><p>I did have the most wonderful time <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/staying-at-the-new-york-athletic-club-nyac/" target="_blank">Staying at the New York Athletic Club</a> and meeting with Carol in <a href="https://buttercupcountsherblessings.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Buttercupland</a>.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_E8MFhELgoJ_7oAAiGcMCKkGo-KHUytNl3s1aTtzgxqFStZMP0fni1IzsrnRePJ-PtdVutpAzjBQC4PzTE54uXqRpIGmoPqaiuFiLGy94vjAebH9NwBmTp29IALK2T3UqXF6Yu9CVL4mDIY4WXQKsb52G7L-lnmlcio4XDRqB-HPA3tEkVKyTnFUVA/s4032/IMG_5409.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_E8MFhELgoJ_7oAAiGcMCKkGo-KHUytNl3s1aTtzgxqFStZMP0fni1IzsrnRePJ-PtdVutpAzjBQC4PzTE54uXqRpIGmoPqaiuFiLGy94vjAebH9NwBmTp29IALK2T3UqXF6Yu9CVL4mDIY4WXQKsb52G7L-lnmlcio4XDRqB-HPA3tEkVKyTnFUVA/w640-h480/IMG_5409.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New York Athletic Club</td></tr></tbody></table><p>France then followed because a certain Mr Wren has always wanted to live there and since his recent retirement, we've been out exploring Arles and Uzes and surrounds in the Provence area. It's certainly a wonderful part of the world, apart from the extreme summer heat and the issues caused by Brexit.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDFxa-BntGH-S3ucowjY43ycx-5BL3qwEOJvzCtxkv9RBjwQ4tZ2VUF4PyE5ShqutqXE4BwKvl6OnBZOApe9EamYJfo2w-mFNnDuQmnWA-YyCC0A0cwGW_FQVvvgXWr-kGeHB6IOjgvHV4Iu6a8fWvc3HJkBb_TubJ9JK1JyoM502_MyltAXsO3c48Q/s3405/IMG_6772.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2554" data-original-width="3405" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDFxa-BntGH-S3ucowjY43ycx-5BL3qwEOJvzCtxkv9RBjwQ4tZ2VUF4PyE5ShqutqXE4BwKvl6OnBZOApe9EamYJfo2w-mFNnDuQmnWA-YyCC0A0cwGW_FQVvvgXWr-kGeHB6IOjgvHV4Iu6a8fWvc3HJkBb_TubJ9JK1JyoM502_MyltAXsO3c48Q/w640-h480/IMG_6772.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cassis, Provence, France</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Then of course back to our beloved Thailand, this time entering as tourists, not as residents. Phuket is filling up and despite the high costs of flights at the moment is doing well on the tourism front. Things are not back to pre-pandemic days but my flight to the UK this week was full. </p><p>I had fun writing about my skywalk on the <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/mahanakhon-skywalk-bangkok/" target="_blank">Mahanakhon Tower. </a>Would you do this? It took all my courage not to look down otherwise I still might be stuck out there.</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS1NRvkHF4eCc_mCcQrlIVGZ81yP0cHsanpUDltueW3OjR0CJc5mg0wepL7ftcZ7xEv7i1QEf2OiR9obpFRRdWYbZtnxPmhJ6Pkh01WPwUgH3cGNDfEvlGKCD5M-1jJVel79ie3NQeOsW7VNVdP9ikcm1IMchbZ59xICLXf3fX1LUNpSzmdCgXsEtxXw/s4032/IMG_1490.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS1NRvkHF4eCc_mCcQrlIVGZ81yP0cHsanpUDltueW3OjR0CJc5mg0wepL7ftcZ7xEv7i1QEf2OiR9obpFRRdWYbZtnxPmhJ6Pkh01WPwUgH3cGNDfEvlGKCD5M-1jJVel79ie3NQeOsW7VNVdP9ikcm1IMchbZ59xICLXf3fX1LUNpSzmdCgXsEtxXw/w640-h480/IMG_1490.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mahanakhorn Skywalk, Bangkok<br /><br />The Wellness Industry has been bouncing back in the post-Covid era, with people prioritising health and wellness in their lives and often combining them with holiday destinations.<br /><br />Fellow Blogger Danielle from <a href="https://www.possandruby.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Poss and Ruby Blog</a> interviewed me for <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/why-your-next-trip-should-be-a-wellness-retreat/" target="_blank">Why your next trip should be a Wellness Retreat</a> after we both enjoyed our <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/eat-pray-love-back-to-bali/" target="_blank">Eat, Pray Love Back to Bali </a>adventures at <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/revivo-wellness-resort-bali/" target="_blank">REVIVO Wellness Resort Bali</a><br /><br />My Little Wandering Wren blog has been throwing all sorts of wonderful opportunities my way. I had a fabulous time invited to enjoy a <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/absolute-sanctuary-koh-samui/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Fitness and Wellness Retreat at Absolute Sanctuary</a><span style="text-align: left;"> in Koh Samui. I skipped out of there feeling so well with meditation, yoga, pilates, and a daily spa treatment.<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWYiELoAekqUg7AN6o7hQ5EbExWB3dGP6c6PbL11sExf1LfsaMtbyiyyTn4IT_ea7-C0yGoFC6pMkgmT4qEbGZ8gVSvmM4NzSxuTg5MaskF--7q6ClY03ZPVeGnapKg1UF7FguJAeOQoSvPU0XvGMH7s0f3-2diTIfv6tSFTUo42rZs2oxCAyFk3-Xg/s3824/IMG_7603.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2866" data-original-width="3824" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWYiELoAekqUg7AN6o7hQ5EbExWB3dGP6c6PbL11sExf1LfsaMtbyiyyTn4IT_ea7-C0yGoFC6pMkgmT4qEbGZ8gVSvmM4NzSxuTg5MaskF--7q6ClY03ZPVeGnapKg1UF7FguJAeOQoSvPU0XvGMH7s0f3-2diTIfv6tSFTUo42rZs2oxCAyFk3-Xg/w640-h480/IMG_7603.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Absolute Sanctuary, Koh Samui<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I have recently been excited to be part of a Travel Bloggers and Content Creators Conference TBEX ASIA which has connected me to more exciting opportunities to explore Thailand some more in 2023. It was inspiring and motivated me to press on with my <a href="http://Littlewanderingwren.com">Littlewanderingwren.com</a> content creation.</p><p>I have just enjoyed a mega catch-up session with lots of you in Blogland, especially those of you celebrating Thanksgiving this weekend. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend filled with family and love!</p><p>We are celebrating our own British form of thanksgiving here in the UK, by having an early family Christmas get-together as our Christmas will be spent returning to Australia. I hope the Crazy Poodle remembers me as we left three years ago saying see you in a few weeks!</p><p>Gotta dash got a turkey to prepare! Happy wanderings and happy weekend, everyone.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxUoUjf5qmuB1q-ZuE6a7soy6KDBf5efeiy4qPdCc0gh2Tq1U67m27EuNm--US2lve1slv2iqClcIABXObJLRYIQps6didDIkGO8aSczGG5a5Irpy4tVGh4BbPzSIOrSgUjodbAzfhH4QAi9Nj_kMvBqNJi1JKjgK52AzasqSW_bWYT8Q5DvsV1zFFw/s2908/LWW_banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="2908" height="60" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxUoUjf5qmuB1q-ZuE6a7soy6KDBf5efeiy4qPdCc0gh2Tq1U67m27EuNm--US2lve1slv2iqClcIABXObJLRYIQps6didDIkGO8aSczGG5a5Irpy4tVGh4BbPzSIOrSgUjodbAzfhH4QAi9Nj_kMvBqNJi1JKjgK52AzasqSW_bWYT8Q5DvsV1zFFw/s320/LWW_banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-13422185836571564472022-08-18T23:35:00.012+07:002022-08-18T23:54:11.538+07:00Little Wandering Wren updates<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hello - it's been a wee while.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's little Jenny Wren, just stopping by to say that I'm still going strong but I've moved my attention onto my Wordpress blog. You can find me at <a href="http://Littlewanderingwren.com">Littlewanderingwren.com</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I hope you come over and join me there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI2IHc7Reb9lE_eHpMUGLsVcKbooa--rgj4duexKbiImn9l6JMhgObMv1OhPez2kKwoycGtHMS7-85z14ec0wxkG7MPc8MB4ovSdumqscqE65qm6eIHuGPUWXotF0nZZs6t8qBIhZxyGBo_EFqRHXYoMh5rjQtWilOXzox_MxMhdnjnKYKczXeRG_1dg/s2667/Jenny%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2667" data-original-width="2311" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI2IHc7Reb9lE_eHpMUGLsVcKbooa--rgj4duexKbiImn9l6JMhgObMv1OhPez2kKwoycGtHMS7-85z14ec0wxkG7MPc8MB4ovSdumqscqE65qm6eIHuGPUWXotF0nZZs6t8qBIhZxyGBo_EFqRHXYoMh5rjQtWilOXzox_MxMhdnjnKYKczXeRG_1dg/w554-h640/Jenny%20copy.jpg" width="554" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After six years in Thailand we are back to global travel and you will find me here, there and everywhere! My blog will feature on my life split between Australia, UK and Thailand. In 2022 I will also have travels from Bali, Malaysia, USA and France.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The summer of 2022 has been a good one. We were finally able to reunite with family and friends and dare I say it masks are off and we've nearly forgotten about you know what!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">New on the blog you will find:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2022/08/08/wandering-superbloom-at-the-tower-of-london/">Wandering Superbloom</a> at The Tower of London.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you haven't had the chance to see Superbloom planted to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee then come and take a wander with me amongst the gorgeous floral landscape.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I tell you what, we had forgotten about that was how lovely a British Summer can be. Having not been able to get back to the UK since 2019 it has been a joy to be here. The weather has been incredible!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqlSEfqsVuv4PtUoWsW7L9Iz3XsfWqsu8jVtdKNjfYZnqlTlp4V0FU-shzT3Wv1NiwkGJRLKXhILegJ1IggVHfUrYRUCHsbZwNy-S-MJDf1TGWVlwYCUgGKZCG0OeBB8ujN6GkzTYsZmSzW9zIykqNxMcZ7Mz2DAKGDqMV3cmt6v8pa_3ko3r0_jSfag/s4032/IMG_3420.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqlSEfqsVuv4PtUoWsW7L9Iz3XsfWqsu8jVtdKNjfYZnqlTlp4V0FU-shzT3Wv1NiwkGJRLKXhILegJ1IggVHfUrYRUCHsbZwNy-S-MJDf1TGWVlwYCUgGKZCG0OeBB8ujN6GkzTYsZmSzW9zIykqNxMcZ7Mz2DAKGDqMV3cmt6v8pa_3ko3r0_jSfag/w640-h480/IMG_3420.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We were able to have the whole family together again and we went on holiday to Pembrokeshire in Wales. The only one who was missing was the Crazy Poodle and we can't wait to catch up with him at Christmas back in Melbourne, Australia.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's been fun get out to many of the things that we used to enjoy such as <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2022/08/05/wandering-the-royal-academy-of-arts-summer-exhibition/">The Summer Exhibition</a> at Royal Academy of Arts in London.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJLpNaoq0AkOcXj4rhztwTdMsIlwROBo0XeNuMxcg9n1-BVJ9mEOqrrvHfKW2EnoBWSo-zEetoVJJKp3hQk2vD6wBrVonDbM5lqJJ2hbQQaxJTcUAuQR4_C65xP_kalbxODeZyHbjdIqPXLqEw2apMDs4mcQcsXSp4fq2Ysneiu33-siPBSa0r4q9DQ/s940/AF2592A4-E39C-4785-B8EC-BE99EF0F9A61.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJLpNaoq0AkOcXj4rhztwTdMsIlwROBo0XeNuMxcg9n1-BVJ9mEOqrrvHfKW2EnoBWSo-zEetoVJJKp3hQk2vD6wBrVonDbM5lqJJ2hbQQaxJTcUAuQR4_C65xP_kalbxODeZyHbjdIqPXLqEw2apMDs4mcQcsXSp4fq2Ysneiu33-siPBSa0r4q9DQ/w640-h536/AF2592A4-E39C-4785-B8EC-BE99EF0F9A61.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We've enjoyed some incredible hotel stays in the UK too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here at The Macdonald Windsor</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3AvOl1w_77Or0AOWXqy1dKrT6NbNbuETPrsYZ7zWsWxyfMhSC8cFNBHfcl_JPd0UUo_i0FcTxhUle3wyeaKrMaXuMKttpUZTK0ViM1iNTEqYjyhs2L9TiUmO76yV7TmS7yaWWuf2Aar7bKe9OsmWbLzFTs_0MvPZVtSOxriDntqUlyEsioWSIDd36yA/s1080/F358BF0C-D9AE-47AA-B3F4-827B6CBA2648.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3AvOl1w_77Or0AOWXqy1dKrT6NbNbuETPrsYZ7zWsWxyfMhSC8cFNBHfcl_JPd0UUo_i0FcTxhUle3wyeaKrMaXuMKttpUZTK0ViM1iNTEqYjyhs2L9TiUmO76yV7TmS7yaWWuf2Aar7bKe9OsmWbLzFTs_0MvPZVtSOxriDntqUlyEsioWSIDd36yA/w640-h640/F358BF0C-D9AE-47AA-B3F4-827B6CBA2648.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In London we stayed at a private members' club, <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2022/08/06/stay-review-the-lansdowne-club/">The Lansdowne Club.</a> Would you like to join me for a wander inside the historical building the house is decorated in the Art Deco style. It is featured as part of my <i>Best of British</i> series?</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ETNd97dGQlfBZQthH6-gBUndVeCeXvoXxNISZiXDH0pZYXnBOpDIH8Uk6qsDNtCFFF2gyOkZfgro3hWkySkAYXQkqht865bC7U-6UAznj1Qw3_neqxarQOXR3GEOAI0l-x2qPWV7uPToJnCRAzQREsP8JCr516PMTo04oUKuM5jjvS9II_mWNNrO1g/s1080/5ADFEDE8-18C5-4808-8BA3-4AF6D87B31FA.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ETNd97dGQlfBZQthH6-gBUndVeCeXvoXxNISZiXDH0pZYXnBOpDIH8Uk6qsDNtCFFF2gyOkZfgro3hWkySkAYXQkqht865bC7U-6UAznj1Qw3_neqxarQOXR3GEOAI0l-x2qPWV7uPToJnCRAzQREsP8JCr516PMTo04oUKuM5jjvS9II_mWNNrO1g/w640-h640/5ADFEDE8-18C5-4808-8BA3-4AF6D87B31FA.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p>Before you go I can't help myself drawing your attention to <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2022/07/15/everything-glitters-at-glastonbury-2022/">Everything glitters at Glastonbury 2022</a> which will be a highlight of the year. I was so happy to be back at the UK's famous performing arts festival. I volunteer my time as a steward on behalf of a Somerset charity. I camp for six nights, yes me! And I survived the legendary Glastonbury toilets.</p><p>This post gives you all the inside info', we are not all there just for the music. I'm also just keeping it real and showing that life is not all five star luxury hotels!</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht9wo5JQ8qxzUYPk2MPEBYmfCzBlS2KvGUW9ydGooQL2LDpRT65EGDp7vgMzW7h8Zp8uxsv9ikeUeNT23oSu9X5YCD0PSUi9lMbFkzW65d5XiEls9KVh7NcqY84JCNABJYXxecxk65BGzvJdOoPRWD20p04N3oSaawkLtLbuXdfPn-dZkWyRMR9o5BQw/s3214/IMG_2728.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3016" data-original-width="3214" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht9wo5JQ8qxzUYPk2MPEBYmfCzBlS2KvGUW9ydGooQL2LDpRT65EGDp7vgMzW7h8Zp8uxsv9ikeUeNT23oSu9X5YCD0PSUi9lMbFkzW65d5XiEls9KVh7NcqY84JCNABJYXxecxk65BGzvJdOoPRWD20p04N3oSaawkLtLbuXdfPn-dZkWyRMR9o5BQw/w640-h600/IMG_2728.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Find me and follow along here</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">IG : <a href="https://www.instagram.com/littlewanderingwren" target="_blank">@Littlewanderingwren</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Twitter: <a href="https://www.twitter.com/LWWren" target="_blank">@LWWren</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Pintrest: <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/littlewanderingwren">Littlewanderingwren</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lwwren">@LWWren</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">That's all for now folks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Happy Wandering!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUg9Sc8-uVKJ9GxFMc1jS5LHC4sWnAg3Fk5l7jXTN6LNTnLUHsn225j0IxXL5QzJSJXMAVKmVnzpD1cH_aa3JFlEL8_T0PzJK1dWS6GONjva914MCZsXe3sW7kPGreKw-M1sEaniGHrnBDAsgPf78Z9Vx4yvOf7NNU8ncqtXtKk1jgLEW5CxK97iSBiQ/s2828/Little-Wandering-Wren%20-%20LOGO%202-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="2828" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUg9Sc8-uVKJ9GxFMc1jS5LHC4sWnAg3Fk5l7jXTN6LNTnLUHsn225j0IxXL5QzJSJXMAVKmVnzpD1cH_aa3JFlEL8_T0PzJK1dWS6GONjva914MCZsXe3sW7kPGreKw-M1sEaniGHrnBDAsgPf78Z9Vx4yvOf7NNU8ncqtXtKk1jgLEW5CxK97iSBiQ/w400-h129/Little-Wandering-Wren%20-%20LOGO%202-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>PS for those lovely Bloggers who have this blog on their sidebars as "Blogs I follow" It would be amazing if you could update this to my new blog here at <a href="http://Littlewanderingwren.com">Littlewanderingwren.com</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Many thanks</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jenny xx</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-14530112506059766662021-07-27T13:14:00.001+07:002021-07-27T13:23:03.028+07:00It's a funny old world!<a href="https://youtu.be/VUxUj5hFEBI" target="_blank">Welcome to Racha Island</a><p style="text-align: center;">Hello everyone and greetings from Phuket, Thailand</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBCO3ciCkRIRhHlo7JSiIJn1S629Z31E95XUtSfAS6-cZECwPVEnIIZC7fJMbhhS-WRDgBmvX46XGgVYTO53ZQu9u7f5Ml0L9USavf_2LHN7m-_XWmjTWu4cgMVFtejijd61gBnXdoqqs/s1440/6152219E-48ED-4E05-9218-F4BB2183067C.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBCO3ciCkRIRhHlo7JSiIJn1S629Z31E95XUtSfAS6-cZECwPVEnIIZC7fJMbhhS-WRDgBmvX46XGgVYTO53ZQu9u7f5Ml0L9USavf_2LHN7m-_XWmjTWu4cgMVFtejijd61gBnXdoqqs/w640-h640/6152219E-48ED-4E05-9218-F4BB2183067C.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">THAILAND THOUGHTS</h3><p>Thailand where we have now reopened the country and are ready to welcome international fully vaccinated arrivals without quarantine to our beautiful island. </p><p>For all the details check out <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2021/07/13/phuket-sandbox-would-you-could-you-should-you/&source=gmail&ust=1626837801033000&usg=AFQjCNEDnKhf_Axi7mHC4IS87Flmlm0qyg" href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2021/07/13/phuket-sandbox-would-you-could-you-should-you/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Phuket Sandbox: Would you, should you, could you?</a><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"> </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwghhTJ0OrFkEX8D9Wyf6cL27P4FWg3etyBod1P7G9-UFe-lcArHJ4QUWQWkSi9WRSn4KPkEtfk1eD700tRpGD2GeKQ3FSJ_bLp4MOHZhH8YK2ist5JW-BJb4eLackFs7ygp8bUf_4c1d/s1500/PhuketSandbox1.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwghhTJ0OrFkEX8D9Wyf6cL27P4FWg3etyBod1P7G9-UFe-lcArHJ4QUWQWkSi9WRSn4KPkEtfk1eD700tRpGD2GeKQ3FSJ_bLp4MOHZhH8YK2ist5JW-BJb4eLackFs7ygp8bUf_4c1d/w426-h640/PhuketSandbox1.PNG" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p>This month another southern island Koh Samui followed along. There are slightly different arrangements with guests to stay within their arrival hotel for three days before supplying a negative Covid test. This gives freedom to roam the island, after 7 days, visitors can also visit the islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Tao.</p><p>For all the details check out: <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2021/07/15/welcome-back-to-thailand-via-koh-samui-plus/" target="_blank">Welcome back to Thailand via Koh Samui plus</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcxW_8Ru3mhogXrY-xgEjfQCkYbNpffjbbh5kIgWJ6AEEzpWodyoqJ2gETSdTutuVldHeJcPmpyrW5MOXICIN7m19YROopKw1u9SwzbFBAsY2yp_3CsJxWBbGHJi1WrTtt2jDHKzvjjhh/s1080/Koh+Samui+is+Open.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcxW_8Ru3mhogXrY-xgEjfQCkYbNpffjbbh5kIgWJ6AEEzpWodyoqJ2gETSdTutuVldHeJcPmpyrW5MOXICIN7m19YROopKw1u9SwzbFBAsY2yp_3CsJxWBbGHJi1WrTtt2jDHKzvjjhh/w640-h640/Koh+Samui+is+Open.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><p>All this as Thailand records the highest Covid numbers and death rates ever recorded and stricter measures have been released across the worst affected Provinces. </p><p>There is a plan for more of the country to open and the idea was for Thailand to fully reopen to vaccinated arrivals by October 2021, this is under reconsideration in light of the Delta variant.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCERibohZ3U8swM_R0sj6IrOci-Dp1ziy45wZihLjP0fya8_5TX0MNfjSg_jM0AhInLskoUFnMqLAa7mjuYl-t7rNDGhpGtgO7C6q0DLxGcw0wArAmlnrJ4NUIem3T_QikC-7_g5aE3JU/s1440/E99FC680-6581-43CA-A282-FEBCE59841E4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCERibohZ3U8swM_R0sj6IrOci-Dp1ziy45wZihLjP0fya8_5TX0MNfjSg_jM0AhInLskoUFnMqLAa7mjuYl-t7rNDGhpGtgO7C6q0DLxGcw0wArAmlnrJ4NUIem3T_QikC-7_g5aE3JU/w640-h640/E99FC680-6581-43CA-A282-FEBCE59841E4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">UK THOUGHTS</h3><p>Meanwhile, my family in the UK where there have been over 40,000 Covid cases a day have celebrated Freedom Day, as it was called when all lockdown restrictions were removed. All masks, well there seems to be some backtracking, most masks are off. </p><p>Did you see the numbers at the Silverstone British Grand Prix? Where over 140,000 people gathered together to see Lewis Hamilton win (or steal depending on how you viewed that shunt on Copse Corner) the British Grand Prix. Again crowds are exciting, or a worry depending on your view and vaccination status. What do you think? I'm in the we've got to start somewhere camp.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4UoAuqg_d331KpColO-L9QtSs0GQkl1CMRQjCXEdZk0xFbJtEJcRE8K0jlaz-t_RpdZgJtTNFiYH63_gcr5zyww66xjnDgNflcgJ1z0s_05vhO3TZT_ArBW1zJMqAKe29p5s0iRqn80Jr/s3024/BuscotHouse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4UoAuqg_d331KpColO-L9QtSs0GQkl1CMRQjCXEdZk0xFbJtEJcRE8K0jlaz-t_RpdZgJtTNFiYH63_gcr5zyww66xjnDgNflcgJ1z0s_05vhO3TZT_ArBW1zJMqAKe29p5s0iRqn80Jr/w640-h640/BuscotHouse.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">AUSTRALIAN THOUGHTS</h3><p>Back in Melbourne Australia my daughter with a British Passport and a permanent job transfer was denied travel exemption to leave Australia which meant she was not eligible to receive a vaccine as they are in short supply for her age group. Luckily this has now been resolved...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlf-QBgr8LpELvUkeWaEG4NwDDox8nKTIaptmYydQaxNfvs5HeLXDbb4TjAQMLW3ebetqPZ2Drh7UtxzemjuCdnZK_Ykz36wu6neEbKV3gGVRwW6Hl0ufOz2O7hTH7L_Q8VAbTFSo8Aor/s3024/Aus+Passport.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlf-QBgr8LpELvUkeWaEG4NwDDox8nKTIaptmYydQaxNfvs5HeLXDbb4TjAQMLW3ebetqPZ2Drh7UtxzemjuCdnZK_Ykz36wu6neEbKV3gGVRwW6Hl0ufOz2O7hTH7L_Q8VAbTFSo8Aor/w640-h640/Aus+Passport.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Across the way, sure as eggs is eggs, the sports-loving nation of Australia had no problems authorising its athlete's permission to travel to compete at the Olympics. Who's enjoying the games? We were looking forward to having something to watch on the TV but unfortunatelty have found zero Olympics on any TV we've seen, even in post hotels! </p><p>We were sorry about Ash Barty crashing out of the tennis but glad we watched her Wimbledon Grand Final Win - oh bless go, Ash!</p><p>See <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2016/06/28/wonderful-wimbledon/" target="_blank">Wonderful Wimbledon</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlbwDMPPgmjWX2n2hzukSR8RI4Gf5xOdQmFjvAOFSbSXmnjwIqIHCXy8iR_ROIfJgYRRKyzaZR0DQl3LL3J2o0e0BHlpk0awig3eP61aNDERY3KB7FISGJBdIxxYkRnLqbMoorJpStiAZ/s1080/Wimbledon+IF+Quote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlbwDMPPgmjWX2n2hzukSR8RI4Gf5xOdQmFjvAOFSbSXmnjwIqIHCXy8iR_ROIfJgYRRKyzaZR0DQl3LL3J2o0e0BHlpk0awig3eP61aNDERY3KB7FISGJBdIxxYkRnLqbMoorJpStiAZ/w640-h640/Wimbledon+IF+Quote.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">JAPANESE THOUGHTS</h3><p>I digress back to Japan which I have a real soft spot for as my last big overseas adventure was to the Rugby World Cup in Tokyo in October 2019. We went to see a match that never happened due to Typhoon Hagibis. Thinking about it the world was a bit shaky then...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgkTqqoo4e2t-aUnQHtnpLNJnzYDVBudHYejOdfVwQeR0rO8omznshxTPvcC-FYkmto1BEaqaXX8ycNFgEbQIws58EydMNphanHg9sij3Qu4-jmARu3m9WHS9ieE0TOE-iJh-xqlF5CMj/s2800/Japan2019b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="2800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgkTqqoo4e2t-aUnQHtnpLNJnzYDVBudHYejOdfVwQeR0rO8omznshxTPvcC-FYkmto1BEaqaXX8ycNFgEbQIws58EydMNphanHg9sij3Qu4-jmARu3m9WHS9ieE0TOE-iJh-xqlF5CMj/w640-h640/Japan2019b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">AMERICAN THOUGHTS</h3><p>Of course, if you are American and despite your numbers increasing, I'm seeing my beautiful US friends seizing the day and even from Thailand nipping home for a family hug and a vaccine. Or if you are in the Middle East enjoying holidays in Kenya (hello Libby - you Guys are the best at making Covid look easy)</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>MIDDLE EASTERN FRIENDSHIPS</b></h3><div>One of the biggest crowds of holidaymakers in Phuket at the moment are those from the Middle East. Yesterday I did a yoga class with a lady from Bahrein, today a stretch class with Ali from Qatar. All here for one week's holidays with their families.</div><h3 style="text-align: left;">BACK TO PHUKET</h3><p>Or you are in Thailand whilst brings me full circle to the lovely American's I'm meeting in Phuket who are pioneers in Thai travel and have been welcomed in our small island and enjoying a brilliant holiday.</p><p>If you are planning to come to Phuket check this out: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2021/06/18/phuket-sandbox-shaplus-approved-hotel/&source=gmail&ust=1626837801033000&usg=AFQjCNG1EpvTQz4TcxHDukyIFrbYNiDDVw" href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2021/06/18/phuket-sandbox-shaplus-approved-hotel/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">How to find a Phuket Sandbox SHA + Hotel you will love</a><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"> </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVgG-CCvuAHVNidGbCzEzt3QKjHwAu0-_JrAEZiag3BP64RBhV9lv29d0-5pZEZFFBe1YYr8kVrYLKfR-NWOVcWnetczmfCeSWMeQ8aiS0TWo7JwhukVLu8DKEmZt1FAQynP1OgJNJCR-/s1080/PhuketSandbox.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVgG-CCvuAHVNidGbCzEzt3QKjHwAu0-_JrAEZiag3BP64RBhV9lv29d0-5pZEZFFBe1YYr8kVrYLKfR-NWOVcWnetczmfCeSWMeQ8aiS0TWo7JwhukVLu8DKEmZt1FAQynP1OgJNJCR-/w640-h640/PhuketSandbox.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">Loved this island stay here: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2021/07/08/carefree-at-the-naka-island-resort-spa-phuket/&source=gmail&ust=1626837801033000&usg=AFQjCNEWHZp7X9FJMC8quv1vfSn21BJw1Q" href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2021/07/08/carefree-at-the-naka-island-resort-spa-phuket/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">The carefree days at The Naka Island resort</a><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"> </span><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">YOUTUBE: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUxUj5hFEBI" target="_blank">Little Wandering Wren </a></h3><p>I have taken the first small steps into the YouTube world and I am trying to grow my followers, so if you have a Youtube account, I'd love you to follow along. If you have time would you check out my video(s) and let me know what you think. </p><p>Should I keep going with learning YouTube? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="367" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VUxUj5hFEBI" width="482" youtube-src-id="VUxUj5hFEBI"></iframe></div><p><br /></p><p>Well, I think that will do for now, this is a bit of a test to see who will find me now I am no longer arriving in your inbox. You can follow along via <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/" target="_blank">Blog-lovin' </a>Or even better subscribe to my main <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/" target="_blank">Little Wandering Wren</a> blog as long as you don't mind endless photos of gorgeous beaches from here in Thailand.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>I hope where ever you are in the world you are having a lovely day.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Bye for now!</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxb-otaDBtqInDPUV72ahvv8TbgGp19KNsGQwnzc7ATnskzMZ5kSrqAiRRiP0c2wQP8Nf6V50nUEKQu0cFAgaQo8YyD78wKXkFe1xTtfPqtx6Z5_s_6ShqPRxvH-0jTVRK4JJLyuNPtIvS/s2828/Little-Wandering-Wren+-+LOGO+2-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="2828" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxb-otaDBtqInDPUV72ahvv8TbgGp19KNsGQwnzc7ATnskzMZ5kSrqAiRRiP0c2wQP8Nf6V50nUEKQu0cFAgaQo8YyD78wKXkFe1xTtfPqtx6Z5_s_6ShqPRxvH-0jTVRK4JJLyuNPtIvS/s320/Little-Wandering-Wren+-+LOGO+2-01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Linking with thanks to Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday</div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p><p><br /></p>Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com26Phuket, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand7.8804479 98.3922504-20.429785936178845 63.236000399999995 36.190681736178846 133.5485004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-12444054876795881312021-06-04T17:16:00.013+07:002021-06-05T07:13:42.202+07:00Hello from my corner of the world<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="display: block; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;">Hello, hello how are we all doing? </span><span style="display: block; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: justify;">I am sorry that I have been absent around here for so long. I can't really think of any excuses except for a certain global pandemic, which remains a distraction in our daily lives here in Thailand. </span><span style="display: block; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: justify;">Still, I am pleased you can join me today as I bring you up to date for some good, random, Friday bliss and fun from Phuket.</span><span style="display: block; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;">We are fine. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVbAH0iuKqnmDYfdNNnEbvowRbcgRTRTjyLifbox8wEWfpDp-GOazy56TGfq5gJupMvOD43GumWJIz72_-s2cS0JIfvqejcm2s9jlwvlGzCudhVW4EUWZ600TPpkDdiccsv0Xm2gjFv-ni/s3698/IMG_0438.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2772" data-original-width="3698" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVbAH0iuKqnmDYfdNNnEbvowRbcgRTRTjyLifbox8wEWfpDp-GOazy56TGfq5gJupMvOD43GumWJIz72_-s2cS0JIfvqejcm2s9jlwvlGzCudhVW4EUWZ600TPpkDdiccsv0Xm2gjFv-ni/w640-h480/IMG_0438.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Like many of our neighbours in South East Asia, our Covid-19 situation here in Thailand had deteriorated over recent weeks. However, with strict measures in place to curtail the rise in cases, we are all hopeful for the arrival of the first international visitors into Phuket from July 1st. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We came to the island of Phuket in Southern Thailand for our Christmas holidays, and have remained largely based here ever since, as many Bangkok offices have requested home working.<br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQy2SnEVVMOjNvRoJZo6pcPsb-A4Me_H1d6VL6Dl5ppmFxcgNBqtPwehtkvJZZpCDo7o4MJsn8U-WtPQh7U2OE3Lex6Zev9BDYzy5mwAQdO2n7rJefdULxheHvb-Hbz9YODOrm-9R3g9Lb/s4032/IMG_0596.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQy2SnEVVMOjNvRoJZo6pcPsb-A4Me_H1d6VL6Dl5ppmFxcgNBqtPwehtkvJZZpCDo7o4MJsn8U-WtPQh7U2OE3Lex6Zev9BDYzy5mwAQdO2n7rJefdULxheHvb-Hbz9YODOrm-9R3g9Lb/w480-h640/IMG_0596.JPG" width="480" /></a></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>THE GOOD</b></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Phuket has been a blessed stay and we feel so fortunate to be here. I've written about this more here: <a href="https://expatlifeinthailand.com/travel-and-leisure/working-from-the-beach-wfb-lifestyle-the-thailand-much-needed-revolution/" target="_blank">Working from the beach, (WFB) the Thailand much-needed revolution</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzjSCvyivg-jqNVII_dCjA9iHpl9nPA9Zstl-TpwP1GerwEPD1lcEZMjp1xnrqCOMBGEmq6Esxgq3QOCDCCF5S_qE1ABzcWLdwgbasUPLStD1-CNyJVQnl6ozP_JL4I_noHqS4YjnarwtR/s1080/Let%2527s+Go+WFB%2521.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzjSCvyivg-jqNVII_dCjA9iHpl9nPA9Zstl-TpwP1GerwEPD1lcEZMjp1xnrqCOMBGEmq6Esxgq3QOCDCCF5S_qE1ABzcWLdwgbasUPLStD1-CNyJVQnl6ozP_JL4I_noHqS4YjnarwtR/w640-h640/Let%2527s+Go+WFB%2521.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have loved being in Phuket and have been busy whilst in isolation, mostly writing away. We are generally able to walk each day on the beach which is such a boost for morale. Especially now, as we are finding it pretty hard not being able to see our family in the UK nor Australia for so long. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was the view on our beach last night, love the pretty skies and reflections which do wonders for the soul.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQF5-2tPIKTJysNbd9PtyNJKc6knU7Q1Y-TzfJD52wMJMuFK6y9OpdyNwUfoFsaat4AOJUYxIrZx1yM_WadIQbkHlgq4UIWnsO6yBCZQlTErNT87HwqfvCT0ZG9s_z7_4wj2rEbYGqAGi/s3675/9C06FBA8-2A19-4548-B298-B23D00DD2A8D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3675" data-original-width="3675" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQF5-2tPIKTJysNbd9PtyNJKc6knU7Q1Y-TzfJD52wMJMuFK6y9OpdyNwUfoFsaat4AOJUYxIrZx1yM_WadIQbkHlgq4UIWnsO6yBCZQlTErNT87HwqfvCT0ZG9s_z7_4wj2rEbYGqAGi/w640-h640/9C06FBA8-2A19-4548-B298-B23D00DD2A8D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b>Random</b></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As some of you may know, since February 2020 I started staycationing to support the local hotel industry and share ideas for domestic travel in Thailand. As of today, I have stayed in over 100 hotels and resorts in Thailand. Whilst we have been unable to leave Thailand, I have really enjoyed travel in my own backyard in this way. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCEfROelpUpGqabWCS9nDj4ykCby8xCVfAfnOeAGbydnOx9Q0PPjKHOt768KqbG7yAAjcHsfk_HuiO3R2hA1RKGgxSsP3m9cp_ZX9ZSifupPVq0qW70ZHRQG1MyIIB_P07Sgmk5wuQh_O/s1102/%2523virtualThailand.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCEfROelpUpGqabWCS9nDj4ykCby8xCVfAfnOeAGbydnOx9Q0PPjKHOt768KqbG7yAAjcHsfk_HuiO3R2hA1RKGgxSsP3m9cp_ZX9ZSifupPVq0qW70ZHRQG1MyIIB_P07Sgmk5wuQh_O/w426-h640/%2523virtualThailand.png" width="426" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you would like some lovely escapism, then stop by at my <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2021/06/01/inviting-you-for-a-virtual-thailand-staycation/" target="_blank">Little Wandering Wren travel blog here </a>to say hello and I will choose you a #VirtualThailand Staycation. It's been lots of fun selecting my favourite hotels and resorts to share with my blogging friends. We know each other pretty well over the years, so hopefully, I have chosen well. Come join in the fun!</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvVjlKGrzeuWoLMmOVHwk19wZVPG4rxDgGJriyEjR9qyZ1Dy5R7HKiBWdWcAot1j4gnbxlkndJ1XzHg7xRNGYUoHYjXX3shH_FcGlsKXzk3KP1qzer5jPjhlzqKqcTlq6F2o0ug5xqnOx/s1102/%2523mayonthemove2.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTuRjGa2QahUnUlqJQzH089IhJ462b9QbUoVOMf0Vzx7BwxsH5IVgf8As4kAj8E07ffOC6mYcmzEFB8cnI9Ij2tniUGwSf7m5Sugux5SItVsd8tHPt4ERVGdlLbWnbws4OighxH0Vl9ny/s1080/100th+Thailand+Staycation%2521.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTuRjGa2QahUnUlqJQzH089IhJ462b9QbUoVOMf0Vzx7BwxsH5IVgf8As4kAj8E07ffOC6mYcmzEFB8cnI9Ij2tniUGwSf7m5Sugux5SItVsd8tHPt4ERVGdlLbWnbws4OighxH0Vl9ny/w640-h640/100th+Thailand+Staycation%2521.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">In May whilst my Thailand staycations were on pause as we were requested to stay home, I joined an Instagram challenge called <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2021/06/01/inviting-you-for-a-virtual-thailand-staycation/" target="_blank">#mayonthemove2021</a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkACsJXHcYoAJngimY7HiA1sAvyW8ieP6PJ7GfjzG6A3QGCdE3P4NZOPBWnFxSZtETKDIGB3SitFMZWjVXw05WoRp1T1ikUwUedHI5NDGcG5136Bnqgna5UreZhrZpkcwlnh2LIP3jstfJ/s1102/%2523mayonthemove2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkACsJXHcYoAJngimY7HiA1sAvyW8ieP6PJ7GfjzG6A3QGCdE3P4NZOPBWnFxSZtETKDIGB3SitFMZWjVXw05WoRp1T1ikUwUedHI5NDGcG5136Bnqgna5UreZhrZpkcwlnh2LIP3jstfJ/w426-h640/%2523mayonthemove2.png" width="426" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">As a result of this, I wrote a blog post called <b>Expat Life in Thailand </b>and included many of the pearls of wisdom from other participants. The challenge prompts take us from our <i>Backstory</i> to <i>Mental Health</i>, to our <i>Next Chapters</i> amongst others. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you are interested to know what its like living as an <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2021/05/08/an-expat-life-in-thailand-a-community-crossing-cultures/" target="_blank">Expat in Thailand check this out here</a>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvSPPSkOCtiRF7BVVzbjNC5In-j0qRw_Xo4E5rOzBoIjVkaqpwqht1CTIW9UdQtMOQttHwJv7SRBNrBh6UPIEp5bxC9GhfQtVd3QCBZwwKakNCCR3Ms7Suv2sDmkPVy_GH3I1-AAb_sIa/s1080/Expatlife.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvSPPSkOCtiRF7BVVzbjNC5In-j0qRw_Xo4E5rOzBoIjVkaqpwqht1CTIW9UdQtMOQttHwJv7SRBNrBh6UPIEp5bxC9GhfQtVd3QCBZwwKakNCCR3Ms7Suv2sDmkPVy_GH3I1-AAb_sIa/w640-h640/Expatlife.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">FUN</span></b></div></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Last September as Thailand was reopening I joined other bloggers on a experiential trip to the Amazon of Thailand. You can read more about it here at </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2021/04/26/lock-stock-and-one-red-hot-smoking-barrow/" target="_blank">Lock, stock and one red hot</a> </span><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2021/04/26/lock-stock-and-one-red-hot-smoking-barrow/" style="font-family: verdana; text-align: center;" target="_blank">smoking Barrow, the story of this trip</a>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ddT2bRFXdCgPZ0eUwfOvDmQaAkNcQB5k9aoDzIfucInKCpNE3LXuAbtVYZH0A9Wl5N9hSVhxvG4-9s5BxphIM0suvNKhPhL6fgjsD-CMi3yr7qpa65jLzwoAlZY0BGzf437R1_yFz9Dg/s6056/IMG_0594.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sunset in Phuket" border="0" data-original-height="3738" data-original-width="6056" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ddT2bRFXdCgPZ0eUwfOvDmQaAkNcQB5k9aoDzIfucInKCpNE3LXuAbtVYZH0A9Wl5N9hSVhxvG4-9s5BxphIM0suvNKhPhL6fgjsD-CMi3yr7qpa65jLzwoAlZY0BGzf437R1_yFz9Dg/w640-h396/IMG_0594.JPG" title="Sunset in Phuket" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">FRIDAY BLISS </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Finally, I'll leave you with these lovely photos from our local beach here in Phuket and hoping that where ever you are in the world you're having a lovely day!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7diLwgZl8Frp5bbzbFTsc6IsBsEihlHpvcdGFT1JRVYrRPHPO_vW1E-440U34ZqF2NFt5IPF4qNMg9PbV7BEeHRsDd6t4LFarRadELQiwoYFPMRdVmCHGnIIIhoUvpfl5C4GtTtVT9toU/s4032/IMG_0553.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7diLwgZl8Frp5bbzbFTsc6IsBsEihlHpvcdGFT1JRVYrRPHPO_vW1E-440U34ZqF2NFt5IPF4qNMg9PbV7BEeHRsDd6t4LFarRadELQiwoYFPMRdVmCHGnIIIhoUvpfl5C4GtTtVT9toU/w640-h480/IMG_0553.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><i style="background-color: #99d4ff; color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px; text-align: left;">Linking with thanks to </i><i style="background-color: #99d4ff; color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://floral-passions.blogspot.com/2021/06/friday-bliss-142-tulips-roses.html" rel="nofollow" style="color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Friday Bliss</a> & <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2021/06/skywatch-friday-3-june-2021-edition.html" rel="nofollow" style="color: #33aaff;" target="_blank">Skywatch Friday</a></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu4oGWoajzdhAo228l4GuNVxya4tptYtUfinglyrU3EgSAlFtBr1H0wRMXV2U1-fEJJO4Tyox8cs3ZZYkd6Gts0FWPe3iufG1H44-KiLqlhiCwObtjB6_6u4KsEZDN2eSS64Zsic1D1Dar/s750/lww_2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="750" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu4oGWoajzdhAo228l4GuNVxya4tptYtUfinglyrU3EgSAlFtBr1H0wRMXV2U1-fEJJO4Tyox8cs3ZZYkd6Gts0FWPe3iufG1H44-KiLqlhiCwObtjB6_6u4KsEZDN2eSS64Zsic1D1Dar/s320/lww_2.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvVjlKGrzeuWoLMmOVHwk19wZVPG4rxDgGJriyEjR9qyZ1Dy5R7HKiBWdWcAot1j4gnbxlkndJ1XzHg7xRNGYUoHYjXX3shH_FcGlsKXzk3KP1qzer5jPjhlzqKqcTlq6F2o0ug5xqnOx/s1102/%2523mayonthemove2.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvVjlKGrzeuWoLMmOVHwk19wZVPG4rxDgGJriyEjR9qyZ1Dy5R7HKiBWdWcAot1j4gnbxlkndJ1XzHg7xRNGYUoHYjXX3shH_FcGlsKXzk3KP1qzer5jPjhlzqKqcTlq6F2o0ug5xqnOx/s1102/%2523mayonthemove2.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-2100463088254995512021-02-18T10:33:00.001+07:002021-02-18T10:33:06.750+07:00Perfect Phuket - Hello from the other side<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Hello from the beach! Spoiler alert if you are snowed in, pandemic bound or just plain jack of 2021 already, you might want to flick straight onto the next blog! On the other hand, if you are looking for some escapism and to tag along for the virtual ride, stick around!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEDjvfprHHdR7YRaBJkkSWrJ9Cvx3yzBYCrFGWkB1Wh1lHirjz0qWIMwSA6rOjes7VqmRMe88j5HfeQp7Dd0siHKrdjYqYwhhwGtvoLKcJRbl-ohqOO2t6D-nvzJTTJpZ57jVNT3sHetqS/s4032/qc%2525e2LtGR1y9WsQFCTlJFw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEDjvfprHHdR7YRaBJkkSWrJ9Cvx3yzBYCrFGWkB1Wh1lHirjz0qWIMwSA6rOjes7VqmRMe88j5HfeQp7Dd0siHKrdjYqYwhhwGtvoLKcJRbl-ohqOO2t6D-nvzJTTJpZ57jVNT3sHetqS/w640-h480/qc%2525e2LtGR1y9WsQFCTlJFw.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>We came for Christmas and we haven't left yet, so I've only got pictures of sunshine and palm trees and empty beaches waiting for tourists return.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Bangkok is still a designated High controlled area. Schools, shopping malls and gyms have reopened and homeworking for some companies remain in place or operating on a limited A-B team return to work. Pubs and Bars, gambling venues including cockfighting and soapy massage remain closed. Ha, let's see who is reading this closely and no I have no idea what a soapy massage is! Most of my friends are more concerned about the booze ban and pollution in Bangkok but here at the beach, life is calm, quiet and rosy!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSHLIyocxHwH4drR9KPSM_rNmL-dptmhB1FplBSvd5C8_COMGomNjsmbBXrska0LSUF6Ssui4MtqCJa1UJtqzrdkP-xwOvARsI9yfFhL-5xJQZ-p4Z-sTu9awIE8RnpaHfhyf1ZjW5l-Y/s1440/8DEAEFFA-0A36-4AA0-B7C2-0BAA529A8F8D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSHLIyocxHwH4drR9KPSM_rNmL-dptmhB1FplBSvd5C8_COMGomNjsmbBXrska0LSUF6Ssui4MtqCJa1UJtqzrdkP-xwOvARsI9yfFhL-5xJQZ-p4Z-sTu9awIE8RnpaHfhyf1ZjW5l-Y/w640-h640/8DEAEFFA-0A36-4AA0-B7C2-0BAA529A8F8D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Phuket has removed it's 14-day Quarantine for those arriving from Bangkok but it seems most people are not risking travel here from within Thailand until March at the earliest. There is some hope that International tourism may resume in October, but in the meantime, we remain in glorious isolation.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKu_BHLFZ7IxtM5BTizymYPfeodyMDEYOf4nNH-3hyGx7tYu9TyWtFIcoubEkMcPwghSDV1-9e5N9Lmztr_yzqIJiHAGWFhoSWoi6YnL41clqhTgYOlXBh6BgoEbHMEqWWzaN9dqb7hdYQ/s1440/4986274E-1BE6-4D92-A2C2-EDD9C271C849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKu_BHLFZ7IxtM5BTizymYPfeodyMDEYOf4nNH-3hyGx7tYu9TyWtFIcoubEkMcPwghSDV1-9e5N9Lmztr_yzqIJiHAGWFhoSWoi6YnL41clqhTgYOlXBh6BgoEbHMEqWWzaN9dqb7hdYQ/w640-h640/4986274E-1BE6-4D92-A2C2-EDD9C271C849.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I am one chirpy little bird with a new nest in Phuket, meanwhile, back in Bangkok the songbird lovers moved into our old tree - bless! I am happy for them. You can read the original story <a href="https://littlewanderingwren.blogspot.com/2019/03/our-balcony-sunbirds.html" target="_blank">here at Our Balcony Sunbirds</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">We are loving island life, our fresh air and freedom to move around are not lost on us at a time when our family and friends in the UK and Melbourne, Australia are back in their lockdowns. Our life in Thailand seems a million miles away, and I can't wait to be reunited with my family who I have not seen for over a year now. Covid be gone!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-lhNRIEncpBTAc6qACxSdJ4rOjp1dImHtJH5hiJ7VhID9f_07yklReVZJUL0m1Nd5vXNQTF6TSZoWcmVXOiEiYdrxlZz_IzHJ2x1Dv5cgDPIKJf6ASqBW-4H7DiNq7WFJ7uMVkKhI06g/s1440/9C134E8C-EAD1-42A7-BB1E-1F8716271268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-lhNRIEncpBTAc6qACxSdJ4rOjp1dImHtJH5hiJ7VhID9f_07yklReVZJUL0m1Nd5vXNQTF6TSZoWcmVXOiEiYdrxlZz_IzHJ2x1Dv5cgDPIKJf6ASqBW-4H7DiNq7WFJ7uMVkKhI06g/w640-h640/9C134E8C-EAD1-42A7-BB1E-1F8716271268.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">With the beach as my backdrop for writing, I have been busy with my content creation. Let me start by wishing you a Happy Lunar New Year with artwork from the <b>Artists in the Bangkok Community</b>:</span><p></p><p><i><span class="s1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Happy Lunar New Year everyone! Whilst our Bangkok Chinese New Year celebrations were curtailed this year because of </span><span class="s1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, no-one is going to stop the <strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Artists in the Bangkok Community (ABC)</strong> Group from welcoming the <strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Year of the Ox</strong> in their own creative ways... <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2021/02/15/artists-in-the-bangkok-community/" target="_blank">Read more here</a></span></i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJmUwVdqAYnrRShM7sjWAx94i5B1mI67ICYL6K0te7uJqelaqH0-Jsq4zweSTEFHx0ipJW6YeVrJ8tWoHBHZuH1XqB_yFo14WHZnK9UbqgAtRtuwYb-Cc2hmy4uZKqiPBi0UVVhk5nrF_M/s2800/Happy+CNY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="2800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJmUwVdqAYnrRShM7sjWAx94i5B1mI67ICYL6K0te7uJqelaqH0-Jsq4zweSTEFHx0ipJW6YeVrJ8tWoHBHZuH1XqB_yFo14WHZnK9UbqgAtRtuwYb-Cc2hmy4uZKqiPBi0UVVhk5nrF_M/w640-h640/Happy+CNY.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">In <b>Meet Thailand's Elephant Influencers,</b> I invite you to join me on a Tourism Authority of Thailand trip to meet some of the Influencers chosen to help at this critical time for Thailand's domesticated elephants. Their thoughts and photos are amazing:</span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">‘The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to invite you on a trip to Lampang and Chiang Mai to learn about the current situation on elephant care in Thailand, as well as how we are moving forward towards more sustainable solutions for elephant-based tourism in Thailand’. <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2021/02/05/meet-thailands-elephant-influencers/" target="_blank">Read more here.</a></i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2021/02/05/meet-thailands-elephant-influencers/" target="_blank"> </a></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifP8BGnfmA7AKM9yi42feK7C5IdVDkcuiEw0tFnwRcllkI_5VM0nGyKRea5eRsh_sa9vUAVT0zBU73J7bzV0Xz9mTGh74_SVPKGMI9JYacHiH8BYh6N35s_w_8MfgFppJDk3xWb5McUOvD/s1080/Elephant+Influencers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifP8BGnfmA7AKM9yi42feK7C5IdVDkcuiEw0tFnwRcllkI_5VM0nGyKRea5eRsh_sa9vUAVT0zBU73J7bzV0Xz9mTGh74_SVPKGMI9JYacHiH8BYh6N35s_w_8MfgFppJDk3xWb5McUOvD/w640-h640/Elephant+Influencers.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">In <b>Elephant Hugs and more... an insight into Thailand's Elephant Tourism</b> I share some of my thoughts and start a discussion on the complex issues regarding elephants in domestic care. </span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>I was brought up to love all creatures great and small. I thought I had the elephant situation assessed; elephants should be in the wild, or in an ethical sanctuary for retired elephants. They should not perform tricks or paint, and we should not ride them for our pleasure. Covid has added additional difficulties, without 40 million predicted tourists, businesses have closed, people have lost jobs, and yes elephants are starving. <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2021/02/16/elephant-hugs-and-more-an-insight-into-thailand-elephant-tourism/" target="_blank">Read more here</a></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqWSyHb1u8XUo8C9VrdxZLngRSfNDv1pL7vuNRGzBKfyKvEBQs8GM26xxk6RHNMrdWgH-QkHpN4QoFP_VR5NlyjDf6sTxRObSK7mWz5y4AtBoW0lIRb2y5tM_6UA-VgCescrPyzmgb_0N/s1102/Elephant+hugs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqWSyHb1u8XUo8C9VrdxZLngRSfNDv1pL7vuNRGzBKfyKvEBQs8GM26xxk6RHNMrdWgH-QkHpN4QoFP_VR5NlyjDf6sTxRObSK7mWz5y4AtBoW0lIRb2y5tM_6UA-VgCescrPyzmgb_0N/w426-h640/Elephant+hugs.png" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Well, that will do for now, I wish that where ever you are in the world that you have a happy day and I will be over to check out your posts, very soon</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Take Care</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQ63xkW2kQozLa3UoCUjcDabx59QSUIPHG00WwtCmau74-IcJ7Th3OM3EEFWtCab9GMo9HonKYZmUUvmsZi2tqfrloo_5gx9C-jBdTs8KqX09fFGfWr60LnELxW7BSSGK5rawyA8lwVTj/s3248/fullsizeoutput_13bc.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="3248" height="74" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQ63xkW2kQozLa3UoCUjcDabx59QSUIPHG00WwtCmau74-IcJ7Th3OM3EEFWtCab9GMo9HonKYZmUUvmsZi2tqfrloo_5gx9C-jBdTs8KqX09fFGfWr60LnELxW7BSSGK5rawyA8lwVTj/w400-h74/fullsizeoutput_13bc.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p>Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-342027017822586452021-01-13T11:59:00.001+07:002021-01-13T11:59:21.676+07:00Happy New Year ... Well this is fun!<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Oh, my golly gosh we're still in the first throws of 2021 - does anyone else think it could be a long year? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was so lovely to see all of you who had stopped by to say happy festive season before Christmas. I just wanted to say hello before we got too far into this year which as others have said does look a bit like the ugly sister of 2020... </span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPFjzSRShJkLbuThHmi5YqsLP3zGIoF9e0QKDrbJ7BSdGWSGKV8-00a-1hd6w1DCwcqRiPLXjy7HGhwDdA_iMQ320zgaQwAqwT1w14XrdsC9SurLpyDRQFlPG5d0J8qOhABDkZrPyt-uD/s8480/rcIpVwuuQhiFdHvcRL5bdw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3878" data-original-width="8480" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPFjzSRShJkLbuThHmi5YqsLP3zGIoF9e0QKDrbJ7BSdGWSGKV8-00a-1hd6w1DCwcqRiPLXjy7HGhwDdA_iMQ320zgaQwAqwT1w14XrdsC9SurLpyDRQFlPG5d0J8qOhABDkZrPyt-uD/w640-h292/rcIpVwuuQhiFdHvcRL5bdw.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kata Beach</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nevertheless and thinking positive, Happy New Year </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">to you where ever you may be reading this. Did you have fun and fireworks as best you could where ever you were celebrating? Or did you see the 2020 out with as much good riddance as you could muster, settling in for another early night? </span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7WQWzEpvh20WQK0h1w0TqHMt8Thu1zsQDCkfkSU98_fcO3_EPh9R1qjjfv_ifoFso0aVcziMXh7v1QpHASXzFsRX7bdiUF4EYYFjTdCwsFwD-YrGxGR-DCQaCJeRixbj_HbbEhzQrYih/s4032/KWMd%2525stSRAet4U15pWyvKw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7WQWzEpvh20WQK0h1w0TqHMt8Thu1zsQDCkfkSU98_fcO3_EPh9R1qjjfv_ifoFso0aVcziMXh7v1QpHASXzFsRX7bdiUF4EYYFjTdCwsFwD-YrGxGR-DCQaCJeRixbj_HbbEhzQrYih/w480-h640/KWMd%2525stSRAet4U15pWyvKw.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kata Beach Phuket</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">We have been in Phuket an island in Southern Thailand. Normally at this time of year, the beaches would be packed with people from all over the world celebrating. This year was a subdued affair, not only were we without our fellow Internationals, many within Thailand fearing our own COVID-19 lockdowns on the horizons, cancelled their New Year travel plans.</span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcy1t2Et6akhGpmYSdUfMb_1DGiGoHDAlPO8uqgv6XtP710YT278ufpljAPyhnf3otNHNDSssKxgwESyfgi5jnzFEbCI2yXW7_5f995ZqL4rbYNydFdHXfUeLDQvaky_deCE0a1rUQQT7u/s8794/F7v%252B43%25255QV6Poj%252BsaG%252BciA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3830" data-original-width="8794" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcy1t2Et6akhGpmYSdUfMb_1DGiGoHDAlPO8uqgv6XtP710YT278ufpljAPyhnf3otNHNDSssKxgwESyfgi5jnzFEbCI2yXW7_5f995ZqL4rbYNydFdHXfUeLDQvaky_deCE0a1rUQQT7u/w640-h278/F7v%252B43%25255QV6Poj%252BsaG%252BciA.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kata Beach Phuket </td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">We had fun, we had a beachside NYE dinner but in an eerie taste of what was to come, a Spring tide brought an exceptionally high tide. The sea splashed violently over the break wall of the restaurant and we all got wet. The Guy on the next-door table ended up looking like he was entering a Miss Wet T-shirt competition! Luckily for all of us, it is always warm water here in Thailand.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">What started off as a reasonably well social distanced event became a huddle against the back wall of the restaurant as we doggedly enjoyed our dinner. Keep calm and carry on is always a good mantra!</span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9YgNk0n9YZEDzloe0zYkUlJwv45q7DXLP74P_1YtEHQlbxVPVR7q8ISWeCR1t0OCG_xBmmJXEDezAeuHzpjhpqnTLxdcMofjkG2CQ6k5ji1z4kXullQ19Bfy0DSuzJen-xW2dGTD8wt4u/s4032/IMG_5988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9YgNk0n9YZEDzloe0zYkUlJwv45q7DXLP74P_1YtEHQlbxVPVR7q8ISWeCR1t0OCG_xBmmJXEDezAeuHzpjhpqnTLxdcMofjkG2CQ6k5ji1z4kXullQ19Bfy0DSuzJen-xW2dGTD8wt4u/w480-h640/IMG_5988.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is this a corona firework? Are they having a laugh?</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">For the big countdown, we popped into a local hotel (masks on) for their firework display. In what is usually a golden night in Phuket where entry is by way of gala dinner and exorbitant accommodation costs, this year it was '<i>yes please come on in'. </i>All is not<i> </i>lost on us how fortunate we have been in Thailand throughout the year and our thoughts were firmly with family and friends in lockdown around the world.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LT1S1LRbmkJkpXDahm7vdmchi4U8hLl57q_TEkQ58oH9and6DoKVnWkJjntU3f9xcNLcX9N5oLlNxuQ72ted409oC-KdGcdaVvQKiXmyvWw4rKMhcCnKbbT8SMBNON71ixAih61Ez6lW/s4032/IMG_5977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LT1S1LRbmkJkpXDahm7vdmchi4U8hLl57q_TEkQ58oH9and6DoKVnWkJjntU3f9xcNLcX9N5oLlNxuQ72ted409oC-KdGcdaVvQKiXmyvWw4rKMhcCnKbbT8SMBNON71ixAih61Ez6lW/w480-h371/IMG_5977.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In Thailand, paper lanterns are lit and floated off into the sky carrying people's wishes for the year ahead. Normally the night sky would be aglow. This year a few forlorn lantern-sellers trudged the sands in hope of a 200 Baht sale (that's nearly five quid, it would have been a big night for sure for lantern sellers) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now there is a big moral dilemma, is this pollution? But this year, of course, we bought one, someone had to make sure that the world's wishes were listened to - right? We sent it high with our big wish that this pandemic will end and we can visit our family and friends overseas. </span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOw1nYsJnQpKsp8rvKY56WXZWdnLymIdzf1iluj9qcTdFXFCu1ykZ2o2ZJr-pvTrGsgi9De4rjD4v0Zj4N0MpNkeTUfb4jy5UMqJKqlesVsj-3TsKlhWnTtzV-d5jCyZter4R9uJdCiIL/s4032/PCKvB2dAT3a18s3BKz4eAg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOw1nYsJnQpKsp8rvKY56WXZWdnLymIdzf1iluj9qcTdFXFCu1ykZ2o2ZJr-pvTrGsgi9De4rjD4v0Zj4N0MpNkeTUfb4jy5UMqJKqlesVsj-3TsKlhWnTtzV-d5jCyZter4R9uJdCiIL/w640-h480/PCKvB2dAT3a18s3BKz4eAg.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rawai Beach Phuket</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hmmm, I think I want a refund! Only a few days later Thailand's increasing Covid-19 numbers force stricter measures, with Bangkok being one of the red zones with the highest number of cases. Schools and entertainment venues are closed and Mr Wren is back working from home, all non-essential travel within Thailand has been stopped from red zones. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">But less of that this is my happy place and so I'm here to bring you some soothing photos of beaches in Phuket and some happy turtle news. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5k7GoW_5-78jdqSg_wzuaIqqHFet9fEHWrc6Uo5beiJtBSn1zhKgeXqOh4DQI06wPUAncS8g0jDTWIP9lCNctpcQXv_EUOJMmkcn2sGhKrlQDiujCcr2O9sqfK2FvetDkNVoRlQKw9yZo/s2800/Turtle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="2800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5k7GoW_5-78jdqSg_wzuaIqqHFet9fEHWrc6Uo5beiJtBSn1zhKgeXqOh4DQI06wPUAncS8g0jDTWIP9lCNctpcQXv_EUOJMmkcn2sGhKrlQDiujCcr2O9sqfK2FvetDkNVoRlQKw9yZo/w640-h640/Turtle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Remember I mentioned the Springtide on New Year's Eve? Well, bless her, up Kata beach came a 300 kg leatherback turtle at 1 am to surprise remaining revellers. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">She laid 50-60 eggs on the beach outside the Community Centre. No-one remembers this happening for over twenty years! Isn't that a lovely start to the year? The area has been fenced off and an educational tent set up with information on the turtles. You can read more about it <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2021/01/12/behold-the-leatherback-turtle-on-kata-beach-phuket/" target="_blank">here</a></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWw6Llm_GJ57HZ0tZJf6d26TftuJEMY-3lMBgifCksEcZBPpWAPSeJsJ99LVnL3gu-gG06KXg_I2gwXNH_V6HXcKwpSS81dobX_Ura7iVEZKttDXEwU1-UAdg_lO8m7-IbW6xUMUrokas/s4032/AmKfGcxOTqCqfyMPrXV%2525pg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWw6Llm_GJ57HZ0tZJf6d26TftuJEMY-3lMBgifCksEcZBPpWAPSeJsJ99LVnL3gu-gG06KXg_I2gwXNH_V6HXcKwpSS81dobX_Ura7iVEZKttDXEwU1-UAdg_lO8m7-IbW6xUMUrokas/w640-h480/AmKfGcxOTqCqfyMPrXV%2525pg.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kata Beach Phuket</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here's hoping that fifty baby turtles will be born in March and that calmer waters are ahead. I hope you have enjoyed a little Thailand escapism where ever you are reading. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">For more regular updates you can follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/littlewanderingwren/" target="_blank">Instagram here</a>, or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lwwren" target="_blank">Facebook here</a>.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">Have a lovely day! Chat soon!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSXd4-4ybr-RS5u0HUxfWm5plvaXOA6TLVW8mH8KifP0tZjmkYTGVtkWp78mZbjQ1CdB5Au20AclRbhQh-mNkqhN6-wUrcq3E51B11LyXg9r9pGX4RrjfAu_rgBbKUn-0gceno8FtTb26/s2908/LWW_banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="2908" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSXd4-4ybr-RS5u0HUxfWm5plvaXOA6TLVW8mH8KifP0tZjmkYTGVtkWp78mZbjQ1CdB5Au20AclRbhQh-mNkqhN6-wUrcq3E51B11LyXg9r9pGX4RrjfAu_rgBbKUn-0gceno8FtTb26/s320/LWW_banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Linking with thanks to Angie at <a href="http://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com/">Mosaic Monday</a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-62118515924871507952020-12-22T15:03:00.003+07:002020-12-22T15:03:57.282+07:00Hey-Ho Ho Ho Happy Christmas Countdown<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Hello, hello how are you doing? We are doing just fine and counting down to our first-ever Bangkok Christmas. Christmas in Bangkok is a tad hit-and-miss here. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It is, after all, a normal working day and not celebrated by most Thai people. You either have to search it out in the shopping centres or in the big hotels. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98cN_1dl_vZnvFt5_wcAaPquOfB9X1BOh6nkyHL-a7QNUX-8cQbuGQG6UmjZOvivd0lRUB56yTFf1T9da2yxQIiJuhcZc5XDBDymGnOFRYQt5NSWCkkZ2jdtgoTKdeKraBY7d-L1ermrP/s3010/IMG_5170.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3010" data-original-width="2494" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98cN_1dl_vZnvFt5_wcAaPquOfB9X1BOh6nkyHL-a7QNUX-8cQbuGQG6UmjZOvivd0lRUB56yTFf1T9da2yxQIiJuhcZc5XDBDymGnOFRYQt5NSWCkkZ2jdtgoTKdeKraBY7d-L1ermrP/w530-h640/IMG_5170.JPG" width="530" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas Tree at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Bangkok</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">So to get in the Christmas spirit we visited my favourite lavish hotel, the one that starts with a private boat ride down the river. Does anyone else think that the Christmas tree at the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok usually the epitome of style and elegance, looks a little well, how do I say it delicately, messy this year? </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Or does the designer have a great sense of humour? They have probably been given zero budget and just decided to throw everything at the tree they had in the cupboard. Ho Ho Ho.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidY6LcYXKg0aLiLP1SNEAGJfwSCqLs87vPVYybrk5YNznnkR9STfTVGBlNIEoxTgf2tsp02Lk4w-LQRb_JluwU6P281QzSwenyNDvLPEygMVi1tcxRjePx1fv5QcGwNrvS3-_tkBE6AT6/s3564/IMG_5164.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2676" data-original-width="3564" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidY6LcYXKg0aLiLP1SNEAGJfwSCqLs87vPVYybrk5YNznnkR9STfTVGBlNIEoxTgf2tsp02Lk4w-LQRb_JluwU6P281QzSwenyNDvLPEygMVi1tcxRjePx1fv5QcGwNrvS3-_tkBE6AT6/w640-h480/IMG_5164.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mandarin Oriental foyer </td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I should say the tree looks better in the needle than in my photos. Anyway, they have absolutely nailed it as far as I am concerned. This is the epitome of everything a Covid Christmas tree should look like. It speaks to all my mantras for the year:</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><ul><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Done is better than talking about it...</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Let's give it a go and see how far we get...</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It's the best that I've got right now...</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">If you think you can do better...</span></li></ul><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3oHVj_wvAmrLt0uRDUjjDVIM1H1Tw2Qo9AnghkfHxV71f4SvNWupS1XFj_saxtqtfR2d8ysNlhobkuTPWCIANe3x0BGHyJmI_GrdndWD4ivkpxA97K46B2a4STCV5AGULbX3FgZ9oteKg/s3761/IMG_5165.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3761" data-original-width="2311" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3oHVj_wvAmrLt0uRDUjjDVIM1H1Tw2Qo9AnghkfHxV71f4SvNWupS1XFj_saxtqtfR2d8ysNlhobkuTPWCIANe3x0BGHyJmI_GrdndWD4ivkpxA97K46B2a4STCV5AGULbX3FgZ9oteKg/w394-h640/IMG_5165.JPG" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mandarin Oriental: 'Please Keep Your Distance'</td></tr></tbody></table></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Ho ho ho Christmas! It's been a right palaver, hasn't it? Has anyone sent Chrissy cards this year? We are not quite sure what our Thailand post is doing, but I can say a card has just arrived from the UK in less than 7 days - that's impressive, doubly so when I saw the sender spent GBP 2.50 to get it to us - ouch!</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I used to love spending a weekend writing Christmas cards but this year people have hardly got a "<i>Happy New Year - let's hope next year is better!</i>" message. It's been a mad rush to get cards on planes to get them vaguely on the right continent! </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjW11ssxa1SAHkTiSAPEalQPQr-HNKpm7Sa0mGy7I6C6gvAuR4UWKSsog5yu4qb2zUhLNQCe9bpkyRsUlFn9X7id062ExgLsjNa9J5KED7paZWwwpRhpQASldwaR04da08rSgHGuefcuyv/s1024/PHOTO-2020-12-18-10-58-34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjW11ssxa1SAHkTiSAPEalQPQr-HNKpm7Sa0mGy7I6C6gvAuR4UWKSsog5yu4qb2zUhLNQCe9bpkyRsUlFn9X7id062ExgLsjNa9J5KED7paZWwwpRhpQASldwaR04da08rSgHGuefcuyv/w480-h640/PHOTO-2020-12-18-10-58-34.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">My Aussie cards went back with a friend and they have all done 14 days in quarantine in Sydney! Well apart from a pile I found in the study afterwards, if you are one of these friends, I promise I will make it up to you next year.</span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">An American friend has flown back to the US with a card for my Aunt, the British family cards have all been couriered (talking of costly!) to my Mum, who bless her, will post. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Cor blimey! It was another shock when I looked up the cost of a British stamp! </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">But happy days, it's swings and roundabouts as none of the Aussie cards trickling through have been franked. Is it looking too much like Scrooge to steam them off to reuse? More ho, ho, ho.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The rest of you are getting <b>Happy New Year</b> Thai style cards with a message in Thai translated to English which reads :</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><i>Wishing you another year of happiness.</i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Please God, no! My heart goes out to you around the world that has had your Christmas plans curtailed or even worse cancelled. </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; text-align: center;">I think I speak for us all we can't stand to be this happy again next year!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Of course, those of you who do digital cards are sitting reading this looking smug I know. You know what I might just join you in this next year!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMWQfn7cZRmycgMqu8sxK3hm9WV73fRT4BFDX8VFt2z3u34ERL9dAOdu_FppcY-WofZbwtcAnt-co4eKt-Ey8cNXnX2PQy8EKSMZIOzNsL55SxQnopUw2mVyhcxeeQPS1SRW1BlXwQWzVx/s1024/PHOTO-2020-12-18-10-58-34-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMWQfn7cZRmycgMqu8sxK3hm9WV73fRT4BFDX8VFt2z3u34ERL9dAOdu_FppcY-WofZbwtcAnt-co4eKt-Ey8cNXnX2PQy8EKSMZIOzNsL55SxQnopUw2mVyhcxeeQPS1SRW1BlXwQWzVx/w640-h480/PHOTO-2020-12-18-10-58-34-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I think I have only really doggedly hung onto the Christmas card tradition to keep some semblance of excitement for the occasion. Determined to keep calm and carry on for Christmas sake, it was interesting to see what traditions have been important to keep. I found my Christmas tree little wren, poinsettias and hmmm who ate all the Quality Street?</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">This Christmas was not what was planned we are supposed to be having an Aussie festive season. Our family is split across Europe, Asia and Australia and will remain that way but hey ho ho ho... We have a nice Christmas planned instead with friends here in Thailand. We are waiting to see whether our new Covid cases in the provinces, will have any impact. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqNNYgqeT9VIhK7Wl2wDrBDdkdnLkJkrzorGUbhNyp_ZY6-ZzBqBGQVn16YOiXejny6LmjTId3I394yiBuZ2pORPDfNsySmnoYXKZgr86Y54at5fAC0QYsbcDVBKFUcCDv7EDgEifnPij/s2800/christmas+2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="2800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqNNYgqeT9VIhK7Wl2wDrBDdkdnLkJkrzorGUbhNyp_ZY6-ZzBqBGQVn16YOiXejny6LmjTId3I394yiBuZ2pORPDfNsySmnoYXKZgr86Y54at5fAC0QYsbcDVBKFUcCDv7EDgEifnPij/w640-h640/christmas+2020.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">We have forced ourselves to get into the Christmas spirit and even found a Christmas tree and an unopened box marked Christmas at the back of our store cupboard. I have joined in a couple of Christmas events at the various women's groups that I have been involved with which have included fundraisers and raffles. I even won both the Lucky Door Prize and a Raffle Prize at the American Women's Club event. You know how I have always loved you American's right?!</span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At the British Women's Club event, I bought a Christmas Angel made by Sallie she came in a bag which said to </span><i style="font-size: large;">Help the Needy. </i><span style="font-size: medium;">Here she is.</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">Sallie with tears in her eyes as she told me of the old people’s home that she will donate the money too. Angie as I have named our angel has graced the top of our Christmas tree this year! </span></span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">Now don't giggle, Angie is doing well, and don't even mention that she was never knitted to have a prickly tree up her bottom!</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0eTfz-1cBWC0nKyMXh7Tf1paxR95hkjNn7hWUCmL8tSF6feKUyUXO6k-n6Lr53bQrfJURYJk8DA85a8hSa7znS_Kqtmz1u8ZTbNI1eyEoIBbIuRqLPf5cyXeU6WNiY4Y-H8jZGAO_5eq5/s4032/IMG_4792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0eTfz-1cBWC0nKyMXh7Tf1paxR95hkjNn7hWUCmL8tSF6feKUyUXO6k-n6Lr53bQrfJURYJk8DA85a8hSa7znS_Kqtmz1u8ZTbNI1eyEoIBbIuRqLPf5cyXeU6WNiY4Y-H8jZGAO_5eq5/w480-h640/IMG_4792.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It was such a lovely morning as we connected, and made new friends, with heartfelt stories of missing family and friends across the globe. There was even the odd tear shared as we realised how families are resigned to be apart this festive season.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Just signing off to wish you all a wonderful <i>keep calm and carry on</i> festive season. Thank you once again for all your thoughtful and engaged wonderful comments throughout the year. They mean a lot and keep me writing here!</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Should you be looking to catch up with further Thailand posts it will be wonderful to see you at my travel blog: <a href="http://Littlewanderingwren.com">Littlewanderingwren.com</a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><i>Happy Christmas!</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnCC-6efcfelX0hTcm8Frvgdl-eOpxj7WsEo4cTjY8rxo-iSTrspl3A3si5pmcJrxp-WzdDkwUHZhxGADVxIpoFOZqpzkDAwoxUwm1DWh3k8SpNfn8O8TGHgXRUfl3baBa9yryjXNgOu_h/s2908/LWW_banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="2908" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnCC-6efcfelX0hTcm8Frvgdl-eOpxj7WsEo4cTjY8rxo-iSTrspl3A3si5pmcJrxp-WzdDkwUHZhxGADVxIpoFOZqpzkDAwoxUwm1DWh3k8SpNfn8O8TGHgXRUfl3baBa9yryjXNgOu_h/s320/LWW_banner.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Linking with a massive thanks to Angie at <a href="https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mosaic Monday</a> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">and all the hosts at <a href="https://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Our World Tuesday</a></span></div><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /><i><br /></i></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-24019775949644033202020-11-11T21:52:00.006+07:002020-11-26T22:00:34.633+07:00Thailand's Elephant Tourism<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Hello and greetings to you from Bangkok. I have just finished an incredible week of travel looking at Thailand's elephant care tourism.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDn0GRKuDu0U-e1kZZytW86bLj-HS_ANkuy-svbMhH4G_LhDLvl_QN3zecjCcjsLOEXWm8YySqtiShMlFYflMmcX0Hskwie-JYP3quSfQw0LZlvhSrJmDZBzT9NbZzQBPZpczgteKlwvm7/s4032/UVJLcT%252B4TTWN4ua82oQWvw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDn0GRKuDu0U-e1kZZytW86bLj-HS_ANkuy-svbMhH4G_LhDLvl_QN3zecjCcjsLOEXWm8YySqtiShMlFYflMmcX0Hskwie-JYP3quSfQw0LZlvhSrJmDZBzT9NbZzQBPZpczgteKlwvm7/w640-h481/UVJLcT%252B4TTWN4ua82oQWvw.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thailand was expecting 40 million visitors this year, the pandemic closed the borders and has decimated all aspects of Thai tourism. I was one of eight bloggers, journalists and influencers invited by the <b>Tourism Authority of Thailand</b> to learn more about the current situation for elephant care.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I came with a clear set of assumptions that :</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Elephants are wild animals and should be in the wild.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Riding elephants for tourism is not something I would support.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Elephant circus and tourist shows should be abolished.</span></li></ul><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 2018 for my birthday, we attended the annual fundraising <b>King's Cup Anantara Elephant Polo</b>. The monies raised went to support amongst others the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort. </b>We spent our honeymoon at this wonderful elephant sanctuary and I was keen to contribute towards their work.</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We joined a dawn yoga lesson overlooking the Chao Phraya river, whilst the elephants looked on. Afterwards, we fed the elephants breakfast. It was memorable and harmless enough until it became memorable for all the wrong reasons. We ended up in</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> drone footage of a PETA animal activists video where claims were made about brutal cruelty at the event. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This bolstered </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">my interest in Thailand's elephants, I felt I had a responsibility to learn more. You can read more here: </span><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2018/03/16/postcard-kings-cup-elephant-polo-bangkok/" style="font-family: verdana;">Postcard from the King's Cup Elephant Polo</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> For the record Anantara no longer runs the elephant polo fundraiser.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">From this time I knew that care and funding for Thailand's elephants was a complex issue. I learned that some elephants are third or fourth generation 'domesticated' animals, they can not just be released into the wild, and that in Thailand the natural habitat for elephants was under threat through over development. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Our trip gave us the opportunity to visit three Thai elephant conservation centres:</span></p><p><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1N1iRRbfEDKJBBVUGAj1xQqbILqY_oByeIsI5FEaHFRydyLhheDtQapkzAEJbQbcP00q4eoGEwT4ax2gdzBISlu02fli9pMeyNEDU-P7kvEFIhqEsmHrLqgYTndPYR-_O7aP3hnOf-zeA/s4032/qB%252B0cijMSpqAeJ7puSSRRA.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1N1iRRbfEDKJBBVUGAj1xQqbILqY_oByeIsI5FEaHFRydyLhheDtQapkzAEJbQbcP00q4eoGEwT4ax2gdzBISlu02fli9pMeyNEDU-P7kvEFIhqEsmHrLqgYTndPYR-_O7aP3hnOf-zeA/w640-h480/qB%252B0cijMSpqAeJ7puSSRRA.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></i></div><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></i><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.tourismthailand.org/Attraction/thai-elephant-conservation-centre" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Thai Elephant Conservation Centre,</a> Lampang</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">This 300-acre area consists of a Government-run elephant hospital and training school, which helps to conserve the Thai elephants and protect them from extinction.</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">We met and talked with the vet at the elephant hospital.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://kantaelephantsanctuary.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kanta Elephant Sanctuary</a>, Chiang Mai</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">A </span><span style="background-color: white;">retirement home for all elephants who have previously worked hard for tourism entertainment or in the logging industry.</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> </b>W</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">e were able to feed, interact, play with and bathe the elephants in their natural environment. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">OUR HOPE </span><span style="background-color: white;">is to lead by example, and contribute to a positive change in the perception of elephants; to witness a future where elephants are not ridden, poached, overworked, or abused, and are instead treated with care, love, and respect.</span></span></i></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.pataraelephantfarm.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pattara Elephant Farm</a></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">This elephant farm</span><span style="background-color: white;"> is all about rescue, recovery, reproduction and reintroduction for elephants back into the wild. </span> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">W</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">e learned the latest updates on elephant care from a range of veterinarian experts at the Pattara Elephant Farm and from Chiang Mai University. </span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Looking more broadly at different aspects of elephant tourism we also visited: </span></div><p><b style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.poopoopaperpark.com/en/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Elephant PooPooPaper Park</a>, Chiang Mai</b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">An eco-friendly, outdoor museum park that introduced us to making paper products from elephant poo!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSlJva7BAeShNlM6gPxBqhMT68RMtc0YkOyB6Wigw-PDXLGvKKQ4Lc62bBMVoxo1foOV1b0DDbV3NZzHvWOuRyUj2880pgs5XVgo0jPX5zU4ONrIB6T-vg0VlOTelWLCNJLB0STzAdLBB/s4032/if2xpgV0SeWdpWNSnKV5Sw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSlJva7BAeShNlM6gPxBqhMT68RMtc0YkOyB6Wigw-PDXLGvKKQ4Lc62bBMVoxo1foOV1b0DDbV3NZzHvWOuRyUj2880pgs5XVgo0jPX5zU4ONrIB6T-vg0VlOTelWLCNJLB0STzAdLBB/w640-h480/if2xpgV0SeWdpWNSnKV5Sw.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I came away after three days with so much information in my head on elephants that I needed a time of reflection. It felt like a huge responsibility to get all the answers to the questions we had and also to put across our perspectives on elephant welfare and tourism. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">We asked lots of questions including the following:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">1. Why are you still breeding domesticated elephants? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">2. What is Thailand's official policy on riding elephants, has it/will it be banned?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">3. Are Thailand's wild elephants endangered?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">4. Can you share with us how an elephant is trained, does it involve cruelty?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">5. How are Thailand's elephant sanctuary's doing given that tourist donations are massively reduced? </span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimD59tsHwB-lQiAC2vzihwXXzsnhd8QBaFUYXG8DY9sY65ErXLRHLlB0uPHiNEi20b2SPh6UMeWmU0uWdtHfaNBea8RfJZI8A4_kuAtfQ-8MVC7F1N0vEqT_Ab7uus7Qvgf0UKU7JX9JHo/s4032/Ew3xR5DFS7OtOAUWllLctA.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimD59tsHwB-lQiAC2vzihwXXzsnhd8QBaFUYXG8DY9sY65ErXLRHLlB0uPHiNEi20b2SPh6UMeWmU0uWdtHfaNBea8RfJZI8A4_kuAtfQ-8MVC7F1N0vEqT_Ab7uus7Qvgf0UKU7JX9JHo/w480-h640/Ew3xR5DFS7OtOAUWllLctA.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I am preparing future blog posts and would love your help to identify what aspects of elephant tourism might be of interest? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I would love to know in the comments what you feel on any of the following issues:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">1. How important is elephant conservation to you?</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">2. As a tourist visiting Thailand what would encourage you to donate towards elephant welfare? Would you be interested to ride, feed or bath an elephant? Or are you more interested to only see elephants in their natural habitat roaming free?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">3. What are your experiences with elephants?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">4. What questions might you have on Thailand's elephant care?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thank you in advance for all your wonderful comments!</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0G9OTtB7rG9I0gjcvpskNS6InOvw4crriGdo79VDhnva0GyLO_TAD6aVegoKfHq6ROlkya6i9N9sm6sZd6ChcW8lQKdOoDqtv0pOjc1g4FVjlkWKbhLl1mIquSHdHr1GiiPYapwA6NSw/s2908/LWW_banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="2908" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0G9OTtB7rG9I0gjcvpskNS6InOvw4crriGdo79VDhnva0GyLO_TAD6aVegoKfHq6ROlkya6i9N9sm6sZd6ChcW8lQKdOoDqtv0pOjc1g4FVjlkWKbhLl1mIquSHdHr1GiiPYapwA6NSw/s320/LWW_banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Linking with thanks to all the hosts at <a href="http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Our World Tuesday</a><br /><p><br /></p>Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-19727668185261549052020-10-09T11:47:00.040+07:002020-10-30T15:17:18.086+07:00Little Wandering Hen<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> Question:</b> Why did the Chicken Blogger cross the road?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> Answer:</b> Because she wanted to be a Travel Writer!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXr9m-wm4O6UupgdP7wRk8IMqANn8WAfnTOByL6qCRDuiCF_jHulBjiF3B57k0Xv_l3fwduanJ9rC3Sq2R3rUyovhnBInzNF3E-9hRYCHhVKCAZSnRHzuCrckwSxwV9KMO0GMOpPlUhogD/s1440/B84A2B53-AA5B-4A28-A128-7BA7F9A0A44F.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1439" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXr9m-wm4O6UupgdP7wRk8IMqANn8WAfnTOByL6qCRDuiCF_jHulBjiF3B57k0Xv_l3fwduanJ9rC3Sq2R3rUyovhnBInzNF3E-9hRYCHhVKCAZSnRHzuCrckwSxwV9KMO0GMOpPlUhogD/w640-h640/B84A2B53-AA5B-4A28-A128-7BA7F9A0A44F.JPG" title="Kamalaya Beach front Koh Samui" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">Hello, hello how are you doing? Greetings from Koh Samui, my favourite Thailand Island. It was first discovered by me in 1980 and last month I returned in search of the tranquil Thailand of my youth. At least that what I thought I was doing when I packed and set off for another Thailand staycation.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6vMQw4KQ2UoFY-3eFlSqTEC3UXm4bxBsGxYbQwHHv9fQxtoiKFsE6OByIvanGWKPX1aF7-0i1__d7aNvGGaVHe7_2zbZW12Za9cUfY8OdElK7kZ0ToDx3cMSNynX-ybN8tomDRreOHENN/s1500/little+wandering+wren.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6vMQw4KQ2UoFY-3eFlSqTEC3UXm4bxBsGxYbQwHHv9fQxtoiKFsE6OByIvanGWKPX1aF7-0i1__d7aNvGGaVHe7_2zbZW12Za9cUfY8OdElK7kZ0ToDx3cMSNynX-ybN8tomDRreOHENN/w426-h640/little+wandering+wren.png" width="426" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">Our Thailand staycations started in February 2020, just as the world was closing down and ended up as the dream for every Travel Writer. Whilst in Koh Samui, I was invited via my Editor at Expat Life in Thailand to stay at four luxury resorts and share the delights of Koh Samui with their readers!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><i>'What! You want me</i>?! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><i>Hang on a mo, let me just see if I'm brave enough to come out from behind my coconut tree</i>!'</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHNuYCsLPhlEOsqtxn8PSxVh18z-9owXIBfsDCOoRmIokaFF1kI2MWOJoAxeyw_KbJdYLOyBl0LXRPmkoo7WCcAKPaNSqHPQuEOz6l31a3hshIuL4NEDWwrSMLw8yMIXsKxvHIzyUGhNC/s4032/IMG_0221.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHNuYCsLPhlEOsqtxn8PSxVh18z-9owXIBfsDCOoRmIokaFF1kI2MWOJoAxeyw_KbJdYLOyBl0LXRPmkoo7WCcAKPaNSqHPQuEOz6l31a3hshIuL4NEDWwrSMLw8yMIXsKxvHIzyUGhNC/w640-h480/IMG_0221.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">During our Covid-19 months of closed borders and personal lockdowns, most of my Aussie and British friends gathered their nearest and dearest back home and bunkered down for the duration. This Mother Hen was unable to do this. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="text-align: left;">My COVID was an empty nest operation across three continents. </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">Our global pandemic means keeping abreast of the ever-changing situation in Australia, Europe and Asia.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">So for our own sanity (well ok mine!), we planned Thailand staycations during and after lockdown. We have now been away every week since I returned to Thailand in February 2020. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljt0w3BbnON8lUyrqSPs9CmblzDKD1l6cB4nYpu9BNxzh0VvZcytBk9j4Siu0FwxuJBYcd1kGHr_SLaoDWUMKYjFdwU2_QThfZYWMC_WrJsz93jUcLXH5eiE245-1AUfIx19Fi7fWgDwg/s2048/IMG_0017.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljt0w3BbnON8lUyrqSPs9CmblzDKD1l6cB4nYpu9BNxzh0VvZcytBk9j4Siu0FwxuJBYcd1kGHr_SLaoDWUMKYjFdwU2_QThfZYWMC_WrJsz93jUcLXH5eiE245-1AUfIx19Fi7fWgDwg/w640-h480/IMG_0017.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; text-align: left;">HOW DO YOU TRAVEL?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">Together with an <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/08/13/air-asia-unlimited-pass-review/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Air Asia Travel Pass</a> which gives us unlimited flight travel between July - December we've been all over Thailand: Krabi, Phuket, Nong Khai, Chiang Mai, Pai, Khon Kaen, Koh Samui, Surat Thani, Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLQHSV9amBvEZ1ynDgn9abfIaG2af-1n4GsrUnKByy-D4Uto2A5qZqHVtuoohkNu4l42CXvN19-h3KURQxJdEDE1mglgBW6S4YgMnT4Yr6zOS-ZMw9UBsnJXoLKn7-H-ava2hZ-mtzng0B/s1440/475E3F6A-2EF1-4977-9A1F-CE6BC7BA2D85.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLQHSV9amBvEZ1ynDgn9abfIaG2af-1n4GsrUnKByy-D4Uto2A5qZqHVtuoohkNu4l42CXvN19-h3KURQxJdEDE1mglgBW6S4YgMnT4Yr6zOS-ZMw9UBsnJXoLKn7-H-ava2hZ-mtzng0B/w640-h640/475E3F6A-2EF1-4977-9A1F-CE6BC7BA2D85.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">When we are not flying we're driving to Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, Kanchanaburi, Hua Hin ...</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJzDGVzI8AvFQw-ALOn0YesI3SU_FPM1AC_5Zh2JkIRoXVdawbbixulrhWkJRl7wt76Df8hpy7HXTsb3ni8ztoVZarZb5hf8HGrj-ULKAagn96FtaZdWjg-TleK1rgepHXlGpqadH65Eg/s2048/IMG_0037.JPG"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJzDGVzI8AvFQw-ALOn0YesI3SU_FPM1AC_5Zh2JkIRoXVdawbbixulrhWkJRl7wt76Df8hpy7HXTsb3ni8ztoVZarZb5hf8HGrj-ULKAagn96FtaZdWjg-TleK1rgepHXlGpqadH65Eg/w640-h480/IMG_0037.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>WHY DO YOU STAYCATION?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Why? Because we can. We are eternally grateful to be able to safely get out and about in Thailand.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We got a sense very early on how tough this situation was going to be for those in the tourist industry here in Thailand. The Tourism Authority of Thailand had been hoping for 40 million tourists this year before Thailand ceased international flight arrivals in March. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It remains extremely difficult to enter Thailand and all those who are approved to return need a costly 14-day hotel quarantine. We know many, many families who are separated in this way.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">Those early staycations in March and April connected us with the hoteliers of Bangkok and we saw how appreciative they were for our stays. </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">I wrote an article for Expat Life in Thailand:</span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://expatlifeinthailand.com/travel-and-leisure/hotels-and-accommodation/a-love-letter-to-the-hoteliers-of-bangkok/">"A Love Letter to the Hoteliers of Bangkok" </a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDd7zTQhQ4yOywblM9meF9BO_NFupavAMiCh5mq24aI2WlU-fUlikqV-stlTcaRsF3KzBzB3x_1ZJ3Ehq8XEtQdJPBgBs5osHFBr3ZJgCWVKAyADrInN_8mdXKWHPFjna1wJ7OYxx-VNcM/s2800/Anantara+Bophut+Samui.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="2800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDd7zTQhQ4yOywblM9meF9BO_NFupavAMiCh5mq24aI2WlU-fUlikqV-stlTcaRsF3KzBzB3x_1ZJ3Ehq8XEtQdJPBgBs5osHFBr3ZJgCWVKAyADrInN_8mdXKWHPFjna1wJ7OYxx-VNcM/w640-h640/Anantara+Bophut+Samui.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><b>WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE?</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">I recognise I am only a little wren in all this, but I want to play my part and encourage those of us within Thailand to travel to help the beleaguered Thai tourism industry. </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">Who knows when borders will fully open and International visitors will return.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">An important element of our staycations was to help shine a spotlight on wonderful hotels and help them to attract attention. This industry is hurting bad, I have many, many examples of businesses that have closed, perhaps never to reopen. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I want the best of Thailand that I love and enjoy to survive and to be there for future enjoyment. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvM0dTt4RWwk4YcU6i_PcuCOy6UdckiKCzxB83tqWEQajFJro7klj8kUI0w15Qi6uV0AiVXuLsSGDQu3pEM2Z4zYzDHseoCTMJdmJ17Ts_zb26tnkmeRDS1-DehBQpFxRL66CYJpcgl09/s2800/Avani+Samui.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="2800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvM0dTt4RWwk4YcU6i_PcuCOy6UdckiKCzxB83tqWEQajFJro7klj8kUI0w15Qi6uV0AiVXuLsSGDQu3pEM2Z4zYzDHseoCTMJdmJ17Ts_zb26tnkmeRDS1-DehBQpFxRL66CYJpcgl09/w640-h640/Avani+Samui.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avani+ Koh Samui</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In May 2020 I'm attracted to a Zoom course I find on Instagram "Finding your Feminine Maturity" which connects me with <a href="https://michelleirving.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michelle Irving</a> and some amazing women in Australia. Through this course, I establish my longing to be a Travel Writer amongst other things. You have to know what you want before you can seek it, right?</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPcnGmfwltMwZKo9jx0UY-JKfwzCUlaTqXdyYu_eww4ctkrxYWRo440pkCRXvMOYG5qaiKfcC4w5zmopk1Lgh4COCbaXosmBSQgEgQQDLjOnDigAv_NgRDyPRv9UIoaciGiwq4Hh53-owl/s4032/IMG_0142.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPcnGmfwltMwZKo9jx0UY-JKfwzCUlaTqXdyYu_eww4ctkrxYWRo440pkCRXvMOYG5qaiKfcC4w5zmopk1Lgh4COCbaXosmBSQgEgQQDLjOnDigAv_NgRDyPRv9UIoaciGiwq4Hh53-owl/w640-h480/IMG_0142.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who do you think you are? </td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I get the unexpected call-up, <i>'can you change your holiday plans and I hope you have got some smart clothes with you?!'</i></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span> I</span><span> </span><span>am unprepared for what has been offered.</span><span> </span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What me? The Wren blogger that has been with you since 2012, just chatting to my blogging friends around the globe? </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was a dream come true thanks to Anantara Hotels and Minor Group and Kamalaya Wellness.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Just to put this into context, I know I have very little competition - all the pro bloggers and influencers can't get into Thailand! At least I'm good value, I am an unpaid writer, my blog is deliberately not monetised. This is a fun hobby, as I am unable to work here in Thailand.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7KoAYTcheofPSiAVgUzGqaeqvFVn9Fm_RhyphenhyphengH3-DjbJceDPPhmnxoS4J5YSTol842K08G5OulccbwiHIeu5m_5ACEkNqMyzJJMojCzONHLjEj-ffcyh0ySRPUNw0ZritQkWYZSaAO0ld/s2800/Kamalaya.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="2800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7KoAYTcheofPSiAVgUzGqaeqvFVn9Fm_RhyphenhyphengH3-DjbJceDPPhmnxoS4J5YSTol842K08G5OulccbwiHIeu5m_5ACEkNqMyzJJMojCzONHLjEj-ffcyh0ySRPUNw0ZritQkWYZSaAO0ld/w640-h640/Kamalaya.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kamalaya Wellness and Holistic Spa Koh Samui</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>WREN: THE TRAVEL WRITER!</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Most of the articles have yet to be published but you can get a taste of how lucky I was here:</span></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/09/17/anantara-bophut-koh-samui-resort-staycation-review/">Anantara Bophut Koh Samui</a></b></span></li><li><b style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/09/17/anantara-bophut-koh-samui-resort-staycation-review/">Two Island Bliss - Anantara Rasananda Koh Phangan</a></b></li><li><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://expatlifeinthailand.com/travel-and-leisure/avani-samui-resort-a-peaceful-getaway/">Avani+ Samui A peaceful getaway</a></span></b></li></ul><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Big Chilli Bangkok published :</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.thebigchilli.com/feature-stories/why-you-shouldnt-miss-a-bangkok-staycation" target="_blank">Why you shouldn't miss a Bangkok Staycation</a></span></i></b></li></ul><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">It has been an amazing few months for me, I am so grateful to my Little Wandering Wren blog (s) which have led to so much. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm not as regular here as I would like to be, I'm pretty flat out with various deadlines but I will never forget where this started. Thank you all</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> for always being so encouraging along the way and cheering me on. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>MEET LITTLE WANDERING HEN</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I was first published in Thailand, my name was changed in the editorial office. It seems no-one in Thailand has ever heard of a Wren. I was launched as drumroll, please ...</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Little Wandering Hen!</span></b></i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So don't worry I'm going to ensure I never take any of this for granted and I promise never to become too cocky! Thank you for reading along with me.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSv0cbtWEI67B0f7kCTBGAS5ENrCnNWI1RkuxN5nwfzdzdvm7_Fg6yMyQdQyT5gDyS0WzY3ZBkNxCJ-kQa1eUwIoz9wVKwbVcrj5F6P1T-wL2fXGBb2EuKv12LejBm5R5WzItcqwDpu72K/s2908/LWW_banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="2908" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSv0cbtWEI67B0f7kCTBGAS5ENrCnNWI1RkuxN5nwfzdzdvm7_Fg6yMyQdQyT5gDyS0WzY3ZBkNxCJ-kQa1eUwIoz9wVKwbVcrj5F6P1T-wL2fXGBb2EuKv12LejBm5R5WzItcqwDpu72K/s320/LWW_banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span>Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-19874830917762840832020-09-02T17:44:00.071+07:002020-09-08T15:25:29.475+07:00Little Wandering Dippy Wren<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hello, hello how are we all doing? All is good in my little world here in Thailand. I've just got back into my Bangkok nest from a wonderful trip to <b>Chiang Mai</b> in <b>Northern Thailand. </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Without the 40 million overseas visitors that were anticipated here in 2020, life is tough for those in the tourism industry. I am trying to do my bit and get out and about, to see more of the country whilst things are quiet.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It is an amazing time to travel, there are some incredible deals for locals, thankfully! It's a good job too as</span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"> unfortunately, I did something a bit dim! </span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggsVvATR9K6YsViSiqCaKtcyabyAhNrY8SBov59VxIWg9kYmpcJF_2DIczQrstYNaPfTX_NMledVeCX6A1iO-nlvjbaXdqGJCellF-KgqCEoBh2tLAnRtezcEQTwXt1FKI4ndF3GYmysWH/s4032/IMG_9503.JPG" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggsVvATR9K6YsViSiqCaKtcyabyAhNrY8SBov59VxIWg9kYmpcJF_2DIczQrstYNaPfTX_NMledVeCX6A1iO-nlvjbaXdqGJCellF-KgqCEoBh2tLAnRtezcEQTwXt1FKI4ndF3GYmysWH/w480-h640/IMG_9503.JPG" width="480" /></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Have you ever been on holiday without your purse? Yep, no money, no credit card, nothing! I don't recommend it unless you </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A. want to lose weight or </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">B. want to update your LinkedIn profile with <i>Born Survivor</i>!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm on a quest to check out Thailand at the moment for the solo female traveller. We have a super safe country for female travel. I'm in the most popular demographic (over 50's) for solo travel. So I was all alone when I realised that my purse was in another handbag! Please tell me there are others out there who have done the same?! What did you do?</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlBZVIM_RvxvyxhyBCKVfC6zfCHBSRImgeKLpWYKcpp-rsARQ_aP2xLS8r_FmRH_-9sYmzT0bGSOlMqGOS2JtVvnmp97taBE4T2bsNSCVnfPHjo1cQipT3rsNKOw4zImjBrrhDciiEv3q4/s4032/IMG_9479+2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlBZVIM_RvxvyxhyBCKVfC6zfCHBSRImgeKLpWYKcpp-rsARQ_aP2xLS8r_FmRH_-9sYmzT0bGSOlMqGOS2JtVvnmp97taBE4T2bsNSCVnfPHjo1cQipT3rsNKOw4zImjBrrhDciiEv3q4/w480-h640/IMG_9479+2.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here goes - time to pray to the travel gods!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am probably not going to get any sympathy from those of you who are still in lockdown ... It's so harsh looking at all the differences across the world and yet we are freely able to travel here in Thailand. I am sending much love to those who are not able to travel. Hello to you in Melbourne!</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJ5EQXL7ePURgerLFj0IzKv3hUfhtf62NAbYh-Zc5sBeQG32ixCqlWveWUlsr6TkqBVf-PlGJmYeDpqqnLu8rHnem4DbLsh4vWq2M3OMQtd-hIpfn74qtreGowvgInB7c1dcgJhwnzLrH/w640-h640/5D9E438F-40E0-4FE4-AA01-F02FFD3C3231+2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Be like a butterfly and fly anyway!</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />What would you do?</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">1. Option One: Could I get home and return before departure?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have been dropped off at the airport by our company driver, I call him back...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The sad thing is that I am normally <i>Little Miss Completely Early</i> for everything, three hours before an international flight and two hours before a domestic flight. However, we are now becoming spoilt with domestic travel here in Thailand. With no international flights (well, only the occasional repatriation flight or cargo plane), flying domestically here in Thailand at the moment is a breeze. Every flight so far has taken off on time, I just rock up 45 mins before departure.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">I had no time to get home and get my wallet</span></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuTrxNICQ4x6rlM5j-CNKnqnwYH3ettBiFo3YJWJE_EhoASiRNnb9P3yennjfI9zSGwRcJ25mf85k5Fa8X5Ji0srqc6ewB8jj7SYRqefTyK_aCASWvThWEBLcjWjFaEJ_VhjZaDSxCRJEV/w640-h480/IMG_9476.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The cheery bright lanterns of Wat Inthakhin Saduemuang" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cheery bright lanterns of Wat Inthakhin Saduemuang</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Option 2: With many flights to Chiang Mai, could I delay my flight to give me enough time to get home and get my wallet?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Answer: No. I have bought an <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/08/13/air-asia-unlimited-pass-review/" target="_blank">Air Asia Unlimited Flight Pass</a> which needs to be booked 3 weeks prior to take off. I am only allowed 3 no-shows before the pass becomes null and void. I am at one no-show already I couldn't risk another...</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have no option but to get on the flight and the clock is ticking!</span></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4w5AhRUvB-S0yNvUJBLluPbYoO63ClHDCt6BScRjnMsO9uc8xXwy3Xy0-caAr6I2yNiX-6_68iZgbo-WNFojPsNI4kfA_fSDx-IWuAcDAsiGrTtiy0eEz8CEECgpxl-wQt8-Cst28W0NL/w640-h480/IMG_9337.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up, up and away with Air Asia</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br />Option 3: Will the Bangkok Bank Airport branch let me withdraw money from our bank account using my passport as ID</b>?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">No! It appears that as I am not the primary account holder they will not help. No time for a quick paddy, tantrum or sob, sob ... what to do, what to do?</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhHgfiA_Qvu3oBmss5yoRFgC1taftJf4aTGvhJYksyONYTX9mWMzglVDRull71tfzFEJB_KtGhnBxSw3R9dfYtaJh0wNtZs9a8B5dsegU0Xq6hK2AXDKBcN4bbVe4xbEQZWkHEO9CfFpH/s4032/IMG_9359+2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhHgfiA_Qvu3oBmss5yoRFgC1taftJf4aTGvhJYksyONYTX9mWMzglVDRull71tfzFEJB_KtGhnBxSw3R9dfYtaJh0wNtZs9a8B5dsegU0Xq6hK2AXDKBcN4bbVe4xbEQZWkHEO9CfFpH/s640/IMG_9359+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's only going to be window shopping for me in Chiang Mai</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Option 4: Can you speak to my husband and he will transfer some money to the Airport Bank and then you give it to me?</b> C<i>an you tell desperation is kicking in?! </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Answer: No! Sorry, our bank protocol prohibits this...</span></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeP2SZmXUswd2T76y6103aFW0z9DzV7M1jLgKk0O30gd3DLrtCfttdjssXvgOCmjjXIN80m9qQUYDFqa0NPos5qRJ3I0b7IivhqloQiyPIlMz-lvLHUwjLYXfAWmwJ3tO06YyGsJzp-Mk/s2800/Flowers+Chiang+Mai.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="2800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeP2SZmXUswd2T76y6103aFW0z9DzV7M1jLgKk0O30gd3DLrtCfttdjssXvgOCmjjXIN80m9qQUYDFqa0NPos5qRJ3I0b7IivhqloQiyPIlMz-lvLHUwjLYXfAWmwJ3tO06YyGsJzp-Mk/w640-h640/Flowers+Chiang+Mai.jpg" width="640" /></a></b></div><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Option 5: Can Bangkok Bank help me at all?</span></b><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Answer: No!</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LWToIfiKbloZSNQ2L51hpwRxhFNnS0Z1rTrhMbwCQQiiOGARMoxYmgT2rAdMEaLHtWD7B7DFhspmpHFwDfihrunwhnMoPLnJ7hyphenhyphenMy9CFIe2QSAWDuQH94UsK7TZbyhcwlzMIeyX0GSHg/s640/IMG_9497+3.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favourite temple in Chiang Mai - Wat Umong Matherachan</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br />Option 6: I ask the driver who by has just returned if he has any money? </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am sure this is breaking every company protocol myself, but luckily this is Thailand. Not only has he sweetly returned without a faff, he tells me he has the company parking kitty!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Answer: Yes! Bingo!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Having sweetly handed over all the dosh in his envelope and my purse now jangling with a whole load of coins. It feels like Christmas, and I set off for three days solo travel with a drum roll of 64 USD! </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-5DrAm-8MU2kQVhm-B6NF4DLKggW72TBX8gv2t9ijqPIPBPE9SaTX6EEeXcOskPAFJS7Ac3jisBDfBK4AwAa9X4s3Vl9O8hbR-tCNryQna-0mueCsA-72erDboG9ngPX2r2fHPqto_cr/s640/IMG_9429+2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern Thai Textiles as found in the Lanna Folklife Museum</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Luckily if there is one country in the world where you can live quite cheaply it is Thailand! There are a whole load more tales to be told but luckily I survived (with the help of Mr Wren transferring the money directly to pay for the hotels!) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was like Christmas when I checked into the first hotel and there was a free mini-bar! With all the excitement of a kid on an Easter Egg hunt I opened the door of the fridge to find one can of Coke, and a can of Sprite. Normally I would no sooner drink rat's pee, than these two drinks, but beggars can't be choosers! </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;">I downed the lesser of the two evils, the Sprite which put me on such a sugar high that I decided that the can of Coke would have been a serious health risk...</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIl_m_dc3-3YbvOqRoc_H6XH-MRA8EBpyBF1jcPbfQ5i7DKXlZlX4SArAtNCAvv9SWBuL9L7PwzmdwoP3qgx-oxqJ9PRE9g8NVn9UwHgZITL0n_AosxFHiCeq1ufn_rbIV-C7dPLHA8mI/s3024/IMG_9360+2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIl_m_dc3-3YbvOqRoc_H6XH-MRA8EBpyBF1jcPbfQ5i7DKXlZlX4SArAtNCAvv9SWBuL9L7PwzmdwoP3qgx-oxqJ9PRE9g8NVn9UwHgZITL0n_AosxFHiCeq1ufn_rbIV-C7dPLHA8mI/s640/IMG_9360+2.JPG" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">For my next trick and re-energised I set off in search of every backpacker's dream dinner. A cheese toastie from 7-11, cost 35 Baht ($1.50 AUS) Not bad!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Post-sprite and toastie, I lay awake all night worrying. What if anything at all happened to me, or I was run over by a 10-year-old on a moped, yes this in Thailand? I would have no way to pay for any emergency. It was a sobering thought...</span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2437" data-original-width="2866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBLwmwMyU72riWVU2s8POgdG42hzQdfYo1XOSiahZQX3UnGIYtBfGRqg-H_FAE4_IWdhNnSwxDbLvIidryKX_Ra9pKVbx9e7iBuOYdqVUVFAfzQpr-1mwMBmKj2zpWiYj47BQDXV2Jvp9/s640/IMG_9356+3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coconut tree shadow on the road</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">But then this IS Thailand and after all, nothing did happen to me. I had the most magical time. Phew! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hope you have enjoyed some of the photos from my wanders! For more on my Thailand travels, please find me at <a href="http://littlewanderingwren.com">littlewanderingwren.com</a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XNXFzTy5MC_G34VsPUwExPes9wKCoVK7pKiyRKbiYWVpL_nqDCh4aUHyKw5fPMS-pAVzxhqa_TfJwQcl773kYGyexkUMyAVUPR9iG_kZ0RjYCIq8aXRjxSXMtmngrBvN7QMiaChoDG49/s1080/Sukhothai+Bkk.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XNXFzTy5MC_G34VsPUwExPes9wKCoVK7pKiyRKbiYWVpL_nqDCh4aUHyKw5fPMS-pAVzxhqa_TfJwQcl773kYGyexkUMyAVUPR9iG_kZ0RjYCIq8aXRjxSXMtmngrBvN7QMiaChoDG49/s640/Sukhothai+Bkk.png" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">If you would like to keep up with my daily travels, do feel free to follow along on my Facebook page at </span><a href="https://web.facebook.com/lwwren/" style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;" target="_blank">LittleWanderingWren </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's been lovely to see you all here! I will be popping over to visit you all soon, where ever you are reading this in the world.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Have a great week and bye for now. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ti5uV0BpxU8rp8S8MK2TWf8XdcEqLy40YQCxGwGhBitrBs9lmduKwwQWhHoi-YtJ4l-49p5d8pmBtQ-msO3ClwAKW2_88r6LvazqKlAymqQRUwz1oNEt-6cdAuItAkzjiEJySrsM9lun/s595/logo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="108" data-original-width="595" height="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ti5uV0BpxU8rp8S8MK2TWf8XdcEqLy40YQCxGwGhBitrBs9lmduKwwQWhHoi-YtJ4l-49p5d8pmBtQ-msO3ClwAKW2_88r6LvazqKlAymqQRUwz1oNEt-6cdAuItAkzjiEJySrsM9lun/w381-h69/logo.jpg" width="381" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Linking with thanks to Angie at <a href="https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mosaic Monday</a> and all the hosts at <a href="https://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Our World Tuesday</a> </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><br />Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-68579847230101483072020-08-13T09:43:00.026+07:002020-08-17T12:15:35.752+07:00Vitamin Sea and Orchid Friendship Thailand<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hello, hello, I hope you are all doing well where ever you are reading this in the world! Thank you to all of you for your lovely comments on my last post and encouragement to <i>Wander on Wren</i>! </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnymGV_UYUaKvbjqGFMwpWwNRL7fIZDg46_HCtraL1kGPMqAxd1rkKHwoNG_djNJqVwP8BwyqzMz-oTvTvKHIcyVoxePrImlteEMn8toGdJ2EeF0FNKQ1RoNAgxBuG9KKkIjtYy6wNTjJ-/s4032/IMG_8365.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnymGV_UYUaKvbjqGFMwpWwNRL7fIZDg46_HCtraL1kGPMqAxd1rkKHwoNG_djNJqVwP8BwyqzMz-oTvTvKHIcyVoxePrImlteEMn8toGdJ2EeF0FNKQ1RoNAgxBuG9KKkIjtYy6wNTjJ-/s640/IMG_8365.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm glad you are happy to travel vicariously through me, I know some of you are in deteriorating situations with COVID-19. I am forever grateful that my Bangkok life enables me the freedom to travel the country - at the moment. So with this, I will bring you some Vitamin Sea from Phuket, Thailand.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCr8q4dFtJWGI3c2zxk-W3vhzPaCjCmzC8n-46IMoCKBo5oKw8pjySojAGVlBLr8jtnFYNG7K0-wMDih3njL3yn2M6BWF6TWqYcdI5pxB3_D5oD7T90wpBf5RoWXMvH6zRjD5R7fqUOB8e/s4032/IMG_8406.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCr8q4dFtJWGI3c2zxk-W3vhzPaCjCmzC8n-46IMoCKBo5oKw8pjySojAGVlBLr8jtnFYNG7K0-wMDih3njL3yn2M6BWF6TWqYcdI5pxB3_D5oD7T90wpBf5RoWXMvH6zRjD5R7fqUOB8e/s640/IMG_8406.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">The weather was feisty and rather moody this past weekend in 𝐏𝐡𝐮𝐤𝐞𝐭, but we didn’t care. </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">It’s always like this here in 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 in August as the strong 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝗪𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 gathers pace. I love the rainy season and the cooling air it brings! </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">We’ve lost power, we’ve lost water supplies, but we know we are the lucky ones. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">Turn on the news, speak to our friends and family in far off places, and we know how lucky we are in Thailand.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"></span></p><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2wjSVdfrNcYbxW0iM7hi8GjLsaatK3JM1gg7fQVDAXyz3se8HtlspKBbaubdJfydEz5Az_QkUFJWCnfLz7FGPI3uXnoZm36GS-7rbvYAJb0ayl8n-2m5DDMxeOgHvMZNwsWH9Th3bL1QN/s4032/IMG_8412.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2wjSVdfrNcYbxW0iM7hi8GjLsaatK3JM1gg7fQVDAXyz3se8HtlspKBbaubdJfydEz5Az_QkUFJWCnfLz7FGPI3uXnoZm36GS-7rbvYAJb0ayl8n-2m5DDMxeOgHvMZNwsWH9Th3bL1QN/s640/IMG_8412.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">The ocean is cross too. It spews out trash onto the beaches, old fishing nets tangled in branches, plastic bottles & old suntan cream tubes litter the sand... A sign of the past, days of busy beaches. Some thoughtless people leaving their rubbish for the wrath of the sea.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQV4hFtoNyMOQhh8KUGpaOm6snjUgrUsVwWY-WVxfLSppgWgUQ8AlPReJKSI4HCBaiCguYJ1dEb00rPTsdWhg9NdmybfblXVVQlYjSGQAlQ_DrjPctduV718TXW9Oj8SR9NiGAbWjtduT/s2684/IMG_8400.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2013" data-original-width="2684" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQV4hFtoNyMOQhh8KUGpaOm6snjUgrUsVwWY-WVxfLSppgWgUQ8AlPReJKSI4HCBaiCguYJ1dEb00rPTsdWhg9NdmybfblXVVQlYjSGQAlQ_DrjPctduV718TXW9Oj8SR9NiGAbWjtduT/s640/IMG_8400.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;">In the meantime Phuket waits, the sun loungers are stacked up hoping for sunshine & people. An old coffee sign barely visible starts with a faint happy & ends with free WiFi! </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nuXPFF9Xbm1wfzfO1P06pxlyozENqpw3WCfpQSnFZEU2qVzSdnepVNQhunrcfmOjhqyvrNUuKRzHtJT7gXCj_8fzPNwRBSYRB9NwZBTEHbHlCDsueZWa0HnOpsd1wIvIqS6OFx18fBf7/s4032/IMG_8399.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nuXPFF9Xbm1wfzfO1P06pxlyozENqpw3WCfpQSnFZEU2qVzSdnepVNQhunrcfmOjhqyvrNUuKRzHtJT7gXCj_8fzPNwRBSYRB9NwZBTEHbHlCDsueZWa0HnOpsd1wIvIqS6OFx18fBf7/s640/IMG_8399.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;">Yachts yield and boats bob bravely as the storm winds gather. Locals scurry home on their motorbike sidecars. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQheE6GbSSUuLhzB0pMbyxaQar1e2Mh33u5SukN3FwJVpsVBjkOAqfk0Hpe8YVLXlvKE0-h0VebMh017JTArAPDxJ23CQmAVnkj5iAOpgIjC08PGvTKvxq4f89B0sapGdmmQt-vK1IP_DL/s4032/IMG_8364.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQheE6GbSSUuLhzB0pMbyxaQar1e2Mh33u5SukN3FwJVpsVBjkOAqfk0Hpe8YVLXlvKE0-h0VebMh017JTArAPDxJ23CQmAVnkj5iAOpgIjC08PGvTKvxq4f89B0sapGdmmQt-vK1IP_DL/s640/IMG_8364.jpg" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">I was in Phuket for some solo travel. I have been asked to write about solo travel for a Tourism Authority of Thailand international website and wanted to experience travelling alone in these post-COVID days.</span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><b>Who loves to travel solo? What do you like about it?</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHUpkPvMJc4GtQblIre3Qa5tZhG4YAxT_3EMgWKmpnisVxilGnHSCgrElKV3WJwUHCDcwrfQxPpBtyL5tCGiwS-ZnWmR4FAr7YIzkS5uI1uO3-YmG0rQN8Q9knfc-ncQ4ErrqKPkzjObmc/s4032/IMG_8464.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHUpkPvMJc4GtQblIre3Qa5tZhG4YAxT_3EMgWKmpnisVxilGnHSCgrElKV3WJwUHCDcwrfQxPpBtyL5tCGiwS-ZnWmR4FAr7YIzkS5uI1uO3-YmG0rQN8Q9knfc-ncQ4ErrqKPkzjObmc/w800-h600/IMG_8464.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Street Art in Phuket Old Town <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">I am not a natural solo traveller but I did relish having time all to myself. I bought a dress! I'm known as <i>5 Frocks Wren</i> here in Bangkok as I arrived here in Thailand with five dresses which I live in... I don't spend much money on my clothes as I would rather spend money on travel. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><i><b>I would rather do than have! </b></i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">Does that resonate with you? </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTe2Lve3WkjIf5595bPd2aT5_hCidS9RuwbMUvQ-Oj0sbXm4WLFYd43v2pxrWHH8JeU-4TF8YfuI8CqqRc8p5w_adbgg2e7VYDvXFZw77SMvsbvTL6ICr1Bfi44hZbPgZIH1nxYNkosnu9/s4032/IMG_8483.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTe2Lve3WkjIf5595bPd2aT5_hCidS9RuwbMUvQ-Oj0sbXm4WLFYd43v2pxrWHH8JeU-4TF8YfuI8CqqRc8p5w_adbgg2e7VYDvXFZw77SMvsbvTL6ICr1Bfi44hZbPgZIH1nxYNkosnu9/w800-h600/IMG_8483.JPG" title="Street Art in Phuket" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Street Art Phuket Old Town<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">I am following the brilliant guide book on solo travel called <a href="https://tourismproduct.tourismthailand.org/file/ebook/493/mobile/index.html#p=1" target="_blank">Me, Myself & Thailand</a>. You might remember I was invited last year for the final product test before the launch... and I got to the <i><b>To Buy</b></i> pages and ended up at a shop called Ban Boran Textiles which the book called affordable hippy-chic look! I'm not sure I quite carried off that look, but here I am!</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZ_G6KH3JhASlSsW9kQyc5ftT_4zy4SElvzbp9HXiJbGwoAxDcZzHn8xqBE1roGY3WDhvq21FaAwHe8msLa8WR3O3UMY-gHzLi19yUXnlV6G-cK05hXSeVZ_40xFt-uzHyglAnKB2BJSX/s2800/Orchids1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="2800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZ_G6KH3JhASlSsW9kQyc5ftT_4zy4SElvzbp9HXiJbGwoAxDcZzHn8xqBE1roGY3WDhvq21FaAwHe8msLa8WR3O3UMY-gHzLi19yUXnlV6G-cK05hXSeVZ_40xFt-uzHyglAnKB2BJSX/s640/Orchids1.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">And the reason I am sharing the picture of me in my flowery dress is to show you my fascinator. The sad thing about our lifestyle is that friends come and go and I have just said goodbye to Libby, who I will miss so much. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">Libby has been the bringer of elegant cheer to my Bangkok life. On the days when I master being the Zen Wren that I so aspire to, it's because of the gentle yogic influences of Libby, who just loved Thailand. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5T1JNHxpUZ9vRNQfa_V5PwWmesGO9Eo9bNfGDhurrG_JS2pOUzLvU6Sg7WLTIIfbbN2XhTHjsqaoLt-JfISCBRlIu8YLtTS5GpnBEUpomM_nsKbxiKehT7YGfqAfsALxRjxpwgQEfhe6/s1024/2143f32d-e960-4940-999f-8659f935ef9d.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="1250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5T1JNHxpUZ9vRNQfa_V5PwWmesGO9Eo9bNfGDhurrG_JS2pOUzLvU6Sg7WLTIIfbbN2XhTHjsqaoLt-JfISCBRlIu8YLtTS5GpnBEUpomM_nsKbxiKehT7YGfqAfsALxRjxpwgQEfhe6/w938-h1250/2143f32d-e960-4940-999f-8659f935ef9d.JPG" width="938" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br />Libby invited me to parties that I'd never heard of, like a <b><i>Sip & See </i></b>when her adult kids came into town. When she left last week, we were invited to her <b><i>Pantry Party!</i></b> This was an altogether more solemn affair as she opened the doors of her pantry and cupboards full of things that she could not take back to the US, which included her delicate fascinator.</span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">Well, here I am! As outings and social events have not returned to what they used to be, I doubt I'll be wearing my new fascinator to the Bangkok Melbourne Cup day. I thought an orchid festival was the perfect way to go - thank you, Libby, and to my encouraging photographer Julie!</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRowysPHRmZmY5ASMXlvq8tmb-ee3EJOCxQPH6mUJsOeS7ssyhyTaYfGWPCqAZ89ghk4qUOD6bmwderUmXQMGh8byrazPookgyABuQGgLa9661NNOen-FCtLDKmr7JaBCJUP51xuioENJs/s1024/f5aefeeb-26cd-41e7-9ad4-713c0307d41b.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRowysPHRmZmY5ASMXlvq8tmb-ee3EJOCxQPH6mUJsOeS7ssyhyTaYfGWPCqAZ89ghk4qUOD6bmwderUmXQMGh8byrazPookgyABuQGgLa9661NNOen-FCtLDKmr7JaBCJUP51xuioENJs/w480-h640/f5aefeeb-26cd-41e7-9ad4-713c0307d41b.JPG" title="Photo credit : Julie Hedge" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Julie Hedge</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">Here is the floral fun ( at least I kept my top on!) of </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">the annual orchid extravaganza </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;">"Siam Paragon Bangkok Royal Orchid 2020" This great show contains </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;">more than 880,000 orchid species to mark the occasion of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.63px;">Queen Sirikit's</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;">birthday, 12 August 2020.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;">Byeeeee Libby, missing you already but I promise to party on in style and we will catch up somewhere in the world. Don't know where, don't know when! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg728NI_xueUqEPx3WGCx8Bpp_hRKXJpApbQG5pzXXDrkpJq9BQ0OqAZWYamh8Xovz5TrFfWtqg-TWj-cdGev6_IwA17xa69tW-1QhjI4dkwUcbdZBhnTRCSk91x37EhGJCpDOrN5oTOqxq/s3077/IMG_8882.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3077" data-original-width="2790" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg728NI_xueUqEPx3WGCx8Bpp_hRKXJpApbQG5pzXXDrkpJq9BQ0OqAZWYamh8Xovz5TrFfWtqg-TWj-cdGev6_IwA17xa69tW-1QhjI4dkwUcbdZBhnTRCSk91x37EhGJCpDOrN5oTOqxq/s640/IMG_8882.jpg" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">On a note about face masks, here in Thailand, we wear masks as a matter of course. This is one of the reasons they suggest that Thailand has done so brilliantly with its COVID-19 response. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">My silk mask was given to me by my friends at the Tourism Authority of Thailand. I only popped in for a few guide books and one thing led to another, and well I just love my mask. Thanks, Guys!</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">If you would like to read more on my recent travels around Thailand, please see <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/08/03/weekend-wanders-cycling-sukhothai-staycation/" target="_blank">Weekend Wanders: Cycling Sukhothai</a> We really enjoyed our recent road trip to the first ancient capital of Siam.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">Would you be up for some air travel these days? We have just bought an unlimited Air travel pass within Thailand! Click here for my <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/08/13/air-asia-unlimited-pass-review/" target="_blank">Air Asia Unlimited Pass Review</a>. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #800180; text-align: left;"><i>Gotta dash got places to see!</i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #800180; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #800180; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigzLTECBfAqEls97waHdLVXeLRy-V9YYcgKgjdJvms42vms16UJYU_ne-mVtfIT3kqK9pP_ztFx9-hAqbrAjVfi3wz4R8xUoh3Y7gPUqdt7_fuHZhk2J_AE8ZbejZIkCdSFlkygOtVCVoa/s2908/LWW_banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="2908" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigzLTECBfAqEls97waHdLVXeLRy-V9YYcgKgjdJvms42vms16UJYU_ne-mVtfIT3kqK9pP_ztFx9-hAqbrAjVfi3wz4R8xUoh3Y7gPUqdt7_fuHZhk2J_AE8ZbejZIkCdSFlkygOtVCVoa/s640/LWW_banner.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Linking with thanks to all the hosts at <a href="https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mosaic Monday</a>, <a href="https://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Our World Tuesday</a>, <a href="https://myworldthrumycameralens.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Wednesday in my corner of the World</a>, and <a href="https://www.create-with-joy.com/" target="_blank">Friendship Friday</a></div><i><br /></i></b></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #800180;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #800180;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180;"><b><br /></b></span></div><span style="color: #800180;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #800180;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #800180;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p></div>Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com31Thailand15.870032 100.992541-24.610898517994471 30.680041000000003 56.350962517994475 171.30504100000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-68307411891506407302020-07-28T14:36:00.000+07:002020-07-28T14:36:34.680+07:00Elephant Prayers for the World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span>Hello, hello how are we all going?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I feel like in my neck of the woods we are all holding our breath about this second wave of COVID-19. Here in Thailand, things are still going well but I am looking across at friends and family in Melbourne, Florida, California, and Spain with everything crossed and sending lots of love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This weekend we've had a holiday weekend here in Thailand, it is the King's Birthday. Long Live the King! We are very fortunate to be able to freely travel within Thailand and are venturing further and further afield. For this week's wanderings, we took a road trip.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Won’t you take a wander with me and I’ll show you around!</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’ve found my new favourite temple in Thailand. The only trouble is that we’ve had to drive over 5 hours to find it! This week's staycation has taken us to <b>Sukhothai</b> the first ancient capital of ancient Siam - it is worth the trip!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let me introduce you to <b>Wat Chang Lom</b>, outside the city walls to the East. This temple is a large group of ancient monuments, with a main bell-shaped chedi with 32 elephant sculptures at its base.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The temple was having a festival and on hearing the becking music, we felt attracted to have a look.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Without really knowing what we were doing, we bought two candles and as the sun was setting we left them with one of the elephants.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If we thought this was magical just wait and see what happened the next day. I’m not religious but I am drawn on occasion, to some divine presence.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Let’s go back for more elephant prayers,</i> I suggested!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, when we got there the whole world and his <i>Soi</i> dog had had that idea! The temple festival had really ramped up!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The chedi looked amazing bathed in different coloured lights and with candles twinkling the whole way up its giant bell. It would have been quite an effort scaling these heights to place these delicate candles.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Under the moonlight, we joined a parade of Thai’s carrying lights circling the chedi with contemplative, silent walks. At a certain point, they left their candles with a prayer.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It didn’t really matter to us, that we had no idea what we had joined. The Thai people are always accepting, so calm and I feel so appreciative of Farang “foreigners” who want to be part of their culture.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We weren’t quite sure whether it was appropriate to leave our candle with our elephant but I felt we had a bond! So we did a treble loop and quietly left our candles not with the group lights but with our Elly.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We asked her to stay strong, and look out for us all!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you have enjoyed this post you might enjoy <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/07/21/wandering-the-floral-fun-at-hua-takhe-market-bangkok/" target="_blank">Wandering the Floral Fun at RakDok Art Week </a></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hope to see you there! Have a great week everyone.</span></span></div>
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Linking with thanks to all the hosts at <a href="http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Our World Tuesday</a></div>
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Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com31Sukhothai, Thailand17.0055573 99.826371215.0648653 97.244584199999991 18.946249299999998 102.4081582tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-35902575549137905212020-07-15T16:41:00.000+07:002020-07-15T16:55:00.296+07:00We're off and flying here in Thailand!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Hello everyone - how are you doing? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All is good with us here in Bangkok, Thailand. Across the globe, there seems such a diversity of people's lives and living at present don't you think? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Our Aussie friends and family in Melbourne, are now sadly back in their second period of COVID-19 lockdown. They are looking across the borders into the other states, and other parts of the world, wishing they had the same happy freedoms. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Do you like this sign I spotted this week? I am hoping you too, are far away from stress, anger, traffic misery and worries!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />Our British friends and family have been cautiously re-emerging back into life on the outside, the word <i>pub</i> has even been mentioned. My Mum is doing a roaring trade, making and selling face masks for a good cause. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Then there is us in Thailand. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thailand has received international praise for it's handling of the pandemic with less than 60 deaths as of July 1. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "georgia" , "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32);">We</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> are carefully getting back to our normal lives, as always with our masks too. The new cases that are reported of COVID-19 are arrivals from overseas with diplomatic immunity. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Don't get me started on this. Thailand is really strict on its 14-day mandatory quarantine, except a handful of exemptions. Who come in and go shopping in the shopping centres!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gold, gold and more gold at Bangkok's Grand Palace</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">On our roads, our traffic jams are sadly back but our skies are mostly clear from aircraft (there is only a handful of international arrivals) and the lack of pollution is wonderful! Without the tourists, we are seeing our city in a whole new light. We have never had the Grand Palace all to ourselves like this.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An unusual sight a deserted Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">There are however many businesses bars, hotels and nightclubs who are waiting to reopen for a decision on when the tourists will be allowed back in. Tourism has been hit hard, it accounts for 15 -20% of GDP and no international tourist arrivals since March. We are seeing </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">a whole heap of places, smaller shops, and some hotels who look doubtful whether they will ever return. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The devasting effect that the closure of Thailand is having on the economy and its people is expected to drive millions below the poverty line. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">On the surface, everything looks fine and golden around the city. However underneath all the gold, who knows? Time will tell. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">We are keeping calm and doing our bit for domestic tourism by travelling on...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first flight in four months </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />Thank you for all the lovely comments on my last post. Buoyed with the knowledge that you enjoy virtual travel with me and that it's not too dispiriting for those of you homebound, I will share some photos of my recent wanderings. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We decided to take the plunge and get back to flying. You can read my report on <b>What it's like to fly domestically in Thailand </b><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/07/14/what-its-like-to-fly-domestically-in-thailand-during-covid-19/" target="_blank">here</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So I will leave you with a few photos and a fun menu I spotted on the day we heard Melbourne was back in lockdown - it was time for all of us to have a stiff G & T!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TreeHouse Villas - Koh Yao Noi<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">How about <a href="https://www.treehouse-villas.com/" target="_blank">Treehouse Villas</a> for a fun place to stay? We stayed next door at a place called <a href="https://www.paradise-kohyao.com/" target="_blank">Paradise</a>. One day I will come back here to stay for sure!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyIgGLBLPUVxsTMQxypHW0O11DpaFYv0NzHuU3sar-pRutEKtFRErJ61C6Q7SL-bhGgbBHwHQyrtAYoDp3sqp-EgUsjTmLrGl7nfu97iToc41_FfKpa6CtPAKZV7m80G27_JN0whUECvc/s1600/IMG_7566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyIgGLBLPUVxsTMQxypHW0O11DpaFYv0NzHuU3sar-pRutEKtFRErJ61C6Q7SL-bhGgbBHwHQyrtAYoDp3sqp-EgUsjTmLrGl7nfu97iToc41_FfKpa6CtPAKZV7m80G27_JN0whUECvc/s640/IMG_7566.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Paradise is on the <b>Andaman Sea</b> in <b>Phang Nga Bay</b>. Famous for its breathtaking landscapes and diverse flora and fauna. You can read more about our adventures with the animals taking back nature on my Littlewanderingwren Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/littlewanderingwren" target="_blank">here</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here is a little peek into what life was like in Paradise, look at those views!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwrukDZ6Xgygfp-25ajp3zldNdiOxIyTVVyHNT1svEnQ7kxYq2pvDtSwdETqtZPs9BxGepVSUtd6rg_oqheK1maoyilDxzF_NAcFyNQBlHv__qbqrR_17qckiMwubCIzb-mDYi4VOQKKQ/s1600/IMG_7574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwrukDZ6Xgygfp-25ajp3zldNdiOxIyTVVyHNT1svEnQ7kxYq2pvDtSwdETqtZPs9BxGepVSUtd6rg_oqheK1maoyilDxzF_NAcFyNQBlHv__qbqrR_17qckiMwubCIzb-mDYi4VOQKKQ/s640/IMG_7574.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I hope you have enjoyed wandering Thailand with me, from where ever you are reading. As always, it's been lovely having you along. Be over to visit you at yours soon. Chat soon!</span><br />
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Linking with thanks to <a href="http://goodrandomfun.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Wednesday around the World</a>, <a href="http://sharonrwagner.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sharon's Souvenirs</a></div>
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Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com16Ko Yao Yai, Ko Yao District, Phang-nga, Thailand7.9683559999999991 98.58309077.7167719999999989 98.2603672 8.21994 98.9058142tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-19718997598381343472020-07-01T14:57:00.000+07:002020-07-01T14:57:18.103+07:00This little bird is off on her wanders again!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Hello from Thailand where we are slowly but surely </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>emerging from those dreary days of lockdown!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We remain under our Covid-19 Emergency Decree. However, things are reopening and big news for me, we are able to travel now between provinces. This means there is a whole country out there with none of the expected 40 million tourists this year that Thailand had hoped for. Our skies are blue and our air is clear.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There still no news as to when tourists will be allowed to enter the country. So until this happens, I will not be leaving Thailand as I won't be able to get back in! In the meantime, although I would love to see family in the UK and Australia, I fully intend to make the most of exploring Thailand and putting my Baht into domestic tourism.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-Ukd25aNLfe7Asz0-4ZrAe-5h0WNLpSUgsohW2fDQkplLtOzLaiVFAWkGMZW2smGYheoe6BSXlyw1ELBRGl9PPmSywSu1O6jTHdof5LozHzsdXIVUd-sFiX6mVBrw_S1wubv1vG4sBG7/s1600/IMG_7037+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-Ukd25aNLfe7Asz0-4ZrAe-5h0WNLpSUgsohW2fDQkplLtOzLaiVFAWkGMZW2smGYheoe6BSXlyw1ELBRGl9PPmSywSu1O6jTHdof5LozHzsdXIVUd-sFiX6mVBrw_S1wubv1vG4sBG7/s640/IMG_7037+3.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />Would you like to come for a wander with me and see what I have been up to since I last posted? I have been posting over on my (now only) <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/" target="_blank">Thailand Travel Blog</a> and would love you to come over here and say hello.</span></div>
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<b>A Love letter to the Hoteliers of Bangkok</b> <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/05/25/a-love-letter-to-the-hoteliers-of-bangkok/" target="_blank">is found here</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was written as a thank you to the Hoteliers of Bangkok who remained open during the first phase of COVID -19 lockdowns. We were lucky compared with some countries and although we had a curfew from 10 - 4 am, and everything was shut, we could go out to the supermarkets. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some of my friends continued to walk outside but we choose to remain within our Apartment building and we walked around a tiny garden and car park for 9 weeks whilst my husband worked from home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What we did do, was change our social isolation in our apartment into one carefully chosen hotel each Saturday night:</span></div>
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<b>Social distancing at a hotel</b></div>
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<i>Our aim was a sanity break from apartment confinement, to support local hotels, and to put some money back into Thai tourism at a time where we felt this would be most appreciated.</i></div>
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<i>We never left the hotel grounds and found social distancing was way easier because of low hotel occupancy rates than at home in our congested lobby or garden. We were only ever part of a handful of guests within hotels some of which had 500 plus rooms.</i></div>
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<i>I will never forget driving up to the front doors of the <b>Anantara Siam</b> and the <b>Siam Kempinski</b> and leaving the car at the front door as no one else would be arriving by car. We felt like movie stars.</i></div>
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<i>If you would like to see where we went check out :</i></div>
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<b>BANGKOK :</b> <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/05/26/our-best-staycations-bangkok-in-2020/" target="_blank">Our Best Staycations Bangkok 2020</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We have stayed in all sorts from 5-star luxury to the beautiful <b>Chao Praya</b> mansion on the river where we had the whole hotel to ourselves, to an old Porn Theatre - The Prince Theatre! There are some incredible deals out there to be had.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRtzISdVIRCi48DUnOVO7i11nvQVlpmBAC4CPRmrf5_d-czDYu1Y6U38594vmvJ2-rEAn-fyHwmYHPhgXAqaVycaoFilK-rbk1IB99dYVFkj0qh98JmtxqZCzphuNDvskilO7_6GHGzAV/s1600/Praya+Palazzo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRtzISdVIRCi48DUnOVO7i11nvQVlpmBAC4CPRmrf5_d-czDYu1Y6U38594vmvJ2-rEAn-fyHwmYHPhgXAqaVycaoFilK-rbk1IB99dYVFkj0qh98JmtxqZCzphuNDvskilO7_6GHGzAV/s640/Praya+Palazzo.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Praya Palazzo Bangkok</td></tr>
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<b>HUA HIN : </b><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/06/11/weekend-wanders-anantara-hua-hin-resort/" target="_blank">Weekend Wanders Anantara Hua Hin Resort</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We went in search of sun, sand and paddling in the Gulf of Thailand. I got to realise my lockdown goal of saying <i>sod-it</i> and walking on the beach in my bikini! And the Anantara Hua Hin welcomed me with a drawing on the door of our wardrobe taken from my social media accounts! How's that for personal service?</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOveh6-FqfYfDKwBdLRrMBfm4wZSEOCqAGwvfKbooir3Iv0oLKpImpnl1P1UrnguV82-c7fXauxSnexTdST8Gm-IPZm6yRpxyut08koOf1QZkcEhAekMF7UcmXP0T3UEH99rFffbHrsRj/s1600/AEC3623F-0AD1-4025-BA2A-5FAF06BFD1E0.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOveh6-FqfYfDKwBdLRrMBfm4wZSEOCqAGwvfKbooir3Iv0oLKpImpnl1P1UrnguV82-c7fXauxSnexTdST8Gm-IPZm6yRpxyut08koOf1QZkcEhAekMF7UcmXP0T3UEH99rFffbHrsRj/s640/AEC3623F-0AD1-4025-BA2A-5FAF06BFD1E0.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wonderful staff of the Anantara Hua Hin excited to see guests again and my drawing done by one of the gardeners! </td></tr>
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<b>KANCHANABURI : </b><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/06/29/a-post-covid-kanchanaburi-staycation-escape-looking-for-nature-history-and-culture/" target="_blank">Staycation Kanchanaburi</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We went in search of nature and culture and found temples almost floating on mountain tops. I joined the dawn almsgiving ceremony with a monk who arrived out by boat, in the shadows of the Bridge over the River Kwai</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We survived and we are now up to Staycation #21 in Thailand since February.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During this time I wrote my <b>Covid the God of Love article</b> for Expat Life in Thailand.</span><br />
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>The Jigsaw Puzzle - </b>it is always the small pieces that make the big picture</span></div>
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<i><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">C</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-kerning: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">’</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">mon how many of you have been driven to jigsaw puzzles to alleviate a boring couples evening? Oh yes, I</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-kerning: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">’</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">m hearing many of us are searching for marital bliss by piecing together 1,000 tiny disconnected pieces. Have you tried it? It works!</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Either through a vain attempt to gain some semblance of marital order, or dispel the threat of having to sit with your partner through yet another repeat of the third round of the 2019 Malaysian Golf Open - won by Scott Hend of Australia by the way. God bless True Sport.</i></span></div>
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<i><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">It turns out jigsaws are like some weird form of meditation. I mean it is absolutely impossible not to be fully in the moment when attempting to recreate Monet</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-kerning: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">’</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">s Garden, New York Central Park or Winter Wonderland.</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i>I have learnt so much about my husband during our lockdown. One of the best examples of how men and women operate differently was a jigsaw. We both agree the starting point must be the edge pieces but from here on we differ. </i></span></div>
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<i><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">I go for all the sky pieces and work logically down top to bottom. He goes immediately for glory and gathers all the pieces for the truck in the middle. What? The truck wasn</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-kerning: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">’</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">t even connected to anything. The male brain works in mysterious ways…</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; text-align: justify;"><i>Women scan and colour match. While men carry out a forensic analysis of the piece, the box and them triumphantly place it in the exact G spot in the puzzle. With a self-satisfied look.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ha! I haven't exactly told Mr Wren about how I ended my article, our little secret right?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lovely to chat with you all again - Have a great week!</span></div>
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Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com14Bangkok, Thailand13.7563309 100.501765113.2627269 99.8563181 14.2499349 101.1472121tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-10460805635438568322020-04-22T15:05:00.002+07:002020-04-22T15:24:31.066+07:00Good, Random, Fun in Bangkok<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hello everyone, how are you today? I hope you are keeping well in these strange Coronavirus times. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All is good with us in Thailand, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">we are still socially distancing at home.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> So for a little distraction t</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">hank you for joining me for some </span><i style="color: #716954; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Good, Random, Fun!</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Matriarch - BlackWhiteandMax</td></tr>
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<b style="color: #716954; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />Good</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I love the way our COVID-19 lockdowns across the world have started a flurry of communications with friends and family across the globe. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Today I have a Zoom conference call with the D-block girls. Us D-block girls were thrown together in university dorms back in the day. If we all make the call, this will be the first time we have all been together since the late 1980s!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We have also been invited to join <b><i>House Party</i> meetups</b> with our kids in Australia and Europe. Between this, and <b>WhatsApp calls,</b> which always seem to have the video turned on, there is nowhere to hide.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Under the Bangkok Sun - BlackWhiteandMax</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br />Random</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Anyone else finding the pressure of all these video calls is doing wonders for NOT slobbing around in your trackie daks all day? </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Not only am I dressing smarter than usual, (no need to worry about being a <i>Sweaty Betty</i> when life is totally indoors...) I think I've used more lippy since I've been social distancing than ever before in my life. I feel like I'm prepping for each call like I'm going on TV!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Makeup lights, camera, action.... or am I just being shallow?</i></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Under the Bangkok Moon - BlackwhiteandMax</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">With Thai social distancing requests, many are coping with husbands working from home. It is fair to say that most of us live here in Thailand in smaller city apartments than perhaps we might have back in our home countries. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">There have been some fun stories of friends crawling on their bellies to avoid being seen on the work video conference calls whilst desperately needing something from the room that has now been turned into a makeshift office. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Sound familiar?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>Are you managing to avoid video calls?</b></i></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olive- BlackWhiteandMax</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The @VeryBritishProblems Twitter feed never ceases to give me a giggle. This week they discuss various video call background personalities. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here are a few I liked:</span></div>
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<li><span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>I am very smart - </i>Lots of unread books</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Stay out of my private life - </i>A blank off-white wall</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Wild child - </i>Garden</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Harry Potter - </i>A small cupboard</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Wine drinker - </i>Kitchen worktop</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>I have kids - </i>Locked echoing bathroom </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>I don't care anymore - B</i>athroom</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>I am not dressed - </i>In front of a brightly lit window in silhouette</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Virtual background - </i>I understand settings</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>I'm important - </i>Map of the world on the wall</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Total knobhead - C</i>ertificates freshly displayed on the wall </span></span></li>
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<span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I tend to sit at our dining room table and can create two backgrounds. Certain days I'm all for the <b><i>I'm a Zen Wren</i></b> look. I love my Landlord's calming Buddha which you can see here.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>If I sit on the other side of the table, however, I get the </i><b>I'm a boozy Wren and up for a party</b><i> backdrop! </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>This is rather apt at present as the Thai Government has just extended our alcohol ban here in Bangkok from the original dates of 10-20 April, until the end of the month.</i></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just another Saturday Night - BlackWhiteandMax</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>We have a little shop here in our apartment building and the other day as I bought up ALL the remaining tonic water. I did wonder whether I was being socially irresponsible? As you can see we have enough gin!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What does your background say about you?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #716954; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Let me introduce you to <a href="https://blackwhiteandmax.com/" target="_blank">BlackWhiteandMax</a> as seen as part of my Blogging from A-Z Challenge on <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/04/16/beneath-the-bangkok-sun-with-blackwhiteandmax/" target="_blank">Little Wandering Wren</a>'s travel blog</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here I am excited to bring you the wonders of Thailand through photographs, travel ideas and suggestions of myself and some brilliant guest bloggers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This week, Thailand is seen through the pen and ink drawings of Maxine Margolis, Bangkok resident and creator of the stylish and unique accessory company <a href="https://blackwhiteandmax.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #009fdf; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">BlackWhiteandMax.</a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0Iw6arXjudf0MUlrotbIa9K2L-P53G8vhrgwB74eZFG8lY4D6iuNUoBRmTvzCDAqEhraqwBEGJZ42IcoKeJkkZSxtkdn8MGRp09yH4RgAplEisRxsPtLMBHsBgu0cpcWtGef47JgJuRa/s1600/BWM22.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0Iw6arXjudf0MUlrotbIa9K2L-P53G8vhrgwB74eZFG8lY4D6iuNUoBRmTvzCDAqEhraqwBEGJZ42IcoKeJkkZSxtkdn8MGRp09yH4RgAplEisRxsPtLMBHsBgu0cpcWtGef47JgJuRa/s640/BWM22.jpeg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Max and I exploring off the beaten track Thailand with our <a href="https://blackwhiteandmax.com/" target="_blank">BlackWhiteAndMax </a>tote bags.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I would love to send some <a href="https://blackwhiteandmax.com/" target="_blank">BlackWhiteandMax</a> love out into the world. Every one of you that stops by to say hello in the comments at <a href="http://littlewanderingwren.com/">Littlewanderingwren.com</a> will be included in our BlackwhiteandMax giveaway, to win a BlackwhiteandMax tote bag of your choice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To subscribe and follow along at LittleWanderingwren.com <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/" target="_blank">click here </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Have a great week everyone!</span></div>
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Linking with thanks to<a href="https://goodrandomfun.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> Good, Random, Fun</a></div>
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Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com12Bangkok, Thailand13.7563309 100.501765113.2627269 99.8563181 14.2499349 101.1472121tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-63152221646770135202020-04-01T20:57:00.000+07:002020-04-01T20:57:10.475+07:00Greetings from Thailand - Waving not drowning!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Greetings from Bangkok. Here I am your little Wren - <i><b>waving not drowning</b></i> at you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was the name of the bath bombs I used to buy from Lush on arrival for a new life in Australia. It was sold as a fast fizzer, soothing and calming as it contained lavender and ylang-ylang. It was perfect for me all those years ago moving into the unknown.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have a feeling '<i>waving not drowning</i>' bath bombs sadly no longer sold, would be good for us all now. If anyone wants to set up a fast business, I'll buy enough for the entire world and let's see what we can do!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWwzPkbAbpuGZMaYa5eVNLqpBKmqK6SJ9WTtl4Bk5LLZlKozMhUmg8msmIU6YO3G8XD0NcDgqJ5XPc5nZaladWvMAratMKjaszgev5Il-erdtInRGepVP_EeLHEX1mPFFjjVFuxMEI8X4/s1600/LIFE+%2526+TRAVEL+IN+THAILAND+COVID-19+TIMES.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWwzPkbAbpuGZMaYa5eVNLqpBKmqK6SJ9WTtl4Bk5LLZlKozMhUmg8msmIU6YO3G8XD0NcDgqJ5XPc5nZaladWvMAratMKjaszgev5Il-erdtInRGepVP_EeLHEX1mPFFjjVFuxMEI8X4/s640/LIFE+%2526+TRAVEL+IN+THAILAND+COVID-19+TIMES.png" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here in Thailand, we are doing fine. I feel like the whole world has now caught up with coronavirus dramas which were uppermost in my mind (amongst other things!) for my last "<a href="https://littlewanderingwren.blogspot.com/2020/02/little-wobbly-wren.html" target="_blank">Little Wobbly Wren</a>' post.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">An earlier post <i><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/03/05/thailand-life-in-covid-19-times/" target="_blank">Life and Travel in Covid-19 Times </a></i> will bring you up to date with some of the actions we have been taking to keep ourselves safe at this time in our part of the world.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcO6JX2SOajfP29rctdxsW86ajL4sS-ny9BxSRicErukqeUuCtoPXVQZvmkwCcps8LI8FDeBXt6c-9vdq1mVMEehzeuZIQMbj3tANUjdMTalyBGlYasMdQbIMUw61VgfU38JvSqnd-2KV3/s1600/3e00d7ad-acaf-4eb1-beb7-9861081dc3ed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcO6JX2SOajfP29rctdxsW86ajL4sS-ny9BxSRicErukqeUuCtoPXVQZvmkwCcps8LI8FDeBXt6c-9vdq1mVMEehzeuZIQMbj3tANUjdMTalyBGlYasMdQbIMUw61VgfU38JvSqnd-2KV3/s640/3e00d7ad-acaf-4eb1-beb7-9861081dc3ed.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We like many are staying home and self-isolating. I am very, very respectful of the potential for this virus to be utterly destructive and I am holding my breath for my loved ones across the globe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But there is the sense for someone like me that is a planner and organiser that life is so utterly unpredictable that I'm beyond the panic and into the fascination. It is at times simply so unbelievable that I don't know how to react. We are trying to keep calm and carry-on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My family are social distancing on three continents across the world. Working from home has been the norm in Melbourne, London and Bangkok. In Australia, our Crazy Poodle is having the best time. After three years where he became used to weekday social isolation, he's loving everyone at home! Here he is showing his full excitement for his sporadic walks!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qulb-oFdMcEo10kE-RbyCzMV5uH2uenys98n5WUjAArd628VLFpx1EBzJuU_ZRPBr4EjOASU7mJFM0hRh4guQX-khHIgNSCMAD-P_-BHJV3WaEWFtpWu85KnQiD05K81mZ4o5e0Vk830/s1600/Crazy+Poodle3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="506" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qulb-oFdMcEo10kE-RbyCzMV5uH2uenys98n5WUjAArd628VLFpx1EBzJuU_ZRPBr4EjOASU7mJFM0hRh4guQX-khHIgNSCMAD-P_-BHJV3WaEWFtpWu85KnQiD05K81mZ4o5e0Vk830/s640/Crazy+Poodle3.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've decided that COVID is a great dogs name! What do you think? Was it in Italy where people are allowed out to walk the dog and that owners are hiring out dogs and making a fortune from those who are going stir crazy confined to indoors? I'm sensing a whole new life for the old dog yet!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are setting up new routines, Mr Wren is working from home and we've added a lot of rescue remedy and yoga into daily life, oh and as we have British roots there is a lot of tea being drunk. In England, a nice cuppa is always on offer at times of need...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here in Bangkok, we've been asked by the Thai Government to follow social distancing and I have got to know our apartment building very well. We are managing to stay within the complex - I even walked down 35 flights of stairs yesterday!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The biggest joy of all was when our Thai Sunbirds returned to nest. There has been much chirping and excitement at our place recently. We are so grateful to these little birds for setting up a nest with us. You can read all about it here:</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/03/27/our-bangkok-balcony-sunbirds/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our Thai Balcony Sunbirds</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJwKk3NH3djy9ytYBf40QGWB0_ExOILSiYpRUBvq8l3Bq5A7GPRe5lDXOWNoqbqQA387vomywGqUX8AUxbZUHGAcDTy9AdfQSSvgSAPlwLJhXlOyN78rt6fT6NzBKydSiDsULI4epqR2s/s1600/Bangkok%252C+Thailand.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJwKk3NH3djy9ytYBf40QGWB0_ExOILSiYpRUBvq8l3Bq5A7GPRe5lDXOWNoqbqQA387vomywGqUX8AUxbZUHGAcDTy9AdfQSSvgSAPlwLJhXlOyN78rt6fT6NzBKydSiDsULI4epqR2s/s640/Bangkok%252C+Thailand.png" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I never knew when I wrote an article on Forest Bathing in late 2019 how we might yearn for this in today's crazy world. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Won't you join me and some lovely Bangkok friends as we discover Forest Bathing? We learn how to experience it, what are the benefits and why everyone should go hug a tree. That is of course if you are able to safely get out and about...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFfyr4l0FjrBQRf7_CZ0KTT_sWxkqfrXY7nk_UyGodTWg_jPrIQY5odLmsPF8bBpdV66AkdSOBGsW9k7kQKfQRBAbM4RrZLzl5zeWAjEJe60Zjg_pZW4jV3eKuyFCgtelA9V7oZKL7two/s1600/Forest+Bathing.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFfyr4l0FjrBQRf7_CZ0KTT_sWxkqfrXY7nk_UyGodTWg_jPrIQY5odLmsPF8bBpdV66AkdSOBGsW9k7kQKfQRBAbM4RrZLzl5zeWAjEJe60Zjg_pZW4jV3eKuyFCgtelA9V7oZKL7two/s640/Forest+Bathing.png" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21;">If not, come take a virtual wander with me amongst the trees. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21;">It is the true meaning of social isolation - social distancing is expected. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/03/18/happy-international-forest-day-march-21st/" target="_blank">Happy International Forest Day</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21;">This article was featured in </span><a class="profileLink" data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=432395196823211&extragetparams=%7B%22__tn__%22%3A%22%2CdK-R-R%22%2C%22eid%22%3A%22ARDyfpq6jrEhEWNYmiwHqpBuj5RtcrzsBQv2JSgsbNB2k7VTGZTN44OV5S7_aABBVXqDn4i9l7nql9oj%22%2C%22fref%22%3A%22mentions%22%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/expatlifeinthailand/?__tn__=K-R&eid=ARDyfpq6jrEhEWNYmiwHqpBuj5RtcrzsBQv2JSgsbNB2k7VTGZTN44OV5S7_aABBVXqDn4i9l7nql9oj&fref=mentions&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDZiRYSxySVK-BFyBPWIXDJG4prAMjwYcSy5Hv9uhz5_-wEndWtTySV07CK8IMoTV_dLGYxMu8pdkokgMdSHBmR26-nfhEgr-jNT9dNQM_Mxx4FCJCdnjGN1H_rMoXhLiqm9CiLt21i1dQkTaU1znqR4PA03EXRW66QW495_tEsW3fap_VaNFKeDY6jHJskdybIHw5No2fOFGY2" style="background-color: white; color: #385898; cursor: pointer;">Expat Life in Thailand</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21;">Thanks to </span><a class="profileLink" data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=191064754260829&extragetparams=%7B%22__tn__%22%3A%22%2CdK-R-R%22%2C%22eid%22%3A%22ARDSrsr5r84mseiHh440qM60Cz8YAwq-ROKvOZs4oSifmqXsHgNH1QEQbiLD4IU6GV-6-gzJsRCSBHYR%22%2C%22fref%22%3A%22mentions%22%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/littletreegarden/?__tn__=K-R&eid=ARDSrsr5r84mseiHh440qM60Cz8YAwq-ROKvOZs4oSifmqXsHgNH1QEQbiLD4IU6GV-6-gzJsRCSBHYR&fref=mentions&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDZiRYSxySVK-BFyBPWIXDJG4prAMjwYcSy5Hv9uhz5_-wEndWtTySV07CK8IMoTV_dLGYxMu8pdkokgMdSHBmR26-nfhEgr-jNT9dNQM_Mxx4FCJCdnjGN1H_rMoXhLiqm9CiLt21i1dQkTaU1znqR4PA03EXRW66QW495_tEsW3fap_VaNFKeDY6jHJskdybIHw5No2fOFGY2" style="background-color: white; color: #385898; cursor: pointer;">Little Tree cafe</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21;"> for a wonderful lunch.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtVe2rpTljSH7L0N9OywRT9ZD_97eWw_3YvNkcR2g6nbQ4QbhNv8Os3ST21Yt_VXZpDUHmHnQNH2H64J3em3Ysa9clYMgmWHbQbmXVwnWkxBw4Ulsyu8flzfKdaySfaqRcqEldUlQ13ad/s1600/IMG_6396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="640" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtVe2rpTljSH7L0N9OywRT9ZD_97eWw_3YvNkcR2g6nbQ4QbhNv8Os3ST21Yt_VXZpDUHmHnQNH2H64J3em3Ysa9clYMgmWHbQbmXVwnWkxBw4Ulsyu8flzfKdaySfaqRcqEldUlQ13ad/s640/IMG_6396.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Given that it looks like we will be in social isolation throughout April, I decided to join the annual <a href="http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/2020/" target="_blank">A to Z Blogging Challenge</a>. My 2020 theme is <b><i>My Thai Life and Travels. </i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have invited some guest bloggers to join me as we share with you some of our Thailand favourites. We are going to have some great giveaways so I hope you will join us at <a href="http://littlewanderingwren.com/">Littlewanderingwren.com</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsp5XENQO3WkSLcuImvQ41zkyY6wBw-p9BirtrPE5CMg4tJYBB27Yo9WczFV_ZmPHV95hyuZW0nM_eo02s9gwgbLTAq6D9-AcDK7gaNQR8iZBzYzBl3vMG_VuCXjQxqQxeWDzi7uwV98vB/s1600/AtoZbadge2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsp5XENQO3WkSLcuImvQ41zkyY6wBw-p9BirtrPE5CMg4tJYBB27Yo9WczFV_ZmPHV95hyuZW0nM_eo02s9gwgbLTAq6D9-AcDK7gaNQR8iZBzYzBl3vMG_VuCXjQxqQxeWDzi7uwV98vB/s1600/AtoZbadge2020.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sending you all lots of love for the forthcoming weeks. Take care everyone and will be over to visit you just as soon as I can.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCryww0Ohcz4Y8YIP451WE11EGskNwcB04MhKPrmGcirwMZM9NqiGEhbQ8uiUqItIrVbMshvrlvaKA9o59W3bCOUm9M-hr3bTAGa-DqhPwvaVnSNfzGXzCeDJKp3mLEde6xbSAC6NEJr9x/s1600/LWW_banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="1600" height="75" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCryww0Ohcz4Y8YIP451WE11EGskNwcB04MhKPrmGcirwMZM9NqiGEhbQ8uiUqItIrVbMshvrlvaKA9o59W3bCOUm9M-hr3bTAGa-DqhPwvaVnSNfzGXzCeDJKp3mLEde6xbSAC6NEJr9x/s400/LWW_banner.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Linking with thanks to Lady Fi and all the hosts at <a href="https://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Our World Tuesday</a></span></div>
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Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com23Bangkok, Thailand13.7563309 100.501765113.2627269 99.8563181 14.2499349 101.1472121tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-91223693975161534192020-02-21T15:23:00.001+07:002020-02-26T12:03:32.810+07:00Little Wobbly Wren<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hello everyone and how are you doing? For those of you in the depths of winter hang on in there. I'm sure Spring is just around the corner! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZF5LfmEOmqECpCIWFHqLc5178Cha7-twqW3MIpC3Z6BQSLVJDpJ-DoyT_q6UK2jTFTUJtG9SvY_SmDc6ruV6iBRgVD_DLVkxSaS1c9P8sUnrc_q0VKmFKdtuGzsjBWCd19zfa2GepKDbp/s1600/Aus2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZF5LfmEOmqECpCIWFHqLc5178Cha7-twqW3MIpC3Z6BQSLVJDpJ-DoyT_q6UK2jTFTUJtG9SvY_SmDc6ruV6iBRgVD_DLVkxSaS1c9P8sUnrc_q0VKmFKdtuGzsjBWCd19zfa2GepKDbp/s640/Aus2020.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I had a memorable few weeks in January. Summer in Australia is usually my favourite time of year. This year it had a few challenges!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Weather:</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here in Australia, a</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">fter the</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://littlewanderingwren.blogspot.com/2020/01/its-not-happy-new-year-here-in-australia.html" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">bushfires</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">came the much-needed rains. I have never seen the parks and gardens of Melbourne looking so lush in February. W</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">e had everything, and the kitchen sink, thrown at us weather-wise. The year continued with cyclones, flooding and storms pounding our country.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I spotted this Melbourne street art and agreed with its sentiments.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvLb_3ChvtVe1gNLIP3Jbhx3KAu6TV0zBRojf6WI1GbposDnTMktU-XzHtsA9_ykZKZnqHWje_QPYrIZVWCk9-mGwPE4kfFzttNv1qilkBBu7oB4JSjhZqIYd8sgWacW1dXagi4a4T3bb/s1600/Learn+don%2527t+burn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvLb_3ChvtVe1gNLIP3Jbhx3KAu6TV0zBRojf6WI1GbposDnTMktU-XzHtsA9_ykZKZnqHWje_QPYrIZVWCk9-mGwPE4kfFzttNv1qilkBBu7oB4JSjhZqIYd8sgWacW1dXagi4a4T3bb/s640/Learn+don%2527t+burn.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Our cars were pitted from the hail damage from a tropical storm and we seem to be constantly clearing up from dust storms which have covered us in a red layer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">No-one will ever dare complain as we are lucky compared with those who lost loved ones, property and businesses and the devastation to the wildlife. We rejoiced on the days when the sky was blue, the air was clear and all was calm.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtADiLNi-qxzpbM_BMsVYThXFh9L6hvmNXVUIeqJB72dVbu9Y-tgXwtC_uePPpH5u_zsffcyZoCVrvbXe2epwlswwXPsiwqJdJU77xzWbIoIU9DpI2rOSmbHKU0s5anvBjLuZ7IzJ7e3b/s1600/Street+Art+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtADiLNi-qxzpbM_BMsVYThXFh9L6hvmNXVUIeqJB72dVbu9Y-tgXwtC_uePPpH5u_zsffcyZoCVrvbXe2epwlswwXPsiwqJdJU77xzWbIoIU9DpI2rOSmbHKU0s5anvBjLuZ7IzJ7e3b/s640/Street+Art+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Melbourne Life</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We spent a lot of time at home as my son was recovering from another operation following his <a href="https://littlewanderingwren.blogspot.com/2018/11/im-death-road-survivor.html" target="_blank">bike accident</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Crazy Poodle has been happy with this and we invited some of his doggy friends to join us for <b>Doga - Doggy Yoga </b>with <a href="https://pawdinkum.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pawdinkum</a>. I have been buying Pawdinkum's healthy range of dog treats for a while, the Doga was a fundraiser for <a href="https://www.wires.org.au/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA-bjyBRCcARIsAFboWg0we3HmRUcQPpW-gDqPAANFMWT6OLBM77sccVmjCJbiezeuBxTA5dYaAqFzEALw_wcB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WiRES</a> Wildlife rescue. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It was such fun. It started with a mass wagging of tails and excited dogs, but it was amazing how the music and Fiona's voice calmed them down. You could hardly believe how relaxed we all were, dogs included. At the end, the dogs all lined up to have Pawsturizer made with essential oils!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hGSyO4rUINRiG5Wid6qJ5Sb_AZ3_KQOKtrNimE_K84HAfURKYUlA4AQ98QP-Wkrtcnn2OHVMHvHW3pHQKxphTr2Ai-wAzWJ1p6j-lDwYgRB1F2LTCEGuyAwZZ7YWd4UbddgqUK5BBkx3/s1600/Doga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hGSyO4rUINRiG5Wid6qJ5Sb_AZ3_KQOKtrNimE_K84HAfURKYUlA4AQ98QP-Wkrtcnn2OHVMHvHW3pHQKxphTr2Ai-wAzWJ1p6j-lDwYgRB1F2LTCEGuyAwZZ7YWd4UbddgqUK5BBkx3/s640/Doga.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Year of the Rat</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Under the Chinese Zodiac, this <a href="https://www.thechinesezodiac.org/horoscope-2020/" target="_blank">Year of the Metal Rat </a>is shaping up to be an interesting one. Is this your year?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The years of the Rat are: 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, and 2032.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They say that the Year of the Rat is the year of new beginnings! So I wish you well if you are planning a new start with something life-changing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Talking of new beginnings at the end of our Doga class our water lily bloomed. It's a once a year event and I took it to be a good omen!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVaCuLfRKXXGU-M0Mtn4CqRGOjwVbFEuH7A9CePLVByNGx1Eyk2XFmDG8x08EtXDnDNGFw-AklRI-1aYLsTj8Q5rkJPelmfNYSVcmrDQwVTqhov48yMSRubTi1JQQ1mAi7OcWje7lA1epG/s1600/lily+2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVaCuLfRKXXGU-M0Mtn4CqRGOjwVbFEuH7A9CePLVByNGx1Eyk2XFmDG8x08EtXDnDNGFw-AklRI-1aYLsTj8Q5rkJPelmfNYSVcmrDQwVTqhov48yMSRubTi1JQQ1mAi7OcWje7lA1epG/s640/lily+2020.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The Gin Safari</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Whilst I was in Melbourne I was invited to join The Regional Wanderer's Gin Safari. I was excited by the invitation as gin has made quite a come-back in my circle of friends, so I wanted to learn more about it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEFDPl93pwMvxG4pFRVOWXM9kJ8IE6SL5uMvkVpT_Gv0TOTVEQe9RIovEZHJ8TH62xjCiz5Sd4jhcd42im_YECTt6fSN7_N2a0rGh4ZGJbOaVHa4sWmgejTeXaf1ccdAZbbO1AMaK8NSZ/s1600/Gin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEFDPl93pwMvxG4pFRVOWXM9kJ8IE6SL5uMvkVpT_Gv0TOTVEQe9RIovEZHJ8TH62xjCiz5Sd4jhcd42im_YECTt6fSN7_N2a0rGh4ZGJbOaVHa4sWmgejTeXaf1ccdAZbbO1AMaK8NSZ/s640/Gin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It was also a great opportunity to get out into regional Victoria and show how Australia is still open, and that plenty of our beautiful countryside was not affected by the bushfires</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It was quite possibly the hardest blogging adventure of all time. Trying to fully participate in the event, which involved at least 10 gins (over a six-hour period), whilst ensuring I was able to remember all the details to do it justice was a challenge. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It was a brilliant day out and you can read my finished blog post here: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/02/20/the-regional-wanderers-gin-safari/" target="_blank">The Regional Wanderer's Gin Safari</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I would love to know what you think? Hopefully, I did it justice!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bangkok Life</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile, from my Bangkok life, I was finalising a couple of posts which might just start a war. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Are you a coffee or tea drinker? </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'm both! I certainly can't get very far in my day without seeking out a much-needed coffee. I blame Melbourne for spoiling me when it comes to coffee. Somewhere along the line, I became a coffee snob. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So I was happy as a pig in mud to have been asked by <a href="https://www.expique.com/blog/bangkoks-best-coffee-shops/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Expique Bangkok Tours </a>to update their '<b><i>9 of the Best Coffee shops in Bangkok</i></b>' blog post. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxzPpd8XztuQrJhFyfZbtn1NAMj33IaBABOm3GRNtr8IJwjYl1IVT9o-7JOhP0I8207WiEFTUu3vjtglQ-_MnNWctbJsPUcoM0uxlLyRee8RyUogL2AG6G5q9vt-2GRxRgeUHGXcidFaZ/s1600/Best+Ever+Cookie+Recipes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxzPpd8XztuQrJhFyfZbtn1NAMj33IaBABOm3GRNtr8IJwjYl1IVT9o-7JOhP0I8207WiEFTUu3vjtglQ-_MnNWctbJsPUcoM0uxlLyRee8RyUogL2AG6G5q9vt-2GRxRgeUHGXcidFaZ/s640/Best+Ever+Cookie+Recipes.png" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You can read about it here: <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/02/08/best-bangkok-coffee-shops/" target="_blank">Best Bangkok Coffee Shops</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For those of you who love Instagram check out <a href="https://www.instagram.com/midlifeadventuring/" target="_blank">@midlifeadventuring</a>. Andrea is a fellow coffee lover who originally hails from New York City. She has an awesome travel Instagram page and is the best co-coffee writer I know!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-3UXCF0CF_6H_kvmcjwBwSYeOTmB6fdMdTmqcPnCNokxu-h_JhDSvWUbA-ouvmQf0bb7M__3CXlAx4HYcOSTlcp0uJdculEXwAFWQV3uxAPsuGUi3fnpf5w8adb4FXFStjob7_cXEO0R/s1600/6E4C9B93-3A72-457E-AB2E-543C552DC212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-3UXCF0CF_6H_kvmcjwBwSYeOTmB6fdMdTmqcPnCNokxu-h_JhDSvWUbA-ouvmQf0bb7M__3CXlAx4HYcOSTlcp0uJdculEXwAFWQV3uxAPsuGUi3fnpf5w8adb4FXFStjob7_cXEO0R/s640/6E4C9B93-3A72-457E-AB2E-543C552DC212.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At the same time the <b>Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok </b>invited me to join them to test out their Gluten-free and Vegan Afternoon Tea Sets. I just love this historic hotel. When I enter it is like going to a by-gone age, with all mod cons! Please pop along here to let the good folks at the MO see you have visited:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/02/02/afternoon-tea-at-the-mandarin-oriental-authors-lounge-2/" target="_blank">A delightful afternoon tea treat at the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qyHkdlEbSBe0GGM_28wYRAIqEp17DEoPS_w2Bj3kwSES7MmziRZcYmko-S__aPvuLkpKIdAOf0qV0R0TcSH0xuy1seLc9ioptMWurr0juC5LkgZ_dPe2jpjSbMfP9shHHDU-NpRVnYSM/s1600/IMG_2374+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qyHkdlEbSBe0GGM_28wYRAIqEp17DEoPS_w2Bj3kwSES7MmziRZcYmko-S__aPvuLkpKIdAOf0qV0R0TcSH0xuy1seLc9ioptMWurr0juC5LkgZ_dPe2jpjSbMfP9shHHDU-NpRVnYSM/s640/IMG_2374+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Of course, tea sits well with me too, going back to my British roots where a cup of tea is the solution to almost everything! I have drunk quite a bit of tea over the past few weeks... sitting gripped with horror at the TV bushfire coverage with an English friend to commiserate Brexit, with my son in his hospital room, after a hard to stomach tennis loss, pondering the Coronavirus and where in the world is best to wait it out! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>A summer of Tennis</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Our beautiful summer of tennis continues and I made it back to Thailand in time to enjoy the finals of the WTA Thailand Open. We are so lucky to have had this level of women's pro tennis in Hua Hin - a seaside town about 3 hours out of Bangkok.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPy_dJn83n2d5Z83YYPbUX0Nwnvo77yZ5Z90NfFi-SGap8DoA3SoPBixM4dd4X5_bxl3EA-W5w_I_7fy3_cAbgh2M8zGaYmQPJu5TdWpIG-z8jus9_aBPdPt4QVgQSzyQCG5N9_JiK7io/s1600/BABEB669-D4A0-42CC-887D-022B75DF6317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1439" data-original-width="1440" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPy_dJn83n2d5Z83YYPbUX0Nwnvo77yZ5Z90NfFi-SGap8DoA3SoPBixM4dd4X5_bxl3EA-W5w_I_7fy3_cAbgh2M8zGaYmQPJu5TdWpIG-z8jus9_aBPdPt4QVgQSzyQCG5N9_JiK7io/s640/BABEB669-D4A0-42CC-887D-022B75DF6317.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The tournament turned the tennis courts pink and made the event a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness in Thailand. How special is that?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> You can read all about it here: <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2020/01/28/anyone-for-tennis-wta-thailand-open-2020/" target="_blank">Anyone for Tennis: WTA Thailand Open 202</a></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Coronavirus</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Our big news in the region is the impact of the coronavirus which is taking up a lot of people's energy. Our hearts go out to those in Wuhan and beyond who are affected by the virus. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We are doing our best to keep healthy and there is a lot of hand washing going on!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Well, I think that's all for now folks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Have a great weekend where ever you are reading this!</span></div>
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Linking with thanks to Angie at <a href="https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mosaic Monday</a>, </div>
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All the hosts at <a href="https://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Our World Tuesday</a></div>
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And Betty at <a href="https://myworldthrumycameralens.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">My Corner of the World</a></div>
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Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com25Bangkok, Thailand18.304149909997875 100.72276194999999-11.869684590002127 59.414168449999991 48.477984409997873 142.03135544999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-24123484109862047312020-01-08T07:54:00.001+07:002020-01-14T18:15:52.880+07:00It's not a Happy New Year here in Australia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Hello, everyone. Greetings from Australia</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I hope you are all doing well wherever you are reading this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As I'm sure you've heard, things are not so good here in my part of the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2019 was Australia's hottest and driest on record. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Our 2020 started, as the last century ended, with a New Year inferno. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Devasting bushfires, record temperatures and air pollution at critical levels </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">have made news across the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>A massive thank you to all of you who have contacted me with love and concern </b></i></span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>asking how you can help with our current bushfire disaster.</b></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We live in harrowing times, our news is filled with images that are sometimes beyond belief. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">My family and home in suburban Melbourne are all fine. For us, other than disrupted holiday plans, and the polluted air, we are largely unaffected. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><i><b>Except that sometimes everything seems to have changed, </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><i><b>and at others, life goes on. It is the weirdest of times.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;">It is the saddest of times, especially for those who are directly affected by these tragic fires.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> As things currently stand, at least 25 people are dead and more than 1500 homes have been destroyed. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">The bravery of the firefighters and volunteer Fire Services is immense.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Fortunately, fatalities have been massively reduced, following learning from the Black Saturday fires in 2009 where 173 people died. Technology helps humans and we can set up alerts to keep informed for fire risk developments.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">To share with you the extent of the disaster, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">international media tells us the 2018 California fires burnt 2 million acres; </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">the 2019 Amazon fires 2.2 million; and the 2019 Siberian fires 6.7 million. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">As fires continue to burn across the land we have lost 12 million acres across the c</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">ountry. I can't even begin to talk about the loss of wildlife...</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Every time it is the wildlife that is injured or burnt to death </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>that is the tipping point of my anger.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This week we had some reprieve, and by this, we mean the weather has been cooler and there has been some rain. However, there are still fires burning in 6 states and 130 fires burning in New South Wales. We are heading for extreme heat again on the weekend... </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnl352_q-FzJf7kdvqkqhQBZU-EOptBfXCLZRTnPIxUSBLxiP3PGlcSZvo4uHgooJDIJySYwwCMIC9asc7-kkF9nB9sGiiNqDKZqAungV1F_FZW7BS-UbLyqcUuUejwJxrOgVxP2IyKTs/s1600/Bushfires1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1472" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnl352_q-FzJf7kdvqkqhQBZU-EOptBfXCLZRTnPIxUSBLxiP3PGlcSZvo4uHgooJDIJySYwwCMIC9asc7-kkF9nB9sGiiNqDKZqAungV1F_FZW7BS-UbLyqcUuUejwJxrOgVxP2IyKTs/s640/Bushfires1.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Right now I am in regional Victoria and I am using the Vic Emergency App.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You set a location and receive alerts for Warnings and Incidents</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My App tells me that in my current location (Northern Country) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">has is a VERY HIGH fire danger today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I receive a text message every time there is a bush fire warning. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Last night the phone pings and there is a fire at Kangaroo Flat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I can see four fire engines are responding and where it is in relation to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is reassuring in scary times.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I mean how has life come to this?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaly84d8DJN3i0eJxeIx0F3kz8VpWAUPZKF-FD9xjThGoY45Hrc5ONdxEKfWdrxCjmJtK_B2VswgJXzTcGn6qXOYteWwMrLWTc5lxvK8Fv7Pu7oY_UyOj8e1vHBuVJHiifrmOEhZ44WffN/s1600/Bushfire3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1472" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaly84d8DJN3i0eJxeIx0F3kz8VpWAUPZKF-FD9xjThGoY45Hrc5ONdxEKfWdrxCjmJtK_B2VswgJXzTcGn6qXOYteWwMrLWTc5lxvK8Fv7Pu7oY_UyOj8e1vHBuVJHiifrmOEhZ44WffN/s640/Bushfire3.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We are also closely monitoring Air Quality. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Due to my Bangkok life where I live with a constant issue of poor air quality. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I already had an App for this!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9CZOoe1MJBNjPlzmJc-qMfWsrV-Io7uFbekj6UnbXs5ARhD2bvGzriy0aO6f5E0L6KwGJk9Hog37jliC69geOpnmLZD6RtM9kLeRgWxE7Iip6NueI6eqtpSpFop9Y8kRB3pyO1RNLFoQ/s1600/Bushfire2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1472" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9CZOoe1MJBNjPlzmJc-qMfWsrV-Io7uFbekj6UnbXs5ARhD2bvGzriy0aO6f5E0L6KwGJk9Hog37jliC69geOpnmLZD6RtM9kLeRgWxE7Iip6NueI6eqtpSpFop9Y8kRB3pyO1RNLFoQ/s640/Bushfire2.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Who would have ever thought though that our air quality in Melbourne, Australia would be worse than in Bangkok? Canberra's air quality has been the worst in the world. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have brought my Bangkok mask to Australia. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What I don't have are the air purifiers for inside the home like I have in Thailand... </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">How long will it be before every house is being built with built-in air purifiers?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We are all in this world together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As our friends in New Zealand will tell you who live over 4,000 km away and are now breathing in our polluted air, </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">we all breathe the same air.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1AWZTU7FT2FVxLuhdrWApmTibSdabW089uMQ_iT40oThlteDr8LlwCkWmPw30ZGH8P8GTwRwDPdlwjF_YEGDMlt22F2NTkP6ZrFEw6gcpyD95uhDq08g4VILZHquZZwkaCo5Y-4Rzuu0/s1600/Bushfires.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1AWZTU7FT2FVxLuhdrWApmTibSdabW089uMQ_iT40oThlteDr8LlwCkWmPw30ZGH8P8GTwRwDPdlwjF_YEGDMlt22F2NTkP6ZrFEw6gcpyD95uhDq08g4VILZHquZZwkaCo5Y-4Rzuu0/s640/Bushfires.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We are currently in the Summer holiday season in our part of the world</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> and we still have the most intense heat month of February ahead and to contend with. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Heaven help Australia.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The extreme heat and the accompanying swirling winds have been like opening a fan-forced oven. I hope they don't come back... The speed that these fires can travel is unbelievable. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTuofwT5wTHiGdSpkAAsxMcDiNK0CzxCIudGLH5UupVpSgkvfuizLciFC8qd96_GrjAwEFls7m2VB80nLGOfBZylKuJLCaXLnbqrLOBvTxSEb7Hq97KCxrfANJPI7Mm-5qW3qWfbBRHRj/s1600/GtOceanRd2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTuofwT5wTHiGdSpkAAsxMcDiNK0CzxCIudGLH5UupVpSgkvfuizLciFC8qd96_GrjAwEFls7m2VB80nLGOfBZylKuJLCaXLnbqrLOBvTxSEb7Hq97KCxrfANJPI7Mm-5qW3qWfbBRHRj/s640/GtOceanRd2018.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The world's compassion and support have been immense.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Many of you have recounted your visits to Australia and your wonderful memories of trips far and wide across the land. We know your countries are sending Firefighters, Troops and Aid. We see everyday people and celebrities making generous donations and saw how Climate Change took centre stage at the Golden Globe awards.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRWI5LhTtrXnNtYWKktvN-ZbxmgR9KptlCwxehhc5i47qvvuF5LWsyNnPteLdlyO7UM3UD0rF51AK-Gp01AN63ePQH1kKk_DFX9pAXgrWhA07fv2rH9n1zdmN01nCysL_M_DxH9vl_gf36/s1600/BotGardens1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRWI5LhTtrXnNtYWKktvN-ZbxmgR9KptlCwxehhc5i47qvvuF5LWsyNnPteLdlyO7UM3UD0rF51AK-Gp01AN63ePQH1kKk_DFX9pAXgrWhA07fv2rH9n1zdmN01nCysL_M_DxH9vl_gf36/s640/BotGardens1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I am reading so many heartfelt comments through my social media accounts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I wanted to thank you for each and every one of them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To the people who send their best wishes and have donated to the relief funds Thank you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you would like to read Buttercup's post: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><i>My heart and prayers are in Australia</i></b> <a href="https://buttercupcountsherblessings.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-heart-and-prayers-are-in-australia.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ButtercupCountsHerBlessings+%28Buttercup+Counts+her+Blessings%29" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">click here</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Melbourne's Daily: <b><i>Bushfires</i></b> <a href="https://melbournedaily.blogspot.com/2020/01/bushfires.html" target="_blank">click here</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Life Images by Jill:</span> <b><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Australia is Burning</span></i></b> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://lifeimagesbyjill.blogspot.com/2020/01/australia-is-burning.html" target="_blank">click here</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Making Animal Pouches With Love</b> <a href="https://lifeimagesbyjill.blogspot.com/2020/01/making-animal-pouches-with-love.html?showComment=1578955673409#c8159218929325665027" target="_blank">click here</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">50 Shades of Age: <b>Australia has been burni</b><b>ng</b></span> <a href="https://www.50shadesofage.com/2020/01/02/australia-has-been-burning/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">click here</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Traveling HoneyBird: <b>Should you travel to Australia </b><a href="https://www.travelinghoneybird.com/travel-in-australia/?fbclid=IwAR0jgKlgXLbcdOcMTZNhgSLarvCJi4_nEq3x-lFdlv7Ylu6v1b4MGKsXMmI" target="_blank">click here</a></span><br />
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From Pat: <a href="https://millefiorifavoriti.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">MilleFioriFavoriti</a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">It would be remiss if I did not mention how sad I am for the terrible fires occurring in Australia during this their summer season, and the concurrent destruction of human life and property and wildlife. I visited Australia in 2011 and enjoyed all its beauty. One of the highlights of my trip was visiting Taronga Zoo--</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: start;"><a href="https://millefiorifavoriti.blogspot.com/2011/03/taronga-zoo-masman-nsw-australia.html" rel="nofollow" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">click here</a></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> to see that post--and where I had the chance to hold this koala bear, as well as do a "walkabout" with kangaroos. Wildfire is always a danger in the United States West, so I truly sympathize with all the people of Australia and I hope and pray all the fires will be resolved very soon!</span><br />
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For those who love to Knit and Sew amongst you check out how you can help<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-14/small-sewn-items-make-big-difference-to-animals-injured-in-bush/11703996" target="_blank"> here</a><br />
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Linking with thanks to all the hosts at <a href="https://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Our World Tuesday</a>, Mersad at <a href="https://mersad-photography.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-first-cold-through-my-lens-nr-222.html" target="_blank">Through My Lens</a></div>
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and to Betty at <a href="https://myworldthrumycameralens.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">My Corner of the World</a></div>
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Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com33Bendigo VIC 3550, Australia-36.7570157 144.27939059999994-36.7824592 144.23905009999993 -36.731572199999995 144.31973109999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-81753434360494592052019-11-13T21:02:00.001+07:002019-11-13T21:51:35.661+07:00My Colourful Thai Life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hello, hello how are you all today? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All is good here in Thailand </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">where life continues to be one long riot of colour!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Won't you come on a wander with me and</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I'll show what we've been up to? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Last week's colourful <a href="https://littlewanderingwren.blogspot.com/2019/11/all-things-bright-and-beautiful-in.html" target="_blank">Christmas photos </a>were just the beginning...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9f3Dk1Ce6fhwTBmD4euCuf_5_8uqjyktH4bsbzLT-DL6g8c8u99_99WRrxLh-JWNG1XBTY_YYNBs9-F5RHLALq053kG92sLX-TSrD8mK1oBZ1PD-d0UGcFTf1jwFJ59dVP_WiRc5fLkX/s1600/BANGKOK.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9f3Dk1Ce6fhwTBmD4euCuf_5_8uqjyktH4bsbzLT-DL6g8c8u99_99WRrxLh-JWNG1XBTY_YYNBs9-F5RHLALq053kG92sLX-TSrD8mK1oBZ1PD-d0UGcFTf1jwFJ59dVP_WiRc5fLkX/s640/BANGKOK.png" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out my Thailand travels at: littlewanderingwren.com</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We might have been a riot of colour but it's been a pretty zen week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We filled up a minibus of ladies and went off exploring.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Oh, we did have some laughs, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">luckily they all have an amazing sense of adventure!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We were recreating some of my <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2019/08/amazing-thailand-open-to-the-new-shades.html/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">International Blog Winner's Trip </a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, where we went off the beaten track:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2019/11/bangkok-backstreet-e-scooter-tour.html/" target="_blank">Finding Zen Bliss in Nakhon Nayok</a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="1600" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZZw5d4RFAXLpcRQECgIQh0zHl7wL4faRgI480n1QqMOYkfLvTxsUeKgsMfVduvAn_JkIOxsC5Qs6CMH3kgxTOyAISKcJobnj2L8HUTc5bqo7WTxQnGOVGXePMeuHUiXhqhK-gCv3At0H/s640/Bamboo+Tunnel.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bamboo Tunnel: Nakhon Nayok</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />Last weekend we went on a road trip to Lopburi Province in Central Thailand. The area is famous for its sunflowers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It took a bit of searching as the season is later due to drought, and</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">we were all the happier when we did eventually find sunflowers!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipxDVYx_Kq_7MpACUhyj5O23YUDYNY93_bv0LweYpKLKdMBc-jGpNPOByI2Mlz41kgDOxj_jTWOvwFr0xB_91Trss6z-NgPNJ_xrnQiTXwRVqzNybXkxCX2rCzzahDBQi9jK6jKC67a9t2/s1600/Sunflowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipxDVYx_Kq_7MpACUhyj5O23YUDYNY93_bv0LweYpKLKdMBc-jGpNPOByI2Mlz41kgDOxj_jTWOvwFr0xB_91Trss6z-NgPNJ_xrnQiTXwRVqzNybXkxCX2rCzzahDBQi9jK6jKC67a9t2/s640/Sunflowers.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On Monday was the most beautiful of the Thai Festivals</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Loy Krathong: </b>t</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">he festival of lanterns and light.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Krathong is a boat full of incense and candles, which you float.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> In doing so you pay respects to the water goddess </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and seek good wishes for the year ahead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'll float to that!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEtORSHC6lZGPqhUdrKSpZxa9hL1RmEcEeRnNaa7P2qgyd5uLcRT8sf3sY4JVB_GJ721lh9flTqJWWXjWuN0IOIXCNwjMCkWslljXPJwn4Mn_NjdxtnQ3k86HnyPRiGVie0ioEMWOFHOd/s640/LoyKrathong2019.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loy Krathong from Lumpini Park and Nai Lert Heritage home.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEtORSHC6lZGPqhUdrKSpZxa9hL1RmEcEeRnNaa7P2qgyd5uLcRT8sf3sY4JVB_GJ721lh9flTqJWWXjWuN0IOIXCNwjMCkWslljXPJwn4Mn_NjdxtnQ3k86HnyPRiGVie0ioEMWOFHOd/s1600/LoyKrathong2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's a mad dash to get to see the last blooms at <span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">The '</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">Central</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"> Anniversary </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">Flower</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"> Extravaganza' at the </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">Chidlom</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"> branch. This annual event is always worth a visit when all 6th levels of the Department store are adorned with fresh flowers.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNoH6xBIWmIRizq-F5quusWz_8JG7lueuzWQtvNIwLQZh6awRhJ9ZL1Vt8blJxT85gFJikoG0TJ5-cCzP1ky8bKfZ4BhshzifRgKh6xNsmFalu3f3tQdww_eEoZTi1ylpl5OuXkx6Sm9T/s1600/Central+Embassy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1112" data-original-width="1600" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNoH6xBIWmIRizq-F5quusWz_8JG7lueuzWQtvNIwLQZh6awRhJ9ZL1Vt8blJxT85gFJikoG0TJ5-cCzP1ky8bKfZ4BhshzifRgKh6xNsmFalu3f3tQdww_eEoZTi1ylpl5OuXkx6Sm9T/s640/Central+Embassy.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's always a popular event and ladies in Thailand are out and about in their finest clothes for a photo shoot!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju09JZjtPSdZ1QiTYoYVEGh8qvN3_KTCdHgcUG_wG2eY0tBLeY_W0owMf3UhwYeK74KMTRWnwhYDkA6BKNBpKwQhIeFtuFTaZwd4KYsGT35lMsIT2WCpIaGGo122tS2HvKgGviYpt6XAIE/s1600/Central.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju09JZjtPSdZ1QiTYoYVEGh8qvN3_KTCdHgcUG_wG2eY0tBLeY_W0owMf3UhwYeK74KMTRWnwhYDkA6BKNBpKwQhIeFtuFTaZwd4KYsGT35lMsIT2WCpIaGGo122tS2HvKgGviYpt6XAIE/s640/Central.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3zcgDfXSaofszdTyzSxTtyvjmLyv3cONKkaulZaUJH6gxmNin4KHuiiKSi72-yO3ovi4xOr9KSnlzbdVwnFcHIJdPAhSHsFyLIm7G0G1pDgjk81SM7pgB69NXemJlKDAVIHRx-4UYj3M/s1600/Centralchitlom2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3zcgDfXSaofszdTyzSxTtyvjmLyv3cONKkaulZaUJH6gxmNin4KHuiiKSi72-yO3ovi4xOr9KSnlzbdVwnFcHIJdPAhSHsFyLIm7G0G1pDgjk81SM7pgB69NXemJlKDAVIHRx-4UYj3M/s640/Centralchitlom2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And finally, I have been back for a wander at Chula Art Town. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is an area of Bangkok which has over 50 street art paintings. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My blog post was published in a local magazine: </span><a href="https://expatlifeinthailand.com/featured/chula-art-town/?fbclid=IwAR1Y3XeQ4D_XCuWPKDdw9cCQIfAaiCTzbYf3vjbwZinQBmdLLiJoIsYY5w4" rel="nofollow" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Expat Life in Thailand</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is still one of my favourite city walks in Bangkok </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">as you can wander the old traditional largely unchanged streets and yet see the </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">new developments AND get a good coffee on the way!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This building below was obscured by builder's vans last time we were here, </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">so it was great to see the pavement finished. It's a clever painting done by the staff and students at Chulalongkorn University, </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">but makes my eyes do funny things looking at it. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYmRJt73Tk_QDp_8ceyvierQzlRYMBmGG3TE4Th_2EAgf9pDtVbOAUomo6XsGfHtM1_qBBG4fossc7LlEDkJM60rD677ICJ00h_fAasCo6_7krHrr1IAvl0nptJlnaFeuaZ1B21v5hKWU/s640/Chula+ArtTown.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chula Art Walk</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Finally, I thought you might be interested to see us scootering around Bangkok. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Together with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/midlifeadventuring/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@midlifeadventuring</a> (check out her amazing photos on Instagram) </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">we joined a product test for a new e-scooter tour: </span></div>
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<a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2019/11/bangkok-backstreet-e-scooter-tour.html/" rel="nofollow" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Bangkok Backstreets E-Scooter Tour</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You will find the promotional video there. What do you think, we scoot in towards the end. I was rather chuffed with myself. T</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">he expression 'like a duck to water' comes to mind haha.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's all go here!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Have a lovely week and see you at yours soon :)</span><br />
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Linking with thanks to Lady Fi and all the hosts at : <a href="https://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Our World Tuesday</a> and Betty at <a href="https://littlewanderingwren.blogspot.com/2019/11/my-colourful-thai-life.html" target="_blank">My Corner of the World</a></div>
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Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com24Bangkok, Thailand13.7563309 100.5017651000000613.2627269 99.856318100000053 14.2499349 101.14721210000006tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-39827093923373035962019-11-06T09:49:00.003+07:002019-11-12T06:01:46.764+07:00All things bright and beautiful in Bangkok... and very Christmassy!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello everyone<br />
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How is your week going? I hope you're having a wonderful Wednesday. Here is a lotus flower for you. Isn't it incredible? I picked it on one of my recent trips in rural Thailand to spend some time with the Ban Laem Community. They rowed me out into the middle of the pond, like a Princess to pick it!<br />
Oh me, oh my what a life!<br />
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Mind you, if you can see the photo below I had to walk the gangplank of the bamboo path to get into the boat! You can read more about this here:<br />
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<a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2019/11/ban-laem-community-suphanburi-thailand.html/" target="_blank">The Ban Laem Community, Suphanburi, Thailand</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmMx9l6nuZfUzttQzLhmf51WSeug6uq8z-6zPisj9eZwwOnzTaW5lK7FrCs2t1mA7STo2I0yMGUMUvSNKxBdMi9R71SOwqnSz5z3fWDgGDsiYS69xY0_11B6E4ggDSdEcxiX1Hgj_0QXG/s1600/Ban+Laem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmMx9l6nuZfUzttQzLhmf51WSeug6uq8z-6zPisj9eZwwOnzTaW5lK7FrCs2t1mA7STo2I0yMGUMUvSNKxBdMi9R71SOwqnSz5z3fWDgGDsiYS69xY0_11B6E4ggDSdEcxiX1Hgj_0QXG/s640/Ban+Laem.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
All good here, although I'm missing being in Australia at the moment as it is the Spring Racing carnival's Melbourne Cup weekend. It's a lovely time of year, spring is one of the best times anywhere in the world don't you agree?<br />
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We've not got any horses here but we do have loads of animals in my corner of the world. </div>
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Whereever I go in Bangkok, </div>
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I always seem to find the elephant in the room. Haha!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UmGecjgD6ehUMaiEIspO4zjvNPkksRHPWN7ICeKEdhDr5xyP0CFjI681iISilL7Rkjse7T2fD8he91CwjqnZUdU9uf2g54E7bPD53M4_jduhOd6TkGzLVIuUbq7agULgjohggEtXoExC/s1600/The+Elephant+in+the+room.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UmGecjgD6ehUMaiEIspO4zjvNPkksRHPWN7ICeKEdhDr5xyP0CFjI681iISilL7Rkjse7T2fD8he91CwjqnZUdU9uf2g54E7bPD53M4_jduhOd6TkGzLVIuUbq7agULgjohggEtXoExC/s640/The+Elephant+in+the+room.png" width="426" /></a></div>
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Guess what happened out our way this week? The Christmas decorations went up in one of the Bangkok malls. Is that happening out your way?! </div>
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Come for a wander with me. </div>
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I'm interested to see how Thailand does Christmas this year.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDn9nr7F7iHaJ-YGv5a68sAgpYx4RP9BSTJhaIc81gI2M0QRfR3P4e6l1sVdvlZg4R2HSuRyDousgVc_4hgC2wW73IKZkyYn5JFpZLZb0XQrzW5mT89c0-W8GvO4EVlNVdWxmtylG1dYKv/s1600/Xmas2019t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDn9nr7F7iHaJ-YGv5a68sAgpYx4RP9BSTJhaIc81gI2M0QRfR3P4e6l1sVdvlZg4R2HSuRyDousgVc_4hgC2wW73IKZkyYn5JFpZLZb0XQrzW5mT89c0-W8GvO4EVlNVdWxmtylG1dYKv/s640/Xmas2019t.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is Emporium one of the really upmarket shopping malls and we seem to have a random amount of colourful animals... I'm wondering what the folks at Dolce and Gabbana think about it all?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubUIYpUsIEzRlyllM9rPmOLp72Br8fsfSOCZbaxFP-STujXY8SV1PeOeBDB_5sW8pkOc5Y_q8IKrhYrsfklAGI11k_y6cBvUTZC0gaN_3Czh8LW0uQQzgwphlqFD91TCz77exuqX8At3f/s1600/E30E3ECD-DC9E-41A3-945E-9043A482C36C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1472" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubUIYpUsIEzRlyllM9rPmOLp72Br8fsfSOCZbaxFP-STujXY8SV1PeOeBDB_5sW8pkOc5Y_q8IKrhYrsfklAGI11k_y6cBvUTZC0gaN_3Czh8LW0uQQzgwphlqFD91TCz77exuqX8At3f/s640/E30E3ECD-DC9E-41A3-945E-9043A482C36C.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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It's big, it's bold, eye-catching and colourful and I'll leave you to tell me what you think...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBm24ZtaheoY96BlTglpGx2ZYBRMSW1VCTBe5GjCMAcCO7u-_ZGexZTcWS0IoZX2rR1Ul8YGVx9mfik85pHsaalsaZ7b6Offejss_jtfl0IPsUQmTRjCqYp1j_xhEPNxu55DP8wp8CNcPh/s1600/Xmas2019b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1187" data-original-width="1600" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBm24ZtaheoY96BlTglpGx2ZYBRMSW1VCTBe5GjCMAcCO7u-_ZGexZTcWS0IoZX2rR1Ul8YGVx9mfik85pHsaalsaZ7b6Offejss_jtfl0IPsUQmTRjCqYp1j_xhEPNxu55DP8wp8CNcPh/s640/Xmas2019b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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... apart from it seems a tad early to be thinking about Christmas.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMTHAgosrieYfeM9qy0cmo9xcHR3sYpZ_bOSX8LflBQbfsIxmiHVKxkBHmryPGBKaPe4Vtg4zPta4U2cEoa82d1gv_rK_Ep7JDBZZ2rCOGplZs3Iu-r_F98_E4yjJInSFHO1LykYuGPoL/s1600/xmas2019d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1290" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMTHAgosrieYfeM9qy0cmo9xcHR3sYpZ_bOSX8LflBQbfsIxmiHVKxkBHmryPGBKaPe4Vtg4zPta4U2cEoa82d1gv_rK_Ep7JDBZZ2rCOGplZs3Iu-r_F98_E4yjJInSFHO1LykYuGPoL/s640/xmas2019d.jpg" width="514" /></a></div>
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You can't miss Christmas here in Bankok</div>
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These are life-size giraffes!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hZ1bK32vE4_-SjqviJ2NI7qyH1DxBnBJzOIrjgDZSbMEQ5FN0uCH4iIKYeRmNFW5TripKe0pD-yWWQgiY9c-X6_Hh0lm6qt-XmgnAh29eZSTX5CTzJvxgqmH82HSBcfXppKHzcYz5_OH/s1600/Xmas2019c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hZ1bK32vE4_-SjqviJ2NI7qyH1DxBnBJzOIrjgDZSbMEQ5FN0uCH4iIKYeRmNFW5TripKe0pD-yWWQgiY9c-X6_Hh0lm6qt-XmgnAh29eZSTX5CTzJvxgqmH82HSBcfXppKHzcYz5_OH/s640/Xmas2019c.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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Anyone got any idea what these monkeys are all about? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIaKVrzCH1Xc5LaoTVsbFgIyF0-IMoUdVlFwhHSvLzwa8Ti2JNuvsEMM3TozbiOwIGkwGdOFtKKCE3-lpwCJq5RnOoSKczLIBhFjE_oYCLPIiVYwNz91k3TKP5BW2FLxc87DTbPhCcVWZt/s1600/Xmas2020a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIaKVrzCH1Xc5LaoTVsbFgIyF0-IMoUdVlFwhHSvLzwa8Ti2JNuvsEMM3TozbiOwIGkwGdOFtKKCE3-lpwCJq5RnOoSKczLIBhFjE_oYCLPIiVYwNz91k3TKP5BW2FLxc87DTbPhCcVWZt/s640/Xmas2020a.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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How about some Koala love?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxTBg3KSq52nwyyirMzKeTMe3uLINYS_ntMF5_Tlg979GOGRvF_78p-xXxOHTQbqeHTxocJsBhzgKSiITtqhPRmWZii4neGVkUYz_MEqTyr5SXS-FYXy9B8RcBMOYBK90xo3vnK9xoPgNq/s1600/Xmas2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1489" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxTBg3KSq52nwyyirMzKeTMe3uLINYS_ntMF5_Tlg979GOGRvF_78p-xXxOHTQbqeHTxocJsBhzgKSiITtqhPRmWZii4neGVkUYz_MEqTyr5SXS-FYXy9B8RcBMOYBK90xo3vnK9xoPgNq/s640/Xmas2019.jpg" width="594" /></a></div>
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<b>May I be the first to wish you a Happy Christmas? </b></div>
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<b>Running now before you throw a Christmas bauble at me!</b></div>
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Before I do, I've been busy on my travel blog, when I'm not in Bangkok I've been out wandering Thailand.<br />
<br />
Do pop over here and say hello, I'll love to see you there.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2019/10/me-myself-and-thailand.html/" target="_blank">Me, Myself and Thailand:</a> a new e-guidebook produced for solo female travellers in Thailand<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2019/10/weekend-wanders-in-a-nan-wonderland.html/" target="_blank">Weekend wanders in a Nan wonderland</a>: a beautiful area of northern Thailand which I would love to show you!<br />
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Have a great week everyone!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8k9RguzJlwmFpsyu57JIAzybJCqesqI95lHL4mGk4rXH-fTZATw-FmziHxW44hHGXwrwZkqVpVjyn7TLRJaU1JxFTvGbIoKQZmfPh8dTIgRByJ0RLJLoMh-wKCKXXeSLw2i-cRVEiNk1/s1600/LWW_text_straight_no+bg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="1600" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8k9RguzJlwmFpsyu57JIAzybJCqesqI95lHL4mGk4rXH-fTZATw-FmziHxW44hHGXwrwZkqVpVjyn7TLRJaU1JxFTvGbIoKQZmfPh8dTIgRByJ0RLJLoMh-wKCKXXeSLw2i-cRVEiNk1/s320/LWW_text_straight_no+bg.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Linking with thanks to the hosts at <a href="http://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mosaic Monday,</a> <a href="https://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Our World Tuesday</a> and <a href="https://myworldthrumycameralens.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">My Corner of the World</a> </div>
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Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com23Bangkok, Thailand13.7563309 100.5017651000000613.2627269 99.856318100000053 14.2499349 101.14721210000006tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-39557302668039142892019-10-22T15:07:00.004+07:002019-10-29T09:13:26.935+07:00Awesome Asian adventures!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello everyone how is your week going? </div>
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All is good here in Thailand and I am thankful for it.<br />
Happy Friendship Friday!<br />
<br />
. Our newspapers announced that winter had officially started.</div>
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Not so you'd officially know it, but thinking about it, I've been less of a sweaty mess!</div>
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And last weekend I had to jump in the pool quickly as it was quite chilly.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggl0xgMR3qrly2_dmMgsphSoZwaTAKi0ugFrpfQOo9Qk9wf7bJm12-WImCddi3NTbk085_8URsz6k1Svfidalfhr2vImIwMdAoOjg6daHp5OSD-AozxTnpu570RuGtvNrtoWipxzGzgRWd/s1600/Pool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggl0xgMR3qrly2_dmMgsphSoZwaTAKi0ugFrpfQOo9Qk9wf7bJm12-WImCddi3NTbk085_8URsz6k1Svfidalfhr2vImIwMdAoOjg6daHp5OSD-AozxTnpu570RuGtvNrtoWipxzGzgRWd/s640/Pool.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We've not long been back from Japan where we had an amazing holiday.</div>
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We got caught up in Typhoon Hagibis<br />
which caused widespread devastation and loss of life across Japan.<br />
Here's my tribute to the staff at the Imperial, Tokyo,<br />
we are grateful for their care and attention during Japan's worse storm in living memory: </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2019/10/impeccable-imperial-hotel-tokyo.html/" target="_blank">Impeccable, Imperial Hotel </a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-DZnj0H2YmlGW4TLAP-xPV8BJC7F_mM3XB0w4M-XS_KG7EmfV7w68ox-SmP2dvz0EKQPGdfbkcqqXi5hF3tgi6VQKGAlr_7mMd94mNrj9rwDCdkqvF-oHkPKjVowNQs4tnNV0U_HsCH9/s1600/Imperial+Tokyo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-DZnj0H2YmlGW4TLAP-xPV8BJC7F_mM3XB0w4M-XS_KG7EmfV7w68ox-SmP2dvz0EKQPGdfbkcqqXi5hF3tgi6VQKGAlr_7mMd94mNrj9rwDCdkqvF-oHkPKjVowNQs4tnNV0U_HsCH9/s640/Imperial+Tokyo.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imperial Hotel, Tokyo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We had been in Japan to watch the World Cup Rugby.</div>
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Our match England v France was cancelled because of the storm</div>
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However, by Sunday, everything was calm and beautiful in Tokyo.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupNOVjPD-jd9aiIk9JyvAinokZk_6-_4uEkxhry8-AUScc1bx6dQPs5GiD3gCZbX33s4IPbms3ExcDCa1muJpVKYDb8_PAuR7tzLn-Ns-r0YxlncGWQfgAiVEXTgm8lovAFndCLtCDrm9/s1600/Japan2019s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupNOVjPD-jd9aiIk9JyvAinokZk_6-_4uEkxhry8-AUScc1bx6dQPs5GiD3gCZbX33s4IPbms3ExcDCa1muJpVKYDb8_PAuR7tzLn-Ns-r0YxlncGWQfgAiVEXTgm8lovAFndCLtCDrm9/s640/Japan2019s.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imperial Palace gardens and surrounds, Tokyo</td></tr>
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We really enjoyed our wander around the city and even found a rugby shine. </div>
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Here fans were encouraged to go and pray that their team won. </div>
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Our English friends did that earlier in the week, so we thought we had it covered. </div>
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Of course, we said to them later they said the wrong prayer. ..</div>
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They should have prayed that England <i>played</i> their match. </div>
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A loss to France would have been better than coming all that way and not to see them play at all!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBQ5JckMO6ah5UIXgT4qYR22ZjGwY_juo0WiOvW3X4DraS4MW4V4nLm2faiN9Wn2aEsU9o2XvN6auNmwEW0LTwDTS60FvtdhrIOUqgfLoCQhbB6HOmtEN7fmj2k5TlRWUIZ2504-PeQCt/s1600/WorldCupRugby15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBQ5JckMO6ah5UIXgT4qYR22ZjGwY_juo0WiOvW3X4DraS4MW4V4nLm2faiN9Wn2aEsU9o2XvN6auNmwEW0LTwDTS60FvtdhrIOUqgfLoCQhbB6HOmtEN7fmj2k5TlRWUIZ2504-PeQCt/s640/WorldCupRugby15.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">World Cup Rugby Shrine, Tokyo</td></tr>
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<br />
All eyes were on the news to see whether the Sunday matches would be able to be played<br />
and in particular the Japan v Scotland match.<br />
<br />
That evening we wandered out to the bars and restaurants in Ginza<br />
to find that every restaurant with a TV screen was fully booked.<br />
<br />
We were just about to dejectedly traipse back to our hotel room<br />
when a Japanese family invited us to squeeze onto their table.<br />
<br />
It was an exciting match and when Japan won, we all hugged as if we'd known each other forever.<br />
They told us we were their good luck and insisted on buying our dinner<br />
Wasn't that amazing?<br />
<br />
A lot has been said about how this World Cup Rugby tournament as a test for<br />
the upcoming 2020 Olympic games.<br />
I'm excited for Japan 2020, it all points to a wonderful Olympics.<br />
<br />
Back in Thailand now we had the pleasure of being invited to the British Club, Bangkok<br />
for the next match of interest England v Australia.<br />
That was always going to be a win-win for me having both passports!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlv3Al78POWlrX0iaL5F_lBdu7lWS1BFgLQeJrPLXNynrGvMJb80kVHB4CU2XZRfog-oXYmg329bLqj8ZP_K7n9H8i3uo5mzbZTY9Mqz_y8We1ceRyIsWzn33H6JPjGciOWEAqc7_brDzq/s1600/British+Club.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1408" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlv3Al78POWlrX0iaL5F_lBdu7lWS1BFgLQeJrPLXNynrGvMJb80kVHB4CU2XZRfog-oXYmg329bLqj8ZP_K7n9H8i3uo5mzbZTY9Mqz_y8We1ceRyIsWzn33H6JPjGciOWEAqc7_brDzq/s640/British+Club.jpg" width="624" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">British Club, Bangkok</td></tr>
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It's been a busy week for me as the Tourism Authority of Thailand, free guidebook<br />
<a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2019/10/me-myself-and-thailand.html/" target="_blank">Me, Myself & Thailand</a> for solo female travel in Thailand has been published.<br />
<br />
I had previously been invited to join a product testing trip for Nan Province,<br />
one of the destinations featured and I have been excited to finally write about this.<br />
Also a subsequent solo travel trip, I undertook with the Ban Laem Community of Suphanburi.<br />
You can read more about it <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2019/10/me-myself-and-thailand.html/" target="_blank">here</a> and in my upcoming posts.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPOKo6uii2ArUf3HzKxE10bnDjJf12K6ju3zAKmYbU7dLWqA_K5kk0gE4NyQAzH1_z1Iedsnd4Xxepq8Z-QGM1N3DVd28QzyGBjBdk054veDLZnS-W5A4pAqYFBVKECZnzR_w0Z0RSKYFc/s1600/Me%252CMyself%2526+Thailand.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPOKo6uii2ArUf3HzKxE10bnDjJf12K6ju3zAKmYbU7dLWqA_K5kk0gE4NyQAzH1_z1Iedsnd4Xxepq8Z-QGM1N3DVd28QzyGBjBdk054veDLZnS-W5A4pAqYFBVKECZnzR_w0Z0RSKYFc/s640/Me%252CMyself%2526+Thailand.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Richard Barrow</td></tr>
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Other than this I was happy to spend a lovely afternoon<br />
watching a full dress rehearsal for the upcoming Royal Barge Procession.<br />
This is the final event of the Coronation of King Rama X to be held on December 12.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1hnkikAS5F9ZTV9yOfKzOzxrEbqbyBe98ZLcMzRaH-HqGDWa09_AX1KObMr4wAhZ5n_1HCj3YvZkEf65a5koD77bneCmetILFjG29ERFL6h5mFvxB77J6PeXIeq1QsvQArN7Eev_x2c-/s1600/Royal+Barge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1hnkikAS5F9ZTV9yOfKzOzxrEbqbyBe98ZLcMzRaH-HqGDWa09_AX1KObMr4wAhZ5n_1HCj3YvZkEf65a5koD77bneCmetILFjG29ERFL6h5mFvxB77J6PeXIeq1QsvQArN7Eev_x2c-/s640/Royal+Barge.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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There will be over 2000 oarsmen and over 50 barges.<br />
I had expected the barges to be simply stunning in their elegance and beauty but it was the intensity of the rhythmic barge rowing songs that will stay with me forever.<br />
You can view my video of this event and listen in on my Instagram page <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B3twfTpg1TC/" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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Happy wanderings!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPhLXmiEXbtycNmk8hD3NmYDrgZfWB0XmYHFsW3tUIS5fEGJobMRa51VV0efUJVcAyEJ1CDDZ8pP-0OWrp7dvjA1Mcxn79P0HOawi-uCqMxDuJLyzFuzlN5107hvLB0pGzZDJYxazLS3EF/s1600/LWW_text_straight_no+bg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="1600" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPhLXmiEXbtycNmk8hD3NmYDrgZfWB0XmYHFsW3tUIS5fEGJobMRa51VV0efUJVcAyEJ1CDDZ8pP-0OWrp7dvjA1Mcxn79P0HOawi-uCqMxDuJLyzFuzlN5107hvLB0pGzZDJYxazLS3EF/s320/LWW_text_straight_no+bg.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Thank you to Angie at <a href="https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mosaic Monday</a> and Michelle for hosting <a href="https://itsasmalltownlife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Thankful Thursday</a></div>
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Linking with <a href="https://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Our World Tuesday</a> thanks to Lady Fi and all the hosts.</div>
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Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com19Bangkok, Thailand13.7563309 100.5017651000000613.2627269 99.856318100000053 14.2499349 101.14721210000006tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740369435590837459.post-73668130801656117402019-10-12T12:10:00.000+07:002019-10-15T21:36:41.392+07:00Wandering Japan Land of the Big Typhoon and rising Rugby Sun. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Kon'nichiwa, hello from Japan</div>
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I hope your week is going well. </div>
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Ours is, although we're keeping an eye on the super typhoon heading our way.<br />
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We're in Tokyo for the Rugby World Cup and in between matches to walk the Nakasendo trail. This is a pretty hike up and down through the mountains between the old postal villages between Tokyo to Kyoto. The track dates back to the feudal period and we have enjoyed this historic route immensely.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlajXJW7AXLJX6piZHP318Z5afTuBQriUz-wKRiL1HRuI7so_0sOMDFlP15zQIGsE7jkQ9yamznZJYgVNh9DrkWipL01756yL1oPkFz3e-AHAilPC5wSHvkNxFntA3o7XLtdaJy2YDUuh/s1600/WCR2019a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlajXJW7AXLJX6piZHP318Z5afTuBQriUz-wKRiL1HRuI7so_0sOMDFlP15zQIGsE7jkQ9yamznZJYgVNh9DrkWipL01756yL1oPkFz3e-AHAilPC5wSHvkNxFntA3o7XLtdaJy2YDUuh/s640/WCR2019a.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Japanese necklace - Tusmago-juku</td></tr>
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It seems like half the people we meet are here for the rugby and we've had many wonderful conversations along the way. Sport is such a great connector of people don't you think?<br />
Each night we are staying at the traditional Japanese Ryokan Inns with their communal bathing onsens.<br />
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Mind you, I've worked out pretty quickly that if you are staying at the same place as us,<br />
chances are I'm going to be seeing you butt naked at the communal bathing area later.<br />
So forgive me if I might not be as chatty as usual. Oh, we have some tales to tell.<br />
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Grab yourself a cup of green tea and some Japanese snacks and I'll tell you all about it.<br />
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The walking is fabulous, although we are tad amateurish compared with the professional hikers who are well equipped with their personal guides, walking boots and walking poles. Others we meet are independent walkers but here with one of the many specialist walk Japan companies. They are the organised one on the trail with a route plan and details of every not to be missed sight.<br />
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<b>We are <i>FIT</i> travellers! </b><br />
I like that expression ever since I came across it. We are Free, Independent, Travellers who have booked our own everything and have set off to wander the Nasaksendo trail in some haphazard way.<br />
<br />
We did decide that we have paid more attention to the rugby part of the trip<br />
when we worked out that one of the days we had given ourselves 49 km to walk between ryokans!<br />
Hey ho, mine's a large sake, please.<br />
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<br />
I have loved this walk especially NOT doing it in a group.<br />
We are not following anyone else's plan, we are doing it our way.<br />
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Japan's fresh air is made even more exhilarating, given our current state of poor air quality in Thailand, from the Indonesian forest fires.<br />
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I love to hear the little birds sing and being a Pisces, water is important to me.<br />
For a lot of the trail, we heard the babbling of water.<br />
I just love to hear the water sing, don't you?<br />
The Japanese are masters of having the sound of water in their lives.<br />
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Given our urban existence, we find that walking, being at one with nature,<br />
and connecting with the world's rhythm is pretty special.<br />
It is sadly missed in my city life.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fNqEE7EJEET1QBFkPPv9f9VnL_flj1-HX4fKg4LYbPft192TSjAhPGFta7g1U08cYEDQbnmBPJBxyTQDqOE6LZgbRhmrhbc_FzaWbnqGTnLRm5rA8TS9AAmlT7v5y_InAXJ5Zl2y3GLR/s1600/Japan6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fNqEE7EJEET1QBFkPPv9f9VnL_flj1-HX4fKg4LYbPft192TSjAhPGFta7g1U08cYEDQbnmBPJBxyTQDqOE6LZgbRhmrhbc_FzaWbnqGTnLRm5rA8TS9AAmlT7v5y_InAXJ5Zl2y3GLR/s640/Japan6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's been a fascinating week. We've had the rugby and the mother of all storms - Typhoon Hagibis.<br />
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Last weekend we were fully into the World Cup Rugby.<br />
It's been a refreshing diversion and escape from world politics (well for a nanosecond.)<br />
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46.1 percent of the nation watched Japan's last winning match against Samoa,<br />
making it the most-watched sporting event of the year.<br />
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It's going to be mega if they beat Scotland on Sunday to get a spot in the quarter-finals.<br />
It's going to be mega if they <i>play </i>on Sunday, you see the typhoon has already led to the cancellation of all Saturday matches including our England vs France match.<br />
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We were looking forward to <strike>thrashing</strike> playing France.<br />
It's a funny old life.<br />
A week later we would have been happier now watching England lose to France!<br />
There is a load of grumpy English men walking around our hotel today. </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">It feels like half of Britain is over here. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Luckily we watched England vs Argentina match last weekend.</span></div>
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You can read all about it here: <a href="https://www.littlewanderingwren.com/2019/10/rugby-world-cup-2019-6-things-to-expect-other-than-beer.html/" target="_blank">World Cup Rugby 2019 - 6 things to expect other than beer</a></div>
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One thing I have been very impressed with everywhere has been the loos!<br />
I mean even in the middle of nowhere on our hike there has been a hut<br />
with toilet roll and a heated toilet seat.<br />
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I have raved about the Japanese toilets before, and how impressed I was at the rugby how we ladies never had to queue once. In my toilet at the rugby, the previous lady had pushed the water music button. How civilised is that?<br />
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Well, it was a completely different matter for the blokes. They had even employed someone to wander around with a large sign which said 'end of the line!'<br />
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So much was made of preparations for the tournament to ensure that the stadiums did not run out of beer. Allegedly the Japanese have been shell shocked by the amount of beer that can be consumed at these events. But they didn't think it through all the way. If you pardon the thought.<br />
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If you have been to the bathrooms in Japan you will know that you need your wits about you and preferably a double degree in electrical and mechanical engineering.<br />
Four beers in, and busting for a waz, is not the time to be trying to work out how the toilet works.<br />
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No-wonder the Men's toilets needed an end of the queue sign.<br />
One friend was gone forever and was not best pleased when he eventually returned.<br />
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I'm all for men experiencing what it's like for us ladies at the sporting events. Well done Japan!<br />
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Weather aside, Japan has done an amazing job with this Rugby tournament and won over many fans with their superb organization, great transportation, and friendly calm approach.<br />
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I did tease them a little about how at every turn they seem very keen to teach us how to make peace cranes. I especially like the thought at the first Rugby World Cup planning meeting<br />
when they were discussing the Fanzones that some wise sod decided that every rugby fan should be encouraged to make an origami crane.<br />
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Well now we have got a whole day off storm-watching I guess this is just the moment Japan is hoping that we will put our new found papercraft skills to good use.<br />
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Me, I've now got enough cranes for a whole flock. Shame it was not, how to make an origami Wren :)<br />
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Well, now I have a day off with my slippers on we are waiting for this storm to arrive.<br />
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It is a strange calm before the storm happening here.<br />
We had a very smart brekkie with grapefruit juice, toast and my ultimate posh,<br />
a butter flower and jam in small pots.<br />
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The planes have been cancelled and the trains will stop soon.<br />
All the shops are closed but did venture out and searched hard to find an open underground 7-11 convenience store. I said I think I need chocolate for a mega typhoon.<br />
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Any tips anyone? I know many of you have been through extreme weather situations in the past.<br />
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We have booked a table for dinner and a window-side place in the Jazz bar overlooking the Imperial Gardens with a full typhoon view. The full force of the storm is expected at 9pm.<br />
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It feels like the Titanic here. They have informed us they are not sure whether the jazz musician will attend tonight. I have offered the English to sing a few rugby songs if they would like a performance.<br />
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Of course, I have my English Crusader costume all ready for the match which I thought I could wear for dinner, although my husband says don't be a plonker!<br />
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I thought a little English humour would be appreciated. What do you think?<br />
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Linking with thanks to all the hosts at <a href="http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Our World Tuesday</a>, Create with Joy for <a href="https://www.create-with-joy.com/2019/10/friendship-friday-blog-hop-400.html" target="_blank">Friendship Friday</a>, Beverly at <a href="https://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/" target="_blank">Pink Saturday</a> and the hosts at <a href="https://www.ourunschoolingjourney.com/2019/10/encouraging-hearts-and-home-finding.html" target="_blank">Encouraging Hearts and Home </a></div>
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Little Wandering Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12461692611319918593noreply@blogger.com17Tokyo, Japan35.6761919 139.650310621.4479664 118.99601360000001 49.9044174 160.3046076