A day in the life - Andy's Asia

A friend suggested that I blog about one of my typical days here in Thailand.  Every day can be radically different, but most days start the same way.  We wake up between 6 and 7:00 and take our two small 'house' dogs out to take care of their morning needs.  Immediately after it is time to make the coffee.

Coffee is ordered in bulk from My Mojo restaurant on Rangsit in Bangkok.

Pum turns the Thai news on - Channel 33 except on weekends.

We watch while checking our phones for messages or posts from various social media.  Next, Pum does whatever household chores she thinks need doing while I move to my computer to check email accounts and other news sources.

As I get into my second cup of coffee, I feed the dogs and check their water.

Then it's time to play fetch with the younger dog.  She has trained me very well to throw the ball endlessly while she chases it then brings it back, growling and barking if I don't quickly continue the game.

Those things happen almost every day, unless they don't.  Yesterday, Pum had many errands to run and I accompanied her as I often do.  She needs two sewing machines for her Thai costume rental business and the first stop was to locate someone who can service and repair them.

No one was there, but the note on the door had a phone number to call.  Pum noted it and then it was time to go to our post office.  We have a modern post office which is fairly convenient and an inexpensive way to mail letters and packages.

Next stop was the local salon supply shop where Pum needed to get some stuff.  Shortly after we stopped at the early morning market which by this time was pretty much deserted, at least compared to the very early morning activity.

One of several shops where decorative coffins can be bought.

Wholesale beverage store with not only Chang Beer.

A wary but not nasty street dog living at the morning market.

One of the morning market permanent stalls decorated with whatnot!

Gold elephants on the roof.

There were two monks making the rounds from a nearby temple.

After Pum got what she needed we headed for our supermarket, Tesco Lotus (we also have a full size Big C which has a movie theater).  Inside our Lotus we have a Pizza Company and a KFC.

Yes, we do order their pizza sometimes.  Crispy crust double pepperoni, Hawaiian, and Tom Yum Goong  are our favorites.  Not bad when it's two for one.

Yes, we do occasionally order from KFC I'm sorry to say.

At the supermarket, we bought a few things including a blender for smoothies.  Then we headed home for a quick turnaround.  We have a nice covered outdoor 25 meter pool quite near our house which is a huge benefit for me.  There is a large school nearby and they normally use the pool from 9:00 - 15:00 Monday through Friday.  But the pool is free from 12:00 - 13:00 for their lunch and that's my best time to swim.  I usually can get there 12ish and can get in 1500 - 2000 meters before the kids come back.  It is very good for my sanity (and health)!  At that time, I usually have the pool to myself.  It's quite clean, but the downside is there is no lifeguard.  Backup time is 15:00 but sometimes I have to share the pool with too many people.  If I miss a weekday, my other backup is to hit the pool at 10:00 on Saturday or Sunday which is before anyone else shows up.  I can normally get in 1,000 - 1,500 before anyone else shows up!

After swimming, it is time for breakfast.  I am currently following the intermittent fasting protocol.  I normally eat only between 11:00 and 19:00.  So when I finish swimming and get home around 13:00 or so, I'm pretty hungry!  Yesterday Pum fixed me a shrimp omelette.  The shrimp was fresh and the eggs were laid overnight!  Pum often cooks, but I do cook western things for myself as well.  We often have fruit with our meals and when oranges are in season, some fresh squeezed OJ.

Then it's time for me to wash whatever dishes there are before some relax time.

At this time of year, afternoons are pretty warm, so unless there is something important to do, I hunker down and watch some western TV or a movie, read a book or catch up on more news.  Spotify is often part of my afternoon, whether it is with my refurbished 15+ year old Bose noise cancelling headphones or using Bluetooth speakers.  Around 16:30, I go out and water the front and side gardens and trees.  That takes me to 17:00 and that's when I finally give in and turn the A/C on.  Dinner is 18:00 or 18:30 and usually I make something or I have some leftovers from the morning or the day before.  After dinner it is play with Khao Niaw time.  She is the 3 1/2 year old dog, the baby of Kanom, our 13+ year old dog.  She is quite insistent, as always, but we use a different toy in the evenings.  At some point before bedtime, they get a snack and never let me forget it!

At night I generally concede the TV to Pum so she can watch her Thai soap operas.  I can either follow along or read or play with my phone!  Bed time is 10:30 or 11:00 and the dogs get one final trip outside to take care of business!

The mornings up to the second cup of coffee are pretty regular and the evenings from dinner on are pretty regular.  The rest of the time can be crazy!  

Next post I will probably go way back again since I have literally thousands of photos from my close to 20 years of visiting then living in Asia.