Yo, On holiday just now with Sarah, in Barcelona. Weather isn´t as hot as I had hoped for, but still nicer than back home.



Going to do the open top bus tour for the next couple of days, then heading off to Ibiza on Tuesday =)

Yo,

Living the corporate dream just now. Working 9 to 5:30, Monday to Friday. Driving my fantastic capri to work every day and just got paid so going to buy some stuff from Halfords.

Spent the last couple of days building servers. Put together a rack with 6 Dual 3GHz Pentium Xeon Servers, each with 4GB memory and 2 x 80GB SATA drives. Exciting stuff. Here's a pic of me working hard and looking fantastic:Back at the Apple Centre in Kensington on Saturdays too, which is a nice break from playing with servers.

Got in a lot of trouble with my main job the other week. They took us to the Lake Distric for training. I got hammered and upset the coach monitor who complained to management =(.

Went down to the National Motor Museum with Duncan and Dimitry a couple of weeks back. Here's a pic of me with the next car I'm saving for:

Duncan got a TVR to drive home, but turned out to be a bit of a wreck with problems like steering wheel not being bolted on. At least it looks good:

Yo,

Back in Bracknell at work now, after a great weekend back in Glasgow. Drove up with Kirsten and Sarah on Saturday in my Fantastic new car, stopping off to see my cousin and his new baby on the way.The new Capri performed very well on the drive to and from Scotland, and it was made all the more enjoyable with by my iPod and new Stereo.

When we got to Glasgow we headed to Thai Siam for a fantastic Thai meal. Those who attended were: Me, Kirsten, Sarah, Su Yin, Ross, Anezka, Joey, Brian, Laura, Alan, Tony, JieBie, Ewan, Robbie, JonnyG.

After dinner we had a great night out at the Carling Academy with Felix da Housecat, although afterwards our hearing was seriously damaged.
Over the next couple of days I took the car to Dunoon and Aberfoyle. On the last night went out in Glasgow to the Liquid Rooms.

The drive back down south was abit of a mission. Didn't leave Glasgow until 17:30 as I had to pick up my speakers, decks etc. By the time is reached 22:00 I was nearly asleep at the wheel but managed to stuggle through. Arrived back in Bracknell at 00:30 and headed straight to bed.

Feeling very sad now as I'm back down here and I'm going home on my own tonight with no mates. But I have afew things to look forward to: Night out in London on Friday, moving into new Flat on Sunday, and another trip back up north next month to see everyone again.

Well thats me back in the UK. =(

Been back 1 week now and trying to adjust to the 9 to 5 corporate dream.

Living in a house with my aunts friend until I find something more permenant. Looking in Reading but haven't found anything yet =(

We out in London with my cousin last night which was lots of fun. Heading up to Scotland for a weekend on the 24th to see Felix da Housecat.

Other than that not alot is happening. I'm sure I will have some fantastic adentures here but at the moment I miss: being drunk every night, eatting out everynight, meeting new people from stange places everyday, the sun, the beaches, diving, the Thai people, guesthouses, air conditioning, bats, frogs, elephants, etc etc etc the list goes on.

I am now for the time being going to attempt the following:
1. Eat more fruit and fibre
2. Drink less
3. Get fit and lose some weight

Thanks to everyone who has been reading my blog while I have been away, there would have been no point writing it if no one had read it. Hope you have enjoyed it. I have lots more pics and videos of my adventures in Thailand which I will sort out and put online sometime soon.

Send me some emails people, I don't get enough these days, Beakster@elvis.com

Stay tuned for my views on life over the next few months.
-Chris =)

Yo,

In Dubai now, been here 2 days and leaving for London tomorrow morning.

Interesting place to see. First thing I noticed when I got out of the airport was heat. Yesterday the peek temperature was 40 degrees. Usually when there is a breeze it cools you down but here it just makes you hotter. Stange things I have noticed is alot of guys in the full white arabic outfits walking around holding hands. I guess they are gay, but could just be a local custom.
Time works different here to. Everything opens late and closes late. Most shops open around lunch time and close about 10pm. I guess its because its so hot, but could be the solution to the old problem that has long troubled me: If everyone works 9 to 5 how can you go shopping, or go to the bank. I guess if the shops are open late people from offices and other jobs can go shopping after work.

Things here are abit cheaper than the UK, but not anywhere near as cheap as Thailand. Although alcohol is more expensive. =(

Arrived at my hotel yesterday morning. Its in the centre of Dubai but its on a very weird street. There are loads of shops on the street, but they are all harware shops. My hotel is between the door handle shop and the tap shop. Also there are no stand alone bars at all, they are all in hotels. My hotel has a very dodgey looking club called club india. There is are photos of all the girls you can get there in the foyer. Some of them are very scarry looking so I decided against visiting that club.

Had a nap after I arrived as I had been on the plane watching Star Trek and Lord of the Rings and was quite tired. Got up around lunch time and had a walk around. Booked my self on a desert safari and was picked up by a very luxurious toyota land cruiser. Headed out of Dubai to the desert which took about an hour.

Got to the desert and they driver got out and let some air out of the tyres for some extra traction in the sand. After that we drove around the dunes for about an hour and a half. Was pretty good fun and the 4x4 nearly tipped over a couple of times, some of the others got stuck in the sand and the canadian girl in my 4x4 was screaming alot.

There was an amazing desert sunset. The sky was bright purple, just like in the intro sequence of Knightrider. I tried to get a photo but by the time the 4x4 ride was over the sun was too low =(.

After the 4x4s we did some Camel Riding

And then headed to the desert camp for dinner. Dinner was good, a buffet of eastern foods. There was also alcohol available for an extonsionate price, but free soft drinks. After dinner I had a shisa with some english guys and then did some sand skiing.

Finally to finish of the Desert safari there was some belly dancing.

Belly dancing was quite entertaining. After the girl finished her show she took verious guy from the audience up for a dance in front of everyone, me included. When I finished she said thank you, meaning i was to sit down, but I was so good I think she should have sat down =) One of the english guys I met made a video of it which he says he'll email to me.

Later that night I went of for drinks and dancing with the 2 english guys and an english girl they had met at the pool.

When we went to the club the bouncer started saying something and trying to grab my hand. At first I thought he wanted to search me but turns out he was giving me a free stamp so I didn't have to pay to get in. He said "Hey man, you look cool" which was on account of my new white trousers and shiney black shirt. Way home was a disaster, taxi didnt know my hotel and all I could remember is that it was in a street with hardware shops, near a McDonalds that was opposite a KFC. Took an hour to find it!

Today I went to the water park. Was a little disappointed as I was expecting it to put the ones I have been to in Spain to shame. There was only one big slide, but some other cool stuff to, like up hill flumes. The queueing was terrible, about 45minutes for each slide and this is where I get to the thing I hate most about Dubai.

Everywhere I have been that I have queued people try to skip me! In McDonalds, internet cafe, shops, waterpark, hotel reception. Really Upsets me as the only thing I hate more than queuing is people skipping me! You cannot relax in a queue here, you have to keep your eyes open or someone will just push past you.

Example: I was queuing for a slide at the waterpark and this guy and kid kept standing in front of me. It had happened so many times I wasn't going to let it pass so I kept standing in front of them. When I did it they looked really upset for some reason. The kid kept trying to skip me so I put my arm across the railing so he couldnt get past. Just as we got to the front he tried to duck under it so I put my arm down and he ran straight into my elbow. Hopefully it will teach him but i doubt it.

There were 4 english girls in the queue also, about 10 years old. They got so upset with people trying to skip them they started shouting and screaming at all the arabs....

Running out of time here so will finish this story another day! Cya

Yo,

Still in Phuket, heading off in about 30mins to the airport to fly to Bangkok. Not the best place I have been, very commerical. I walked from the hotel to the closest ATM to get some cash and got stopped about 20 times by people trying to give me a taxi, massage, watch, clothes, suit, dvds etc. Big shock to the system after chilling in Phi Phi and Ko Phangan last few weeks.

I have however made the most of my 24 hours in Phuket. Having managed to buy clothes, a Tag watch, new shoes, had a shirt made, got drunk, played connect 4, and went parasailing amongst other stuff.



My new shirt with extra extra large collar and cuffs.

Yo,

Today is my last day on Phi Phi =( really gonna miss this place, definately the most beautiful part of the world I have visited yet. Heading to Phuket in afew hours, sad about leaving but the have a McDonalds in Phuket so that is something to look forward to =).

Just bought my flight from Phuket to Bangkok, really should have done it earlier as most of them were fully booked, so I am gonna end up in Bangkok at 8pm when my flight to Dubai isn't until 1:20am so will have to kill afew hours there.

Wore my new white suit out to the half moon party here the other night. Was great fun as everyone was lovin it. All the English refered to it as "Dapper" and most of the Thai girls just looked and said "Wow!". Couldn't have worn it every night tho as I had to pose for ALOT of photographs for people, which is fun for a while but can get annoying. Alot of people wer very confused as I just looked so out of place. Most people here are either dressed in beach wear or are hippies with baggy colourful clothes and dreadlocks. When people asked me why I was wearing it I told them I had got married that day. They would be really happy and excited and say "Wow, so where is your new wife?" to which I would reply "Ah, she's not here. You see she is a Thai prostitue so has to work tonight". At this point most people realised I was winding them up, but some people just looked confused and walked away.

So I am really gonna miss this place. Would like to come back and spend 6 months to a year here, just relaxing and diving everyday. Will try and do it before I am 30.

Here's some fantasitc pics of stuff I will miss from Phi Phi:


Beautiful beaches and cliffs:

Drinking until sunrise everyday at Hippies Bar:

Feeding the monkeys at Monkey Beach:

Watching beautiful sunsets over Phi Phi from the Diveboat before going for a night dive:

Thai Island Folk, friendliest in the world!

Now I am gonna head for a Thai Massage and some food, next update will probably be from Dubai as it's my last night in Thailand =(

Yo,

Finished Advanced Open Water Diving Course today. Very tired so going to go out drinking and sleep in tomorrow.

Me!A Leopard Shark, resting on the sea bed.A big starfish

On the dive boat

Anyone on this beach when the Tsunami hit wouldn't have made it.

One of the many buildings they haven't managed to repair yet after it was destroyed by the Tsunami.

Another beautiful evening on Koh Phi Phi

Yo,

Made it to Ko Phi Phi. Not an easy task. Ended up drinking on Haad Rin beach until after 5am, then missed taxi to ferry so had to pay for another one but made it to the boat ok. 10 hours later, I was feeling terrible but was in Phi Phi.

I am going to miss Koh Pahngan, but being in Phi Phi feels good. Haad Rin beach was great tho, here are a couple of my favorite pics:

Hawking on Haad Rin

I jumped through a burning ring of fire! And I made it through without burning myself, although some people who were more drunk were not so lucky!

First impressions is that Phi Phi is without a doubt the most beautiful place I have ever been. White beaches, blue sea and huge limestone rocks rising from the ocean. Phi Phi was about the worst place hit by the Tsunami and it still shows. There are signs up at the dock asking for volunteers to help with stuff so I will try and do that for a day or 2 when I finish diving. There is alot of builing work going on to and most of the buildings are all very new and nice which makes a good change.

The place I am staying in luxuary, it has cable TV, air con, tiled floor, hot water and best of all a toilet which flushes!

So tomorrow I start my Advanced Open Water Diving course, starting with Wreck Diving, Underwater Photography and Night Diving so will post some pics tomorrow night.

Yo,

Just booked my ticket to Koh Phi Phi, heading off tomorrow at 6am! If I don't sleep in or get too drunk and forget to go.

Couldn't go Kiteboarding today =(. The school is closed as the weather isn't windy enough just now. So went over to Samui and picked up my suits instead.

One for business:

And one for pleasure: Although the tailor reckons I could use it for business if I worked for the mafia.

You like the lining don't you! It Dazzles, It Stimulates, It Excites!

The tailor insisted on holding my hand for these photos, not sure why exactly, maybe its part of the "Suit you sir" culture of the tailors guild?