Wow I was really starting to get bored with the rain here. It hardly stopped since I arrived. Yesterday, just as it seemed to be getting better it turned again and the skies just broke. I got soaked on the motorbike and then had to try really hard to not focus on being really annoyed with the constant deluge of rain. My girlfriend is far more tolerant of such things and her pragmatic mood really showed me up, so I decided to just be more cheerful. After a nice evening in the restaurant with our friends and with the rain stopped we noticed how everything seemed so light and clear and a sense of freshness in the air. I could just feel that the High Seaon weather was now upon us and the next day would be dry sunny and beutiful I just felt it.

Today is such a day and I believe a reflection of the mood within. I am now looking forward to the rest of my stay here with the best weather that the Thai season’s have to offer. High Season is upon us already!

It reminds me of an episode of The X Files, where a guy’s emotions affected the weather and whenever he was sad it rained.

Allow me to indulge in some trivial posting for a while, although not trivial to me I can see that there may not be much for people to feel compelled to comment on. I am posting from my dream location once again. Sitting outside my room, so close to the sea and reading some of the latest comments here at Leave The Office.

So now the blog becomes a little bit more of a personal travelog, except I’m not doing much travelling. I’m mostly relaxing, although my fitness regime always kicks in while I’m here, so arun on the beach before sunset followed by a healthy Thai dinner will see me right. For now I can smile in the knowledge that part of my dream is a reality; being here and soaking up the atmosphere. I’m sure it’s not everyone’s cup of tea here, seeing as it is very quiet indeed. If you like nightlife then this isn’t the place, but it suits me down to the ground.

I am living my bliss here, especially with my studio equipment in tow and the quietude to inspire composing my music. Time to get running on that beach.

It’s travel checklist time again! I am going back to Phuket for a long (but not long enough) break. I’ll be making the most of my time there with my beautiful lady… or as I refer to her "teerak". This means "My Love" in Thai. In fact we say that word to each other so often at the beginning or end of nearly every sentence that it has become a bit of a habit in everything I say. Such is the power of repetition to form new habits! I will have to bite my tongue not to finish every sentence with "teerak" with everyone else I speak with in Thailand. That could create some awkward moments

It’s nice to be able to put some posts in the "Thailand" category again. It reminds me of when I had the idea for Leave The Office as being a website about travelling.

My trip will be more than just a break from work though. I’ll be doing some ground work in creating my new life there. I refer to it as a reconnaissance mission, gathering all the information and setting up stuff ready for the next mission, which will be the beginning of a new life. Will I sort myself out with a job or a business opportunity, will I decide to go back as an English teacher? Who knows, but whatever the outcome I am excited about it. I’m leaving the office even though it is taking me longer than I intended, admittedly that’s to do with me and nobody else, but I’ve honoured some important financial commitments now and so I just have a target of having a certain amount to get me started when I do get there.

If I didn’t get to leave the office then this website would pretty much lose all of it’s appeal don’t you think? It’s time for a new chapter, but don’t worry I am writing that chapter now. I know exactly when I will be leaving the office for good, but I am not willing to disclose that information right now.

I have one message for today. Life is an incredible gift, whoever and wherever you are. No exceptions. Those that spend much of it dissatisfied I say to you. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! I know I have already spent too much of my time feeling dissatisfied when all along I’ve had some wonderful talents and value to share with the world.

… but I don’t mean the UK. I mean the place that really feels like home in the South of Thailand. After a very quiet and relaxing few days in Chiang Mai and the surrounding area and a detour back to Bangkok to see a new member of the family (she is only 4 days old and beautiful) we are flying back home where Kan will be going back to work and I’ll have half a day everyday for the rest of my trip to get stuck into some work again. I am really looking forward to the routine. An early start, some vipassana, breakfast, some reading, a run on the beach and then work until the mid afternoon.
Many things to do and all of them fun!

Well I have an internet connection for a few days. I have spent the last week in the South of Thailand living close to the jungle with geckos and mosquitoes!

My experience since I have arrived has been extremely varied since I arrived in Thailand. I have been in a house on the beach in Phuket, a house in the South surrounded by trees to meet the new family (very lovely people). I had the honour of being the wedding photographer at a very big traditional Thai wedding. I was busy all day and I loved every minute of it.
Now I am in Bangkok on the 55th floor of The Lebua Hotel in the State Tower with an aerial view of the city and the Chao Praya River. High speed internet is included with the room, so I don’t have to endure any internet cafes. It is a lovely 5-star hotel suite and absolute luxury. A very different environment to the last week.

On 24th we will be flying to Chiang Mai and after a few days we will meet up with our honeymooning friends. I have never been to Chiang Mai before, so I am looking forward to it greatly.

I think soon I will put up another sunset picture here because the photos I took at Phromthep Cape in Phuket were lovely.

OK. Time for some tags. I’m so slow on all these terms, but it seems a few people have tagged me and it looks like simple adding a link to their site. Seeing as some people have been very kind in that regard to me I’ll do the same here in no particular order of preference…

Maria - The Good Life
Robin - Fortune Watch
Albert - The Urban Monk

Oh no! Not another sunset picture!

Yes I’m afraid so. If you care to look and if you are lucky enough to find yourself in such a place you will see that every sunset is different from the last. It is a reminder that everything is recreated from scratch in every moment and that nothing in our world can be taken for granted. I reserve the right to post as many sunset pictures as I like.

Every waking moment is a gift, so don’t spend more time than is necessary asleep.

This morning at 6am I stepped out onto the beach for Vipassana and so far today has been a perfect day. running on the beach and being tossed about by the waves in the sea.

Wow! It is a great feeling sitting outside my room with a view of the ocean and the beach, writing this post. The last couple of mornings I have woken up late, maybe due to the re-adjustment of the time difference, but I still found the motivation to go for a run on the beach after breakfast. Admittedly I didn’t last long doing that, but I went for a swim in the sea instead. The sea looks calm here, but the waves pull you right out and then wash you right back again, such is the power of nature.

The biggest bonus of all is that if I sit outside my room I am able to pick up the wireless internet connection from a nearby hotel, which is just great. so now you can see in the picture my new "office".

The flight from Heathrow to Bangkok was the most comfortable one I can remember. 11 hours seemed to melt away to nothing, which is always welcome in such a situation. Not sleeping too much during the day prior to the flight after my nightshift helped I think. I was able to get a good 6 or 7 hours sleep and the rest of the time was spent eating and watching movies.

I really welcomed that heat hitting me in the face as I stepped off the plane as it confirmed that I was in the right place. That feeling is amazing. You know you’ve arrived in Bangkok, when you feel that hot, humid air! In no time I was through immigration and in the domestic terminal waiting for my flight to Phuket and at about 6pm I was emerging from the terminal at Phuket airport with my bag to find her there waiting for me.

The anticipation was enough to put a smile on my face, but the feeling I had dropping my bag and picking her up was pure joy. "That’s living alright" I said to myself. We got to our destination just in time to see the sunset over the sea and then enjoyed a sublime dinner, in one of our favourite restaurants on the beach. Thai food is the best and I am so very grateful to feel like a very wealthy man indeed.