Today’s picture was taken in the port of Da Nang , in Vietnam. If you have traveled some in this region, and especially in this country, you will see that any maritime business in small scale will always include several family members. This is not some 7-8 hours workday, with the weekend off. These people work hard! Nothing less than admirable to observe their work. … Continue reading Work work work…
Today’s picture reminds me of a simpler time and place. The picture is taken in the province of Kalasin (Karasin), in north east Thailand. This part of the country is called Isaan. The picture is taken in early 2000s, when my future wife and I went to visit her family. I was very well taken care of by all the family members, as well as … Continue reading Today’s picture.
This picture was one of the very first pictures taken when I was deciding to maybe move temporarily to Thailand. Bangkok would be my halfway around the world home for next 2 decades. I guess we all have been acquainted with Thailand’s Tuk-Tuks. Tuk-Tuk. Rgds, Sailor Kai Ståle Ødegård Continue reading Today’s picture.
All right then, we are here, after a long and sometimes a bit stressful trip. With most likely change of flights for most, time differences, all the walking and then waiting at the airports, and the taxi line. Not to forget the memorable first taxi ride through the traffic to the hotel, with a let me guess, a driver who “accidently” took the wrong turn on … Continue reading My first visit to Thailand, part II.
Thailand, oh yes, still an exotic destination for many, including myself. Anyone remember the first time you went to Thailand? I have been 45-50 times inn and out of Thailand, due to my work, but still remember clearly the first time. The first you notice after the loooooong flight, is when you leave the air conditioned air-plane, to walk into the jetway, which leads into the … Continue reading Remember your first time to Thailand?
Welcome to Isaan. Everybody will remember their first time visiting Isaan, the North-Eastern part of Thailand. Depending of course how long ago, and what kind of town you visit, it could be like walking through a time-portal. Of course, it also depends of what you expect and have experienced previously. For me, a city man, I really did not know what to expect. I had … Continue reading First time to Isaan, Thailand.
Local dock workers having a break. We had just visited the exciting city of Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City, which is the official name, and heading down the Saigon river again. And next stop would be the city of Da Nang, a big fishery port and later on a stop in the commercial port of Haiphong, in the northern part of Vietnam. And once again, exciting … Continue reading To DaNang, and a stop in Haiphong, Vietnam.
I had just visited Thailand for the first time in my life, and what an experience that had been. Amazingly enough, it was more or less what I expected, the good and the bad included. Having read a lot about Thailand before we got there, since I have always been a History & Geography Buff. But still, so many new impressions to take in, and to … Continue reading Vietnam next.
To exotic Thailand, Vietnam, and Hong Kong. I even got a tan. After a very stressful day in Singapore, where we would have a “turn around” day regularly for the next 4 months, with change of pax (and some crew), spare parts received, provisions received, and services, it was time to start a new cruise. It is normally a bit tired crew after such a … Continue reading To exotic Thailand
Happy as can be. In the last part I talked about we leaving the Mediterranean, and sailed in convoy through the Suez Canal, into the Red Sea, with a stop in Safaga, and later on Djibouti which was a shocker to experience. Then we sailed through the Gulf of Aden, which a few years later would be an infamous place to pass through due to all the … Continue reading To South-East Asia
The Traveller 