Upcoming Thailand Trip

To everyone in the Panda Party: Have fun and do not cause too much trouble for your Thai hosts.

Are you planning to leave all your luggage in the car while you eat at Sripraphai?

ekscrunchy...my thoughts exactly....So Mrs panda overserved me in the wine department and I forgot to serve the Waldorf salad. We had a good planning dinner, even thoug we did not have our "grids, aka schedules" in front of us. Anticipation is high.

GP - nothing new planned? I bet Bob has secretly plotted all sorts of novel adventures in minute detail...

Anyway, I admit that I am jealous that we have to wait until February to travel to Asia while you will have had two trips in the space of three months. My consolation of course is to bask in the World Series victory of my beloved Yankees until then.

EKS-good idea. Count on a NYer to have a good handle on security issues.

Craig-bask away. The RS already plotting to overthrow the Evil Empire. The forces of truth and justice will prevail. The Dark Ones will be banished.

Here's an image for those of you that might want to follow along. Bob, Panda, Beth, Karen and Maureen jammed into one of those tiny BKK taxis. Forget the meter, we just hope the driver deploys the pontoons.

the flt is on singapore, unbelievable all in fare: $677--- thans to tengombre... he is paying 50%..

we had to tie panda down last nite--- he was out of control--just imagine us in a 747 with that fruitcake for 25 hours or so...

we had lots of laughs last nite and we told them about our africa trip... more pictures are coming tonight as i finally figured out shutterfly after 3 days of trying

The Yanks are coming, The drums rum-tumming. Ev'rywhere. So prepare, say a pray'r, Send the word, send the word to beware!

Sripraphi's food is very good.

Btw, I've seen guys break into cars and drive them away. In broad daylight! They are so fast that they are gone in a blink of the eye.

Are they really heading to SRI just before they get on that looong flight? For Thai food? Aren't they going to Thaland? Did Bob plan this?

We were actually at SRI last night. It was packed as usual and we left in a shredded green mango (served pet pet), red curry duck and pork and string bean stupor. While we parked right outside, and around the corner, we didn't have a car full of luggage. Alternatively, maybe you can call in an order and have them deliver it to the SIA check in counter at JFK. Somewhere over Amrenia, on the FRA-SIA leg, you can probably sell the take out containers at a huge markup.

You will have a great time. And, bring ear plugs - for lots of reasons.

You guys should try the Yum Pra Dook foo @ SRI next time. One of my faves..

Btw, I was just kidding about the stealing cars part, lol.

Running away with parked cars full of luggage was the bad old days. Just buy a NY Post, leave it on the front seat, and you will fit in. Hopefully a story about the Yankees on the cover. (What is the yum pra dook foo?)

Now, I wonder if Bob and Andy read the small print on that cheapo SIA flight they snagged. One seat for the two of them and hand luggage only. One bag. . . . .

I promise that my trip report will NOT be a mere continuation of this thread a la RhkKmk. For clarity, a separate thread will ensue. In Needham, they think clarity is a type of wine.

Wish I was going...

Have a great time!
I'm kicking myself that I didn't take advantage of that great fare offer!!

Cruisenred-the fare was only available for a brief time. We had to strike quickly. Tengohambre is to blame for the entire trip. He E-mailed us the fare and the cabal of Beth and Bob lured everyone in.

I would go with no luggage. A speedo, running shoes and I'm good to go.

SIA is not giving us FF miles for the trip. the same is true of the decent deal Beth and I got on SIA to go to Bali in May. I'd rather have the up front cash savings than the FF miles anyway.

In truth, any available compassion should be directed towards Maureen, the afore-mentioned Friend of Panda. She will be stuck with us and our shenanigans.

Leave the speedo at home for a change - give the Thais a break.

By giving up the FF miles, you are forever doomed to flying in economy and staying in flea bag hotels like the ROS (sorry Kathie).

Let's see. The FF miles are worth approximately .01 per point ( we use them to buy economy tickets, not upgrade). From JFK-BKK, one earns about 19,000 points or $190. Our bargain fares are about $500 less than usual. $500 minus $190 equals $310. Sounds like a very good deal to me even without the FF miles.

No speedo? How will they recognize me? It's the de rigeur costume of the Panda (there's nothing like writing about oneself in the third person. It provides a completely unwarranted sense of entitlement. Sort of like Yankees fans.)

he is simply pathetic....and now i have to spend two weeks with him....he even wants to pre-book haircuts together...

Ok, look here: Just tell the person in front that you want to bring your luggage inside the restaurant..tell them that you are headed for Bangkok, etc etc, if they balk. I do not want to be responsible for the case of Speedos being snatched from the trunk, or should I say the boot. I hope you are also taking a wetsuit to counteract the freezing cold pool temperatures in Bangkok! Come to think of it, bring along a thermometer so you can take the temperatures of the pools at the Four Seasons and Sukhothai for me.

Imagine the parade of Bostonians into SRI accompanied by their luggage. This image will be burned on the retinas of the staff at SRI for all time.

There will be no enabling of any paranoid delusions of cooling entire pools. I can just see all the ice cubes floating in the peninsula's pool in the early morning. The pool staff dump the cubes in as they're setting out the towels and umbrellas. In any event, I will check the temperature of the pools at the marriott, Plaza Athenee and Krabi Sheraton.

Speaking of the Krabi shearton, I wonder whether RaRa the elephant will remember past encounters with the panda. They are supposed to have excellent memories.

Remember that dump SRI only takes cash!

mango i had forgotten that...

are you coming to the bkk GTG?

Yes, mango, what ARE your dates of travel to BKK? I'm thinking we'll be there at the same time, but in December, not November.
C

I almost hate to mention this, but I figure everyone else should be warned. Here in the LOS we now have an entire TV channel devoted to pandas, or rather one panda, but not the panda.

OMG, now that is all we will hear.,... "they have a show about me on tv..."

Only one channel?

BTW, his Bobness has stayed at the Marriott so often and sucked up to so many, it seems that he should be able to get us a significant upgrade to our room. Plus, he should be able to get them to roll a TV out to the pool so we can watch the panda channel.

this is vacation...NO TV einstein

Hey Bob and Carol. I will be there when you're there, and would like to see you all, but feel a little funny going.. I'm not sure if I'll receive "so this is the asshole" type looks or just curious ones. Maybe I'll just come by limping and say that I'm the Dogster.

Mango - feel safe in the knowledge that you will receive the "so this is the asshole" type look BUT if you are a good boy i am sure they will like you anyway.

hey mangs, just tell me what type look you want, and i'll be sure to give it to you. lol. just come by and join the good times.

Yeah it's mango season and we want the Mango to attend! It will give a nice counterbalance if wilko attends too.

Mango, don't worry. At your worst, you'll only be the second biggest bother there. I leave it to the reader to decide who will take first place.

LOL Andy.....

it will be fun and we have never given anyone a hard time yet, well maybe we gave katie a hard time in LA--it was right after fodors made one of their usual unfriendly system changes...

I leave it to the reader to decide who will take first place.

One notices an intriguing slate of candidates.

Perhaps good fortune will continue to follow Bob, and this trip will bring him another sighting such as the extremely rare African tiger.

Ok who will be in BKK from Jan16 thru 29th?

Mango-please do come. If nothing else, it will give you the opportunity to decide to never come to another GTG.

Thanks to each of you for inviting me, I really do appreciate it. Has a meeting spot and time been decided yet? I'll be in Bkk on that particular day. Sounds like sanuk-maak..

Mango... still wondering what your travel dates are. Will you be in BKK for the holidays? I'll be there from Dec 17 (late) until Jan 4.

Karen & Bob: please be gentle with Les Pandas when you break the news to them that they do not score extra points with the Buddha by traveling on the Merit [sic] Parkway.

No need for extra points. The pandas will rely on fair accumulation as warranted. For example, I don't see anyone else on this forum volunteering to guide Bob around Asia. Think of all the general managers I have to placate after he's "inteacted" with them.

One more day and we're gone.

I'm not certain, but I think "placate" means "sue"

Bad joss. Hurricane Ikea or something. All hope lost.

Carol- Will arrive Dec 15 and leave on the 30th. Short time!

One more day to wait. About 14 hours. The excitement is building. The Marriott staff is hiding. Speedos are packed, I'm good to go. this time I'm only taking a medium suitcase. Trying to avoid the Air Asia weight surcharge. Do you think they would notice if Iwas wearing four shirts and four pairs of pants at check in. Thinl Michelin Panda.

he is pathetic trully pathetic...

he also has the flu....great....now we will all get it

...and he'll give it to all 250 other passengers on your flight over. I say you tip off the airport police in Germany or Singapore and let him know he's infected. Maybe Singapore. He could use a good caning for all those anti-North Carolina comments.

err... what type of flu does the panda have? H1N1, H5N1, H1N2......??? Do we need a thermal scanner outside the restaurant for our GTG?

I'm better this morning. I may wear a mask on the drive and the flight. After I give it to Bob.

I dunno about Thailand and Singapore, but some Asian countries (China and Japan, for certain) have set up thermal monitoring systems for debarking passengers to check for flu. Supposedly, these things can detect people who have a fever, and these people are pulled aside for further testing. If they do in fact have fever, they will be quarantined for some # of days.

Although this might seem as a welcome development by some members of the traveling party, it's not a bad idea to take a couple of aspirin (or your favorite fever reducer) about 60-90 minutes before arrival.

I have alerted the Thai health department and they will have anal thermometer ready - panda size!

We all all have the visual right now:

Sometime tomorrow Bob, Andy and company depart the plane. The ready and waiting thermal scanner does its job and -- Andy is pulled to the side. A series of questions ensue about his health, his temperature and his traveling companions. Andy points to the others and says, "I'm with them, we are all traveling together."

Response from Bob: "I don't know this man, he was blabbering he knew everyone on the plane for hours. He might be delirious. And, I've got a connection to catch. Please take care of him."

Andy is taken to the Panda Reserve screaming, "I don't have the flu, I don't have the flu!"

Sorry to disappoint, my temperature was 98.7. Well within the norm. If things get really bad, I've got a plan to take an ice bath in the toilet. How's that for a visual.

Panda's run at about 92 or so. You are febrile and delirious.

This is gonna be one long plane ride . . . .

So the nurse asks, "Doctor, where should I put these rectal thermometers?"

Remember pandas at half speed are still the quickest animals on the veldt. Just imagine herds of pandas loping gracefully across the open plain. My actual strategy is to hide behind Bob for the thermal testing. Republicans are always cold.

OMG, this thread is hysterical! Did you know Panda posted on the European forum to inquire about facilities at the Frankfort Airport where he could take a shower? Seriously, he did! All the visuals on this thread have been stunning. I also enjoyed the fact that Panda wanted to watch the Panda TV channel in the pool. Apparently he's not certain how electricity works and this move would result in electrocution! Carol, don't you qualify for citizenship by now based on all the time in BKK you've spent this year?

BC

BC...
Citizenship sounds good to me! Do you think it will be offered to me upon my arrival at BKK in December ? That will be trip #5 just this year.

The visuals on this thread are indeed entertaining. Hope the pandas and bobness have a great time on their journey.

C

Are these people ever going to show up in Bangkok? It seems like days since we last heard from them.