Life in Thailand

Mor Fun, and Physio

The Thais call the dentist "Mor Fun" though I don't tend to agree... Nevertheless, being as poor as I am I have had to wait over two years to be able to get a crown put on an implant I had done in Canada, and one on the tooth behind that I had a root canal done on nearly two years ago. The temporary crown on this tooth is only supposed to last six months!
To give you an idea of the difference in costs, an x-ray showing the whole mouth cost me $300 in Canada, it's 400 Baht here ($13).
My teeth suffered in Canada where following a cost of $45 to take out a tooth when I was 12 there was considerable anger at the cost and I never saw a dentist throughout my teenage years spent in Montreal... There was a lot of work for the British dentist when I went in for major work in my twenties in England.
You might say the cost of visiting a dentist in Canada has left a bad taste in my mouth!

Likewise, physiotherapy is not covered under health care in Canada, and so I paid $45 a session, but most of this was covered by the company's insurance. Here it's 150 Baht a sesson ($5) and just as good. I've been to get some exercises to bring my arm up to 100% movement.

The two crowns will cost me 30,000 Baht, just over $1,000, which is about 50% of what it will cost in Canada... It still hurts, especially as I will return to Canada with no visible means of support until I renew my instructor rating and then it's the depths of winter!

I walked about Chiang Mai yesterday after my physio appointment... I've spent a lot of time walking around...
I dropped in on Robert who offered me some coffee and we sat and chatted until he was called away to Ban Thi where the CxA renewal for his Maule was underway.
Then I went to buy a new motorcycle helmet, my second one, so that I won't have to borrow a helmet when I inevitably have to sit on the back of a motorcycle... I did this on Wednesday night when Ed gave me a ride home. The seat's not long enough and I ended up sitting on the hard plastic behind it. A bit scary!

Wednesday's Flight to Mae Hong Son

Cars

Before flying work has to be done; the brakes on Jon's MGB needed work and so we drove to the garage where the work is done.
In Thailand you can find a lot of classic cars in very good condition. Many of them have been re-engined with modern Japanese engines.
Jon's MGB is powered by Toyota!

The flight

In true English fashion we got airborne at 11:54 local to be flying under the midday Sun!

Chiang Mai approach cleared us northbound and up to 5,500 feet and then told us to pass at least 10NM north of Chiang Mai due to an airspace restriction.
As we approached Mae Kuang we were cleared direct to Mae Hong Son, we requested 8,500 feet and this was approved.

Climbing at between 75 and 80 KIAS kept the temperatures reasonable and the rate of climb was 400 to 500 feet per minute.
The ground temperature was 87ºF and it was 56ºF at 8,500 feet on a QNH of 1015mb/29.98".

The Katana outperforms the Cessna 150 and 152 in these climes with only 80hp as with automatic mixture control and a constant speed propeller this is where efficiency tells.

Approaching the mountain range northwest of Chiang Mai we were confronted by towering cumulus clouds but there were plenty of avenues to fly between them while maintaining a good view of the ground.
Once over the first high mountains and over the valley southeast of Pai the clouds dissipated and it was an easy run the rest of the way to Mae Hong Son.

Chiang Mai approach handed us off to Mae Hong Son approach 25NM northwest but I was not able to contact them for a few minutes more until we were within 30NM of Mae Hong Son.

It's not efficient to maintain 8,500 feet to ovrhead the field and from the Chiang Mai direction there's a large mountain to get over... Best to fly northwesterly and escend in a valley there to be wide downwind for the runway. You always land on 11 and takeoff on 29 as the mountain begins at the threshold of 29. In a little aeroplane I don't think it matters much unless the wind is strong.
We landed with perhaps a two knot tailwind on 11 at 12:53 local time.

I'd suggested we brought a petrol can with us as we took off with 3/4 tanks and had a lot of climbing to do.
91 Octane fuel is 37 Baht a litre ($1.20), and 15 litres will give me a little more comfort on the return journey.

The landing fee was 85 Baht ($3) and they suggested we go within three hours otherwise we'd pay a parking fee (probably not very much!).

A Tuk Tuk took us into town for 60 Baht and we walked to the Fern Restaurant for some excellent Thai food there.
Petrol was bought at the local PTT station and each of us together with the petrol had a motorcycle drop us off at the airport for 30 Baht each. He had suggested three on the bike plus the petrol... No thank's.

The terminal had many foreigners, (Germans I think), who were astonished as we walked in through security with 15 litres of benzine... I filled out the airport movements log, a Katana amongst the airliners...

A Nok Air ATR landed as Jon put the petrol in.

We took off at 15:47 local and climbed up throught the valley in which we had arrived.
This valley and the mountains on this route are all still familiar to me as I flew this way a few times in 2007. I used to do 'Mountain Experience' flights in these mountains in the way I do in BC.

The altitude we used this time was 5,500 feet (QNH 1008mb/29.76", 67ºF) as the visibility was good and the towering cumulus clouds had nearly all gone.

Again we were told to stay 15NM, 12NM, 10NM, north of Chiang Mai to stay clear of restricted airspace.
Over the valley north of Chiang Mai and well outside the restriction I asked for a descent to 3,000 feet and with this clearance a cruise descent at 110KIAS was made.

Chiang Mai then told us to descend to 1,500 feet, but this would be 500 feet AGL! I requested 2,000 feet and this was granted.

We passed over Nok airfield and checked the runway for animals before landing at 16:48 local time.

Approaching Nok I had heard Ed flying his Malibu Jetprop at 7,000 feet, cancelling IFR and asking to go to Nok.
Likewise he did a pass to check the runway and then landed after a flight to Lopburi to supply people who'd lost a lot in the flooding there.
Ed has done quite a few of these flights to alleviate the suffering caused by the flooding.

Ed, Jon, and I went to the Number 1 Bar on Loi Kroh Soi 1 as one does after a day out playing with aeroplanes.

Life in Thailand

Taurus, year of the Rooster, excellent cook

Life's experience in Chiang Mai

It's always a time of emotions and senses when I come to this part of the world.
In Ladner there's not much to inspire and I occupy my mind with the job at hand, there's flying to do, a bit of socialising, but lifetime can pass without much effort. Canadian society, or the lack of it, means that many people are scared to be themselves rather they are their best reflections of who they think you think they should be. I think that this above all reasons is the reason many people have few friends. Certainly I know few people I'd confide more than 80% in, and these people are people who are more themselves, and who I respect for their honesty.
I suppose that the society in which I work is composed of more like minded people and it is an acceptable situation. This is aviation, and people in aviation suffer from passion, but passion is life.

Here in Thailand people are more open about who they are... It is interesting to see British, Europeans, and Americans act out their lives here in the way they wish rather than in the artificial way they live when amongst their own kind in their own countries.
There is only one Canadian here I can relate this to, I think Canadians are far more obedient to what is regarded as the norm in that country. Many comply with the media's requirements.
Some of what one sees of the personal lives of foreigners of our own origin is a little offensive... I've seen more than a few rowdy Brits in their vests, stomachs over their belts, fags in their mouths, and tipsy drunk showing off the best of British Empire in Pattaya... Not pretty!
But one does not have to associate with such people so I choose to not go to the areas where such people are to be found.
In the same neighbourhood you meet very civilised Brits and Americans, Dutch, French, and other Europeans, who live out their lives there in a comfortable way without the stresses we know in Europe and North America or the climate.

There are many who have lived a pretense in their own society, they have even risen to great positions of responsibility in their professions, but now they live their lives in the way they would have wished and Thai Buddhist society accepts them for who they really are.
We judge, many of us, but is there harm? Where there could be harm then we should be critical, but I see these people enjoying their lives that, while not being mainstream, are harmless lives without the constraints of western society.

I have always been largely an observer of lives (should I leave the 'v' out?)... I am a product of pretense, after all what would the neighbours think?
It wasn't an ideal upbringing, (understatement has to be written here).
So I learned to remove myself from the emotions that would destroy me for what I saw and what I experienced. This made me an observer. "I am a rock, I am an Island" could be my song!

So observe I do. I see peoples lives for their reality. I am not too critical for I must criticise myself first, and I'm far from perfect!

Krisada Doi...

...is one of my favourite places and I will always visit this place of colourful gardens and teak Lanna buildings of a northern style reminiscent of Switzerland!
On Friday I went for a drive there with Sao... Of course Krisada Doi is a romantic place, but romance is one of the switches I have turned off! There's a practical side of me and I know that we can get on well as friends but crossing a line into romance would be hazardous to both our lives.
Let's enjoy a friendship... But lives in Thailand can be lonely too and I understand that.
We had our lunch, walked the gardens some more and then left.

Airport Plaza, ASEAN products

Big C...

...is a chain of department stores and their shopping centres are modern and spacious with all the amenities one could want together with market style Thai shopping.
After visiting Krisada Doi we dropped in to the Big C on the Hang Dong Road where we saw school preparations for the Loy Krathong parades which I will photograph once again and publish here.

Wat on Sunday..

We went to Wat Cha Mongkhon by the river on Sunday morning... Here they sell birds, eels, and turtles that have been captured for you to make merit by releasing them. I was offended by this as I consider it to be counter to Buddhism to capture living creatures and hold them for ransom in this way. It goes against the respect Buddhists are supposed to have for living things.

Sunday afternoon's flying...

...was with Koi in his Cherokee 140.
We flew north to Doi Saket and over the Mae Kuang Dam and into the mountains a little. I asked for routing to Mae Rim and then for a low pass along runway 18 at Chiang Mai International Airport.

Sunday evening we had dinner with Kett and Jon at a busy but highly efficient Thai restaurant on the (ring road) highway to the west of Chiang Mai.
Kett possesses all the charms of a gracious Thai woman, it was a pleasure meeting her.

Work must be done...

...even here, as I will return to probably nothing in Canada, drab days before an expensive Christmas that means few customers to fly with and very low income if anything at all! It's a worry.
Then there's another flight test I must do as my instructor rating will have lapsed, this means more expense as well as the fact I must write an exam to upgrade my rating to Class 1.
So I try to apply myself to the task of producing a course for the instruction of Class IV instructors, this is relatively easy for me, it's similar to producing courseware for CBT as I did profitably in the 90's.
If I'm not travelling much it's because I have this to do.

Dentists...

On Tuesday evening I had an appointment to put two new crowns in... I rented a motorcycle to get to the surgery by 19:30, I found a Honda Dream and paid 200 Baht for a day's rent. I specifically wanted a motorcycle with manual gears, they're much more controllable than and automatic scooters. I look at the scar in my shoulder...
I now have all but one of 'my' teeth, but at a cost of just over $1,000, and I know I'll regret this expense as I've always had a terrible time making up for money I spend on myself.

I bought some soap

On Wednesday I took the Honda Dream back and rented a Honda Wave for seven days from NP Car rent who I have dealt with in the past and so there's more mutual trust. I like to build relationships with the people I deal with, it's always better should anything go wrong. 1,050 Baht for seven days with insurance included.

At the Airport Plaza there was a Lanna Products show that included products from neighbouring ASEAN countries as well.
I like the fact that there is so much 'industry' here with many 'OTOP' products and a lot of creativety.
I look for items 'Canadian' to bring to Thailand; items that are not made in China! But there are few things one can buy for people of Canadian origin, yet there are many many things you can buy here that make good presents for people in Canada.

In the evening I went out to put some petrol in the motorbike's tank and it started spitting rain... It was raining a lot as I then rode to John's Place where I dried out while eating chicken noodle soup.
I was asked if I'd talked to An who used to work there, and was told she was working on Loi Kroh Soi 2... I called her and she was surprised I knew where she was, she'd only started the day before.
They sell baps at the bar An works at; you can have sausages in a bap! 'Easy to know where the owner comes from.

Loy Krathong Festival

Loy Krathong Parade in Chiang Mai




Hearing Poo's English accent you could
be in an East End of London Market!

Beautiful flowers made of soap

Pussy Cat!

This morning I had a meowing outside my door and so I opened it to see kitten there... Of course this meant giving her milk even before I'd had my own breakfast.
I've been out to Chiang Mai and come back to find the kitten watching the laundry being done downstairs, she followed me upstairs and is insisting on resting in my lap as I type!

Loy Krathong on Thursday night...

..was interesting.
This is a festival I enjoy seeing and so I rode the motorbike into Chiang Mai and parked by John's Place. There's always a parade on the other side of the moat that begins before Tanon Loy Kroh and then travels around to Tapae Road and towards the river.
I'd anticipated seeing another parade on Saturday night and so I didn't take so many pictures... Mai dee mak mak, I was in Lamphun Saturday night and at Nok Airfield on Friday night. I do somewhat regret not being in Chiang Mai Friday night...

I stopped for chicken noodle soup a John's Place and then rode to the waterfront just south of the iron bridge where festivities were in full swing by the old Lanna House. I paid my five Baht and parked in Anusarn Market.
I am using an old flashgun with my digital camera, this is much more powerful, and avoids the pink/red eye problems by not being so near to the lenses view. A little more paralax is a good thing.

Reflections at John's Place Pub

People launched their Krathongs into the Ping River and their lantern balloons into the sky.
They close Chiang Mai Airport at this time as there are millions of these hazards to aviation floating around through the night.

Anusarn Market was busy and I was surprised that Lilly was not there...
A "Hello sir" got my attention from Poo, (Thai for Crab), who has a stall selling carved soaps and Mango wood items such as trays, dishes, and wine bottle holders.
We talked for quite some time.
Canadians visiting her stall often ask if her goods are 'made in China'. Some things are but most of what you see at Anusarn Market is made in Thailand.
I told her how difficult it is to buy something 'Canadian' as a present for someone as in Canada most things are made elsewhere, mainly in China!

Friday Night BYO Food BBQ Party at Nok Airfield

I needed to buy some meat and goodies for the BBQ and yet the local Tesco Lotus shelves are bare... Their depot is obviously affected by the floods around Bangkok...
So far the Rim Ping Market a few kilometres north of here on the same Tanon Chiang Mai - Lamphun road I live on is well stocked with both local produce and imported goods. I buy my oats and my cheese here.
I went with Sao and we picked up some pepper chicken that was superb when I later ate it off the BBQ...

Majestic trees line this road as far south as Lamphun Province

Rim Ping has more stock and variety than your average Safeway

Kett and Sao with fireworks

Above, at Nok's BBQ party

The party itself was small but very good. Small meant it was closer and people had good conversation.
Then they had set up a projector and played the 'Waldo Pepper' DVD... Ok but I've seen this movie a few times.
In a way I wish this party had been on the Saturday night, mai ben rai, they'll be more Loy Krathong on Saturday night I expected, but I was wrong....

On Saturday afternoon I rode the motorbike the 24 kilometres to Lamphun expecting the festivities to be continuing there... They weren't!
But I was there to visit Mint and we had a good time ourselves.
There was a little Loy Krathong happening by the stream about a kilometre away and so I bought a Krathong and launched it there.
The stream was flowing well and so, unlike with the slow Ping current, my Krathong was carried along as it was supposed to be.

Back at Mints place we had our own little party, Mint, Boon, and I watching Luktung music videos, mainly of Tai Orathai's music,
Mint is very good at Thai dancing.

Sunday morning I got into reading Thai history... This follows my reading of "A Falcon at the Court of Siam". Very interesting.
I've already read two books and am into a third... I'm not going out as much as after paying for my teeth I can see my funds running low, and then there's the thought of going back to Canada with rent to pay and no income to cover it!
I check on my spending and if spend too much one day I spend nothing the next!
I had lunch at the Airport Plaza, a drink at John's Place, and chicken noodle soup again at Number 1 Bar...

Today I went with Mod to see Robert who is an architect. Mod's been given the task of designing an office building for a dam project north of Chiang Mai... She needs qualified help I think!

Flying in Thailand

Friday, fly the Flight Design CT SW

Saturday at Pattaya Eastern


Sentimental journey to Ban Chang


PFL to touch and go at U-Tapao

Does the Cessna 150 POH specify 10º flap for obstacle clearance?

Am I really up for gyrations in the Extra 300L?

Meeting the Thai girls again outside Asok BTS station

I like capturing portraits of people

Flying to Bangkok and from Bang Phra

The week following my last update of this website was not very exciting... Simply getting on with life, a little motoring around on the motorbike, some physio therapy at Sriphat rongphayaban, stopping by to say hello to people I know.
Thailand is about serendipity though and things happen sometimes. And so it was I thought I'd call Ed to find out what he's up to, and serendipity meant that I met him while riding the motorbike... Thoughts here can become reality.
We had drinks and then hot tea in a café with a piece of cake.

I see Friday was a Buddha day; 'should eat no meat. I could have been on the 07:00 Thai flight but thought I'd have trouble getting a ride to the airport in time, and so instead I booked the 10:00 flight and Sao gave me a ride in her car. I've also not been sleeping well enough lately!
The flight left over half an hour late enroute to Suvarnabhumi, and unusual for Thai Airways the snack pack wasn't given, instead we were given three small biscuits with cashew nuts on top and either fruit juice or water, there being no tea or coffee.
This was set up to be a strange day.
Outside the terminal I was waiting to be picked up by Maneeda's driver when a car pulled up and the driver and his partner said "get in", I responded: "Maneeda's?" and they affirmed. This wasn't right and I was nearly hijacked! Be careful when you have made arrangements that you are picked up by the right people! They also asked me for 2,000 Baht for petrol, saying it was 45 to 50 Baht a litre (it's 32!), and they were there to take me to Pattaya... Not me, you've got the wrong customer!
If you visit Thailand always use a meter cab, be careful of the 'Airport Taxi' and Limousine services.
As it was Maneeda's driver came along, formalities were done and I was soon driving down Motorway 7 enroute to Bang Phra.
At the motorway services I added 800 Baht's worth of 91 octane petrol at 32.11 Baht a litre ($1.10c CDN).
There was no flooding on the road from Lat Krabang to the motorway this time.

I was late, delay delay delay, meant this trip wasn't going entirely to plan, and I was late getting to Bang Phra airfield.
After a quick kao phat gai (chicken and rice) while reading the flight manual we finally started the Flight Design CT SW's Rotax 912 ULS engine at 14:33 local time. I was flying with Oliver who has just bought this aeroplane after learning to fly at the Thai Flying Club in their Cessna 150s.
The objective was to polish up his short field landings... But first we need to stall the aeroplane and fly it in slow flight to learn what its manners are.
In my opinion most of the LSA 'certified' aeroplanes are not properly developed before they are sold to the aviation community. I see a lot of quirks in these aircraft, unsatisfactory characteristics, which mean you need a better piloting ability than is required for something like a Cessna 150/152. LSA aircraft are not as safe as most fully certified aeroplanes.

The Tecnam I flew with Ed is an exceptional LSA with much better characteristics than most and well within what I would consider safe.
On the other hand the Fantasy Aero Allegro, and the Ekolot JK05 are unsafe aeroplanes in their basic forms. Both these types have become safe with the fitting of vortex generators which make the stall very safe and even benign! But this is customer development of factory produced aeroplanes that would not meet any true certification standard.
The last time I was here a JK05 without vortex generators (vgs) had spun into the ground. The pilot owner was lucky to escape! This aeroplane has a low Vne while being very clean and a couple of them have lost their wings, so the test pilot went up to find out what was happening and he too died when the wings came off!
So I treat LSA aircraft with careful considered respect.
The CTW's fuel tanks were full... Someone had told them they should always fly with full tanks; 135 litres!
Stall clean was 52 KIAS, 43 with 15º flaps, and 35 with 40º flaps. The stall was not nasty as it was with both the Allegro and Ekolot without vgs fitted.
We flew slow flight at 45 KIAS with 15º flaps and all was well enough. Slips produced a lot of buffet as I believe we were close to the stall, so slips should be done without a reduction of indicated airspeed. The static vent is on the belly of the fuselage between the main gear legs; I've never seen this before!
The landing gear is firm and hard; there's not much give if you drop it from three inches or more!
It's an OK aeroplane, but I wouldn't buy one!

Engine stop was at 15:57, and then I drove to Jomtien where I was in fear of severe punishment if I wasn't there for Gill's dinner at 18:00. It's an easy run down the motorway, I came off onto the Sattahip road that staddles the railway line half a mile east of Sukhumvit road. This road has uncontrolled junctions that you have to be very careful crossing, but it's a lot easier to drive than through the jambed up traffic lights of Sukhumvit by Pattaya.

Ban Chang

On Saturday I did not fly, but I visited Pattaya Eastern Airpark for a few hours before driving to Bang Chang.
I came to Thailand the first time in 2004 because in Canada I'd met someone from here who I was deeply attached to...
It would be a year before I could amass enough money to come here again in 2005 and things change... I've never been in a financial position to afford a long term relationship and so I have accepted that this life will be solitary, but it's not been without pain. And so on that second trip I was deposited at Romson Resort in Ban Chang... Later she came with her mother and a new male friend (from Canada!) who clearly had mother's approval, and we had dinner together. It was the end... I spent two weeks at Romson and then departed north to Chiang Mai.
But good or bad, I still return to places from time to time, and the people at Romson Resort recognise me and are very friendly, so why wouldn't I go 42 kilometres out of my way?

Sunday's Flying

I was up early Sunday morning, made my porridge, and was out the door to be at Eastern for 08:00.
Paul and I were airborne in his Allegro at 08:54 to do some airwork and complete some recurrency training.
Stall clean with the vortex generators fitted to this Allegro was at 42 KIAS, this was Vsmin as the aeroplane did not break, it simply sank at 450 to 500 feet per minute. Flaps 2 produced a stall at 38 KIAS without a break so this was Vsmin as well. What a difference to the sharp wing drop this aeroplane had before vortex generators were fitted.
With a touch of power we managed to get a stall break at 37 KIAS and this was without a wing drop.
I called U-Tapao and asked if we could do a practice forced landing from 3,000 feet overhead, to a touch and go followed by returning to Eastern. U-Tapao ATC are very good, it was approved.

A quick baked beans on toast at Eastern and I was off to Bang Phra in the car, speeding up the motorway...
We took off at 12:41 from 05 at Bang Phra to do circuits and shortfield landings in the CT SW. There was a bit of a crosswind and Oliver did the first one with only 15 degrees flap... I asked why, and he'd read that minimum flap should be used in strong crosswinds. The CT has a wind limitation of 25 knots and in this wind with the CT's stall charateristics there's no need to worry about using full flaps. I've heard this incorrect information before... Sure, if I was landing with 35 knots of wind or more I would consider not using full flaps... I write 'I'd consider it!'. But in most light aeroplanes why would you not use full flaps and reduce your landing speed while increasing the drag? Is that not what short field landings are about?
As far as crosswinds are concerned, if you keep to the 'maximum demonstrated crosswind' there's no need to use reduced flap settings...

In the afternoon the Extra 300L was fueled up, and as ever I wondered whether I was really up for it... I have not slept too well lately and so I'm not 100%... But the Extra is an easy aeroplane to fly and so off we go, Charn and I, to do some aerobatics. He likes to do three aileron rolls at one go as was taught him by Alan Cassidy... It was alright... We did loops, and slow rolls, and I did a more than acceptable stall turn, then it was back to do four circuits after a couple of high speed passes.
The tendancy is to flare too high, apparently the Extra will float down in the three point attitude and ground effect will cushion the touchdown... 'Seems to work, but I didn't like it and added a touch of power which really smoothed the touchdown.
Thank goodness it's a relatively easy tailwheel aeroplane!

Soon they'll be jumping again

I have never seen a static vent on the belly before!

Sunday's dinner was at the Caddy Shack in Pattaya with Alasdair and Gill. English food again, this time snake and pigmy pie for me.
Monday morning I wasn't in a hurry to leave... I suppose I should have been... I took the Sattahip road back to motorway 7 and drove back to Lat Krabang to drop the car off. I took the train to Makkasan station (35 Baht) and went for lunch with Khun Dr Jain of Nok mini airlines. They urgently need captains for their SAAB 340 aircraft so if you are interested in 6 months in Thailand, $7 - $9k per month, and are already type rated, let me know!

I took the MRT, underground train to Sukhumvit and met two of the Thai girls I'd taken out at the end of my last visit here!
I am staying at the Tai Pan hotel again.
I met up with Pakorn and later he and his wife Lek and myself went to have 'English food' again, this time fish and chips.

"What does fat gut'z mean?"

Beatles music a la carte

Travelling in Thailand

Terminal 21, Sukhumvit Soi 21 in Bangkok on Tuesday morning

35 Baht to the airport; no fleecing people like at Vancouver Airport!

Chiang Mai University grounds on Saturday night


Luktung dancers with difficulty keeping their skirts on!

What's hiss story I wonder?

Rim Ping Market: Can baby food make you develop intelligence?

Bangkok to Chiang Mai

Tuesday 22nd I had planned to visit Khun Boonying who is maintaining a cuple of well used Navajos a company has bought from Winnipeg and is now operating from Suvarnabhumi Airport. But he called to say he was catching a flight to Chiang Mai.
So I went for a wander around the new Terminal 21 mall near the Tai Pan Hotel where I had stayed the night.
I had my lunch there, I'd expected t pay more, but in fact there's a food court with a lot of good food where you buy a coupon card to pay for your food. It wasn't expensive, I think I paid 70 Baht for noodle soup and a cold drink.
This mall's floors are themed with world cities such as London, San Francisco, and Tokyo, it's very well done.
You can get vertigo looking down from the higher floors or even an open escalator that rises four floors at once.

Terminal 21 on Sukhumvit is good for vertigo!

With nothing but time I took the BTS underground to Makkasan and then the airport train to Suvarnabhumi, I hoped to be able to get an earlier Thai flight, but unfortunately my ticket didn't allow this...
Once again the goodies were sparse on the aircraft, a jelly and a cold drink was all that we were given... I'm going to miss those boxed goodies Thai used to give you.

Chiang Mai Entertainment

Usually there are concerts of Luktung (Thai Country) music at the Chiang Mai University ground in NW Chiang Mai and so I rode the motorcycle there, paid 5 Baht to park, and wandered around.
I bought some food and was limited to Chang headache beer... Why is it Chang and Singha give me headaches while Leo, Heineken, Tiger, and Lao Beer don't?

The entertainment wasn't brilliant, more of a karaoke style competition for a few blokes... One forced me to put my ear plugs in and set a dog off wimping and barking in dismay!

On Sunday night I was treated to dinner by Koi, then I rode the motorcycle to the Prince Royal College to see the balloon festival which had unfortunately finished.
I met a German lady there watching the fire show, there were still stalls, and the school band was playing music... When it all ended we, the German lady, her son's girlfriend, and I went for smoothies at the Good View.

At the Prince Royal School Sunday night

Flying from Ban Thi - Nok

On Friday (25th) I flew with Ed to Mae Sariang and I have put this trip on a separate page. Mae Sariang Trip.

Sunday morning I found a minor snag on the Cherokee which was fixed easily and then went with Koi for a test flight as the aeroplane had just had an annual check.
Wing Shui (Walter) Ng has a Thai pilot's licence and is visiting from Hong Kong... It's not easy to maintain proficiency if you live in Hong Kong and so I went with him to do some recurrency flying, steep turns, stalls, slow flight and circuits.

On Monday Walter and I flew to Lampang to do more circuits and landings there... We didd six landings and were charged 85 Baht for each of them... I'm told they will allow free landings after you have done five circuits.
After paying in the Airport office and visiting the control tower we walked into the local part of the town where we had pork and noodles (three servings), and coke for 80 Baht the lot!

ATR 72 aircraft appear on the Airport Movements Log

I always aim to fly to the east/west valley north of Mae Hong Son Airport to allow a descent to 2,500 feet on a very wide downwind to turn wide base towards the Chedi prior to the final turn.
The mountains east of the airport are very high and so a spiral descent would be required if you fly directly overhead.
We landed at 10:51am.

We paid the 85 Baht landing fee in the Airport Office and filled the movements log in in the terminal.

It's a downhill walk in the sunshine from the airport to the pond which is a focal centre.

Mae Hong Son is a favourite place, it's simply beautiful, and has not been infested with loud Farangs as Pai has been.
I have stayed in the Piya Guest House on a previous visit (700 Baht a night for a cabin). I see this has been renovated and a new modern but stylish building erected as an entrance and dining area.

The Wat is of Burmese style with a little museum inside.

By the Wat there are stalls selling locally made goods. Walter picked up some very nice colourful 'purse' bags as presents.

Liquid because we were in for a long climb up to the Chedi on top of the mountain overlooking the town and the airfield.
We took the old steps up so far then a track along the mountainside to the new steps.

Flying to Mae Hong Son

I wanted an early start on Tuesday to get ahead of the towering cumulus clouds that build over the mountains in the morning and dissipate in the afternoon. It's also cooler for the engine in the climb.
We were airborne at 09:58 from Ban Thi - Nok to climb to 8,500 feet direct Mae Rim, direct Mae Hong Son.
Chiang Mai Information Alfa at 02:30 zulu, expect radar vectors to runway 36, 020/1 knot, 10km, few ABV 4,500', temp 22 dew point 16, QNH 1016 or 30.01 inches.
ATC always ask you what radial you are on and your outbound/inbound distance and so you need a GPS for accuracy though I'm still up for plotting it! A VOR/DME is useless in the mountains at the levels we fly.

I still know these mountains well and could fly to Mae Hong Son without a map. I've always had this ability to remember places and routes, but I still refer to the map to make sure.

We went to the Fern Restaurant... Pad Thai, Garlic Chicken, mixed vegetables, and rice. Very healthy.
Washed down with iced lemon tea and water... We were going to need liquid!

It was a long climb, and my heart was stress tested! A 12 Baht bottle of iced lemon green tea at the top by the Chedi was very welcome.

I found my Buddha in its nook in the Chedi and met a girl there... I asked her what day she was born, Wednesday morning just after midnight (there are two Buddhas for Wednesday, one for morning one for afternoon).
"Where?" I asked... "Vancouver" she replied, where? "You know Vancouver?", she was born in Richmond and works as a cardiac nurse at the VGH!

Time was moving on and so we walked down the new steps, then through the town and back to the airport where since we were parked for more than three hours we had a bill for one day's parking.

After takeoff at 16:18 the flight back was easy, a gentle climb up the valley to 5,500 feet, straight east to be north of Chiang Mai and a descent to 3,000 feet then 2,000 feet prior to landing back at Nok at 17:15.
Chiang Mai information Oscar at 09:30 zulu (16:30 local), expect radar vectors to runway 36, 190/4 knots, few at 3,500 feet, temperature 30, dew point 15, QNH 1011 or 29.83 inches.

A Cessna 172 was in the local practice area... It returned to do circuits, near level landings, and holding the control column forward to keep the nosewheel on the ground before rotating at 50 KIAS or above.
This is not the art of flying a Cessna or other light aircraft but it works for jet aircraft.

I got on my motorcycle and rode home, worrying about the petrol level, and needing to put some more money on my phone.
I put 40 Baht's worth of 91 Octane in the tank, (between ½ and ¾ full), and 300 Baht on the phone at a petrol station with a 7-Eleven near where I live.

Today, Wednesday, I endured pain at Sri Phat Rong Phaya Ban as the physio therapist really put my arm through a workout!

This evening I rode to the Banana Tree restaurant, the NW side of Chiang Mai, on the canal road to have dinner with people from the Nok flying club and a DCA Pilot Examiner. It was good to meet a chap from the DCA who is enthusiastic about flying.