Tag Archives: bangkok

April 6, 2025 · 8:12 am

48 Hours of Travel

I think I told you that the total time of travel from Greenwood, Arkansas to Chiang Mai, Thailad was 48 hours, but I would like to share more of the trip with you.

We drove to the Fort Smith airport and waited for the first leg of our journey. We actually went through a pretty good security check. I showed my magic card that gave information on my pacemaker implant, plus my ID bracelet and they skirted around some of the xraying. Apparently, the security check was good enough that we didn’t have to do more until we were in Bangkok, Thailand.

This was a short one hour flight to the Dallas/Fort Worth airport, where we waited again. We had to do a lot of walking we weren’t expecting to GET to the railway or whatever they call it that will whisk you to the next gate. It was a bit much for two old recently sick people.

We then flew the LONG flight – 14 hours – from DFW to Doha, Qatar. This was in the lap of luxury, our first ever business class flight. We had good food, comfortable recliners that eased into all kinds of positions for maximum comfort, including the makeup into a bed by the attendants, with a nice pillow and the best blanket I have ever slept under. I think I showed you a picture or two of the seats we had, with my husband and I sitting side by side and across from our son with the partition removed. We basically slept most of the flight after enjoying the amenities.

All of the airports were nice, but this one at Doha, Qatar, was spectacular.

This was followed by another pretty long flight, from Doha, Qatar to Bangkok, Thailand. Another nice business class flight, not as nice as the first one, but nicer than any other flight I’ve taken in my life, 2nd only to the one to Doha.

We were met in Bangkok by a team of experts hired by our son to meet us, handle the baggage change, customs check, security check, and all the other things required when landing in the main hub city in a country. Even with all that my husband’s energy gave out and we needed to find a wheelchair to get where we needed to go.

We left the Bangkok airport only minutes before the earthquake. The pilot came on saying that we would have to turn around and return to Bangkok because the Chiang Mai airport had closed. Our poor son was then trying to figure out what he would do for accommodations there, booking a new flight to Chiang Mai, meals, and more. The pilot came on again saying the Chiang Mai airport had reopened and we were resuming our flight there. Whew!

Now we find we MAY have to fly to Laos to the Thai embassy there, to get a magical stamp on our passports that the banks here will like so they will let us open bank accounts. Then we should be able to take the bank account information to the visa people and get a retirement visa. Fingers crossed!

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March 24, 2025 · 6:14 am

A Beautiful Day

Travel Pulse

This photo looks much like us yesterday. It started about 9:30 yesterday morning and continued until dinner time last night.

A bit of buying, selling, and giving away, freezer diving, and then just relaxing and visiting with lots of friends. Tears, memories, sharing, hugs, laughter – we had it all with people who have meant the world to us.

The part I clung to was that we can still communicate with text and email, plus the blog when I can get it going full speed again.

I have now shut down my Etsy site. Some sad thoughts, but mainly memories of people I’ve met, the joy of a sale, spending time in my art room, head brimming with ideas I wanted to try, and doing the work to list something on the site.

I look forward to finding out what kind of art people are doing in Thailand. I hope to find a group creating things that will allow me to watch and learn. Hopefully, I will be accepted into a group and make some new friends while maybe starting a new creative outlet for myself.

After a trip to the bank this morning, I’ll go visit another long time friend. We may have some more sales today.

There was one part of our trip that was bothering our son – the change of planes in Bangkok, bound for Chiang Mai. The time is really short. Our son would have simply RUN from one gate to the other if he were by himself. He found a service that will meet our flight in Bangkok, help us through what we have to do there, and carry us to the next gate. We are all relieved.

Leaving Wednesday evening seems a little bit surreal, still, but plans are solidifying by the hour at this point. I will try to at least leave a blurb via my phone starting on Wednesday morning, so you can travel with us, and will get back to full mode as soon as soon as we can arrange it.

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March 23, 2025 · 8:02 am

Grand Central?

Dr. Amy Johnson

I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed at this point. There are so many details left to handle, plus I want to visit my friends, get packed, etc.

Today will be a bit like Grand Central Station – though in a good way –

Our friends who adopted Amber will be here to get the drafting table in the art room. Lisa wants to choose more art supplies, and they may decide to get the roll top desk. We’re not sure when they are coming. They’ll text us. My friend Carla, who is helping to rehome Jet, may or may not be with them.

Our long time friends Dave and Laufrain said they wanted to come over for a last visit. They will text when they are on their way.

The daughter of one of the Lunch Bunch originals, who is now a good friend, too, is coming to visit around 1:30.

Re the flights – we are leaving Wednesday evening. Our son has put together the most comfortable combination of flights for us. He spent a long time researching what was available. We only want to change planes in safe places. He is arranging that we are as comfortable as possible on each of the four flights. First flight is short – Ft. Smith to DFW. There we go through security and there is a 4 hour layover. The second flight is 14 hours, but we are going Business Class, which I have never even THOUGHT about using, where we can sleep (with a pillow and blanket and reclining seats or ones that may even lie flat.) Not to mention the food and the fact that you get earphones so you can watch a movie or listen to music (which I plan to do.) The third is Doha, Quatar to Bangkok, about 6 hours, also Business Class ( :0) ), and the 4th is Bangkok to Chiang Mai, another shorter flight. 32 hours in all, but arranged to be as comfortable as our son could arrange, with the shortest layover times. Also, we’ll be leaving in the evening from here, and arriving in the afternoon there, also very good.

When I was cleaning out the roll top desk, I FOUND the Medtronic Pacemaker ID Card I need for the flights. I didn’t remember seeing it before, but my brain hasn’t been working at its best lately. So now I don’t have to worry about the one I ordered online getting here soon enough. The medical alert bracelet is supposed to get here tomorrow. It’s not needed as badly, but I’ll be glad to have it.

So people may be coming at different times – or all at the same time in a pile. We’ll be glad to see each and every one of them, and will do the best we can to direct traffic, conduct needed business, and get and give hugs.

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