Rainy season in Thailand is marked, amongst other methods, by an increased attendance of frogs and toads in the garden at night.  This is a particularly noticeable phenomenon, far more so than any equivalent back in the UK, because it coincides with several other seasonal events from the animal kingdom.
The forerunners to the summer monsoons [...]

It’s a long time since I took part in a pub-quiz. Last night I went along to one at The Pub – ChiangMai’s longest surviving expat watering hole, somewhere around a century old now – and had a great time, even though it left me wondering what’s happened to my brain.

I’ll admit to having a great time, and the manager, Graham – a long time friend, introduced me to a couple of tourists needing to make up a quiz team. We did our best, and just avoided the wooden spoon at the end of the night, but what has happened to my memory?

Windowsills

CHIANG MAI, Thailand – 1 May 2002 - “Windowsills”, said the bearded one with much emphasis and reminiscent tones into the open top of his Carlsberg bottle, which had paused midway between table and mouth. The action, being an event of much significance amongst our small band of imbibers, riveted our attention. An event of such significance was so rarely seen that we also had to consider the utterance.

“Windowsills” we all mused. “What could he be considering?”

“Windowsills”, he repeated, “are wonderful things and you don’t see them in this country.” Then the green bottle completed it’s journey.

We considered the observation until the almost bald one admitted, “He’s finally flipped, the beer that refreshes parts that others don’t, has done the opposite to him.”