My short holiday in Thailand is almost at its end. I came with my friend Kenny (Pablo from the Message Board) to celebrate his 40th birthday. Because of other commitments, we could only come for 5 days -- and I was sick for most of the first 2 of those!!! But I've had a good time since I recovered, taking it easy, hanging out by the pool in the day, having a meal and a few drinks at night. I read the third Stieg Larsson book, which I greatly enjoyed -- I thought it was the best of the trilogy, with a very satisfying finale. (Perhaps TOO neat, but what the hell, it's fun to tie off everything with a bow every now and then!) I managed not to get sunburnt (for once!!) although I did get lightly seared in a few places (shoulders and shins), but nothing that really counts. I didn't really get to see much of Pattaya, the town where we were staying, as I was too lazy to leave the poolside during the day!! But I did immensely enjoy riding on their Baht Buses, little vans with open backs and side, which are the main form of public transport here -- I especially liked standing at the back and hanging onto a pole for dear life, like I used to do on the old London double decker routemaster buses as a child many years ago!!! But all good things must come to and end, and in the morning we set off nice and early for the 13 hour flight home. I'm used to long haul, so it won't bother me, but poor Kenny is a hardcore smoker, so the flight will feel like 13 weeks to him -- heh heh heh heh heh!!!!!!!! Happy 40th, Pablo!!!!!!