Bangkok



                                      Up about 8:30, had breakfast and then out for the day.

 

Fruit and veggie bar.  Yes, salad for breakfast.

 

 

There were 4 dishes like this with eggs, ham, sausage (little hotdogs)

fried rice, etc.

There was a toaster with white and wheat bread, butter, & jellies.

Coffee, tea, water, juices, and milk.

 

We rode the subway downtown where Bert and Batty did some business while I stayed with Brian at a cafe.  When they came back we had lunch, met with Batty's brother and family.  Merle Schultz, one of the sister workers there came and we talked for a couple of hours.  A business contact of Bert's also came and talked with Bert. 

 

Merle, Brian and myself

 

 

Front of the little cafe where we ate and talked.

 

What exercise I got in the heat, 90's.  We rode the subway several times, walked, did escalators, steps.  As it is very humid we were tired and hot,

 

 

From my motel room window

 

Another view from my window

 

Views in Bangkok

 

 

For supper we went to an interesting cafe in the mall.  It was similar to a fondue only the pot has 2 sections, one with very hot (temp wise) veggie broth and the other a little spicer. The ingredients go around on small plates on a conveyor belt.  You take off what you want as it goes by.  About anything you can think of that would go in a Thai dish is on that belt.  Rice is given to you in seperate dishes.  You are given a time limit to eat, ours was an hour and 20 minutes.  We were done before the time was up.

 

 

Cooking pot

 

Conveyor belt

 

After supper it was all the steps, escalators, and subway home.

A shower and bed felt very good.

 

 

 

 

 

On Our Way                                                                                                                                        

Up by 5 AM February 3rd and off to the airport by 6.  Check in and security went fine.  The flight to Seattle was uneventful arriving on time and getting off on time.  Shortly after we left Seattle, one of the flight attendants asked for anyone with medical training.  Bert has had some in the Navy and since no one else came forward he did and then a nurse.  He was gone for quite sometime.  Watching the map I saw that we were nearing Anchorage Alaska.  I wondered if we might have to make an emergency landing.  Lunch was served and he was still gone.  Finally he came back saying a lady had jammed her finger and it was swelling so badly that the rings had to be cut off as the tip of herfinger was turning blue.  All he had was a fingernail clipper or the axe from the cockpit.  The clipper was chosen as the tool of choice.  It took quite sometime to get through little by little but he did get them off.  Soon the flight attendant came and got him again.  I thought,  "Oh no, we are past Anchorage."   As he and the nurse had missed lunch, they were taken forward and given the same lunch as given to first class passengers, much nicer than ours.  He then had to fill out several papers and check on her every once in awhile to see how she was doing.  Several passengers said they owed him something for making it so we did not have to stop in Anchorage.  Bert assured them it was all in a days work and that was what his training was for.

We arrived in Tokoyo on time but our flight to Bangkok was a little delayed as the plane we were to go out on was late.  We arrived in Bangkok about 11 PM instead of the 10:13 PM scheduled.  Batty, Brian and a friend Bun were there to meet us.  One excited family to see each other again.  On the way to Bun's car we stopped for a mango slushy, yum yum good.  Really hit the spot.

We then went to the hotel for a much needed rest.  Got to bed about 2:30 AM.   As we had crossed the International Date Line I was really confused on what day it was.  The hotel was very modern and clean.  One thing I have noticed about hotels hereis  that they do not have carpets on the floor.  Actually like it better as they are mopped after each one has been there.

 

My king sized bed,

 

The bathroom

Notice the little shower head by the stool,

They wash their bottoms. 

Some do not have paper, this one did.

The Journey Begins                                                                                                                        

My journey started January 31 with a little excitement.  The 2 days before I was to leave were bad weather days, Tuesday VERY foggy and Wednesday 9 inches of heavy wet snow.  Thursday was bright and COLD. 

Wilda and Darrell were there to take me to the airport about 1:45 in the afternoon.  All went great checking in at the airport but went down hill from there.  After waiting at the gate for some time a notice came up on the board saying the plane was delayed.  About a half hour later the plane came from Chicago.  It had to be deiced before coming to Appleton.  We loaded as quickly as possible but not fast enough.  When I arrived in Chicago the door was already closed on the plane to Washington, DC.  They had printed boarding passes for several of us that had missed our flights.  Mine said I was to leave Friday morning at 6.  They then asked me if I could go to Reagan National Airport instead of Dulles International.  I told them that would be OK so they got me on a 7:25 pm flight.  Of course that plane was also late.  Once loaded and ready to go it also had to be deiced.  Instead of getting into DC at 10:13 we got in about 11.  My luggage had been ticketed for Dulles so they could not get it on the plane I was on so it came in on the 6 am flight on Friday.  Bert called and had them deliver them to his house.  They arrived about 10:15.  All is came safe and sound.

Hope this is the end of travel excitement for this long trip.

Bringing in the New Year in Virginia

 Old Man Winter dropped 8 inches of snow on the midwest delaying my flight to DC from December 20 to the 23rd.  Shelley arrived on the 24th and stayed until Jan 4.  Nice having all of my family together for a few days. Bert & Batty surprised me when we drove up to a different home.  They had bought a new house and moved in Thanksgiving week end.  They now live in Sterling, VA.


                                                                    Christmas Day.

James & Carol Filibeck, their 2 children Ezra & Kendra and Carol's mom were at Bert's with us

 

Yummy log cake

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James and Kendra

 

Brian and Ezra playing

 

As my whole family were together for a few days we decided to have a family picture taken.

We donned our purple shirts again and went to the Library of Congress.  The white marble made a nice background.  We did have to dodge a few people,  There were a lot there as it was cool and rainy out and people wanted to be inside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Batty and Brian flew to Thailand on December 30.

New Year's Eve we spent with James, Carol and family having a fondue. 

We came home fairly early as Bert had an early flight to Florida on the 1st.

I came back to Manawa December 18 for a couple of weeks to get ready for my next adventure..   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving in Topeka, Kansas

As I was already in west-central Iowa it was only a 4 hour drive to Topeka, KS, to spend Thanksgiving with Shelley.  I went there on Tuesday and came back to my sister's the next Monday then back to Manawa on Tuesday.  For some strange reason I left the camera in the camera bag and took no pictures. Short post this time.

November In Iowa

My brother-in-law, Don, had a stroke which prompted Bertwin to plan a family trip to Iowa to introduce them to Brian.  Shelley was able to come from Kansas.  I was glad to make the trip as well.  This was Shelley's first time to meet her nepew.  I arrived there on Tuesday, Bert and family on Wednesday and Shelley on Thursday.  As they wanted to see their aunt and family in Minnesota, the kids went up there fror supper on Thursday, spent the night and came back to Iowa on Friday.

Aunt Ruth (Dennis' sister) Uncle Paul, their daughter Becky and her children, Wyatt and Kaylie.

Looks like a great supper.

Brian likes Uncle Paul's glasses.

playing with cousin Kaylie

They all got down on Brian's level,

Enjoying his fingers again

 

Friday was time for pictures with Aunt Vonnie and Uncle Don

Brian and Aunt Vonnie

Helping to strengthen Uncle Don's left arm

The purple crew

 

Saturday the kids all went their seperate ways. 

I stayed until Tuesday and then went to Kansas.

Was great having the family together. 

                           We really missed Lori but she had to work and a class she had to be at
                                                As you ccan see Don is much improved..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October trip to Virginia

Dulcie Sorenson & planned on driving out to Virginia the end of October.  When I found some very cheap airline tickets we decided to go that route.  It was the perfect time to see the colors along the Shennendoah Parkway.  Lori took off work for a couple days and was able to be with us.  We 4 gals and Brian had a lovely day.

 

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We stopped at a farmers market

 

Teething

Cuddle time with Auntie Lori

Brian loves it with his head down.

 

Dulcie and Batty went downtown to see the sights of Washington, DC and I stayed home with my little man.  No pictures of the usual sights of DC.

We were to come home on the 30th but Hurricane Sandy extended our visit another day.  We had a lot of rain and some wind where we were in Herndon but not the bad things farther north.  One tree did go down on the road into Bert's parking area while Lori and I were out getting some meds for me.  We simply drove on the out side and all was OK as no one was wanting out.