New Year's Eve in Pattaya, Thailand

I've been here since Sunday, first time in 12 years. The growth of this city is enormous especially when I compare it to a small township I visited first time in early seventies. There are new high luxury hotels, but it does not change the character of this place. It's a paradise for pleasure seeking men with other words one of the biggest gardens of the risen sun in the world.
I yesterday at 7pm had a gala dinner (a must) at the hotel for 1000 baht about 20 euros. Luckily I had a nice company of two pleasant gentlemen Ville 26 and Jori 25, who came from the same small country town Huittinen in Finland, where my lady friend Kaisa
happens to be working and part time living.
Then I later strolled on the narrow alleys, dropping in to some bars waiting for midnight in very crowded city. Of course there were plenty of different offers to keep company to me ( very pretty ones too) but eventually succeeded to get to my hotel alone at around 2am after celebrating the the New Year 2008 in a very noisy circumstances.
I then slept in deep dreams for 10 hours!

Problems with credit cards and Christmas at Sibelius restaurant on Koh Samui, Thailand

I have had longer times all kind of problems with my credit cards. I can blame mostly myself but also the connections in ATM machines and even in banks but the card companies too. First mistakes I made already before leaving Finland last March. I had forgotten the Pin code of my MC card, and did not then apply for the new one. I have 2 DC cards and took one with me but wrong Pin code. In Bali I went swimming, forgetting that I had my Visa card in my pocket. That card did not function any more. The quality of my MC card had been quite bad and on X-mas Eve it finally broke totally and was useless. The ATM machines have been struggling with my Amex a lot if accepting it at all. Already in November I did ask for a new Visa card ,but until now I do not have it. Same thing with the Pin code for my MC. Now I of course need a new MC card too, but I do not expect to get it before back in Finland. My son is bringing the correct DC for excisting Pin code.and I'll get it in Hong Kong in ten days time.
My new Finnish friends here helped me a lot. Day before X-mas I was pennyless, and that day ATM did once again not accept my Amex. Marko 39, had heard about my problems
and came to me with 10,000 bahts (about 250 euros)saying you can pay this back whenever you can.He and his friend Teemu 31 did take care before that of my drinks on a fishing trip we went together. That was the most boring fishing I ever made but we three still had some fun.
The flat I have rented for three weeks upstairs of Sibelius restaurant is about 40m2 big and very good. When I asked the owner Erkki 51, if the payments (rent, food and drinks)can be done from Finland, he immediately answered ,"no problem, miesta on autettava maessa" this is, if a man needs help you have to support him.
We had an excellent Finnish Christmas Gala dinner, with all home made traditional delicaties, necessary raw materials imported from Finnland, and we all Finns, maybe 20 of us did agree that we couldn't have had it better back home.It was a very memorable Finnish Christmas with new friends far from home

Merry X-mas and Happy New Year! Koh Samui, Thailand

I really wish from the bottom of my heart a Peaceful and Merry Christmas as well as a very Happy and Prosperous New Year 2008 to all my friends and all readers of this blog everywhere in the world!

Easy days on Koh Samui, Thailand

I have been here soon two weeks weeks, and the lazy days have passed so quickly.
Last week I spent a couple of evenings with Sandor and Mimi from Hungary, and we did have good fun. I then met here a Finnish couple at the beach bar. Tuomas Eskelinen 30,a former Finnish national ice hockey team player with his girl friend Johanna 32.Tuomas had just recently to finish his playing carrier due knee injuries. Two days ago we, a bunch of nine Finns, regulars at the Sibelius restaurant, were invited to an official
opening of a sushi bar, because the Japanese owner happens to like Finnish people.
How it did happen, Tuomas,Johanna and me were the last ones after a bar round to be heading towards our beds.

Celebrating Finland's Independence Day on Koh Samui, Thailand

I arrived here on December 5. which was His Majesty's King Bhumibol's 80th birthday and the entire nation celebrated it. My turn came next day on Dec.6, when my country Finland had it's 90th birthday as an independent nation. I decided to go to a local very good Finnish restaurant "Sibelius" to celebrate with nice dinner and a bottle of good red vine.there were a big bunch of young Finns, and very many girls had beautiful evening gowns. They had also another reason to celebrate, they recently had finished their studies and had made last examines to be professional opticians.
They had just by coincidence found this restaurant in internet, and decided to travel to Koh Samui to be there on that particular day.
I already had finished my dinner, and sat in the bar with the owner of the restaurant
Erkki, who after almost 20 years in Sweden, had made his mind to settle here on Koh Samui,and with the Chef, Tuomas. Then suddenly five girls from the group joyned us. Their spirit was very high and everyone of them was at the best mood.
They all Hanna, Anna, Anna,Virpi and Tiina were very pretty, between 21 -25 years.
We then had some more drinks before moving to another Finnish bar, where another group of Finns joyned us. I went to sleep at 4am but I heard that some younger ones continued until 10am. Next day was the first rainy day during my trip, but it did not disturb me, I was sleeping all the day after my breafast.
Jyrki had also asked me, if I could be interested of a free flat upstairs, just above the restaurant. We went to see it, and I liked it immediately with big TV screen including many channels, especially Eurosport. I got it with half the price what was my special price at Tradewinds, where I did spent so many of my vacationes in last ten years. I yesterday moved in and shall stay there next three weeks.
I yesterday evening then, as so many times before on this journey decided to have pasta, and there was "La Dolce Vita" next door. Later, after listening a while the couple very near to me, asked them if they were talking Hungarian. Yes, they did, and when I told them that I'm a Finn, we became friends immediately. Sandor 38 and Mimi 28 is a very attractive couple, and they had moved here just recently after his several visits to study the business possibilities here. We were the last customers there, and decided to go to sleep after almost whole personal had left home. They told me that "La Dolce Vita" was thei favorit Italian place ,and they had visited them all.
I made some propaganda for "Sibelius", and they promised to visit it soon.
When back in my flat, I could not really sleep because I had to watch all possible Winter sports at Eurosport until 4.30am.

Congratulations Finland, 90 years of Independence

This is a big day for Finland and for the Finnish people all over in the world. We today celebrate our 90th anniversary as an independent country and free nation.
I ask you, if possible, friends of mine or those of Finland to light a candle at 6 pm
your time to give some thoughts to this small but brave country. Thank you!

Last days in KL Malaysia

Day before yesterday Iwas driving around with monorail and finally found myself at the most expensive area of KL with those exclusive brands like Boss, Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton etc. I then decided to stop at Planet Hollywood for some cool refreshment. After a nice meal with good red vines I was leaving but probably waiting for my bill,when three elegant gentlemen passed my table looking for free table. There was none. I said to them that they could sit down here, I'm leaving very soon. They thanked me happily and sat down. Then they asked me not to leave but stay and enjoy their company. They were Iranian 747 pilots Ali, Mastafa and Hassan. We sat there together for a couple of hours,talking about everything including sports, politics and women. They invited me to visit Iran at any time, and I might do it. Maybe next year.I have their connections.
Now I've spent most beautiful time with as beautiful Nina before leaving soon to the airport, heading to Koh Samui in Thailand.

Amazing Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

I've been in KL, as it is called here, since very early hours of last Saturday.
During the day I was just strolling around, looking for AMT to get some money.
I did not have any money of any currency left. I did have to convince the taxi driver at the airport that the hotel is paying my taxi fare, even I did not have the slightest idea, if they really are going to do it. Well, it took a while before I could agree with the hotel's night shift to pay the taxi.I had to make a written statement to the hotel that I personally own them RM70 = USD22 ,which I shall pay back in cash next morning. I have not done it yet, and I expect that it has been put on my bill because nobody has asked for my debt. It was quite funny feeling to come here nothing in the pocket. So ,on Saturday I started to look for those machines, which I learned to use just recently. I soon found several but only for Visa or MC. I already before my start to this trip had forgotten the Pin code of my MC, and last week I happened to jump to the swimming pool with my Visa in the pocket. So this former Visa card is now as worthless as any piece of plastic without any special purpose of use. Finally I found one box, which also accepted Amex, but that one was broken and out of use. It anyhow gave me hope that eventually I might find an other working one. So I did maybe half an hour later. What a happy feeling to have first time in two days some money in my valet again.
In the evening I had an appointment with my young friends Martin and Nina Vieth from my home town Helsinki. They have been here in K.L. for almost one year and another one and half year to go. They are in their early 30's, Martin is working in
international IT business, and Nina has time for local friends and visitors like me.
We had an fantastic amusant evening in several bars until they all were closed. We also enjoyed a very nice Brazilian dinner. Yesterday they also had their first wedding anniversary. Martin is today leaving for Bangladesh for business, and I am tomorrow moving to their appartment to entertain charming Nina for 24 hours, with his permission of course.
Yesterday I continued to explore the city with Monorail, went then to the increble Petronas Twin Towers, got the day's last ticket to the famous sky bridge, where I also met two Finnish shipbuilding engineers. Later I found another bar district, where I had some drinks in very international company.