I consider myself a seasoned traveler and didn’t want to be part of a tour group, so all of the sightseeing and touristy things I did were on my own. I would hire a driver, sometimes for a day, to take me wherever I wanted to go. A little more expensive but at least I didn’t have to play follow the leader. I visited temples, did some island hopping, went snorkeling, attended outdoor Thai boxing matches, enjoyed the nightlife, you name it, I tried to do it all. But one thing about being in Thailand, there is no end to the things you can do.

On this particular day, I went on a 60 minute safari on the back of an elephant. Other than the non-stop talking of the elephant handler, it was quit nice. Being out in nature is always a plus for me. It’s a way for me to organize my thoughts and reconnect with my spiritual side. From there I went to experience one of Thailand’s many floating markets; Markets that sell their goods from the edge of a water bank where the customers never leave their boats. Thailand’s floating markets are basically designed for tourist. It certainly gave me a new shopping experience. I honestly enjoyed it, and, unlike the elephant handler, the operator of the boat never said a word.

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I spoke to my friend Teddy, a retiree from the U.S., whom I knew on occasion had rented motorbikes here in Thailand. Teddy was polite, but definitely tried to talk me out of it. Thailand is not a place for many experienced riders much less for someone just starting out was his words. I appreciate the fact that he didn’t mention my age. Anyway, I thought about what he had said but decided I would go ahead with it any way. My mind was made-up, and I was determined to see it through.

I enrolled into a two day class that assisted me in passing the required written test. I also had a friend of mine (Jim) take me out to an empty lot for a couple of basic riding lessons. After passing both the written and road test, I received my Thailand motorcycle driver’s license. A few days later I went out and bought a motorbike, a Yamaha n-max. In most cases the difference between a motorbike and motorcycle is that most motorbikes are automatic, smaller, weigh less, and are generally easier to ride. Motorcycles are altogether a different story; They are heavier, with gears that must be manually shifted, have much more horsepower, and are far more challenging to control.

After riding my n-max around Pattaya City for awhile, I realized that the seat was not very comfortable, particularly after a ride of an hour or more, so I  decided to trade it in on a slightly bigger motorbike, a Yamaha x-max300. The x-max gave me more comfort and more stability, particularly out on the open road. Now, just to put things in perspective,  the time it took between my initial desire to ride a motorbike, obtaining my motorcycle license, purchasing my first and second motorbike was all less than 30 days. And yes, as I’ve said before, once my mind is made-up, I am relentless in seeing it through. My sister, who seldom agrees with me on anything, would quickly agree with me on that.

Over the next year or so I developed into a fairly good rider. I learned how to blend in with the other motorist on the road, which, more often than not, was a hectic and frantic style of driving. Very few drivers in Thailand obey the rules, and getting from point A to point B can be more of an obstacle course than anything else. In fact, obeying certain rules at the wrong time could actually get you in serious trouble. But overall, well after Covid, I am still enjoying the riding experience.

Occasionally I would join other riders for short day trips to various locations of interest. On one such occasion, while my friends and I were riding along at a pretty quick pace, ( 80 mph), we were suddenly passed by a lone motorcyclist. I always knew that motorcycles were faster, and much more powerful, but I was surprised at the speed in which that rider passed us, it was like we were standing still. I was intrigued. As soon as I got back to my room I went on YouTube to get an understanding of how to operate a motorcycle; shifting gears, proper use the clutch, etc… My curiosity eventually lead me inside a motorcycle shop where I began looking through their inventory. After a while I came across a 2018 Honda CBR650F. It was a used motorcycle with barely 3,000 miles on the odometer. The salesman came over and informed that a female originally purchased the bike, but soon realized it was too big for her and, therefore, didn’t ride it very much. I explained to the salesman that I was interested in the Honda, but that I had never rode a motorcycle before. He said “no problem, I could come anytime and practice riding the bike on the dead-end-street in back of the shop”, which I did over the next few weeks. Of all the times I went there to practice, he never once tried to sell me the bike, which I thought was a little unusual. Maybe he was just that good of a salesman because I eventually ended-up buying the Honda. Having two bikes now I decided to use the Yamaha X-max300 primarily for city use, and designate the Honda for road trips.

For those of you who are experienced motorcyclists, you know that the most dangerous road surface to ride on are the ones made of gravel and have sand scattered around. You also know that the two most difficult maneuvers to make are U-turns, and controlling your bike at slow speeds. I wanted to be a better rider, so I searched for an area that would allow me the opportunity to practice on all surfaces. I found an empty lot just outside of Pattaya City which seemed to be the perfect place for motorcycle practice. It had a gravel surface with patches of sand spread all throughout. It also had very little road traffic, and it was large enough to allow me room for mistakes. There was, however, one slight problem that I had to overcome. It was occupied by a pack of feral dogs.

The moment I pulled into the lot they immediately made it very clear that it was their territory, and proceeded to chase me out. Not to be discouraged, I went over to a near-by 7 eleven store and picked-up a bag of dog food. I returned to the lot and parked on the opposite side of where the dogs were gathered. I spread the dog food out, then moved off the lot to see what would happen. One by one they eventually went over and began eating. As they were eating I began riding slowly around the lot. Other than an occasional bark, they stayed put, and did not run at me as they had done earlier.

I would go there for motorcycle practice once a week, each time bringing them food. Over time, they became more and more comfortable with me being there. I even felt as though they actually looked forward to seeing me. The dog that I call Brownie was the friendliest, and would even allow me to pet him. He reminded me of a dog I once had. It was a wining situation for both me and the dogs. I was able to practice, and they got their food. I seldom go there anymore. The last couple of times I was there Brownie was no where to be seen. Life is not easy for feral dogs no matter where they are in the world. I can only hope that he is doing okay.

For those of you who are considering riding around Thailand on a motorbike or motorcycle just remember, as Teddy said, even the most experienced of riders would have a difficult time getting around. The hectic and chaotic disarray taking place on the roads, that only Thai people seem to understand, are probably not worth the risk. Most Thais do not even have a driver’s license, which is why so many of them ignore the rules. They simply don’t know what the rules are. A sample of this chaos is displayed at the end of this video. Thank you for your time. And remember, your comments are always welcome.

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Getting back to the more traditional use of the word chocolate, one of my favorite restaurants in Thailand is the Chocolate Factory. You can find them spread all throughout the country. The food is great, the service is equally as great, and, as the name implies, you can have your chocolate any way you want. The one I go to is located in Pattaya. There you can get your chocolate, and, at the same time, enjoy a great view of the sea.

On this day, during the Covid-19 lockdown, my friends JJ, Richard and I decided to go to Chocolate Lake; another nice place offering a wide variety of chocolate treats. Ninety-minutes north of Pattaya City,  Chocolate Lake is not a lake filled with chocolate, nor is it restaurant by any means; it is more like a Barista with a very limited food menu. From its isolated location, it is obvious that no one goes there just for the chocolates. It is the view of the lake and surrounding area that makes it special. For us it was a chance to get out and enjoy the day on our motorbikes before the 9pm curfew Thailand had put in place. After spending a few hours there we headed back to Pattaya. It was nearly sundown when we returned, and since I would be confined to my room for the rest of the evening, I decided to spend a moment at the beach just watching the day come to an end.

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The scenery all along the way was great, some of the best you will ever find in Thailand. Even the back roads were paved and clearly marked. With only one quick stop in between, I thought we made good time. It was a very enjoyable ride. Upon arriving, we parked our bikes and immediately began walking among the many fruit trees. According to Nop they had every kind of fruit tree there imaginable. I have to say it was quite impressive. But not nearly as impressive as the feeling I got from being so far removed from the stress of everyday city life. City life not limited to being in Thailand. We walked, and as we walked I was getting a firsthand experience of farm life in Thailand. The attitude in rural Thailand is far different than what you will find in the big cities. No one is in a hurry, no one seemed stressed and everyone gets along. I found myself wandering off on my own surrounding myself with endless rows of tall trees, a million miles from nowhere. We stayed until close to sundown before heading back. For those of you who plan on visiting Thailand, I highly recommend your itinerary include a visit to a fruit farm or village in a more rural area. I guarantee you will not regret it.

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Much later in life, I realized that I my short attention span is due to ADHD, a disorder that was not diagnosed back in the 50’s and 60’s. There are two types of ADHD; Difficulty paying attention, and difficulty sitting still. I had both. Although I was never medically diagnosed with either, I stand by my analysis. In addition to ADHD, I was also still struggling with the trauma of being hospitalized for a month with pneumonia at the age five. My condition was nearly fatal, and had me walking in my sleep for years after. Nature has its way of pushing us toward our intended purpose in life. And as fate would have it, the restless affects those conditions had on me was the very same factors that brought me into the world of music. More on this can be found in the prologue section of my book, The Unknown Musician.

Normally, I have my coffee in the morning before heading out the door. On this particular day, I got together with my friends, Richard and Bill, to ride out to Sattahip, Thailand and have our morning joe at Coffee War, an unusual name to match an unusual place. Starbucks and Amazon are fine, but Coffee War is much more than just a place to have coffee; It is a place where you can go and observe different military paraphernalia left over from the Vietnam war. They have a large variety of military antique items such as clothes and souvenirs that can be purchased. The parking lot is decorated with three commercial planes, not models but actual planes that at one time were fully functional and in use. One of the planes is a 747. There were also various military vehicles, including a helicopter, positioned around and in between the planes. We walked around observing all that it had to offer. Richard, who is a retired navy man, seemed to know a great deal about the history of many of the items we were looking at. Coincidentally, my father’s name is also Richard, and he too served in the navy during WWII.

After our walk around the exterior, we finally boarded the plane. Located in the center of the plane was the refreshment stand. Despite its name, coffee was not the only beverage on the menu. Smoothies and a wide variety of soft drinks were also available. An assortment of cakes could also be had. The staff was friendly, and politely put-up with me recording them. The three of us had a good conversation and left there with a positive opinion about the entire experience. Coffee War is definitely a must see in Thailand.

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My ride took me out to a Buddhist temple where I had discovered on a previous ride but had never viewed it from the inside. The name of the temple is Buddha’s Footprint Mandapa. It is located on top of a hill with a parking at its base. To get to the temple you had to walk up 230 steps which is why I never been inside. Today, I told myself, would be the day. There was actually a road which would allow anyone to drive up to the temple, but to me that would defeat the purpose of the steps.

I pulled inside the parking lot which, like on previous trips, was nearly empty. After parking my bike I took a deep breath and began the long journey up. Thailand’s main religion is Buddhism of which 92% of its population are a part of. You can find temples and shrines spread throughout any part of every city in Thailand. It is not unusual to see people stop and pray in front of them before passing by. For the record, I know little about Buddhism and was not there to worship. To me it was just an opportunity to experience something different. However, the atmosphere was so calm and serene, even more so once inside the temple. It was beautiful. I felt a spiritual uplifting. It seemed to have removed the morning after affects of the previous night out completely from my system. I regret that there was no photography allowed inside the temple. I would love to have shared them with you. If you ever get the opportunity to visit Buddha’s Footprint Mandapa, don’t pass it up.

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Shortly after my morning coffee I had nothing planned that day and being a father I decided to make the most of it after all. First I took a quick swim in the pool at my condo. After my swim I arranged to meet my Australian friend Richard for a short motorbike ride to Sattahip: a place just outside the city limits of Pattaya. Richard and I decided to meet-up at a near-by park reserve and from there continue on to Sattahip.

Sattahip is a city approximately 20 miles south of Pattaya City and approximately 120 miles south of Thailand’s capital Bangkok. Sattahip is home to the country’s largest Navel Base. It has about 302 ships and approximately 84,000 navel personnel stationed there. The city is surrounded by seven islands. In Thai the word satta means seven and hip means barrier. Thus Sattahip means the seven barriers which are the islands that protect the coast of the district.

I arrived a little early at the reserve so I decided to cruise around and explore until Richard showed up. I stumbled upon an interesting looking place and went to check it out. It was an outdoor display of statues and various other monuments. To this day I could not tell you the name of this place. If you are familiar with it please leave a comment. Other than a security guard stationed at the entrance, there was no one else in sight. I greeted  the guard and then proceeded to walk inside. The guard said something in Thai as I was walking in, but since I didn’t understand him I continued walking. I spent about 15 minutes there before going to meet with Richard. When he arrived we immediately headed out to Sattahip.

When we arrived at the Sattahip navel base we were allowed entrance, but for some unknown reason, we were not allowed to take pictures or make videos. A little disappointed we only stayed a short time before deciding to ride 30 minutes south to Rayong: a city with the population of about 64,000.

Located on the eat coast of the gulf of Thailand, Rayong’s main industry is fishing. It is also the center of Thailand’s chemical and auto industry. In 2012 Ford Motor Company opened an assembly plant there. Unfortunately, Richard and I got sidetracked and only made it to the outskirts of the city. We made the most of it before heading back to Pattaya. I have since been back to Rayong many times. I sometimes go there to shop at the electronic store inside the city’s Central Plaza Mall. Rayong is a welcome relief from the hustle and bustle of Pattaya. I really enjoy going there.

So much for Father’s Day in Thailand. I honestly wish I could have taken some pictures and video footage of Sattahip’s navel base, but overall I enjoyed the day. Maybe the next time I’m in Thailand during Father’s Day, I’ll wait until December 5th to celebrate, together with the fathers of Thailand. Let me know what you think.

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A few days earlier a friend of mind gave me a large basket of mixed fruit which they picked fresh from their farm. The bananas in the basket were about to spoil so I decided seek out and feed the wild monkeys roaming the reserve.

When I found the monkeys, they decided to reward my kindness with some very aggressive behavior. They didn’t intend to harm me, but they have been known to bite, and can be very dangerous if you are not careful. After all, they are wild monkeys and should be respected as such. Also, if you choose to be are around them, you need to be mindful of your personal belongings like a bag or cell phone. Once they get their hands them, you will never see them again.

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