Long Time, No See

been a bit busy..

..but wanted to make sure y’all know I am still out here doing my thing and will have more chef interviews soon as well as other missives from the Land of Smiles.

It’s hot and dry season now in Thailand and up north there is a lot of forest and crop burning going on, so smoky too. Sometimes the AQI gets up to stratospheric levels and we basically stay inside with air filters, humidifiers and AC humming. Luckily we have solar power at our house which pretty much covers our daytime usage.

Thailand is currently undergoing a crashing wave of Omicron, probably BA2 version as it is ripping through the population. Despite that, the government is slowly removing restrictions on inbound travel, so if you were thinking of coming, it’s getting easier…still a pain in the ass but manageable. If you want to come, here is what you have to do: 1) Apply for Thailand Pass and fulfill all the requirements they tell you to before arriving. Essentially you have to be vaccinated (unless you want to do a mandatory 15 day quarantine where you never leave your hotel room), buy Covid insurance or have insurance for the length of your stay that specifically covers you for up to $20,000 (AXA does it online quickly), get a pre departure PCR test, book a night at an SHA++ approved hotel and get a PCR test on arrival (packages available through hotel; best way is to look on Agoda.com)..but be aware, if you test positive on arrival you will be put into isolation in your hotel at your own expense for up to 10 days (or more, depending on the current policy which changes constantly). Be prepared to have a lot of disruptions in your travel plans once in country as lots of businesses are temporarily or permanently closed or close randomly due to staffing issues or other reasons and the government sometimes bans alcohol sales and shuts down bars and restaurants due to Covid. In other words, it’s really only advisable to come if you are very flexible and have low expectations for your trip.

Having said all that, Thailand is still beautiful, the food amazing and it has not been this cheap or uncrowded to visit in more than a decade. Now enjoy a photo of a cat:

Somchai staying low to the ground..its too damn hot to be wearing a fur coat this time of year