Back from BKK

Got back from Bangkok (and Krabi) yesterday, had a great trip. Ran 8 out of the 11 days, with 4 hard workouts. Ate a lot, of course, but only gained 1.5kg, which should come off soon, I hope.

I generally ran in the late afternoon, in about 31C heat, but it didn't bother me - in fact, I loved it (it snowed in Tokyo today - I didn't run). And if you wait until 5:30 - 6:00 it cools off quite a bit.

I ran in Benjakitti Park, just in back of the central Sukhumvit area, which has a 1.85k loop around a nice lake, marked every 100m. Did a few hard interval workouts there...lots of joggers…probably the first time anyone has run fast there for years.

We had no problems with the protests/demonstrations, except for being inconvenienced a bit. Actually, that is mainly what they are doing - inconveniencing people, especially drivers, by blocking several main intersections. It's pretty silly.

They say these protests are by the elite and middle class, but I'll tell you, most of them don't look middle class. They look like laborers and even young toughs. Well, they're obviously unemployed, since they're camping out for weeks at a time. But even the ones who bus in look like "the lower classes". The weekend parades and concerts (which they have a lot of, to keep the campers entertained) do draw ordinary people, though.

One night some of my daughter Jennifer's co-workers said, Are you going to the show? Jennifer asked what show? They said there would be various popular singers at such and such an intersection, where a big stage is set up. They weren't going to protest, just to hear the show. But of course the leaders announce, 40,000 people came to the protest.

The Krabi coast was nice, Koh Phi Phi and all those little islands are cool. Nothing to do there, just chill out at a resort, but that's fine with me. Of course, we took the tour to Phi Phi to see "The Beach." Our tour guide was funny, he kept referring to Leonardo Cappuccino. I had a nice road through the countryside and along the ocean to run on.

Were there this many people on "The Beach" when Leo was there?

It's a tough life, but someone has to do it….