Eye of Modok

The kids made me promise before we left Beijing that they could get their hair braided in Thailand. These ladies on Patong Beach made a deal for both kids for 1,000 baht so it was a no-brainer to do it there. Apparently, they are carrying on an interesting conversation in Thai about some kind of magic that allows women who are plain in the day to become amazingly beautiful at night. (I thought that was called makeup.)

Blysse and Ellie on Kata beach, Phuket, Thailand

Back in Beijing after a wonderful family trip to Thailand. Remarkably, now that we are in Beijing, we are experiencing very hot weather, whereas in Thailand it was quite cool and comfortable. As I’ve always considered a good tan a worthy indicator of the quality of the holiday, I had to resist the feelings of dismay as the clouds persisted throughout the day. Then, by evening they sky would clear up to a fluffy overcast sky.

Blysse, Ellie and me on Kata beach, Phuket, Thailand

Alas, it is the rainy season in Thailand, and as one of the key points of the trip was to take a look at a site for an ecospa in Khao Yai National Park just outside of Bangkok, including the feasibility of using a waterfall on the property to produce electricity, we needed to go during the rainy season. All is well indeed, and it looks like the ecospa project has the green light. Now we just need detailed plans.

Our waterfall in Khao Yai, Thailand

BTW, if you are going to Phuket, I recommend the Sugar Palm Resort. Kata beach is quiet and good for families, but still fairly close to other beaches with more action.

OK, another train related story so soon after my last one and my trainspotter tendencies are plainly on display. However, I can’t help but appreciate that China has made some great strides in improving rail transport. Since April, high speed bullet train service has been available between many major cities, and reports are generally favorable in regards to service and comfort. With top speeds of 250 kph, travel times between major cities have been greatly reduced, on average by two hours.

Alas, all is not as rosy, as there have been complaints about the pricing. Fares are about 50 percent higher than the current express trains because of “greater costs, faster speeds and better service”, according to Wang Yongping, spokesman with the Ministry of Railways. As a result, they are considering reducing the fares to boost sluggish sales.

Personally, I can’t wait to try one. I once endured a 26 hour train ride from Beijing to Shiyan in Hubei Province to give a presentation for Dongfeng, China’s number two automobile manufacturer, and although it was a soft sleeper, it was far from comfortable. The same ride now would take less than a third of the time and be comparatively far more luxurious. Perhaps my vow to fly from now on, despite the eco impact, can be retracted.