Phil and Nida's home page. We will use this page to keep you up to date !
Lucky ! Lucky ! Lucky !
Lucky 1 - Nida.... She is a delight
Lucky 2 - Wooden House in Thailand ( I have always wanted to build my own home), and we live there in the winter.
Lucky 3 - Long-terming in the Motorhome (in the summer)
As many motorhomers say " Living the Dream " the effect of 2 & 3 is that we can afford it as we are letting our house in UK.
Quote from a Walt Disney Film "yard by yard life is hard...inch by inch life is a cinch" spoken by a cat !
There are many similar phrases: cushy, a cinch, a doddle, a piece of cake, a pushover, a cakewalk, a walk in the park, easy as ABC, easy-peasy, easy as pie, child's play, like falling off a log, not rocket science …
Lucky 2 - Wooden House in Thailand ( I have always wanted to build my own home), and we live there in the winter.
Lucky 3 - Long-terming in the Motorhome (in the summer)
As many motorhomers say " Living the Dream " the effect of 2 & 3 is that we can afford it as we are letting our house in UK.
Quote from a Walt Disney Film "yard by yard life is hard...inch by inch life is a cinch" spoken by a cat !
There are many similar phrases: cushy, a cinch, a doddle, a piece of cake, a pushover, a cakewalk, a walk in the park, easy as ABC, easy-peasy, easy as pie, child's play, like falling off a log, not rocket science …
Updated Sunday 11th October 2015
In Thailand now for 6 months some text and images from our summer in UK and France
Text Summer 2015
Photos Summer 2015
In Thailand now for 6 months some text and images from our summer in UK and France
Text Summer 2015
Photos Summer 2015
Wednesday 31st March 2015
Yes house finished now onto odds and ends (Picture hanging etc shower curtain, hooks to keep doors open).
Nida has also made new curtains with lining for the Bedroom.
Still no water in the well but we have a reliable procedure..
Put several plastic containers in pickup...Drive to Nida's Parents house and fill these up (150L, 2 x 90L , 3 x 50 L = 480 L or so).Drive back and use the pump to topup our 700L tank We need to do this every 4 or 5 days.
Latest visa run to Tha-Li ok. A bit of a pain in that I have to get a Laos visa on Leaving Thailand but no problem.
We know of a lovely little Hotel in Dan Sai for an overnight stop.
Yes house finished now onto odds and ends (Picture hanging etc shower curtain, hooks to keep doors open).
Nida has also made new curtains with lining for the Bedroom.
Still no water in the well but we have a reliable procedure..
Put several plastic containers in pickup...Drive to Nida's Parents house and fill these up (150L, 2 x 90L , 3 x 50 L = 480 L or so).Drive back and use the pump to topup our 700L tank We need to do this every 4 or 5 days.
Latest visa run to Tha-Li ok. A bit of a pain in that I have to get a Laos visa on Leaving Thailand but no problem.
We know of a lovely little Hotel in Dan Sai for an overnight stop.
Friday 20th February 2015 - Sixtyfour on Monday !
Exactly 2 years after retiring and flying to Thailand for 2 months
Summary of the last full year.
Finances 2013-14
so "cash assets down" by some £18,000 but mitigated by my Lump sum with my Berkshire pension and most items "capital expense" or "one off"
UK 5th May 2014
Arrived LHR 7 am and got the no 75 bus to Taplow to start living in the motorhome..
So back in Thailand 15th October 2014
Finances 2014-15
Just above " breakeven" however a considerable cost of £3,000 to upgrade and service/repair the motorhome. Not bad as our only major costs in 4 years and hoping for only routine servicing costs over the next 4 years.
Further investment of about £1500 in the house in Thailand
So now is 20th Feb 2015.
Looking forward to Kate's wedding and meeting up with those who I have not seen for a while
Exactly 2 years after retiring and flying to Thailand for 2 months
Summary of the last full year.
- Thailand until 5th May 2014
- Returned from our Month in New Zealand a year ago..Super Holiday.
- Feb March April Some work on the house but not much. the biggest thing was Chanatips "New Monk Celebrations" which was a 3 day event in Mid-April . He then had to live in the temple for another 6 weeks or so.
- Previously he had decided he wanted to study at College in Uttaradit..great!
Finances 2013-14
- In the year from April 2013 some big items
- Upgrading cladding on UK house (£2,000)
- Getting house ready to rent (£1,000)
- Sending most of our furniture etc to Thailand (£3,500)
- New Toyota pickup (£13,000)
- Continuing to work on house here (full wall and bathroom upstairs) (£3,500)
- NZ holiday (£3,000)
so "cash assets down" by some £18,000 but mitigated by my Lump sum with my Berkshire pension and most items "capital expense" or "one off"
UK 5th May 2014
Arrived LHR 7 am and got the no 75 bus to Taplow to start living in the motorhome..
- a few minor hiccups..Leisure battery flat.
- so off to Liverpool to get a Solar Panel (£370) installed of the roof of MH (only place they could do it quickly). This has been a huge improvement and we camped for 11 weeks in Scotland (wild-camping) without needing to use Electric Hookup.
- mid July.. Changed the gas system to 2 large LPG tanks (instead of calor) . Installation quite pricey (£650) but running costs about 1/3 of calor and more convenient generally (almost essential for travel on the continent).
- 2 x day visits to the Thai Embassy to get visa all OK
- then off to France (Belgium) Germany Austria Hungary and Romania.
- Germany and Austria are both VG and by using their Stelleplatze camping is very cheap and pleasant .
- Hungary was pleasant and the thermal baths excellent.
- Romania was varied.. Rich people based on Mercedes and BMW cars everywhere. Poor farmers with Horses and carts.. some areas pleasant Camping OK (mainly Dutch operated) but limited locations Roads appalling. We were slightly disappointed overall given what we had read. but many nice areas and camps highlight being Zarnesti and the Bears.Perhaps we had too little time actually in Romania but no problems
- back to UK on 5th October until 15th.
- too cold and dark to really live in MH but met up with many friends in the area.go to Thailand by the end of September in future.
- we found living in MH really good.. we managed to travel a bit less and will build on this for 2015.
So back in Thailand 15th October 2014
- A few expenses Car insurance etc.
- Some more work on the house (wood panelling and ceilings in Bedrooms, finally improved electrics and Aircon ) . Thus as I have posted earlier the House is "finished"..only routine maintenance and minor items (picture hanging) should now be needed.
- The really important news is that Chanatip seems fine at college ! He stays in the city during the week but comes to the village at weekends.
- We got a report just yesterday and grades were good, and because of his UK education he seems to be on a more advanced track
- Our house in UK continues to be let and thus provide income and other benefits
Finances 2014-15
Just above " breakeven" however a considerable cost of £3,000 to upgrade and service/repair the motorhome. Not bad as our only major costs in 4 years and hoping for only routine servicing costs over the next 4 years.
Further investment of about £1500 in the house in Thailand
So now is 20th Feb 2015.
- I need another "Border Run" to extend my visa until May 6th when we fly to LHR.
- Looking forward to another summer in the MH trying to cut down on mileage
- Berkshire Wales and Berkshire again May June July.
- France and Switzerland for 6 weeks then back to UK.
- Motorhome a bit of a problem with Water Ingress. SMC took too long in resolving this but appear to NOW have done a very good job. A few other items (new Leisure Battery and awning repairs) as well as 4 new tyres. Cost lets just say "not every year".
- However it should now be setup for another 4 years without major expense.
- What was also really important was that we found "full-time living in MH" to be really good!
Looking forward to Kate's wedding and meeting up with those who I have not seen for a while
Saturday 7th Feb 2015 Hurray ! .....I can justifiably say the house is finished !.
Since arriving here mid-October we have
1 installed a ceiling in our bedroom (local labour)
2 installed a ceiling in Chanatips bedroom (local labour)
3 Had the downstairs electrics re-done (local labour)
4 had minor improvements to the upstairs electrics ( juts made tidier really but 1 extra light) again local labour
5 Fitted the wood panelling so our bedroom wall gas airtight plastic panels inside and teak wooden panels on the "lounge" side (done by us).
6 Built and rooved extra storage alongside the downstairs toilet and kitchen (again done by us).
7 Finally (today) Air-conditioning for our bedroom installed by the same electrician who did all the other work (nos 1, 2, 3, and 4)
His work is excellent uses proper plastic piping to contain the wiring and connections..takes care to fit sockets level and where we want them.. refuses to re-use old items
So we hope just routine items now and (In October) a few extra furniture items to store clothes etc
Sunday 21st Dec 2014.
A quiet few days....
Since arriving here mid-October we have
1 installed a ceiling in our bedroom (local labour)
2 installed a ceiling in Chanatips bedroom (local labour)
3 Had the downstairs electrics re-done (local labour)
4 had minor improvements to the upstairs electrics ( juts made tidier really but 1 extra light) again local labour
5 Fitted the wood panelling so our bedroom wall gas airtight plastic panels inside and teak wooden panels on the "lounge" side (done by us).
6 Built and rooved extra storage alongside the downstairs toilet and kitchen (again done by us).
7 Finally (today) Air-conditioning for our bedroom installed by the same electrician who did all the other work (nos 1, 2, 3, and 4)
His work is excellent uses proper plastic piping to contain the wiring and connections..takes care to fit sockets level and where we want them.. refuses to re-use old items
So we hope just routine items now and (In October) a few extra furniture items to store clothes etc
Sunday 21st Dec 2014.
A quiet few days....
- Some minor work on the house (fitting wire mesh over windows to stop mossies)
- More varnishing of the house walls
- Minor laptop and linked items upgrades.
- I found this link http://www.challengethefine.com/ from my wildcamping website it may interest you.
- Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all
Date - Friday 5th December 2014 The King's Birthday
Everyone is expected to tidy the village.
We did our bit to the front and side of the house.
Nida's son visited and brought his girlfriend with him.
He gave us the Thai flower gift and in return we have to wish for him.
Everyone is expected to tidy the village.
We did our bit to the front and side of the house.
Nida's son visited and brought his girlfriend with him.
He gave us the Thai flower gift and in return we have to wish for him.
Date - Thursday 4th December 2014
More gardening (mainly by Nida !)
More gardening (mainly by Nida !)
Date - Wednesday 26th November 2014
Ceilings fitted in the 2 bedrooms. So we can dispense with the Mossi net.
The nights are now quite cool..so no need to fit Aircon just yet (Maybe Feb/Mar). 10:30 am nice and warm without being too hot also a slight breeze.
Ceilings fitted in the 2 bedrooms. So we can dispense with the Mossi net.
The nights are now quite cool..so no need to fit Aircon just yet (Maybe Feb/Mar). 10:30 am nice and warm without being too hot also a slight breeze.
Date - Sunday 23rd November 2014
Finally unpacked the last of the packing boxes. Just odds and ends such as spare Hard Disks etc. Leads of all sorts, camera and other bags, loose ornaments and china, Feeling very comfortable with everything. Nida's son at college in Uttaradit..He mainly stays there but come here most weekends.
Date - Saturday 22 November 2014
So one month here lots of little jobs done but also one medium job.. Extra dry area next to toilet. All done by Nida and me.
Continued to make our bedroom "air secure" so the planned Aircon will work.
A good deal of repainting and varnishing to protect the wood and keep it looking nice.
We have found a really nice local market for fresh food.
A "local team" coming next week to install ceilings in bedrooms.
All very good.. improved photos on internet at "Photo Bucket"
One really positive item is that we found we can "live" in the motorhome for an extended period.... so much the same planned for 2015.
We are also planning a "motorhome swap" to Western Australia for December 2015.
A quiet summer for 2015 probably no "big trip" and plan to return to Thailand mid Septrmber (too cold and dark in UK after the Autumn equinox).
Finally unpacked the last of the packing boxes. Just odds and ends such as spare Hard Disks etc. Leads of all sorts, camera and other bags, loose ornaments and china, Feeling very comfortable with everything. Nida's son at college in Uttaradit..He mainly stays there but come here most weekends.
Date - Saturday 22 November 2014
So one month here lots of little jobs done but also one medium job.. Extra dry area next to toilet. All done by Nida and me.
Continued to make our bedroom "air secure" so the planned Aircon will work.
A good deal of repainting and varnishing to protect the wood and keep it looking nice.
We have found a really nice local market for fresh food.
A "local team" coming next week to install ceilings in bedrooms.
All very good.. improved photos on internet at "Photo Bucket"
One really positive item is that we found we can "live" in the motorhome for an extended period.... so much the same planned for 2015.
We are also planning a "motorhome swap" to Western Australia for December 2015.
A quiet summer for 2015 probably no "big trip" and plan to return to Thailand mid Septrmber (too cold and dark in UK after the Autumn equinox).
Date - Wednesday 15th October 2014 - Fly to Thailand.
So our 2 summer trips are over. A good deal of travelling and some really good experiences.
No undue hassle. A bit cold damp and dark back in Maidenhead from 5th to 15th Oct so we plan to change our flight dates next year.
Here in Thailand the house was all OK and after a few days of sorting/tidying all is very good.
We have made some minor re-arrangments under the house also
A few minor projects to get on with
a) Storage for tools etc
b) Ceiling in Bedroom and then aircon
c) Electric repairs additions and tidying
d) Good furniture to give easy access to all our "Bits and Pieces" from the UK
The car has been serviced Insured and taxed for another year
Yesterday (23rd Oct) and today..... Really heavy rain
So our 2 summer trips are over. A good deal of travelling and some really good experiences.
No undue hassle. A bit cold damp and dark back in Maidenhead from 5th to 15th Oct so we plan to change our flight dates next year.
Here in Thailand the house was all OK and after a few days of sorting/tidying all is very good.
We have made some minor re-arrangments under the house also
A few minor projects to get on with
a) Storage for tools etc
b) Ceiling in Bedroom and then aircon
c) Electric repairs additions and tidying
d) Good furniture to give easy access to all our "Bits and Pieces" from the UK
The car has been serviced Insured and taxed for another year
Yesterday (23rd Oct) and today..... Really heavy rain