This is not a travel blog just a personal photo collection from 1991.
New Zealand Holiday 1991 in Auckland & the Bay of Islands in the north. My girlfriend at the time Karen Greenwood was a kiwi, we travelled with her mother & enjoyed beautiful countryside.
In the shot above I’m wandering around Auckland looking for a pub. 🙂
New Years Eve 1991
As you can see Karen was a beautiful looking lady with a gorgeous smile. We knocked around together for a year or so, our reasons were a little different. I was happy having a gorgeous babe on my arm, Karen stuck around because I loaned her a car. 🙂 🙂 🙂
The lovely seaside village of Russel.
Russell, known as Kororareka in the early 19th century, was the first permanent European settlement and seaport in New Zealand. It is situated in the Bay of Islands.
The jetty in Russell
This is where we boarded a charter boat for a couple of days cruising around the islands.
What a fabulous boat.
I could be very happy living on this with a bert at Marina Mirage on the Gold Coast. 🙂
What a fabulous babe. 🙂
Absolutely beautiful.
We caught up again in 2017
Here we are at Frank’s seafood on Chevron Island. It’s amazing that these photos were taken 26 years apart yet Karen has hardly changed at all.
Three generations
Karen’s Mum & her daughter Natasha.
Happy faces on the boat.
The ship’s captain was Karen’s mother’s boyfriend.
New Zealand Holiday 1991
Right at the top of this beautiful country.
Thanks for visiting my New Zealand Holiday 1991 photo blog.
Oyster bar Sendai Japan provided a terrific feast of delicious large natural oysters. Here is the reason these oysters are so good; “A cold current that contains nutrient-rich water travels down the coast from north to south. The two currents collide at around the Sanriku area, which includes the coast of Miyagi Prefecture.” The mixing of these currents leads to plankton blooms, which attract migrating fish. “This same nutrient- and plankton-rich water makes Matsushima Bay oysters delicious,” these wild oysters were first discovered as a culinary delight and harvested from Matsushima Bay back in the 17th century.
These oysters are rather huge.
I was lucky the night to find this great little restaurantOstra de Ole the oysters were half price so I ordered 10.
A ll of a sudden I thought I was in heaven. 🙂
It seemed that I was in heaven, sitting in a great little oyster bar drinking ice cold beer, listening to Abba singing Dancing Queen & waiting on my 10 oysters to arrive. And as I said, tonight they were half price, B300 or $12 AUD, priceless. 🙂 a
My night just kept getting better.
My waiter Ryuichiro Yamamoto a nice young university student who was studying Space Engineering, rolled up with a bonus 3 oysters on the house.
Oyster bar Sendai Japan
Cold beer, huge oysters & great music, it does not get any better than this in an Oyster bar Sendai Japan. 🙂
First bar as you enter Kokubuncho
kokubunchô is the largest entertainment district throughout Tohoku and is located in the center of Sendai, in Miyagi Prefecture. About 3000 restaurants and bars are located there. Many people flock to this area every day, specifically during the weekend after a long week of work. The area is composed of various restaurants, Izakaya (Japanese style pubs), bars, nightclubs, etc . If you are looking to party, you came to the right place.🤗
And thanks to you for visiting my Oyster bar Sendai Japan photo blog. My hotel Hokke Club was in an excellent location. Only 15 minutes walk from the station & 10 minutes to Kokubuncho where all the action is. Book through THIS LINK for a very good room rate with free cancellation.
I have eaten oysters all over the world, please check out THIS LINK.
Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.
The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.
Sutus Court is a great budget hotel right i the heart of one of Pattaya’s main bar areas, just use THIS LINK for a terrific room rate. 420/100 Moo 9 Soi Buakhao.
This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposite the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate.
Kagoshima Aquarium Kinko Bay has a similar look to the Sydney Opera House. Not nearly as spectacular of course but certainly well worth a visit.
Whale shark
The whale shark is the largest of the fish species. The biggest confirmed individual had a length of 12.65 meters and a weight of around 21.5 ton.
Here is a video of the Whale Shark & others.
Huge whale shark at Kagoshima aquarium in Japan.
I’t’s so peaceful & relaxing watching these amazing fish swim lazily in circles around the huge pool.
Another big guy
I can’t remember how many years it has been since I was at an aquarium, it was a total pleasure visiting the aquarium at Kagoshima. Entry was 1500 Yen or $14 USD.
Another huge tank with a great variety of fish
The women in the photo gives you an idea of the size of the tank & the fish.
Jelly fish
Jellyfish are the most efficient swimmers in the oceans. They use less energy to cover a given distance than any other ocean creature. Follow THIS LINKfor some great information.
Big body, small head.
The huge variety of marine life is quite amazing.
Hiding among the reeds
This little guy was only about 6 inches long.
Here are some starfish in the background
The starfish is not a fish. It’s an echinoderm, closely related to sea urchins and sand dollars.
There are some 2,000 species of sea star living in all the world’s oceans, from tropical habitats to the cold seafloor. The five-arm varieties are the most common, hence their name, but species with 10, 20, and even 40 arms exist.
They have bony, calcified skin, which protects them from most predators, and many wear striking colors that camouflage them or scare off potential attackers. Purely marine animals, there are no freshwater sea stars, and only a few live in brackish water.
Beyond their distinctive shape, sea stars are famous for their ability to regenerate limbs, and in some cases, entire bodies. They accomplish this by housing most or all of their vital organs in their arms. Some require the central body to be intact to regenerate, but a few species can grow an entirely new sea star just from a portion of a severed limb.
Most sea stars also have the remarkable ability to consume prey outside their bodies. Using tiny, suction-cupped tube feet, they pry open clams or oysters, and their sack-like cardiac stomach emerges from their mouth and oozes inside the shell. The stomach then envelops the prey to digest it, and finally withdraws back into the body. Credit National Geographic.
Here is another video, great shots of sharks swimming.
Great variety of fish & sharks at Kagoshima aquarium
These sharks are absolutely fascinating creatures, so streamlined & graceful.
My hotel is only 10 minutes walk to the aquarium, a great location and a great room rate if you book through THIS LINK.
Now for some more sashimi 🙂
Another beautiful looking creature.
Deep sea worms
Despite being an inland bay, Kinko Bay reaches depths of more than 200 meters, making it home to deep see marine life as well. Additionally, a new species of tube worm, or Lamellibrachia Satsuma, can be found on the sea floor at depths of around 90 meters in the upper bay. Research has shown that this unique population is supported by underwater volcanic vents from Mt. Sakurajima that spew hydrogen sulfide from the sea floor.
A few small fish among the coral
The coral itself makes a beautiful display.
You have seen the worms, now how about a sea snake?
Snakes are one of the things I have always been afraid of. Growing up in Australia which has nine of the ten most venemous snakesin the world, is it any wonder we are scared of them? 🙂
Beautiful colours
You really can spend hours watching these wonderful creatures.
Stonefish, most venemous fish in the world.
Stonefish are venomous, dangerous, and even fatal to humans. It is one of the most venomous fish known. They are found in the coastal regions of the Indo-Pacific.
Video of the Stonefish in full camouflage
Stone fish resting at Kagoshima aquarium in Japan
Very hard to see this guy, looks just like the surrounding rocks.
This guy is giving me the stare. 🙂
They are so sleek and sinister.
Imagine swimming in the sea & seeing this guy coming toward you.
I think I would die of a heart attack before he got to me. 🙂
Watching the seals being fed
Always popular with the crowd is feeding time.
Video of the dolphins
Dolphins jumping at Kagoshima aquarium in Japan
Personally I don’t like to see these wonderful intelligent animals in captivity, they need to be free in the ocean, not imprisoned in a small pool.
Many wonderful boats Pattaya Bay, lets start with the old clunkers, funnily enough some of these boats from 1980 are still being used today.
Here is a perfect example in 2016
I guarantee this classic has been working in the bay for 60 or more years. I would definitely recommend a life jacket. 🙂
Protection from the burning sun?
No way José , just sit there & fry.
At least the captain has shade in this one.
Forget the passengers the captain is ok. 🙂
This old bucket has just had a paint job.
Looks pretty good with the new paint job.
One extreme to another
Here is one of the hundreds of speed boats that take tourists, mainly Chinese, to Koh Larn & Para-sailing. This one is grossly overpowered with almost 700 HP to push it along.
Even all that power doesn’t always do the job.
Speedboat stuck on sandbar
These Thai drivers are not very skillful I’m afraid.
Every morning in Pattaya
The boats start gathering on Pattaya beach from 6.30 every morning.
Here come the Chinese tourists
Every day thousands flock to Pattaya to board the boats.
And now for something different
A nice catamaran pulls into the beach.
Koh Larn ferry
The 40 minute ferry ride to Koh Larn will set you back B30, or 86 U.S. cents.
Needs a little work
One owner, & open to all reasonable offers.
Here is one being done up
Still a little work to be done but starting to look good.
There are some luxury boats here as well.
Just wander around some of the marinas along the coast and you will finds some very nice boats. However please don’t expect the “French Riviera”. 🙂
Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.
The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.
This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate.
This is not a travel blog just my personal photo collection from the 2nd half of 2016.
Another birthday rolls around July 7.
Loving Pattaya life 2016
Loving Pattaya life 2016 has seen me spend all year here, the quietest travel year I have had this century. I over spent in the last 2 or 3 years so I thought I should pull my horns in. 🙂
I spent 5 days in Koh Samui in June, 2 weeks in Australia in August and a great trip to Japan in October.
Some of the usual suspects
Greg, Hamish & John helped me celebrate at the Mantra.
A year living in Pattaya seems like about 6 months, time just seems to fly.
Great beach shot August 4th at 7am
All the boats are waiting for the hordes of Chinese tourists.
And here they come in their thousands
The buses roll into Beach Road of a morning and the tourists flock to the boats.
Tony & Nikki Murphy at Signature Steak & Seafood.
The Murphy’s spent a week in Pattaya then 3 nights in Mae Pim before flying back to Australia.
Visitors from San Diego
It was great to catch up with Paul, Eileen, Parker & Elle in Pattaya as part of their 9 week Asian holiday with included Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Koh Samui, Koh Samet & Danang.
Seagulls in Pattaya?
Here is a sculpture on Beach Rd showing a flock of seagulls, yet to this day I have never seen a seagull in Pattaya. 🙂
Here comes the rain
I love seeing the black clouds roll in over Pattaya.
Steve is a great mate of Larry’s from the Gold Coast. Terrific news for movie goers which vastly overshadows the recent Brangelina bullshit, the “odd couple” Larry Krausz & Steven Reade have been signed by BangBros, the largest porn studio in the world, to star in a remake of the 1988 movie Twins, which stared Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. See if you can pick who will play DeVito. 🙂
The more thigs change the more they stay the same
After many years the Cherry bar on Soi 3 & 2nd Rd has been sold and is now Billabong 2.
When can we have some fun?
Every night you go out in Pattaya the fun starts.
For a discounted hotel rate with free WiFi in Pattaya or anywhere in the world, just book through THIS LINK
Starbucks
Opened in September at the “Bay” which is between Soi 5 & 6 on Beach Rd.
Good coffee & happy staff
They are the first to open at the Bay, next will be McDonalds.
Stunning November sunset
So many great sunsets from my balcony.
My new home
On November 1st after 4.5 years I moved from the 17th floor in Markland to the 20th, does that mean I coming up in the world?
The usual suspects
Jim’s Burgers is a great place for a casual dinner with friends, I’m with Hamish, Jonathon & Matt.
Delicious
Lots of varieties & you can order small or large.
One of my massage girls
Used to be a waitress in Chamiko in Soi 3, now she works at a massage parlour in Soi 3 & sometimes gives me a reasonable foot massage.
Spectacular clouds over Koh Larn
These days I seem to be obsessed with taking photos of clouds & sunsets. 🙂
October in Japan
I m with my friend Kayo in a Spanish restaurant in Tokyo. I purchased a two week ticket on the Shinkansen or bullet train, then after 3 nights in Tokyo I travelled to 6 interesting Japanese cities, includung Kanazawa, Hiroshima, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Nagasaki & Fukuoka.
I arrived back in Pattaya on Ocober 28th & the following day my good friend Larry Krausz was rushed to Bangkok Pattaya hospital after suffering a major stroke, now 5 weeks later on December 5th he is still in a serious condition in the intensive care ward.
Ross & Bryce arrive from Australia
The boys came over for a few days to visit Larry.
Centara Grand
After a couple of cold beers at Centara Grand and a Pattaya cop working security wanted to throw us out. I lay the blame 100% on Pothole aka John David Martin who was dressed like a local bum & showing off his silly tattoos. 🙂
Pothole & sons + Kayo.
Tate is Pothole’s eldest son, he arrived in Thailand from Australia to celebrate Xmas & to meet his 2 half brothers Tyrone & Tiger. Notice for some strange reason known only to Pothole, all his children including daughter Tamara have to have a first name starting with the letter T. Just another one of his many offbeat strange quirks. 🙂 The lovely Japanese girl in the photo is my friend Kayo from Tokyo.
Shopping for a dress in Soi 6
Even though Soi 6 is one of the wildest streets in Pattaya there is still time for some quiet shopping. 🙂
Soi Diana redhead.
A very sweet girl from Area 51, no wonder I’m Loving Pattaya life 2016′
On the subject of Soi 6
Here is Geoff from Australia, a fanatical Soi 6 supporter. We are at Leckerle in Soi 33 Naklua with his ex fiance Nana for a terrific meal & lots of wine.
Xmas Day with Geoff & Nana
We started with a bottle of French Champagne on my balcony.
Lunch at Surf & Turf & Loving Pattaya life 2016
A great location on the beach at Wongamat. Kayo flew from Tokyo to spend 10 days in Thailand before heading to Australia.
Two nights in Bangkok
December 29th took Pothole & Yogurt to Cheap Charles before checking out Brewski a new sky bar at the Radisson Blu.
New Years Eve in Pattaya
Steve “Jumbo” Reade having a ball at the Atlantic Bar & Loving Pattaya life 2016.
Atlantic girls
They all looked terrific, dressed to kill. 🙂
Meet the gorgeous Katie.
A very happy lady from Billabong 2.
Here’s Pothole dressed in his Jaffa outfit.
Anything to attract attention. 🙂
Farewell to an old friend
Larry Krausz, a friend for around 30 years suffered a major stroke on October 28. After 2 months in the Bangkok Pattaya hospital on life support he was transported to Australia by a hospital Leer jet, thanks to his Medibank travel insurance. After a month his life support was removed & he passed away peacefully.
It’s now 2017 and here is Glenn Frey to tell you exactly how I feel today.
For a discounted hotel rate with free WiFi in Pattaya or anywhere in the world, just book through THIS LINK
Pattaya Bay Beach Resort Thailand is a city two hours south of Bangkok. My first visit was 37 years ago in 1980and after many trips over the years since then I decided to move here from Australia in October 2011. Without a doubt it was the right decision given how expensive the cost of living in Australia has become. Don’t get me wrong, I still love Australia with a passion, however at my age Thailand offers a better lifestyle at an affordable price.
The following photos and video were taken from the naval base on Pratumnak Hill beside the communication tower you can see in the centre of the above photo.
Pattaya Bay Beach Resort Thailand
A perfect view of Pattaya Bay stretching all the way toWongamat which is the next beach to the north.
Waterfront condo
Construction was halted in 2014 due to alleged anomalies in the building specifications and planning permits. Nobody seems to have any idea if and when work will re-commence.
In late 2016 it was reported they have to now remove the top 8 floors of the building.
Bali Hai pier
Just below the view point is Bali Hai pier where for B30 you can take a ferry to Koh Larn where there are some excellent beaches and clean water.
A closer look at the pier.
The ferries to Koh Larn run about every 39 minutes from 10 am.
The sunsets in Pattaya Bay Beach Resort are as spectacular as anything I have seen in this world, as are the tropical storms.
Tropical storm
During the wet season which is May to November these fierce storms roll in over the bay often causing severe damage to the beach. Follow this link to see the aftermath of Vamcoin 2015.
This was June 12th 2017 & at first I thought itr was sand stirred up by the speedboats. Then a suggestion was made it could be the result of some sort of plankton bloom.
Thanks for stopping by.
I hope you enjoyed my Pattaya Bay Beach Resort photo blog.
Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.
The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.
This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate.
Marina Bay Singapore is an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore. Developed by Las Vegas Sands, it is the world’s most expensive building, at US$ 5.7 billion, including the cost of the prime land.
View from the Ritz Carlton
Marina Bay Sands dominates much of the Singaporeskyline, this view is from the front door of the Ritz Carlton.
Towards the end of construction
One of the world’s most amazing developments in Singapore Asia’s Lion City.
Wonderful photo of Marina Bay
My friend Hamish Elton took this from the 70th floor at Equinox restaurant in April 2016. Equinox is rated 48th out of 7,819 by TripAdvisor.
Spectacular at night
It’s difficult to decide what is more spectacular, night or day. The Equinox is on the 70th floor of the Swissotell The Stamford. Use this link to book a room and get a huge discount, you will probably pay around $215 usd.
Marina Bay Singapore Resort
The magnificent building is absolutely breathtaking.
Beach Club Pattaya Bay is a fantastic location to enjoy a cocktail or 3 and watch the sunset. You can swim in the ocean or the 2 beautiful swimming pools.
Relax with a cold beer
No doubt this is one of the best locations in Thailand, happy hour is 5 to 7 pm every day and the food is very good.
Tapas for lunch at Beach Club Pattaya Bay
This is a great spot to have lunch, swim and check out the eye candy.
Did I mention the sunsets
We have some wonderful sunsets in Pattaya.
Breathtakingly beautiful
Sunset over the gulf of Siam.
Beach Club Pattaya Bay Seafood Buffet
The seafood feast on Friday and Saturday night was initially priced at 999 Baht but I believe now it has become more expensive.
Do you have a sweet tooth?
A huge variety of beautiful deserts.
My Australian friends
The beach club is on of the first paces I take my friends who are on holiday from Australia.
Muay Thai World Champion
This is Nathan Corbett from Australia’s Gold Coast in Thailand training for his next title fight. He absolutely loved the Beach Club. Nathan has held 11 World Champion titlesin three different weight divisions, not only is he a champion fighter he is a very nice person.
Watching the sun go down while enjoying a cocktail.
Take a look at this photo, you could be anywhere in the world.
Beach Club Pattaya Bay
grab a chair, order a cocktail and take a swim in the pool or the bay.
Private tent
From memory you pay 1000 Baht or $30 usd to hire for the day, however if you spend the same amount on food and drink the tent is free.
Another view of the tents
Tents, what tents? I don’t see any tents. 🙂
Beach Club Pattaya Bay is a beautiful setting
As I said earlier you have the choice of 2 swimming pools of the sandy beach.
Chill Sky Bar Saigon is a wonderful venue with breathtaking views of the city. Perched on the roof of AB tower it is a terrific place to have a few drinks before dinner.
Amazing view from Chill
Looking down from the 51st floor.
Chill
Building with the purple lights is the Pullman.
Fantastic Saigon skyline
I first came to this exciting city in 2003 and now in 2015 so much has changed.
Saigon at 8 pm.
Saigon is a vibrant exciting friendly city.
Fabulous bar
76A Le Lai | Rooftop of AB Tower, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (Formerly CHILL Skybar, Restaurant, Lounge) Phone:+84 8 3827 2372
Tables at Chill
The sky bar is well worth a visit, put it on you bucket list.
A table with a view
There certainly is a building boom happening in this city right now.
Drinks at the bar
A girls night out at Chill.
Red wine from Chile
About $14 aud + 15% compared to at least double that at Sirocco in Bangkok.
Seafood fettuccine $26 aud + 15%
The serving was rather small but an excellent taste made up for it.
The chefs at 27 Grill, above Chill Sky Bar Saigon
27 Grill is located directly above Chill Skybar. When entering the restaurant guests are greeted by a large, glass enclosed wine cellar with some of the finest wines and vintage champagne’s on display. Further on in the restaurant is the open kitchen, built of polished stainless steel, marble and various kinds of polished stone. A key part of the kitchen is the over sized grill, open for all guests to see their meals being freshly prepared on one of the few charcoal grills in the city. Located in the back corner of the restaurant is the private VIP dining area that can be left open or completely closed off.
District one
I visited this city twice in 2003 and stayed in a small hotel overlooking this park. The New World Hotel also overlooks the park which is the centre of the city, for a discounted room rate book through THIS LINK.
Another look at the bar
As you can see it is a rather spectacular bar. Many thanks for visiting my Chill Sky Bar Saigon photo blog.
This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate.
Pattaya beach bay & city views is a collection of photos from Pattaya bay & the surrounding area. Here’s what I see each day from my condo, best view I have had from any of my previous homes.
Pattaya Beach Bay at low tide
From July for a few months we get very low tides and the beach looks better than it really is.
Every day they line up in their hundreds to go Para Sailing and to visit Koh Larn island.
Boats everywhere
This sight is repeated every day of the year on Pattaya beach bay.
Bali Hi Wharf south Pattaya
In the background the building under construction is now 50 floors high (as of September 2014) Currently shrouded under controversy due to alleged unauthorized changes to the original plan.
To the left of the Holiday Inn, the building with the green light, is Markland. I live on the 20th floor with views of Pattaya beach bay.
Looking south from Markland.
The opposite view from the previous photo, the building with all the lights is the Pattaya Hilton. My friend Kayoko fromTokyois enjoying the wonderful view with a Japanese beer.
This is a very common sight during the wet season.
Ok, lets fix it
The rainy season in August & September plays havoc with the beach, Pattaya drains & gutters can’t handle the incredible downpours which overflow and wash away the sand.
The Beach Rd sculpture shows several seagulls, I have lived opposite the beach for several years and have never seen a seagull here, lots of pigeons but no seagulls. 🙂
A balloons eye view of Pattaya beach bay
This is attached by cable to the Royal Gardens shopping mall.
Magbificent cloud
Beautiful clouds over Pattaya Beach Bay.
A split sunset
What an amazing sunset, it only covers half the beach & bay.
Thank you for visiting my Pattaya beach bay photo blog.
As you can see Karen was a beautiful looking lady with a gorgeous smile. We knocked around together for a year or so, our reasons were a little different. I was happy having a gorgeous babe on my arm, Karen stuck around because I loaned her a car. 🙂 🙂 🙂 
Russell, known as Kororareka in the early 19th century, was the first permanent European settlement and seaport in New Zealand. It is situated in the Bay of Islands.
I could be very happy living on this with a bert at Marina Mirage on the Gold Coast. 🙂
Absolutely beautiful.
Karen’s Mum & her daughter Natasha.
The ship’s captain was Karen’s mother’s boyfriend.
