Bundall Shops Brothels Racecourse, it has it all. This was where I lived for 21 years until October 2011. The north end of Upton Street was residential with some luxurious waterfront homes including mine, while the southern end is full of shops, offices & factories.
Bundall Shops Brothels Racecourse
90% of anything and everything I needed to purchase over the years I could find in Upton St.
The Corporate Centre
Around the corner in Bundall Road is the iconic Corporate Centre.
Bundall Road near Crombie Avenue
A couple of the Bundall Road prestige office buildings.
McLauchlan & Partners
A financial planning company at 80-82 Upton St, Bundall, I knew Alex many years ago in the late 8os when his office was in Southport. I remember him as a keen golfer who enjoyed a beer.
The Good Guys
Another huge Queensland discount electrical store.
Adult toy shop
Here is where you can buy all those adult toys & accessories to put some buzz back into your sex life.
Right across the road
For those lonely guys here is Silks one of the local brothels, as I said earlier Upton Street Bundall has everything you could possibly need. 🙂
For all you need to know about the local hookers just follow THIS LINK.
Here’s a map
So you guys won’t get lost. 🙂
OK, back to reality
This is one of about 3 major lighting stores on Upton Street Bundall.
The race track
Upton St also butts onto the Southport race track which used to be the only track in Australia to host a meeting every Saturday.
I’m there for nearly every Melbourne cup or Magic Millions event.
Watching the the ladies slowly deteriorate as the day draws to a close. 🙂
This was my home for 21 fabulous years, I designed and had it built in 1990, added a 2nd story in 2004, which turned out to be a mistake as it made it much harder to sell. However sell it did in October 2011 and one week later I moved to Thailand.
This is an awful looking house
Being built 4 doors from my old home in July 2018.
The lake near where I used to live.
My house was just out of the photo to the right.
For a great hotel room rate (with free cancellation) just book through 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.
Isle of Capri Gold Coast Australia at the Ciao shopping mall which has a great selection of cafes & restaurants. Some of the restaurants have a view of Surfers Paradise skyline including the iconic Q1 building which has 80 levels with an observation deck on the top floor.
Bakery & deli
Only recently opened and a welcome addition to the centre, prices a little high however I’m guessing their rent is as well.
Luca at Cicchetti Pizza & Pasta Bar
A wonderful fit-out at this trendy bar restaurant, specializing in Pasta & pizza as well as a few traditional Italian dishes.
Cicchetti
High ceilings and chandeliers.
The Fish Emporium
Perfect for a long lazy lunch beside the Isle of Capri waterfront.
View from Fish Emporium.
If you are going to enjoy a fish meal you need to be beside the water. 🙂
Ross Kennedy & I enjoying an Asahi beer.
A couple of cold beers before a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
Delicious seafood
We shared 4 dishes, had 2 beers and a bottle of wine and the bill came to $204 plus tip.
Lunch was excellent
As was the service and the food.
The Supermarket
Naturally there is a very good supermarket as well.
The carnivores have not been forgotten. 🙂
I did notice they had crumbed cutlets here, one of my favorite meals.
Oysters to die for.
I never get tired of eating oysters, in Pattaya where I live most of the ones I eat come from France.
From the western entrance
Such a modern interesting shopping center, + a great people watching location. 🙂
Con and Steve Manolas have been sharing their passion of food and their love of connecting with Gold Coasters for more than 20 years.
Manolas at Capri Gold Coast Australia
One of the best delicatessens on the Gold Coast, there is another branch at Broadbeach. They also serve a very good breakfast.
This was before our long lunch at the Fish Emporium
Cold beers at Edgewater to begin our marathon lunch at Capri Gold Coast Australia.
Espresso Martini
The first time I have tried an Espresso Martini but it is not actually a martini, it’s made with coffee liqueur and vodka. We had two each at Edgewater. 🙂
Very smooth indeed
These babies really knock your socks off.
Coffee shops everywhere
So many coffee shops and such little time, they are everywhere in this center.
Enjoying the last year of the 90s, please note, this is not part of my Travel Blog. It’s part of my personal online photo albums.
Gold Coast life 1999
Gold Coast life 1999 was not too different from previous years except for the fact I was no longer working. In 1998 I decided to take a year off work and travel, little did I realise I would never go back to full time work again.
I have often wondered if I made the right decision to retire and travel the world. On one hand had I continued to work for another 6 or 7 years I obviously would have been far better off financially, however on the flip side I can never replace the wonderful years of travel I enjoyed during those years. Consequently looking back in 2016 I’m very happy with the decision I made. Take a look at my travel record for 1999 below. 🙂
An incredible year for travel
The photo above was taken in Koh Samui with Francesca & Barbara from Florence. In 1999 I had three trips to Thailand, February, August & December, my first trip to Rio for Carnival in February was part of an around the world adventure with my friend Larry Krausz. Another fabulous 2 month around the world trip in November included Los Angeles, Las Vegas Miami, Mexico City, Bolivia, Brazil, (Rio, Iguazu falls & Salvador) Paris & Thailand.
Kathy was a regular visitor
A simple phone call would result in an hour or so of passion, priceless. 🙂
A little more of Kathy
Without a doubt Kathy had one of the hottest bodies I have ever seen. 🙂
Lots of parties lots of girls, Narrelle, Simone & Kushler.
All through the 90s and beyond the parties never stopped.
Myoung-sook a nice Korean lady
Myoung and I spent some time together in 1999.
Sometimes she would stay for breakfast. 🙂
She was a very keen golfer.
she was quite a keen golfer.
Lorrie & Leonie
I took Lorrie & Leonie boating, they were two Canadians visiting the Gold Coast.
Dinner at Ashmore Steak & Seafood
This popular restaurant always ensured you never left hungry.
My beautiful mother Iris Joyce Herd, my brother Ian & his wife Sandra, Adam one of their sons & Myoung my Korean girlfriend.
Rossco, one of the happiest guys I know.
I count Ross Kennedy as one of my best friends, we had so many great times together. Certainly one of our most memorable adventures was our road trip trip to Melbourne in 1996, to check it out just follow THIS LINK.
Thinking back to my 25 years on the Gold Coast there were just so many highlights, I’m really very happy to be able to re-live them through my FiveStarVagabond photo blog.
Through all those years I remember having a hand full of good friends and many many acquaintances. Due to my reasonably abrasive personality there were also many people that couldn’t stand me. My message to them is quite simple, see below.
A message for the knockers
Having said all that let’s get back to 1999. 🙂
Jimmy Bell & the smokers
Another Sunday session at my Upton St home, Jim “HO HO” Bell rented a room at my home for 17 years.
For a great room rate on the Gold Coast just book through THIS LINK.
Emily used to be a meter maid
And yes the silly tattoo is a temporary one from Thailand. 🙂
Swifty actually wound up marrying Emily and produced a couple of fine sons. I owe thanks to Ray for introducing me to Kathy who you saw at the start of this post.
Farewell Colleen
Colleen was leaving Saks bar & restaurant, owners Duncan McGuiness & Steve are wishing her well.
Phil Thomson, another great friend.
Phil has always been a Porsche lover, these days in 2016 he has a Boxter sitting in the garage.
Talking about cars, here are my beauties
It was a very difficult decision to decide which one to drive. 🙂
Ziggy & my boat
You had to have all the toys & props to stand out on the Gold Coast, to be honest 50% of the people I met were fairly shallow individuals & easily impressed. Then again the same probably applies to other Australian cities as well. 🙂
Main Beach blondes
Catie, Marina & Kylie were waitresses at a popular Main Beach cafe.
Mike Wood, Greg Craig and Dave Allen.
A few drinks at Melbas in as we did so many times over the years, it was simply Gold Coast life 1999.
Sweet Myumi
Well that’s all folks from Myumi & I, thanks for visiting my Gold Coast life 1999 photo blog. It’s now February 2018 & I”m living in Thailand, and I get a huge kick from re-living some of these incredible years through my photo blogs. I just can’t believe what a fortunate life I have had. 🙂
Gorgeous girls Sydney 1980 and 81 living on the waterfront in Drummoyne with the view you see in the header on this post. I drove a white Mercedes Sports, had my Bertram 25 moored in front of my apartment, and a liquor store in Sydenham, quite a few good friends and a long line of beautiful girlfriends, life was very close to perfect. The Watsons Bay hotel shown above was one of my regular haunts as was Doyles restaurant. It’s a great place to stay when in Sydney, for an excellent room rate just book through THIS LINK.
This is not part of my Travel Blog. It’s part of my personal history, check it out if you wish.
My boat
I had an absolute perfect mooring right outside my apartment, it was so much fun on Sydney harbour visiting all the great beaches & restaurants. They really were Great years Sydney 1980 to January 1987 when I pulled up stakes and moved to the Gold Coast.
Smooth operator
It seemed the parties and drinks never stopped at my Drummoyne apartment, life was very good indeed.
Jeff and Debbie Don
Gorgeous Debbie & party animal Jeff, another smooth operator.
Sade - Smooth Operator - Official - 1984
The party never stopped
Looking back to my 6 years at Drummoyne I feel I made a serious mistake getting engaged and moving to Newport. My decision was based on a particular mindset we grew up with, eventually we all should settle down, marry & have children. In hindsight I now know that’s OK for the majority of people, but not everybody, & I’m certainly in the category of “not everybody”. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Talking about being engaged, here is my future fiancee in 1981
Karen Smith and Dirk Kammerling were an item for several years until her and I started going out in 1984 which led to our engagement.
Karen & I in 1981
Who would have thought in 3 years we would be engaged and living together at Newport?
Castle Cove 1980
Two of the girls here were sisters, Carmen & Antionette Sherry, plus my good friend Rob Symonds and Peter H.
Gorgeous girls Sydney 1980 included Carmen & Antoinette
Decorating my XJ 6 in 1980.
Antoinette Sherry
What a beautiful redhead. 🙂
Here are some of the usual suspects
John Malouf, Peter Singleton and Dennis Moran at another one of my Drummoyne gatherings.
Joanne Barrett came 3rd in Miss Universe 1969
What a beautiful face, is it any wonder she was 3rd in the Miss Universe?
Singapore 1980
Some people who have seen this photo have been cruel enough to suggest that I looked like a Miami drug dealer, and here was I thinking I was just a very cool dude. 🙂
Rob Symonds & I in Singapore 1980
Rob & I had a great trip to Manilla, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Pattaya and Singapore. This was when I first got hooked on Thailand, little did I realise 31 years later I would move there permanently. Take a look at my photo blog, just follow THIS LINK.
Gorgeous girls Sydney 1980, the blondes are here
That’s Teresa on the left sitting at my bar, and I can’t believe that I have forgotten the name of the other beautiful creature. 🙂
Here is the beautiful anonymous blonde as a redhead
Now is that a fantastic face or what?
When can I start having fun?
Right about now I would say, in fact I clearly remember a ménage à trois with two of these gorgeous babes. 🙂
Tall gorgeous redhead
Her name was Louise and we had a brief fling, Antoinette & I are checking her prowess on the BBQ. She knew how to handle a sausage. 🙂
I told you she was gorgeous
An absolute knockout.
Two more knockouts, Kerry & Terry
Two of my favourite Gorgeous girls Sydney 1980.
Shirley Jones 1980
Shirley was an air hostess for TAA which does not exist anymore. She & Debbie Don were flatmates who lived around the corner in Drummoyne ave and came to most of my parties. Compare us in the following photo. 🙂
After many hours of booze
At the end of the day decorum would go out the window. 🙂
Another Shirley
This Shirley worked for Stripper-gram, we used to go out together occasionally. A very funny thing happened at my Dad’s retirement party, he had worked for Berger paints for 46 years. We were celebrating at what was then the Silverwater Businessman’s Club, in came a gorgeous girl in a bikini, draped in feathers, and proceeded with her well-practised routine.
The shocked look on my mother’s face had nothing to do with the girl sitting on Dad’s knee, it was when she walked over to our table and said to me, “hi David, nice to see you, when are we going out on your boat again”? Yes, it was Shirley, somebody had hired a stripper-gram for him. 🙂
This was Vickie in 1980
The long line of Gorgeous girls Sydney 1980 continues, it seemed there were so many babes and such little time. 🙂
Carol Aboud the ultimate party girl
Even though Carol was the mother of four young children she was the ultimate party girl. Part of a wealthy eastern suburbs family, her father was the managing director of Century batteries & in his eyes she could do no wrong.
We really had some great times together over a four year period, although it was one of those on & off relationships that ran into quite a few road blocks along the way.
Talking about party animals
This is Roger “Ramjet” Williams who could always be relied upon to put on a show. Two of his party tricks were drinking a Bloody Mary containing 1/2 a bottle of Tabasco sauce. If a normal person had one sip it would set your mouth on fire. His 2nd trick was to take a raw onion and eat it like an apple, this man obviously had no taste buds. 🙂
A Mexican bandit? No it’s Chris Adams
One of the Adelaide guys I knocked around with when I lived there in 72 to 74, Chris wound up in Sydney then I lost track of him. I have always had a knack of giving people nicknames that seemed to stick with them, in Chris’s case his name was “The Mouth”. 🙂
Another Shirley, Xmas 1981
A gorgeous little girl from the eastern suburbs who had a wealthy father and lived at Darling Point.
Ron Walsh from Broken Hill with Donna.
Ron was a close friend for many years, he owned the Retravision store in Broken Hill and would find any excuse to visit me when I lived in Adelaide, we had some wonderful fun times together.
Debbie Secombe another of the Gorgeous girls Sydney 1980
Debbie a cool Aussie chick who worked at the Manilla Playboy Club for a few years before turning up at one of my famous parties.
Gorgeous girls Sydney 1980, Di Parkinson Xmas 1981
Di was one of the most beautiful ladies I ever knew, also one of the craziest. No woman has caused me more problems in my life than this one. Apart from all that we had many great times together during the last 10 years.
One of the great nights of my life, and one of the best NYEs of my life, we overloaded my boat with 16 people and headed off to a seafood restaurant at “the Spit” for dinner before heading to the Opera House for the incredible fireworks. My girlfriend for the night was the gorgeous one in the middle, very unusual that I can’t remember her name.
I considered Wolf Wottke my best friend since we met in Adelaide in 1973, that friendship continued until I moved to Newport in 1984, sadly after that it was never the same.
Sydenham Cellars grand opening 1980 featuring Debbie Don.
In the 4 years I owned my liquor store I never really made too much money, 3 of those years the road was was closed for 3 or 4 months which effected my turnover rather badly. Luckily I had purchased the property and made a killing when I sold.
OK, one last look at Debbie.
She is certainly worth a look don’t you think?
Thanks for visiting my Gorgeous girls Sydney 1980 photo blog, what an era that was. No doubt at all 80, 81 & 82 were amazing years for living large & gorgeous ladies.
It’s now 2017 and here is Glenn Frey to tell you exactly how I feel today.
Great hotel rates here, just book through THIS LINK.
Newport peninsular Sydney is my personal photo history not part of my travel blog.
Newport peninsular Sydney
Newport peninsular Sydney was my home for three years from 1984 to 1987. After becoming engaged to a beautiful Melbourne lady Karen Smith, I purchased a timber home perched on a hill above the Royal Motor Yacht Club. The cost was $128k, and I sold it after our engagement fizzled out 4 years later for $360K. I guess it would be worth nearly 2 million dollars today.
Absolutely gorgeous.
As you can see Karen was a beautiful lady, it took me anther 10 years before I realised I was just not cut out for marriage or long term relationships. There is probably a multitude of reasons why, fear of commitment, too independent etc etc.
Dinner party at Herbert Avenue
We were very happy at Newport 80% of the time, I tried hard to settle down and enjoy life as a couple, every now and then however the “call of the wild” would interrupt our utopia.
Wolf Wottke (with the beard) had been my best friend for a number of years, I left him renting my Drummoyne apartment for a year or so until I got fed up chasing the rent. Consequently I sold it which in hindsight was probably a mistake.
Lots of birds & wildlife
These beautiful Rainbow Lorikeets would visit every day for their snack on the balcony.
Life was very good
I had all the toys, a beautiful Mercedes Sports, a cabin cruiser moored at the yacht club, a liquor store in Sydenham which I was in the process of selling and a good sales job with Canon Australia.
Lion Island
This great photo (excuse the quality) was taken on Lion Island in the Hawksbury River, from left to right we have Graham La Roche aka “Biff”, his girlfriend at the time Mona,Ross Ansell from Melbourne and Karen Smith & I.
Me Tarzan
Ross doing his Tarzan impersonation on Lion Island.
31 Herbert Avenue Newport
About 25 years later around 2012 I paid a visit to Herbert Avenue to see if things had changed. Apart from the colour scheme and far less vegetation nothing much had changed.
Another day on Pittwater
My good friend Tony Murphy and his beautiful wife Inge join Karen & I on my 26 foot cabin cruiser. After 29 years I caught up with Inge in Melbourne in 2014.
My back veranda overlooked Bayview
Here is my good friend Paul Slaughter with two gorgeous girls, on the left is Trish and on the right an old girlfriend of mine Shirley.
Big Tim Bristow, dinner at Herbert Avenue.
Tim Bristow was a friend of mine dating back from the time we met in 1971 when he was on my tail to give me a hiding, but that’s another story just follow THIS LINK. In the 70s just the name Tim Bristow struck fear into the heart of all those who knew him, an enforcer with a reputation of being one of the most brutal street fighters in Australia. Put simply he was legend, a bouncer at the Newport Arms hotel, would be contenders for his crown would travel from all over Sydney to try their luck, many came and all of them were sent packing battered and bruised.
I sold my liquor store in late 1984 which took the pressure off me. I had been working with Canon for a few months and travelling to Sydenham (a one hour drive each way) at weekends to work in the liquor store. Meanwhile I dug a wine cellar underneath my Newport home and stored a huge amount of wine that I took home from the shop.
Unwins Bridge Road
That’s Madison my beautiful 4 year old German Shepherd who used to diligently guard the store overnight.
Newport peninsular Sydney Brian Millard
Brian was a boat broker at Newport and a regular drinker at the Newport Arms hotel. He lived just up the road at Bungan Beach before moving to Noosa where I believe he still resides.
Richard on the left and Rob Carnahan
Two very nice guys who were customers of mine when I was with Canon. Their office was opposites the Oaks Hotel in Neutral Bay so more often than not we would meet in the pub. 🙂
A bunch of my nephews & nieces come to visit.
Amazing seeing these old photos, all of these cute kids now have children of their own.
Sue and John Heatherington
A lovely couple who lived in the next street from us, John also worked at Canon in the computer division.
Malaysia 1985
John & Sue, Karen & I went on a Canon conference to Penang, here we are driving from Penang to Singapore via Kuala Lumpur.
Singapore Xmas 1985
Here we are in Singapore, notice the cigarette. I smoke on and off for most of my life until 2003. Usually 2 or 3 years then I would quit for a similar time before returning to the grip of the nicotine.
Newport peninsular Sydney with Phil Parkinson
Phil has lived most of his life on the Newport peninsular Sydney and I believe still does in 2016. He is the brother of my ex girlfriend Di Parkinson.
Melbourne Cup 1985
Karen & I at the cup with friends including another ex girlfriend Helen Burkewho is on the left of the photo. Helen has a vineyard at Dromana on the Mornington Peninsular, I spent a few day there in October 2014 drinking wine with her and her partner Jack.
Oscars Coolangatta 1985
I can’t remember the name of the beautiful dark haired princess, she was the girlfriend of my crazy chiropractor from North Sydney.
Newport peninsular Sydney
Prior to buying my cabin cruiser I had this little run-about, it was a lot of fun, do you like the name? 🙂
Another guy from my rogues gallery.
Danny Rose one of Adelaide’s true characters, we had a day of the water, you can see “Stamped Urgent” in the background.
Beautiful Karen Smith
Certainly my life on the Newport peninsular Sydney revolved around lots of good friends and my beautiful fiancée Karen. My thanks to her for being the most important part of my life for those great years.
Thanks also to you for visiting my Newport peninsular Sydney photo blog.
January 1st 2013, please note, Sydney Gold Coast 2013 is not part of my Travel Blog. It’s my personal history, check it out if you wish.
Sydney Gold Coast 2013
Sydney Gold Coast 2013 was a trip I did starting from 72 Wrights Road Drummoyne on January 1st after spending a couple of weeks at my cousin’s home in Balgowlah. I spent News Years Eve with Peter Hobbs & friends, left early the next day to meet friends for coffee at Dee Why before calling in to see Sue at Newport. From there I drove to my brothers home in Port Macquarie and finally onto the Gold Coast before flying back home to Thailand.
Over a period of 3 or 4 years I was lucky enough to stay at Deb’s lovely home for which I’m forever grateful. Sadly in the end she kicked me out because I left the house unlocked for an hour when I went for coffee. Us aging geriatrics do become forgetful. 🙂
Xmas Eve at Deb’s house
a few days before I was banished, sadly it seems all good things come to an end.
With Peter Hobbs
Wrights Road in these apartments was my home for 6 years from 1979, some of the best years of my life. In fact check out my 1982 photo blog and see for yourself.
Middle building, top floor, right side.
Unit 12 was my home for six very happy years.
Home sweet home 1979 to 1985.
New Years Eve with Warwick Robinson
A friend for over 30 years.
Robbie Bonett
A long time resident of 72 Wrights Rd, way back to when I lived there in the late 70s. He has since married a Russian babe & moved to the Eastern suburbs.
Peter Hesky
Another longtime friend from the 70s. We used to be in regular contact but I have not heard from him for 5 or 6 years. Maybe he put me on the “black list” in support of cousin Deb. 🙂
Aussie seafood on NYE.
I really miss the Aussie seafood living in Thailand.
Drinks with John Loch
At the famous Oaks Hotel in Neutral Bay, John live 5 minutes walk away.
Iconic Oaks hotel
It could be Australia’s best pub.
Jill McCrossan
I bumped into Jill at Manly, we had lots of great times when we both lived on the Gold Coast. If you want to see Jilly taking a bath in 1992 just follow THIS LINK.
Lunch at Mr Wongs
Upmarket Chinese restaurant off Bridge St Sydney. More photos onTHIS LINK.
Chinatown
Yum Cha with Hesco & Al Chiswick.
Coffee at Dee Why, Sydney Gold Coast 2013
Old friend Paul Slaughter and I enjoying coffee before heading to Newport to see Sue Ellis.
Sue’s home in Crescent Ave Newport
Tim Bristow’s lovely home in Newport, Tim passed away aged 72 about 10 years ago. His long time (& long suffering) partner Sue still lives here.
I played tennis here many times in the 80s.
Sue Ellis was and still is a terrific tennis player, we played many times and to my dismay I never won a single set. Sue just turned 60 this year and is ranked number 7 in the over 60 Tennis Seniors Australia Rankings in Womens Singles.
January 1st 2013
After many years I was happy to visit Sue, the home is still as picture perfect as when Big Tim used fuss around keeping everything neat & tidy.
Portrait of the big fellow
I wonder if it was ever hung or stored in the basement. 🙂
Bob Martin & I have been friends for over 40 years. We had some great times together in Sydney in the 70s with our other great mate Peter Lewis. Here we are having coffee on Chevron Island.
Last but not least in Sydney Gold Coast 2013
My great mate Phil Thomson from Runaway Bay. Phil was to blame for getting me hooked on Japan, he and his wife Junko showed me the ropes in Tokyo in 2007.
Thanks for visiting my Sydney Gold Coast 2013 photo blog.
Tequila Sunrise Mae Pim Thailand is an example of multiculturalism on the gulf of Thailand. The restaurant Tequila Sunrise is named after my favourite cocktail, we happily sip our drinks while overlooking the sandy beach where gentle waves brush against the shore, we marvel at the beautiful onshore breeze blowing from the west, and we enjoy the solitude of Mae Pim compared to the madness of Pattaya.
A Swiss owner, a German chef, an Australian manager & Thai staff run this popular establishment, where the Wednesday lunch special is a huge schnitzel for the princely sum of B159 or $6 aud. My brother Warren chose the Swedish meatballs with mashed potato which actually outshone the huge schnitzel.
Larry chooses lunch
Born in Austria 66 years ago and moved to Australia around the age of two, moved to Thailand in November 2015, Larry Krausz would walk a mile for a Weiner Shnitzel.
Larry Krausz was a friend for around 30 years, sadly he suffered a major stroke on October 28 2016. 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 further month his life support was removed & he passed away peacefully. RIP little buddy.
Here’s the proof
I struggled to eat 75% of this monster schnitzel for lunch, in the evening the restaurant was full as it is most Wednesdays when the locals converge on the double schnitzel special.
Mai Pin fishing boat
Fishermen preparing their boat for another night on the gulf.
Tequila Sunrise Mae Pim Thailand
We returned to Tequila Sunrise for after dinner drinks, naturally I had two Margaritas.
Margarita night cap
A great way to end a delightful day in Mae Pim.
Manager at Tequila Sunrise
Gary is the Australian manager at tequila Sunrise, grew up Guildford in Sydney before moving to Maroochydore in Queensland.
Step down to the beach
Grab some sun or have a swim then come up for a cold beer.
Swedish Skagen at Tequila Sunrise
This is certainly one of my favourite dishes, absolutely fantastic.
Sea Bass at Tequila Sunrise.
My friend Nikki from Australia capturing the moment on camera.
Peter is the chef
Peter is the German chef who provides all the wonderful meals at Tequila Sunrise. Previously he was the chef at the Hard Rock Hotel in Pattaya. For a great room rate in Pattaya or elsewhere just book through THIS LINK.
Part of my personal online photo albums, as opposed to my FiveStarVagabond travel blog. The story starts in 1986.
Relocate Sydney Gold Coast
Relocate Sydney Gold Coast took place in January 1987, but lets go back a couple of months to when I was living at Newport Beach in Sydney. I had just broken up with my fiancée, beautiful Karen Smith, we were engaged and living together in a wonderful old home in Newport overlooking the Royal Motor Yacht Club. To add to my woes I had also just been sacked from a high paying job as National Sales Manager for Ricoh facsimile machines.
For the past few years I was a regular visitor to the Gold Coast so at the time moving there permanently seemed to be the right thing to do. I had many friends living in Surfers Paradise including Graham Edwards aka “Crazy” who you see in the photo above. The gorgeous girls in the photo are Sandy Palmer & Joanne Bernhardt.
My ex fiancée Karen Smith
Karen was a beautiful lady and a lovely human being, but looking back I finally realised by the mid 90s I was not cut out for “long term relationships”, and the older I get the less I need the company of others.
Paul Slaughter and Tony Murphy
Two close friends in December 1986 were helping me celebrate the move north. Tony was living in Avalon at the time and now in 2021 resides on the Gold Coast.
Not part of my travel blog just a huge chapter in my life.
Bryan Millard
Bryan lived close to me at Newport and we were regular drinkers at the Newport Arms Hotel.
Now here is a strange coincidence, one week after I posted Brian’s photo here he was convicted in Noosa for various infringements. Here is the full story.
Big Tim Bristow & Sue Ellis
Another neighbour the notorious Big Tim Bristow, read more about him here.
I had to return my company car so my transport consisted of my little red Moke. Do you like my impersonation of the “White Knight” at the Watson’s Bay Hotel?
Di Parkinson & Madison
Di Parkinson was my beautiful ex girlfriend from the 70s, Madison was my beautiful German Shepherd. For the first 3 months I rented a house at Carrara from my good friend Peter Lewis before buying a house at Sorrento.
Jim Cox & Larry Wilson
Jim was a friend of mine in Adelaide when I lived there in the 70s, Larry was a solicitor in Southport and was responsible for me taking up golf, I have never totally forgiven him. 🙂
Relocate Sydney Gold Coast to my Sorrento home
I bought a house at 36 Claymore Crescent and it soon became party central.
Naturally I bought a boat
A very pretty little runabout with a 150 HP Suzuki on the back.
Allison and Winnie
The girls came with me to Byron Bay to pick up my new toy. I had been taking Winnie out occasionally until she introduced me to her 18 year old girlfriend Allison, well I’m guessing you know what happened next. 🙂
Then I had to build a jetty.
Here we are christening the jetty even before it is finished, apologies for the poor photo quality.
The finished product
What a beauty it was, big enough to have a party on, and we did very often indeed.
Afternoon drinks on the Jetty
My new girlfriend on the left was Tanya Rigley, oh my didn’t she cause me some stress. On the far right is George Hoult aka the “Angry Ant”, I bumped into him outside my condo in Pattaya in December 2015. Sitting next to him is Malcolm Pearce, Mick Cottrell is standing and the little guy in the middle is my old mate Harley Bradstreet.
Jetty! What jetty, I don’t see a jetty.
It does often rain a little on the Gold Coast, and the canal my house was on was a long way from the main river. Consequently it would take quite a while for the water to subside after a heavy storm.
Fancy dress party
My great mate Bob Martin threw a party at his home near Carrara, I forget the theme, something to do with camels or Lawrence of Arabia I think. On the right is Don Wenham who sadly passed away in 2016 after a long battle with cancer.
Harley is locked & loaded
This great mate of mine loved to dress up in his combat gear, it didn’t have to be a fancy dress party, he sometimes strolled into a Surfers Paradise bar dressed like this.
Here is Marco
A Croatian friend from Sydney who had more moves than a Swiss watch, Marco always had some sort of scheme on the go, designed of course to relieve somebody of their precious savings.
Such a beautiful girl
This was one of my many parties at Claymore Crescent, sadly a few months after this photo was taken this gorgeous lost her life in a traffic accident, RIP.
Cold beers on the Broadwater
Mike Hughes was an English guy who eventually moved to Sydney. Boating was a big part of my life in my early days on the Gold Coast.
A couple of hot European ladies
Another day on the Broadwater, on the right is Tova.
Adelaide 1988
Jim Stanbury & Suzie in Adelaide, I was there for the Formula one in 1988, Jim used to work for me in Melbourne in 1970.
Come fly with me
I was in Adelaide again in 1989, Jim took me for a spin to Victor Harbour and I actually took the controls for a while.
Talking about Melbourne
This is Dion Ormond who was a successful car dealer living at Box Hill.
This id Dion’s back yard.
How many people do you now with a DC3 in their backyard? 🙂
Allison Schroeder
I clearly remember flying to Brisbane from Adelaide after the Formula one and being met at the airport by this beautiful 18 year old princess. We checked in to a hotel for 2 nights, ordered room service the first night then saw Billy Joel perform at Brisbane entertainment centre the following night November 17.
In case you are wondering how a 44 year old guy could wind up with such a young babe, quite simple really, I promised her the world and bought her an atlas. 🙂
Relaxing on the broadwater
The decision to Relocate Sydney Gold Coast was indeed a major event in my life, I would spend the next 25 years there before selling all my possessions and moving to Thailand in October 2011.
Extreme poverty Phnom Penh & in fact throughout Cambodia, is everywhere you look. There is a huge gap between rich & poor. Apart from this I found the people to be some of the nicest I have met anywhere in Asia.
My recent journey in May 2010 from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville was delayed because I was enjoying myself so much in the city I found it hard to leave.
I returned in October2017 & couldn’t believe the changes, mainly due to Chinese investments.
The Foreign Correspondents Club
I was so surprised by the number of quality restaurants and bars, excellent food, good service and nice decor. On the other side of the coin is the poverty, Cambodia is certainly a third world country struggling to drag itself into the 21st century. Like most poor countries the gap between rich and poor is immense.
The foreign correspondents club.
Relaxing most days in the Foreign Correspondents Club overlooking the Mekong River is like being transported 60 years back in time. Sipping a gin & tonic in the big comfortable leather chairs makes you feel like you are in an Oliver Stone movie covering the Vietnam war.
Shutters on the windows
Letting in the breeze.
Extreme poverty Phnom Penh
Here is a lovely family playing cards under a tree on a public footpath seemingly without a care in the world.
Happy face selling sunglasses
A lasting memory for me is how nice the people are, sure many of them will try to sell you something, however they do it with a smile on their face and without the persistence and aggression of their counterparts in Vietnam and Indonesia.
Taxi
A huge bonus in Phnom Penh which is out of character with every other Asian city I have ever visited, is how slow the Motorcycle taxis travel, there is no stress or haste, you sit back, relax and enjoy the ride, plus as you can see the seats are very comfortable.
Monkeys
This photo was opposite our hotel, notice the wire grill on one of the upstairs homes. A simple explanation, it is there to stop the dozens of noisy monkeys from entering the home. Every day they scamper along the rooftops and balconies making one hell of a racket, quite funny really.
Malis Restaurant at 136 Norodom Boulevard, Phnom Penh
The Mali restaurant was an excellent example of the high quality restaurants in Phnom Penh, great food and fabulous decor. There is another bonus you can buy bags of Cambodian pepper to take home with you, many people, myself included, believe Cambodian pepper is the best in the world.
Malis Restaurant
Travel tips. Have dinner at the Mali restaurant and buy some pepper to take home, please click here.
For a very good discount just book through THIS LINK.
Good low cost hotel. The Pickled Parrot is a budget hotel run by an Australian, rooms are fine and there is a good bar & restaurant on the ground floor, the location is excellent. The best hotel booking site is Agoda, you have a choice whether to pay now or later when you check out of your hotel.
Heartbreaking to see these poor birds suffer in 35 degree heat.
Hot truck probably owned by a government official.
Many expats in Cambodia tell me a lot of government officials spend foreign aid money on expensive cars etc for their own benefit, while continuing poverty Phnom Penh prevails.
A bunch of Aussies, next to me is Roger Gaffney who now lives in Saigon, then old mate Tony Murphy with his camera locked and loaded. Can’t remember the other 2 guys.
A great way to relax in the heat of the day.
Life generally is fairly lay-back in Cambodia.
The mighty Mekong River
Mekong River Phnom Penh Cambodia is certainly changing rapidly, not necessarily for the good I’m afraid. However there are still many wonderful experiences to enjoy in this fascinating country.
I have been lucky enough to visit some of the worlds great rivers as well as the Mekong, the Nile, the Amazon, the Mississippi and the Yangtze. And of course in Australia the Murry and the Darling.
Pretty face at the market
And I certainly don’t mean Murphy. 🙂
Riverside restaurant
A great place to sit & watch the mighty Mekong roll by.
Thanks for visiting Extreme poverty Phnom Penh post
Chinese storm Thailand beach every day of the year and climb aboard powerful speedboats which take them to nearby Koh Larn or para sailing in Pattaya bay
South Pattaya
In the background on the right if the famous Walking St, you can see restaurants built (many illegally) over the water. The tall condo building has only recently been completed during the current Pattaya building boom.
Thousands arrive every day
Of course there is some controversy about who receives the revenue as most of the money is paid on packaged tours in China when they book their trip. Pattaya is suffering from a downturn in tourism, here are comments made in a recent article in June 2015 in the Bangkok Post;“Pattaya hotels are struggling to survive and are being pressured by Chinese travel agents to reduce their room rates by 30-40%. Hoteliers in the resort city have been relying mainly on Chinese tourists after the sharp fall in European tourists, particularly Russians, due to the economic recession in their countries. Locally run Pattaya hotels have faced an oversupply since last year and the situation… “
Slightly over powered
An example of one of the speedboats with three 225 HP Yamaha motors, a slight case of overkill. Are there any accidents you ask? Of course there are, many of the Thai skippers are unlicensed and high on drugs or booze, if an accident occurs they invoke the well used Thai strategy of “run & hide”. 🙂
Para sailing on Pattaya bay
The buzz around like mosquitoes and yes sadly accidents often do happen here as you will see in the following news video.
Para sailor killed on honeymoon
This sad incident happened in 2011 however the safety situation does not seem to have changed since then.
Hundreds of boats
This is a huge business in Pattaya taking Chinese tourists to Koh Larn.
About to land
Lets hope he has a soft landing. 🙂
Whew! back safe & sound
I’m sure many of these tourists will never forget their Pattaya holiday.
I mentioned earlier I don’t have much confidence in the Thai boat divers, here is how they cope with sandbanks.
Chinese storm Thailand beach. If you build it they will come. 🙂
Every day of the week they come from China and elsewhere.
Lined up ready to go
The fleet is ready and waiting.
August 4th 2016 at 7am
Lots of boats and one rainbow. 🙂
Chinese storm Thailand beach
The busses roll into Beach Road of a morning and the tourists flock to the boats.
The mob arrives
I have a sneaking suspicion some of these boats may be overloaded.
May 27 2021 see no Chinese tourists in Pattaya
Many tour boats based in this resort city will be moored for at least the next three months, based on the number of cancellations by Chinese tour group agents, according to a large tour operator.
The Chinese government’s suspension of outbound Chinese tours to contain the coronavirus had been a direct hit for boat operators, who mainly serve Chinese tour groups.
“Chinese tour agencies were closed for a month from Jan 29 to wait and see how the situation developed… As a result, boat operators have to halt services for three months, based on the agencies’ tour programs.
“Since the closure of Chinese outbound tours, there has not been a single customer.”
Here is a perfect Pattaya day
What a view from the balcony of my apartment.
Peace & quiet at sunset
Thanks for visiting my Chinese storm Thailand beach post, there is never a dull moment in Pattaya.
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.
