Location location location; apartment hunting in Bangkok

Two years ago, while I was in England, Husband went apartment hunting all on his own. We’d had a difficult year: Son's iGCSEs, political upheaval followed by not knowing whether we were staying or going and I couldn’t face house hunting. I trusted Husband but I knew if I hated it, I’d have to keep my mouth shut. He found The House. When I returned to Bangkok, we moved from our new, shiny, expensive apartment, The Towers, to a big, old and cheaper place. I got my own room and I liked saving the money so I was prepared to keep my mouth shut and live in the dark. (I don’t really hate it but it is dark…)

I went apartment hunting yesterday. Oddly, Husband is in Europe but I think that’s a coincidence. We aren’t desperate to move but we could be nudged in that direction if tempted by the right property so I went along on some viewings to see what was out there.

The viewings were arranged by which side of Sukhumvit Road they were on (because crossing Sukhumvit can be monstrous) but they could almost have been arranged by the dross in the morning and the nicer ones in the afternoon.

Husband enjoyed my reviews of the properties so I thought you might too. I have changed names and x’ed locations to protect whoever may object to my comments.

I saw two in Hola House (parallel to Soi X...up from Nightclub.) (One was 340sqm.) No worse than The House but not worth moving for.

Then I saw  Mai Ben Lai House which is on Suk X up past the bakers. (380sqm.) It was interesting in the way that The House is - a strange cut off room at one end of the sitting room that could be an office, studio or/and spare room. It was a duplex so bedrooms upstairs. The communal areas were filthy and even the dead cockroach I saw lying upside down in a cupboard had committed hari kari. Again, old and dark and not worth moving from our current old and dark apartment.

Then I saw a bonkers one. (280sqm.) The master bedroom had the bathroom in it with no walls! And the third bedroom was their office space so no other office or spare room for us. It was also five miles into the bowels on the green route (I'd never been that far before) so taxis will never come past and we’ll be stuck there for ever.

Next I went to Premier Homes which is the one you showed me from our balcony - just up the one way bit. (280sqm) The owner was very shouty and had two barking dogs. She lived next door to the apartment for rent. (Not on your f'ing nelly!)

Next I went to Round House on Soi X. (310sqm.) Lovely building, weird apartment because the building is round. Duplex again. Reminded me of the comment someone made about our little house in Cardigan Avenue, 'looks like someone designed it after a night in the pub.’ 

Then it was The View. I didn’t make a note of the size but smaller than The House. Big reception room; tiny bedrooms. Fab views. Light and airy. I almost moved our orange sofa in instantly - it would look so cool here on the white tiles; I'd move here just for the light and modernness. 

Flowers Towers, Soi X. (350sqm.) Big fab kitchen with table in it and halogen cooker! It's a '3+1' which is 4 bed if you're not an estate agent. A young man let us in and then he went back to bed while we looked around! Fabulous views. Really, really liked it but can't put into words quite why (partly because I can't remember but I felt at home as soon as I walked in. I’d take this tomorrow.)

Sukhumvit Soi X. (380sqm.) I can't begin to describe how grim this was. It was four miles into the @rsehole of the soi. There was a little old lady looking after the place who didn't open the gate 'til we rang her. There was no lift, no gym, no tuk tuk. No way.

The Posh Residence.  OMG. Call me shallow and superficial.... tiny but gorgeous. Right on top of shopping area skytrain. Shares the pool with the hotel, has a gorgeous gym, a library. Gorgeous modern kitchen, tiny bedrooms. When will the kids move out? It's perfect for you and me...

Leo the dog

I've blogged about Leo before: here and here.

When I was back in the UK last October Leo had pulled my Dad over in the garden causing Dad to break is ischium (part of the pelvis.)

He was a year old (Leo, not my Dad) and showing no signs of growing up. He'd eaten two beds and hidden all his bowls in the garden. By way of helping, I went out and bought Leo a lovely bed with a soft liner. While I was in the pet shop I got 6 new cat bowls and 4 more dog bowls.

So I'm home again now and Leo is nearing two and still showing no signs of maturity. He's eaten the bed I bought him and only has the soft liner to sleep on. This is removed during the day when he is liable to eat it and returned to him at bedtime. There is no sign of the bowls I purchased. All the bowls are being removed to a stash in the garden. He is not willing to reveal to us where it is.

Introducing Leo

Regular readers might remember the demise of poor old Flicka, my parents’ dog back in November 08.

Several dogless weeks passed and then my sister spotted a notice about a litter of local puppies that would soon be ready for homes. She and our Dad set out to have a look. And that’s how they found him. Both parents are working dogs: Dad is a gun dog and Mum, a sheep dog. Leo is a love but I think he might be crossed with a kangaroo as well.

He has had a colourful few months at my Mum and Dad’s. At Easter he broke through the Fort Knox type gate across the bottom of the stairs and stole a chocolate egg. For anyone who doesn’t know, chocolate contains theobromine which is dangerous for dogs. Poor Leo was horribly unwell for three days. I’ll spare you the details, just in case any of you are eating, but the kitchen tiles had to be removed and destroyed … as you can see from the pic the floor has returned to some tiles I remember from my childhood.

There are four cats here. Two, HP and Ketchup, are my parents’ and the other two, Peanut and Custard, are my sister’s. Custard is sweet but aptly named: cowardy, cowardy Custard. He lives upstairs and accesses the garden through a series of catflaps that never require him to come face to face with a canine. HP and Ketch are elderly and pretty stoical about the bouncing dog; they’re buggered if they’re going to run from him.

A couple of days ago Peanut came over the stair gate and Leo appeared from nowhere, 0-80mph from prostrate. Peanut, claws attempting purchase on the lino, reacted with a run toward the kitchen, where Dad was making supper. On hearing the commotion of scrabbling paws, Dad turned in time to see Peanut take flight from nearly two metres away. He glided through the air, landing out of the dog’s reach, on the kitchen table, with one paw in the shepherd’s pie.

Last night Leo started obedience training.

Fingers crossed

Pigtopia was brilliant. I finished it early this morning and I loved it.

Got to move onto sadder news. Flicka, my parents’ dog, was hit by a car at the weekend. She was rushed to the vets with a mouth full of blood, wibbly teeth and hopes for the best.

Yesterday we heard the more alarming news that she is unable to use her back legs and was being moved to a different vet surgery for a scan. Daughter, who had to lose her cats when we moved to BK, is devastated. We await further news. Please keep your fingers crossed.

Here are two incarnations of Flicka dog. Can you tell which one is the real one?

Since Last Week