October 7, 2026

We just had 5 days in the Port of Laem Chabang, Thailand. When we were here in mid-July, we spent that time exploring Bangkok, which is about a 2 hour drive NW of Port. This time we went to explore Pattaya which is south of Port on coast just about 45 minutes drive. Our fellow shipmate, party planner Eddie put together a fun Friday night touring the Pattaya walking street drag shows. He even recommended a hotel he had stayed at before that was right in the same area and a great location for the beach, bars and restaurants. All we had to do was book a room, show up & have fun!

We started the night at the Fun Bar after we had a yummy dinner at Buenos Mexican right across the street. The shows did not disappoint! The last one at M2M Cabaret Show had some of the best performances I've seen. The show went on a good 2 hours and there were so many performances, great music, singing / lip singing, costumes and energy.  Each performer had 2 back up dancers and they moved through the crowd and worked the room, making it interactive and fun!

Our second day there Bosco and I just explored the beach area, relaxed and had another yummy dinner, this time Lebonese!

On Sunday, we checked out of hotel and I went with Kim & Phil and some other ship folks to Lay Beach Club. Bosco headed into Bangkok to explore more of Thailand. He is going to use this next month, to see if Thailand is a good fit for him as a possible place to live for an extended stay, so he is checking out a variety of neighborhoods. Several other ship folks are doing similiar explorations.

2nd YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF SAILING THE WORLD

By Pat Patrick • October 1, 2026
WOW!! I can't believe it has been two years of sailing around the World already for me and my fellow shipmates on the Villa Vie Odyssey! We left Belfast, Ireland back on September 30, 2024 and it has been such a great adventure to date! We have been to 201 different ports, some more than once, during those two years, with much more to come!

APOPO, SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA

By Pat Patrick • September 29, 2026
Before coming to Cambodia , I sadly have to admit I was unaware of the landmine problems they face. On our first night in Siem Reap, where we hiked up the hill to try and see the sunset views, there was a small band of men playing instruments and our tuk tuk driver explained to me they were victims of landmine explosions who had lost limbs or their sight and were trying to make money via donations to support their families.

Ta Prohm Temple ( AKA Lara Croft: Tomb Raider), CAMBODIA

By Pat Patrick • September 28, 2026
I rallied for our last temple of the morning, because I heard this one was unique and I think it was my favorite. Ta Prohm was built starting in 1186 by King Jayavarman VII as a Buddhist monastery and university dedicated to the king's mother. It was left mostly un-restored so that huge banyan and silk cotton trees grow directly over and through the walls. In 2001, the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider movie was filmed here.