Showing 1 - 9 of 9
It can even get a bit chilly in Hell
Roger Crutchley, Published on 12/04/2026
» The pause in the Middle East conflict is very welcome although with the opposing elements both claiming a "great victory" it's all a trifle confusing. Prior to the ceasefire, we had witnessed increasingly belligerent exchanges from both sides containing sombre warnings that the opposing forces were destined to end up in "hell". In fact the word "hell" was appearing so frequently it was in danger of losing its intended impact.
Hot and a little bit bothered in the UK
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 24/07/2022
» It seems a bit of a paradox to be sitting in Bangkok and reading about how hot it is in London. But this was the case last week when for the first time Britain experienced temperatures exceeding 40C. Heathrow Airport was the first to clock that magic number. Last time I was at Heathrow it was more like 4C.
Warning: It's blowing a hoolie out there
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 24/04/2022
» Part of the ceiling of our small carport was blown off by a freak gusting wind recently. No great drama but this minor incident served as a reminder of just how powerful the wind can be, even an insignificant "Bangkok gust". I am truly thankful not to have experienced tornadoes like those in the US which must be terrifying.
A chip on the shoulder, or is it a crisp?
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 13/03/2022
» My reference to the Great British Chip as being related to "French fries" in last week's column caused considerable rumblings in staunchly proud British stomachs. "Shockingly unpatriotic," was one of the more polite observations.
Things are warming up in Death Valley
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 23/08/2020
» The other day I was sitting in the garden fighting another losing battle with the cryptic crossword, but the afternoon heat was taking its toll -- it was the standard 34ºC -- and when several blobs of sweat landed on No.4 down, it felt prudent to admit defeat and retreat indoors.
Wrong turn in the Valley of Windmills
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 12/01/2020
» At my age, any new sensation tends to either be an ache or a pain, however, on New Year's Day I was up at 6am, which was definitely a ground-breaking feeling. I hasten to add this wasn't because I hadn't made it to bed after a night's revelry. Admittedly in the distant past there might have been several occasions in Bangkok when I've witnessed dawn on Jan 1 before hitting the sack, but we won't go into that.
Where there's a rhyme there's a reason
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 01/09/2019
» Today we welcome in a new month, September. I have a certain attachment for the ninth month of the year for a rather simplistic reason. Whenever I can't remember how many days there are in a particular month, I still resort to the old rhyme "30 days hath September, April, June and November…" and so on. So much for my education.
Lazing on a stormy Sunday afternoon
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 09/06/2019
» Every now and again, I escape to the Northeast (Isan), more specifically the northernmost part of Chaiyaphum province, to relax, unwind, mellow out, chill out and hopefully not freak out. It is always a rewarding experience to shake off the madness of the Big Mango for a few days and settle into a pace of life that drifts between slow, very slow and practically dormant. That's something I can handle quite comfortably. In some ways it must resemble being transferred to an inactive post.
Being a pilot is not always the high life
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 28/10/2018
» Times have not exactly been "smooth as silk" for the national airline recently. The tale of the two pilots who insisted flying first class from Zurich to Bangkok, delaying the flight for more than two hours, prompted considerable debate. The incident brought to mind a chance meeting a long time ago with someone who had a very different attitude.