The Annual Trip to Ubon Ratchathani: Version 2013

Feeling Zen looking into the peaceful forest

In my annual agenda, a visit to Ubon Ratchathani has always been necessary. It's a very endearing province sitting by the Mekong River on the Northeastern Border of Thailand. More importantly, it is the home of my company's first official customers when we started operations nearly 5 years ago. Though it's technically a business trip, it's no longer one filled with boring academic business discussions. In fact, business is the least of our worries. It's more of an overdue get-together of old friends.

This time, my customer equipped himself with his new camera and took numerous pictures of me as he brought me around, doing many things I have never experienced before (I also got to know my first helicopter pilot friend as well as a couple of local Democrat Party elected members of Parliament). Though none of the activities were extremely exciting, it was still very heartwarming to see these precious moments captured.

I had Bak Mor for the first time, a steamed rice pancake stuffed with lots of fresh spring onion and minced pork. I am sure I will dream of having this soon.

I did this before at the Chinese Garden in Singapore, but fish feeding was a first for me in Thailand. I even had time to show off my smooth motion of bread-hurling.

My first buggy drive

My first ATV drive

My first long speedboat ride, along the majestic Mekong River, no less

Being an entrepreneur in a foreign country isn't easy, but as you can see, once in a while, it does have its perks, as a fundamentally serious business trip can be intertwined with many joyful moments.

It would have been perfect if I did not need to drink all that whisky........