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Thru a series of emails and introductions I’m grateful to a great guy from a very innovative company DRVR (“Driver”) http://www.DRVR.co
David Henderson has provided me with a boat-load of information from his own experiences as an Entrepreneur with a successful Startup! I encourage you to read more about him https://www.linkedin.com/in/dchenderson1/
and his company at there website http://www.drvr.co

This video is me just sharing and update and some thoughts as I begin my ‘research meetings and interviews’ of various successful Entrepreneurs David has introduced me to.
On this morning, I will be meeting with a DAVID SHELTERS.
https://www.worldsummitawards.org/person/david-shelters/

David S, has been in Bangkok for over 10 years, as a true pioneer and walking encyclopedia of knowledge as it relates to the Startup Ecosystem.
David Shelters on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmshelters/

David Shelters on Amazon

After a quick BTS ride from ThongLo to Ekamai, I spent about the next 3+ hours learning a great deal about the different types of Startups Bangkok is host to.

…stay tuned for more information on what I find.

{ **URLS corrected 30 Nov 2017 }

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This one is a bit out of order but I thought the location was actually fairly irrelevant.
…stay tuned for more videos of our experience at The Hotspring Beach Resort and Spa — its a great place to *completely* relax!
Indeed there are probably 1000’s of videos that will get uploaded/published on YoutTube today (i.e. US Thanksgiving Day) around the topic of being thankful… being grateful. I was honored to be able to speak with my Mum and Dad this morning; discussing how wonderful life is and all the gifts that we have amidst some imperfections along the way.
This now marks the 4th US Thanksgiving week I’ve been in Thailand and over the last 20 years, I’ve probably spent T’givings outside the US. Back around the years of 1999-2003 when the only “foreign travel” I did was getting the Land Rover and driving down to my place in the northern Baja part of Mexico: San Felipe. There were some great meals had down there. Some alone, some with friends. Either way, basking in the daily warm glow of the clear sky and sun, followed by staring up at the “billions and billions of stars” that dot the evening sky in an area about 99% free from any city’s light pollution.

I thought I’d take a few minutes to reflect on a few blessings that I gratefully easily identify and acknowledge within seconds.
Life is truly a gift. One I do NOT plan on returning or trading in. I heard a long time ago from a co-worker “This is Not a dress-rehearsal”. TOTALLY AGREE!

I started this channel to account my travels and experiences in Thailand. Since then its expanded to my travels in South East Asia: Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines.. and gratefully still includes a lot of Thailand.
Its a magical place for a number of reasons. It offers many things for many people.
I hope wherever you are watching this video or reading this Blog post, you are safe, happy, grateful and thankful. If not… no worries – its not a requirement. I haven’t always been Living the Dream. My belief and experience is that ALL the Awesome you want IS available. If you want it. Go get it!

Live the Dream! …cuz if you’re not, you’re doing it wrong!

Happy Thaisgiving.
thanks for watching….

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Since there really is no “Yelp” in Thailand, I just wanted to do a quick check-in and mention a little massage place about 50 meters North from Sukhumvit on Soi Thong Lor… just down the Soi from the Thong Lo BTS station.
I do this mainly because most of the ‘advertising’ of these little shops is done via word-of-mouth. While Yelp, Craigslist, Google ratings, etc DO exist and are used in Thailand – its not as extensive as in the US.

Google’s ratings that you will see when you are looing up places on Google Maps is getting used a lot more. When I was recently at a Angel/VC Investment pitch presentation the guys from GoWabi.com presented.
https://www.gowabi.com/en

They are focused on the Health and Beauty vertical. Massage shops are certainly one of those offerings as are “waxing” places. GoWabi app offers coupons as well as lookups of places using geo-location so that is helpful – especially if it’s your first time in Bangkok. So, just a quick check-in and shout-out for but CHAYSIRI Massage as well as the GoWabi app: http://www.GoWabi.com
Thanks for watching.
…stay tuned

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One of my fondest memories as a young kid was in the middle of the summer in New England, when it would Hot (say, over 90 degrees) and Humid (say, over 80%) and there would be an afternoon shower. All of us kids in the neighborhood who were inside… or wherever, really, would run out in the street in the warm rain. We’d splash around in the puddles, run from house to house, find puddles that would form from low spots in peoples’ lawns – almost making a mud pit – and have an AMAZING time!
As I’m sitting here under a little gazebo of sorts at our bungalow here at the resort:
The Hotspring Beach Resort & Spa:
( http://www.thehotspringbeach.com/ )
I thought I’d put up a quick video. I’m sure its lousy quality as we are lucky if we get 3G here in Paradise :–)

Anyway, I just wanted to wish y’all a Happy Thanksgiving. I’m so grateful to be alive One More Day and hope that wherever you are watching this you are safe and happy.. and I hope you Are LIVING THE DREAM!!! …cuz if you’re not, you’re doing it wrong!

…stay tuned for more videos from the Land of Smiles.
All the best,
~mikes

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For those who asked, here is a link to Lazada On-line Shopping:
http://LazadaThai.com
—
Landed in Bangkok around 12noon and took the Airport Rail Link metro from Suvarnabhumi International Airport, to BTS Skytrain to the ThongLo stop and BLAM: connected to the BTS station be a walking bridge is our condo: The Nobel Remix.

Here’s a link to AirBnB:
(please use it to sign up and YOU will get discounts on your first rooms!!!!)
Here is the direct link to our condo at Noble Remix on Sukhumvit:
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5688556
Bud was a great host!!!! Thank you!

It is quite literally THE best solution and location for all the meetings I have as well as being found/picked up by an Uber or Grab car. It’s only 1 stop to Ekamai (arguably THE Startup center in Bangkok!). Plus,if you have spent any time in Bangkok you know that taxis are a brutal way to travel due to the intense traffic, albeit a necessary evil if you’re traveling to an area away from Sukhumvit and/or major BTS and MTS “metro” stops.
Both train systems are excellent, for former above ground 100% of the time and MTS is underground about 75% of the time… so, more ‘subway’-like. Its been my major form of transportation when I come to Bangkok. Its excellent.
On this day, I’m just scouting out the immediate area so wanted to publish a video of our condo.
In the next video, I’ll being my discussion on other parts of the city as well as the Startup interest I have an why.
Thanks for watching.
…stay tuned.

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Leaving LAX on Philippine Airlines (not recommended by the way) on my way to Bangkok. This will be the first time I’m actually going to do some “work” during a trip to Thailand, on purpose! I’ll be studying the Startup Ecosystem and Entrepreneurial Culture that currently exists in Thailand as well as gain some insight as to WHY it is this way. What is the history behind this albeit “new” culture (certainly in comparison to the long standing, mature Startup Ecosystem that exists in Silicon Valley. While the Valley is only about a 2 hour flight from San Diego… hmmm… maybe that would have been a smarter place to go! – HAHA… Thailand is one of my favorite places in the world and learning about their culture has only strengthened that love for the Land of Smiles.
SO – this is simply the beginning video is a series of YouTube uploads about the journey, the daily living and doing, as well as my insights and observations into this emerging nation’s technical and business innovation.
…stay tuned.

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After a 13 hour flight from Shanghai (PVG) I land at LAX. I will grab my rental car at Alamo and then drive home to San Diego.
My drive from LAX to home usually takes about 2.5 hours. About mid-way home, I will usually stop at a rest area on the I-5 near San Onofre. Its a good mid-way point and an opportunity to stretch my legs, stretch my back and use the rest room.
While there, the sun was setting so I took the opportunity for a quick photo. As I was walking toward this embankment to get a cool shot of the sun setting over the pacific, a guy in his 20’s shows me the photo he just took of the sun – commenting on how beautiful it was. In speaking with him, I learn he is originally from Shanghai.
“I just got back from there”, I said.
“Ah, I am heading there on Tuesday – when did you get back?” he asked.
“I landed at LAX about 2 hours ago.”
“Oh wow! you JUST got back.”
…
So we shared a few comments about the weather there.
Turns out his family has a business there and he will be going back to work in the business. He did his undergrad work at University of Oregon.
…
Its always great to meet new people.
Since then we’ve exchanged email pleasantries. I’m quite confident I will return to Shanghai – definitely want to explore more of the city.

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Grabbing some duck at the airport and heading back to California. The layover in Shanghai was not so bad. I was about 1 day early as far as lucking out and getting some nice (non-rain) weather BUT considering the amount of travel in had been doing up to this point, the “boring” of simply walking around and staying at the Airport Hotel was actually a Welcomed amount of downtime.

Here’s the AGODA link to Hotel 168 if you want to check it out:
https://www.agoda.com/partners/partnersearch.aspx?cid=1730848&pcs=1&hl=en&hid=529210

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After a nice 4 hour nap, a shower, and I dropped my bags off 3 hours before departure. I am simply in the habit of this as it is traditionally the earliest I can check in for an International flight AND I like to be THE first, or at least One of the first people checking in. In at least 1/2 the cases, I don’t pay for the extra legroom or upgraded class of seat when I am flying to SE Asia so if I get there early, I have usually been able to get an emergency exit row seat. Read as: TONS of legroom. At 6’2″ (188cm) I am not a giant however any flight with lack of legroom is very uncomfortable for me.
On this Delta flight from PVG to LAX I was using points so for about $80 all in, I was able to upgrade to their Comfort + and get Sky Priority boarding and baggage. Plus the use of my Delta AMEX card is a nice little perk as I don’t need to pay for checked bags.

This Shanghai layover has been an Ok experience. I don’t particularly like anywhere when its cloudy and raining but the real bummer was how tired I was for about 14 hours of travel prior to arrival – even if the weather was epic, I think I would have been distracted by fatigue so the 6 hour hotel rest was very worth while.
I am very much looking forward to returning to China to check out Shanghai as well as Hong Kong and Shenzhen. A LOT of exciting things are happening in this part of the world. I cannot even imagine what it will all be like 50 years from NOW!
Exciting!

Thanks for watching.
~mikes

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This the weather the way it was in Shanghai: Cloudy, drizzly, then rain, I decided the Airport Hotel (Hotel 168) was the best solution for this layover. For about $45 i was able to get about 4 hours of sleep in a quiet room and a nice warm shower in a clean bathroom.
I call that a big win.

Here’s the AGODA link to Hotel 168 if you want to check it out:
https://www.agoda.com/partners/partnersearch.aspx?cid=1730848&pcs=1&hl=en&hid=529210