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After a few days to reacclimatise myself and to recover from the always tiring jet-lag, it was back into the Pattaya social whirl and into a very busy September.
 First event on the calendar was a visit to a nearby Go-Kart circuit where some members of the Lions club had arranged a tryout to see if it would be suitable for a future charity event.
I thought I was only going along to take some photos, but eventually the temptation to try one of the carts was too great and so I had a go.
We were given 10 minutes at a time round what was a very professionally laid out circuit complete with proper bends (not just round layers of tyres) and ups and downs as it wound its way in-between two small lakes (penalty for dropping your cart into one of them)- and I can say as a beginner that (a) it was amazing just how well these vehicles clung to the ground and (b) 10 minutes was quite long enough.
A few days later there was a very special event at the Royal Cliff where in celebration of an award of excellence to their Grill Room by an International Hotel Magazine, there was a special cocktail evening to which all Wine Club members plus other selected guests were invited. This necessitated the purchase of a new suit and a chance to try out the current standard of Pattaya tailoring - excellent.
For the event, held in the hotel Grand Ballroom, we were first presented to an assembled line up of the hosts, club sponsors and senior staff, and then on entry to the room, found ourselves invited to taste selections of fare from stalls of the hotel’s many excellent restaurants, each accompanied by a choice of suitably matching wines. The event ran on for over two hours by which time we were all well filled and sated - all for no expense on our part.
A couple of days later we paid another visit to the Bira Motor Racing circuit where this time in addition to viewing the races we were able during the lunchtime break to take a walk down the pit lane and view the assembled machinery at close range - again as before, all for zero admission charge.
 The middle of the month saw the annual Jesters ‘ Care for Kids’ charity events which was a two part event, the first part of which consisted of a Children’s fair at the ‘Diana’ driving range in North Pattaya, where a large number of stalls sold various items and an games and other children’s entertainment was laid on, the event concluding with a large raffle all in aid of the charity with prizes, mostly for children, donated by various sponsoring companies.
The second part of this major fund raising event took place at Shenanigans the following Saturday evening when another raffle, this time of prizes a imed at the adults present, plus an auction of several spectacular items again donated by various bodies or individuals, all contributed to a record amount of money collected for a very worthwhile cause. Oh and of course there were as always several excellent bands and musicians on hand to keep us entertained both during and after the various events and on until the wee small hours
The month’s activities concluded with a visit to a newly opened Thai boxing arena in North Pattaya where  amongst the bouts being staged was one featuring a British boxer trained by Paddy, our keep fit instructor.
This was preceded by an excellent meal in a fairly new Italian restaurant just across the road.
The boxing complex occupied a plot of land which just a few weeks previously had been wasteland and it’s rapid construction and facilities offered were amazing.
Unfortunately I cannot say the same for some of the bouts, many of which seemed to consist of holding in clinches with only the odd serious kick or punch. The bout we had come to see was in fact a conventional as opposed to Thai style boxing event and as such proved in my view the more exciting, even though ‘our man’ lost on points (justifiably I’m afraid).
And that saw out September.
To view any of the above photos in full size, just click on it.
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