AIR-TIME
DIARY

We all ventured away from our shores of home escaping to our secret found hideaway, and here we are back or still travelling chasing the dream of our next adventure. We want to thank you all that are reading this diary for this is for you, to remind you and keep you inspired for the fun you had and others after you, for making the wakeboard jungle camp the special place in time and fun atmosphere it is. We all know it was a great time with a lot of smiles and laughter. Daniel always feels a sad time when you leave but gets refreshed by you arriving, Tina feels her family are going, Johnny boy has only just started on his stories, as for Deen, well he always enjoys the moments with you always waves a fond good bye with the belief he will see you again soon. For you have all to the crew, become a family of sharing the moments that we can only be best describe as;

HAPPIEEE DAYZZZ

Dec/Jan

With the sun beating down along with the beers we had a crew of two from Guernsey of Bruno & Will who were so keen to board,board,board and then surprisingly board, they were here so long they lost the days into the sunsets, they were animals to the water, Will methodical with his approach to thinking it through then applying the finesse to every move. For Bruno the opposite a Bull on the water is a good way to put it, many a time with his legendary face plants that kept spec savers shipping over contacts for the eyeball washes he was getting, the coaches were sure his eyes were getting bigger and became obsessed to trying to photo them, as for Will he can only describe his pal Bruno to having no brain to hurt. One thing for sure, he perhaps may have lacked the right coaching for they could never speak for the laughter had.
But in all he was a charger and full respect and at times the boys were great guinea pigs especially when the team could practise different pulls on the wave skate, that is proving beneficial, and the one for the road just ended in a beer sesh.
We had the pleasure of a lonely traveller Rachel who left her friend in Bangkok to fuel her passion, came a little wobbly on the board one can best describe, rigid and stiff at times, so with a keen hear she was tweaked with her style loosened by the one for the roads and her riding began to flow, as the feeling of the love was installed from the conditions and how to ride, all were on to it, it was plain to see, that passion for a sport they loved was in abundance. She acquired a style like a pro and jumped with the aggression of Bruno but with the finesse of Will from the times she rode with the boys as they took her under there wings.
She achieved her goals and so much more which we are sure will shock many when her summer comes. A blend of characters that were matched by a motley crew from Lithuania, Deen always thought was Russia, so with a quick history lesson and head down the loo the difference sunk in. With Tequila in there eyes they were never the morning crew, but always singing our Happieee Dayzz, they came for a day and spent a week with Elena taking to the water for her maiden wakeboard and showing a balance and determination, that enabled her to succeed second time in trying and cruising true, with the boat crew going hoarse with the shouts of Happieee Dayzz it was a day she will always remember and all who shared it with her too.
Liga tried the board and promptly threw it away and picked out the skies, and promptly blasted up and along with the grace of her strength and womanly finesse that gave the boat a view appeasing to the eye. The whiskey & tequila boys, well entertainment beyond belief, crashes galore but always with a laugh, beeg dawg we found had relations swimming under in the lake for he was permanently visiting them, to be fair he never boarded before but had little tuition for all were enjoying his closing of the book so much, but it was more of a library.

A roll of honour must go out to Roland for the leaving on the New Year night (wise man), but for the way he rode and style he learned that he went home a boarder, that all will see by the aggressive way he rides that he truly found the love.

The night of New Year was at a windsurfing bar in Pataya on the beach, with a nice laid back feel but it belonged to the Tequila kids. Bruno came with Will who was in a huggy feel the love mood to his fellow founders of the love of the ride friends. Something to do with the bottles of wine consumed on the way.
Bruno and Rachel were talking in an unknown tongue you can only do when the point of no return is crossed, Propping on each other and some how demolishing all in there way when they went to ground. As for Daniel well he got a sweet tequila experience by Tina and Elena (luckieeee boy, see the photo’s) but Tina and Daniel did elope to the barbecue to reline the stomach, but he still ended passed out in the jeep to sleep it off puppy dog style, so that left Deen to take them on as soon as he downed one he had another in his hand, swaying with a balance you thought he was gone but was always there saying one for the road, Elena helping to wing his drinks found a merriness even she was struggling with, but she tried in vain but he never dropped and after a lot of sighing and hugging they were all finally thrown out of the bar.
Tequila was drank dry, Daniel coming back ready to go after his sleep, Bruno’s eyes reduced to slits, Will slurring feel the love still, Rachel past out as she was dragged away, Tina guiding a swaying Deen over to the pick up then wedging him until she could crumple him into the seat, hanging from the window as the stars swapped places with the beach constantly swirling around. Happieee Dayzz, Tequila nights and what a night to remember that was.

Well the next day all were still wasted and no way would the Tequila crew make the day to ride…………….oh yea……. in they came ready to charge, Daniel fit for nothing, Tina well we never knew where she hid, but before Deen could escape he was lifted and dragged away, now there are some sights but Deen was more than that, even his sun tan could not hide the dehydration and vapours of tequila, after a few dunks in the water they were on there way. “HAPPIEE New Year Doc”, they yelled, “ah yea Happieee Dayzz…. yea feel the, I feel drunk still”………. They boarded there best and amazingly even managed to get some coaching from Deen (after a few slaps, bucket of water) plenty of laughter and 3 hours later they all came back nearly carrying Deen.

At the end of the lake we have a fisherman’s village that Deen had been on recon boarding Vicky around to get a feel for the place weather she liked it or not, she always had a smile on her face so we feel she enjoyed it, for were else can you just go for miles on end and be in mirror water on this earth, it’s the best eh gang. Daniel was out spinning around with his mates from cable land who came here all stiff and had to learn to ride all loose, so who better than the Fetzy man, going so big a permit was needed for a re-entry, but when they got it wrong you could hear the laughter all the way up the lake.
Vicky was a timid shy rider at first, the slightest ripple and the rope was out of her grip, but with this lioness side that was coaxed to come out she turned gasps in the achievement she made, surface 360, Ollie, hanging on to submarine depths and she gained the respect of fellow Swiss Dario that she was ripper alright.
We had a stormy day when the boats did not come back from the service, Thai style in Timing so Tina swung into action and booked a day to ride out at the island of Ko Somet, for I feel all who went would say it was a fun day had by all, we were joined by the bonnie Irish girls that alone were so fast with the words but together even the island could not slow them down, with kite in hand Deen gave all who wanted a go and lesson, well Emily promptly was up after finding the confidence that she had a natural style and gift to riding a board that left the coaches very impressed, she is small and then small, she took control and coconut tree you have an incoming kite, with that the local boy appeared and scampered up the tree with a dexterity that Deen wanted to get him on a board, as they manipulated it down, the girls were gone with the boat with Emily replacing Deen at the coaching helm. With recovery Tina took to the kite as the wind picked up around and up and down she was flung around, but it was a scream to watch as Deen joined Tina hanging on to her as she fired the kite deep into the power zone just above the coconut trees, they were like two dolls being dragged all over laughing and giggling, with that Patrick stepped in and just flew it around in full control (strong boy) as they joined the others for few cocktails at the pool bar, then watching on as Daniel was on a photo shoot to the cool look to flying the kite(sure your find him in the pics), with a beach meal and a few more drinks all departed to enjoy the sunset cruise back and view of the tall fishing boats that defy gravity by staying precariously upright in the water, another great enjoyable treat of a day that is legend at the Air-Time camp.
Every day is a happy day at Air-Time Dok Kroi, pool volley ball was a scream when Dario and Deen ambushed the chef Toon and carried him screaming as he deposited his fags, money and phone all over the floor because they were one player short, but also for he fired Deen’s lunch with some super hot chillies to help fuel his belief that they keep the mozzies away.
A game played on drinks so it turned out to be a merry day.

We had a Swiss crew by Roger, who were naturals to the water but they were in for a trip of there lives when in the middle of the lake 3 miles away the boat decided to take a rest and spin away its prop, coach Deen bemused to thinking the gear box had gone, for never having in the years of the water a prop going walkies, along with the wind blowing and night coming, time was short to come up with a plan. But with a board to paddle ashore with Roger in full Hawaiian mode the Swiss crew powered the craft ashore.
With that Deen took on guide tour duty and inland they hiked to find life in the Jungle. In time they found a family in the forest who could not understand Deen’s fluent Thai, so in stepped Rassy and saved the day, they even had a phone from a relative that visited that day, as they guided them back to the boat again Tina was off with Toto the boat watch man at the helm of his long boat, the day seemed save until she got an attack of the blonde and shot up one of the lakes tributaries, with Deen stressing as the mozzies were wakening Tina found her way and potted down to the rescue, by this time darkness was here and the locals had lit a fire for Deen to keep the mozzies away, which he stood in the fire to really make sure, with another fisherman’s boat secured the Swiss crew took on a journey up the lake perched on these long boats producing a balance that needs an art to not go toppling over board.
This left Tina and Deen who was now in danger of catching alight before he would surrender to the blood sucking monsters he shouts out. Don’t worry boyo comes a cry, Johnny boy the boss was on the way out of the dark haze of smoke, no life vest, unable to swim, ramming ashore like an SAS siege, they climbed and flew in Deen’s case aboard, they slipped away from the marsh and safety of the lake, good news is the Swiss gang are going up the lake as if they are circus performers the way they are perched on those long boats, bad news is I am too low on fuel so I have a plan to head for the little fishing village heard they do a good cold beer, and food with that they set full steam ahead to a new found adventure and awaited for Linda to come and drive them back to Dok Kroi and join up with the happy Swiss crew.

There is always a positive to be gained from a mishap it seems for the birth of the sunset cruise is now in place, trips to boarding under the setting sun or just to go and marvel at it finishing at the fisherman’s straw hutted village that rests on stilts into the water. This was experienced the next night with the Swiss crew and the German cable gang an enjoyable lively night with a sunset that streaked across the sky that had all marvelling and happily snapping away (see pics), with a few beers downed and the merry crew set sail back under the moon light and amazing stars that had all gazing up at the stars. With the mystical arrival through the mangos they arrived at the dock with Toto waving the lantern guiding us out of the darkness, with a merry banter they all walked back to a banquet of Thai delight.

With excursions to the amazing forest restaurant that has water falls amongst its plantation and furniture carved from trees that keeps you amused all night long.

Then with trips into Pataya that can best be describe as the circus for all of the interests it creates, where Daniel can not seem to restrain himself from the Thai speciality- cloths that is, were he has to send it back for the hordes he has. A place that never seems to sleep and our ever willing taxi man to be at all’s beck and call, it is a welcome adventure for all of you to realise what a great place we have.

We have introduced trampoline lessons that is going down very well and having great results out on the lake. Dario the Italian Swiss rider that cuts like Shapiro landed his flips out in the flats switch, very impressive, Deen focused him to cut hard and go big to give that brain of his time to spot is landing, but then really when he tries anything easy it’s always a crash so keep going big Dario.

It nice to know we have some of you heading back with the likes of Will and The Latvian crew, we hopping the little rocket Rachel finds a place in her diary to head back also as she is starting to really rip now, so real close to installing a very solid riding style, as for Bruno last heard he was reorganising bulk shipping imports of eye contacts.
With the Japanese crazy gang the next few months are bound to be fun.

We have just re-organised the boat house of its stock and added new equipment like boards and boots on the request of the coaches that will enhance the rider’s style and confidence who use it.

New Events

Deen has organised kick boxing lessons as Toon the chef he found out is an Asian games kick boxing champion, so we have set up a kick boxing area by the pool which is going down very well, were you can learn to punch and kick as if we don’t tire you out enough, but its great to learn a few moves and is a great work out that helps the wakeboarding muscles to keep them stretched, and positioned by the pool as a great way to cool down.

We have also put in place a board check, that if you wish to fine tune your board to enhance the way you ride or to purchase equipment, we can advise through experience the right shape for you and a place from which you can purchase at a special business discount any make of equipment that goes all to you the rider, to be delivered here next day or to your door at home, for wake-boards now have different ride styles due to the diversity of riders coming into the sport, along with the equipment. So even when you are away from us it does not matter for your Air-Time experience has made you part off one big family, so try us out next time you want some equipment as part of the Air Time buying group as together we make a difference.

Well that rounds things up here, Johnny wishes to send a warm welcome to you all and really hopes to seeing you again for he has many more stories to tell, as for the coaches there was never a day you never laughed together, and that can only be good, and they all wish you could always come hang out and stay more often.

So where ever you may be wedged amongst the concrete buildings remember the place you could hideaway and recharge those batteries, to escape the stress and spreading the word to what a gem of a place Thailand is to wake-board.

Happieee Dayzz