Details, details

    We were a bit clueless thinking Austin's turnaround time here would be a week or two.  Our contact at PSP is a young Englishman, Charlie Garrett.  He trained there himself when he was 19 and after some time back in England, returned to Thailand and does promotional work for the academy, along with teaching English in Bangkok.  At first we thought a month in Thailand training, but after hearing Charlie's advice that the first three weeks is mostly acclimation, the second month, learning technique, and the third month brings it all together to the point of being prepared for a professional bout.  So...three months it was.  From my limited international travel, it was only after a while that I realized I better check Thai travel regulations.  Over 30 days one needs a visa.  Mike had taken Austin to Thailand when he was 14, on a dive trip, but that was for two weeks.  I pulled Austin's passport out--expired!  You can't get the visa without the passport in hand, as well as a valid ticket.  But you don't want the ticket to be too soon, so the visa's not back yet, and the passport goes in the mail to get the visa.