Thailand Travel Guide

Pattaya Thailand - Version 2.0

2009-09-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

Right - so where did I leave off? Of yeah - not going to bore you with the details of my travel day, but I will include a few shots of EVA air planes and the Taipei terminal. What can I say, my posts have been a little short on images, I think I'm just to lazy to make this site look all nice and pretty.

So I get off the plane in Suvarnabhumi and my pants are feeling a little loose. Now I know I didn't lose a few pounds on the plane ride over so I knew there was some sort of a wardrobe malfunction going on down there. I found that I had lost the button to my pants and they were starting to fall down. I found myself awkwardly trying to walk around holding up my pants. Which became even more of a challenge as I grabbed my bag before customs.

One interesting thing to point out before I get too into my ramblings is that I had travelled over during the peak of the Swine Flu scare in the spring. Now after the SARS epidemic Asia had a few years back they take these things quite seriously - as opposed to the US.

When you get to the entrance at customs they funneled all the arriving passengers in front of a thermal scanners attended to by a couple of cute nurses. One even flipped me a nice smile. However that smile turns to a frown if you set off the scanners and are then summarily quarantined from entering Thailand. I passed with flying colors and that smile. Now I understand that these thermal scanners are no longer in use as the swine flu is now thoroughly entrenched. I'll see in November time.

Ok so back to my travel report. So my pants are falling down, I've cleared customs and I'm on the hunt for my driver. I walk by the area he was supposed to be waiting for me and there was no sign of him. I wasn't sure what to do, so I waited around for a bit and decided now would be an excellent time to break my belt out of the suit case.

Once I properly secured my pants to my waist, I went looking for my driver again. No luck. There was a TAT (Tourist Authority Of Thailand) desk next to mine and I asked if they could help me. The cute girls looked at me and giggled. I didn't quite understand what was so funny till one of them said the other thought I was cute. I must have looked better than I thought after traveling for 24 hours. Then again, I really don't look that great after a bunch of sleep.

They paged my driver for me, and he soon came running up apologizing for being late. No worries lets just get my ass to Pattaya....to be continued

Lots of Catching Up to Do

2009-09-18T19:29:00.000-07:00

Well, I can't believe it has been so long since my last report. I have a lot of catching up to do to fill you in on all the details of my May trip to Pattaya as my November trip is getting close - just 9 weeks away...yee-harh!

I'm going to skip the normal travel day mumbo jumbo, as it is just that. You all know how it works by now. I get on a plane, I try to sleep, watch movies, and kill the odd 17 hours or so it takes me to get from LA to Bangkok. I'll just start by catching you up from the meeting the limo in Suvarnabhumi, however that will have to wait.

For now, I am in the middle of clean up mode. I just got done with a hardy day of work, after a completely terrible week. My mind is in overdrive and I'm not sure I'm quite ready to sit down and knock out a mega chapter in the life of Jimmy T.

What I will tell you is what has been on my mind for the past several weeks...moving. I think I need a change in my life. I'm not quite at mid-life crisis age, but I'm picking up velocity and will be there before I know it. I think it maybe time for me to head back to the ole right coast and be a bit closer to them family. The parents are getting older and I've got a cute little niece that I never get to see.

But the real move I want to make is to live in Thailand and SE Asia for 4-6 months a year. It won't be easy, however I think I maybe able to make it work. My plan is to unfold over the next year - with an start time of Nov 2010 - Jan 2011. I know that is a long way off, but this is a major change for me and plenty of things must line up in order to make it happen. I like the idea of becoming location independent, and being to work wherever I want.

The plan is to fine tune my skill set in IT, while getting another year of experience under my belt. I would sell my house, visit the family for a month then head off oversees. I would hopefully have some income coming in while I was there, I don't want to live off my savings. The plan would be to live oversees for a few months, come back and consult for six months, then head back out again. I wouldn't limit my time to just Thailand and Asia either. I would like to live in Europe for a while as well. London has been a dream destination for me.

When other people are looking to settle down, I'm looking to uproot...I've always been a bit of a unique person. That's all for now.

Can't Wait Another Year

2009-08-18T08:55:00.000-07:00

After such a wonderful trip I could not see myself waiting another year before I could return. I started to make plans right away to get back within 6 months. It would not be easy, and I would need to make it a short trip.

I planned on heading back again over Memorial Day weekend, taking a little over 7 days worth of time in Pattaya. It would be a short trip, and with the long flight I would hope it would be worthwhile.

I booked my tickets again on EVA Air, I was quite happy with their service and the newness of their aircraft on my last trip. I scheduled my hotel, this time all week will be spent in Pattaya, and readied the car service to pick me up at the airport. Then it was just a matter of waiting till the month of May arrived.

Six months was a lot easier to wait than a year, go figure. But the time really did fly by and before I new it I was once again on my way to the land of smiles.

Dream World And The Chao Phraya Dinner Cruise

2009-08-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

After partying pretty hard for two weeks, I was happy to get a call to spend my last day in a more relaxed fashion. It was the King's Birthday, and as most bars would be closed, a group was heading to Bangkok for a little fun. The destination was Dream World , a theme park / Disney knockoff that had lots of rides and things to do.

Now I would recommend making a special trip to see Dream World, but if an opportunity presents itself it is a fun side trip. I was pretty hung over so the rides weren't that appealing to me. I thought I would either puke or poop my pants. But most of our party seemed to be enjoying themselves.

We left early and spent most of the day there. When all the fun and rides had finished then we headed out for the second part of our outing, a dinner cruise in honor of the King's Birthday. Now this experience I would really recommend.

You board the ship at a hotel right on the Chao Praya River and once everyone is on board, it departs. It starts a slow cruise down the river as the night falls on Bangkok. The ships main inside level is essentially a large dining hall. You can go outside and to the bow of the ship to really enjoy the view.

You cruise up the river to the Palace, when you get there it is night time but the Palace and Temples are well lit. The ship's mates pass out candles and at the appropriate time they are lit. The people on the boat sing a song in Thai to Their King. Then you are treated to a nice fireworks show before returning down the river to disembark. It is a wonderful experience to be a part of, I think I was one of only a few westerners on board.

After a full day, I don't think we got back till midnight, I was exhausted. I packed my bags and dozed off to sleep before I had to wake up once again to return home. Thailand - I'll miss you when I'm gone.

The Pattaya Trip Continues - Part 10

2009-08-16T16:10:00.000-07:00

We made it up to Pook's Swan Bar on the back of a couple motorcycle taxi's. I'm still not 100% sure I really trust those things. I even had to ask for a helmet to wear, might do me a bit of good to protect my noggin if I fall off and go bouncing down second road.

They have some really nice lady boys on staff here, and I was more than happy to sit and have a few beers. We downed a few, flirted with the girls then headed off down the road. Now I'd been partying for several straight nights, and I mean hard partying, I'm not sure how I was still functioning. But we were off to another circuit.

We hit the usual places, and what more can I tell you at this point? It was pretty much a repeat of all the other nights combined. And that is pretty much how the rest of the trip went as well. It would be nice to have different stories to tell, but I pretty much just did the same drunken debauchery most nights...only the faces did change once in a while.

I grew quite fond of the place but wished I'd gotten out more and seen some of the sights other than those inside of the bar and my hotel room. My next trip I would make sure and do just that. Two weeks flys by when your having fun.

Having the airports closed was getting a little unnerving toward the end of my trip. They started to fly people out of Utapo near Pattaya. I was checking in with my airline everyday, or trying to at least as you could never get through on the phone. I ended up calling EVA Air's main office in Taipei to get things sorted out. They were very helpful and were one of the few airlines flying out of the other airport.

Two days before my departure the protesters left the airport and things were back to normal within 24 hours. It was quite amazing really. My flight was rescheduled back to Suvarnabhumi at it's regularly scheduled time. Quite a relief.

Pattaya Trip - Part 9 | One More Round

2009-08-12T12:35:00.000-07:00

My first trip to Pattaya was shaping up nicely. Though one day was starting to blend into the next after the all night partying. I stopped off at the front desk to ask if there was any news about the protesters at Suvarnibhumi airport - of course there was none.

I made my way once again to the Avenue Mall to get the daily allowance from the ATM machine. I usually get about 10,000 baht, keep half in the room safe for the next day or emergencies, and keep the other 5,000 baht with me. I rarely use it all up in one day, but I like to have a bit more change in my pockets just in case.

After topping up my wallet, I headed over to Shenanigan's Irish pub on the second floor of the mall. We had slept in late, and by the time I got out the door it was already lunch time. The place has a real pub feel to it, and the cuisine is a mix of Irish Pub food and Thai. I decided on just a plane club sandwich and fries. Not a lot of meat on the sandwich, but it sure hit the spot.

My friend called as I was finishing the last swallow of my coke, and asked if I wanted to join him for lunch. Although I had just eaten I decided to keep him company and enjoy an early afternoon beer. We shot a few games of pool, I think I may have one at least one this go 'round. And he introduced me once again to the Thai rules of pool, which I still don't understand.

We decided it was late enough for a wander down Soi 6 to see what type of mischief we could get into. We grabbed a baht bus and made our way north. As I suspected, nothing had changed from a few days ago, so we made our way back down the street popping our heads in to bars for a drink. I mixed in a bottle of water here and there as I didn't want a repeat of my first night in town. I wanted to be a little more sober for the evenings activities.

We made our way back to Pooks Soi 6. What can I tell you about this place. It is an open air bar downstairs filled with ladyboys and a girl only go-go upstairs (which I understand is now closed). It has a couple of the podiums for the girls to dance on a long bar with plenty of seating and a pool table. The talent is pretty good whatever persuasion.

We had a few drinks, chatted with the girls. I met a stunner there which my friend wanted me to barfine, but as the night was just beginning I passed. But vowed to see her again while on my trip. We decided to head back up to the sister bar Pooks Swan house for a few more, beers that is.

The night is just getting started again...

Pattaya Trip - Part 8 (Protesters At The Airport)

2009-08-11T21:10:00.000-07:00

I awake in the morning and have a quick session with my girl before sending her on her way. I have yet to make the jump to taking them out for breakfast, a movie, or some other activity the next day. Just hasn't felt right.

I sit and watch the t.v., the BBC broadcasts in Thailand, and got caught up in the situation. Things had gotten worse. It seems protesters had seized the airport and stopped all traffic. This was bad news. I was supposed to be heading out to Phuket in a couple of days, plus the protesters had never escalated things to this point before. Seizing Suvarnabhumi was a big deal.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7740000/newsid_7749500/7749511.stm

Of well, I think to myself, there is nothing I can do about it. I shower and get dressed and decide to head out for the day. I seem to run the same circuit. There are a ton of things to do in Pattaya, yet I can be arsed to do a quarter of them. I always plan on doing it the next day. Being on a drunken binder every night so far hasn't helped.

I give my mate a call and see if he wants to get something to eat. He is off shopping with his girl so we plan to meet up later. I head back to the mall, do some more window shopping before grabbing a bite to eat. As I'm finishing up my burger, my friend calls and says "wanna get a beer?" "Does a dog lick his own balls?" - long pause "So that would be a yes then?"

We got a bite to eat and discussed the airport situation. He was scheduled to head back home in a few days, not much longer after I was to depart for Phuket. We both had concerns, but his was more pronounced as he had to get back to work, I could easily stay in Pattaya for another week and wait it out. Not much we could do but enjoy our time and keep the news updated.

We decided to mix things up a bit tonight and hit a few different bars that weren't on the past night itineraries. We headed up Soi Diana and popped into the Pa Pa Bar and the New Orn bar. Nothing caught our fancy but the cold beers, so we moved on. We headed down to Soi 6 for an early evening drink at Pook's but decided to stop off at one of the Family Bars that was on the way. I can't remember the exact location, but it was small, with a pool table in back. Sounds like 50% of the Beer bars in Pattaya.

We played a few games, drank a couple of beers and moved on. We got into Pook's and settled in. The alpha girl that molested me a few days prior was soon at my side. Very nice, but I wasn't interested. Another cute girl soon approached that caught my fancy. We talked and my friend found an old acquaintance to join him for a drink. He urged me to bar fine the cutie with whom I was talking but I passed.

We made our way up to Soi Yamato, happy hour had almost finished up but a few lads were there and we had some drinks. I already had a pretty good buzz on from the daytime drinking, and knew it was going to be another long night. We headed out to Walking Street and made our way up to Linda Bar to say hello to Sonia. Then off to Ezy for a night cap.

We were both a little sh*t faced and decided to head over to the Hot Tuna bar for a few more drinks and to shoot some pool. They had a live band that was quite load, but I enjoy the live music. Once again I got my but kicked in pool and we decided to end the punishment.

I went to get us another drink and when I returned my friend was no where to be found. I looked around for him a bit, went outside to see if I could locate him, it is like trying to find a drop of water in the ocean. I was drunk so decided to go home but not before stopping to say hello again to Sonia. We chatted for a bit and I asked her if she wanted to play pool with me. She agreed and we went across the way to a pool hall where I got myself another full on ass kicking. This was starting to become a pattern.

After the last game we headed back to my hotel. It was a great session and I slept like a baby. I woke up in the morning for another great round before sending her off.

Pattaya Trip - Part 7

2009-08-10T21:45:00.000-07:00

After my afternoon nap I received a call from my friend looking to meet up for a beer and some food. I jumped into the shower got cleaned up and was ready to go by 5pm. I met him in the hallway of our rooms and we headed out.

First stop was the Butchers Arm for a little food, cold beer, and a few games of pool. I held my own on the food and beer, but received a thorough beating at pool. We headed next door to Pooks Swan house for a beer and enjoy the dancing girls. My date from a few nights before was there and back to her clingy ways. It was off putting as there was some other talent on staff that I wanted to get to know better. My friends girl showed up a little while later and we beat a hasty retreat to La Bamba with her in tow.

Happy hour had kicked off and once again we were drinking, chatting and having a good time. One or two of the girls took a fancy to me and we were buying drinks and having fun. The night was young, and now that I'd seen the town once, I was prepared for the nights events. I made arrangements with one of the girls to comeback and pick her up later. After we paid our check bin, a group of us grabbed a baht bus to walking street.

We made the usual rounds, ending up once again at Ezy bar. I was accosted to know end being the fresh meat in town, and quite enjoyed it. We partied there late and before long I headed home, stopping by the bar on my way back. It had already closed, but my girl was waiting for me as I walked down the street. She tagged along and we headed home. After a long session it was time for bed.

Pattaya Trip - Part 6

2009-08-10T09:44:00.000-07:00

After a good morning session with the cutie that brought me home, I got dressed and walked her down to the motorcycle taxi and sent her on her way. I was hungry and so I headed to the Avenue Mall food court and got some good Thai Food. After topping up the fuel tank, I decided I was in need of a little walk to sweat out some of the Alcohol from the previous nights drinking.

I headed down second road to the south, I knew there was a shopping mall not too far away. I saw it across the street and waited my turn in order to play frogger with the oncoming traffic. It's not like the west where they yield to pedestrians, here you kind of feel like a target and the driver will get 50 baht for taking you out.

I made it safely across the street and headed inside The Royal Garden Plaza. It was as nice as any mall in the west and had a large selection of stores and restaurants to choose from. I walked around the various floors, window shopping. I exited mall on the Beach Road side and started making my way back to the hotel.

I popped my head inside a few of the street vendors, none of which had anything of interest to me, though they seldom do. Knock off clothing, dvd's, knives, throwing stars (who buys that crap?), and lots of junk souvenirs. They all seem to carry the same things. A short walk later and I was at my hotel once again.

I went up stairs, turned on the t.v. and settled in for an afternoon nap. Now when I arrived, some political unrest had been going on for a couple of months. I didn't think it would be anything to worry about since it was mainly only happening in a few areas of Bangkok. But predictions on the news was things were getting worse.

Now Thailand is know for it's relatively peaceful Military Coups that don't disrupt tourism. I wasn't feeling any fear for my safety, however it could put a damper on my trip. I decided to stay informed as I would be heading out to Phuket in a couple of days. I soon found out I would be watching even closer than I anticipated.

Pattaya Trip - Part 5

2009-08-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

I'll stop saying things were 'a first for me' as everything this day would be that way. We headed up the Soi and pulled into La Bamba. There were a few girls sitting out front on stools chatting and looking for customers in the bar. We said hello as we moved on past into the confines of the bar.

The bar was smaller than I though, but also had an upstairs to it. The bar was in the far back corner and already had a few customers in for happy hour. Once again my friend was well known my customers and bar staff alike so he introduced me around. We ordered up a few more beers and began to have a chat. It was a really friendly place, and some of the staff and patrons would become friends by the end of the trip.

Not having eaten, we had Alis order us up some food from across the street. We packed it away, washing it down with more Singha. Filled up and happy, it was now about 10pm. We decided to make the last leg of our binder and head on down to walking street.

By now I had put away 10 or 12 beers. Now I'm no stranger to the booze, but when my levels get this high, I can go one of two ways. A happy go lucky knuckle head, or an angry bitter drunk. I always hope for the former, and on this night I was glad that was the one that appeared.

We jumped in the back of a Baht Bus with a couple of gents from La Bamba that decided to join our party. We got dropped off right in front of Walking Street and headed inside, me following the lead of the veteran travelers. Our first stop was Jenny Star Bar, the place of legends. We had a quick drink and moved on our way, the vibe wasn't that good in there, and our level of drunkenness didn't help.

We moved down to Linda Bar and talked with Sonia, who I took a liking to. But as we were showing me around on my first night, we soon departed for our last stop which was Ezy Bar. Now, I was good and drunk already - but I managed to party on till the wee hours of the morning. I'm not sure how I did it to me honest. The last thing I remember was coming down stairs to the bar and everyone was gone!

My friends had left me in the capable hands of a couple of bar girls. I had her take me home, and we must have made it safely as I woke up the next day in one piece. Hungover as hell, but alive. And it would soon be time to do it all over again.

Pattaya Soi 6 and Walking Street Experience

2009-08-09T20:30:00.000-07:00

Well I met up with my mate in the hotel lobby and we decided to head of to Soi 6 for a wander and a few beers. I'd not been before, but heard all sorts of stories so I knew not what to expect. I was excited and a bit nervous at the same time.

We first walked up to Pooks Swan House for a quick beer or two. We sat down at the outside bar and enjoyed the pole dancing while we knocked back a couple of Singha's. He'd barfined a lass from hear a few times, and was well known. My girl from the previous night was quickly along my side, and a bit to clingy for my tastes. I tried to get rid of her but to no avail. I tolerated her clinginess well my friend and I talked. When we had enough we moved on, much to my birds dismay. It was my first real trip, and I hadn't quite mastered the art of turning a girl down and saving face.

We hopped on the back of a couple of motorcycle taxi's, also a first for me. It was my first time on a bike, just the first riding as cargo. We zipped in and out of traffic on our way down to Soi 6. We pulled over at the top of Second Road and started making our way down. I don't remember all the different bars we stopped in, but we had a drink in all of them and things were quite hazy by the end.

Our final stop was Pooks in Soi 6, where my mate once again had barfined a girl and was quite well known. I on the other hand was a new piece of meat that was accosted as soon as I walked in. We had a few more Singha's here and looked at the talent in the place. There a few nice ones that I never talked too, but would be sure to return and correct that mistake.

It was getting late, and we decided to head back up the road to catch happy hour at La Bamba. We hopped back on the motorcycle taxi and headed up Beach Road to Soi 13/1 also known as Soi Yamato. The ride was a bit more relaxed after having 7 or 8 Beers in me.

Second Day In Pattaya - Things Are Heating Up

2009-08-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

I awoke at about 9am the next morning, early enough to make the free breakfast the Pattaya Bay resort offers. I filled up on an American breakfast and contemplated what to do with my day. I had a few things that I wanted to do while I was here, but I always like to explore the town on foot the first couple days, it's the best way to get to know your way around.

I headed back to my room and sent a friend an email to see if he wanted to meet up for a beer, and passed on my new Thai number. I decided to go out for a walk and check out the local area. The weather was quite pleasant this time of year, and perfect for a jaunt around town.

I browsed around the Avenue Shopping mall to see what stores and restaurants were available. Fully mapped out, I headed down Soi 13/1 to check the location of La Bamba and Stringfellows go-go. I made it to beach road and headed south towards walking street. It is hard to tell how far it is on a map.

I really wasn't impressed by the beach, it seemed dirty, and from what I read it lived up to it's reputation. the swimming beach is further south in Jomtien. I'll need to check that out at a later point as it is a good baht bus ride away. I took in all the sights along beach road and made mental notes of stores and restaurants that I may want to visit later.

It was about 15 minute walk before I hit Walking Street. I walked over a few storm drains that a horrible smell of sewerage, but the stench soon passes. I noticed that the old signage over Walking Street has been replaced with a new digital one. It was dark during the day, and I can only imagine it lit up at night.

I decided to double back up beach road to make my way to Mike Shopping mall. It is a shopping mall that spans about 7 floors. It is not that wide, but makes up for it in vertical space. The first floor seems to have nothing but small vendors selling shirts and handbags. As you move up the levels it resembles a standard shopping mall more and more. Lots of department stores and boutique retailers. Definitely not the newest or nicest shopping mall in Pattaya. There are several newer mega malls built in the last few years that I need to check out.

I had enough walking and browsing for the day, so I decided to head back to the hotel. I looked for a restaurant to grab a late lunch on the way back. I popped into food court at the Avenue Mall for some Chicken fried rice and an afternoon Singha.

I popped backup to the hotel and checked my email. My mate was in town and staying in the same hotel, just a few doors down. I hopped on down for a quick hello and a beer. We chatted for a bit and decided to meet up in a few hours for an early start to the night. Back to the room for a quick cat nap and clean up and I'd be ready to go at 4pm.

First Night In Pattaya - Easy Going

2009-08-05T20:41:00.000-07:00

After picking up my SIM card, I then headed up Soi Bukhao to Pook's Swan bar. I walked by at first, then doubled back and had a seat at the bar. It was about 4pm and the girls were just starting to dance on stage.

I ordered a Singha and was soon joined by a lovely who wanted a drink, I obliged. We sat and chatted while I watched the other girls on stage. I had a few more drinks and paid my companions bar fine.

We headed across the street to a restaurant to get some food. It was a place she recommend and the food was quite good. By the time dinner was over it was about 9pm. I was getting bushed so we headed back to my hotel room for a little short time. It was a good session and I was exhausted afterward. She wanted to stay long time however, it was too early for her to go to sleep so I sent her on her way. I actually wanted to sleep alone anyway, I get a better nights sleep without having to fight for the blanket. It wasn't long before I was sound asleep.

First day down and many more to go.

The Thailand Adventure Begins Again

2009-07-18T22:22:00.000-07:00

After a year from my first trip to Thailand, I was on my way for my second holiday. This time it would be a week in Pattaya and a week in Phuket. I left work early on Friday to catch my shuttle to the airport. My bags had been packed since the night before. A quick shower, and dressed in my travel clothes, I was ready to go.

My flight on Southwest got me to LAX at 8pm. I had many hours to kill till my 1am flight. I wandered around the airport, got a bite to eat and headed to the terminal. These extended layovers are a killer, and make the travel day so much longer than they need to be. I boarded my EVA Air flight on time, I was in the premium economy class once again and got to board early. If you get the chance, premium economy is the way to go if you can't afford business class.

After 14 hours in the air I reached Taipei. I waited for an hour and caught my connecting flight to Bangkok. Another four hours and I'd be there. As a side note the Taipei airport is quite nice. Some areas are a bit dilapidated, but the part I was in looked recently remodeled and the terminal was lined with stores of all types.

I got to Bangkok on time at 11am in the morning. I grabbed my bags, cleared customs without a hassle and headed towards the area where I'd meet my driver to the hotel. He was waiting for me with a sign with my name on it. I was surprised he didn't grab my bag for me as he told me to follow him. He led me to his car in the parking garage where we set off for Pattaya.

The drive is about 1.5 - 2 hours from Bangkok to Pattaya. It is a pleasant ride where you can watch the surrounding. I was tired, but fought off falling asleep in the back of the car. It just didn't seem like a good thing to do. Before I knew it we were on the outskirts of Pattaya.

We arrived at the Pattaya Bay Resort around 1pm. I checked in without much fan fare and headed up to my room on the 7th floor, the only floor higher is the roof top restaurant and pool. I had heard it was nice accommodations, and was quite happy with what I saw. The deluxe room was large, it had tile floors, a queen size bed, kitchenette, bathroom with tub, and a nice balcony overlooking the ocean. Very nice.

I got cleaned up. I was tired, but wanted to adjust to the time and not go to sleep. I sent a mate a quick email to let him know I had arrived and decided to head out and check out the city by foot.

The weather was nice and pleasant for walking. I headed over to the ATM at the Avenue shopping mall and picked up some cash. I then headed up to the 7-11 on the corner of Soi 15 and Soi Buakhao and picked up a top up card for my Thai Sim. I headed north to see what kind of trouble I could get in. By now it was 4pm and I was ready for a beer.

Next Trip To Thailand

2009-07-14T22:51:00.000-07:00

I decided to make my next trip over to Thailand. It helps with the post LOS blues. I've done Bangkok and Phuket, so this trip will be a little different. I decided on splitting my vacation time between Pattaya and Phuket. I really enjoyed the beaches and fun time I had in Phuket, and I wanted to see what all the hub bub was about in Pattaya.

Booked the plane tickets on EVA air in July, hotel at the Pattaya Bay resort, and waited till the hours and days ticked away. 10 days in Pattaya, 5 Days in Phuket. This will be my first two week vacation...ever. I really am looking forward to it.

The planning is done, the waiting begins.

Post LOS Blues

2009-07-14T22:26:00.000-07:00

Coming back from Thailand from your first visit usually gets you a case of what we call the 'Post LOS Blues'. You can't stop thinking of your trip. How free and relaxed you felt. How it is a different sense of reality from any vacation you have ever taken. You plot how you will get back as soon as possible. You dream of ways how you can move and work in LOS. You think about quitting your job and moving there full time. It is debilitating and enjoyable all at the same time.

The problem arises when it takes your focus from your job at hand. You can't concentrate and think about just getting away. This puts your real job, and reality in jeopardy. I have had this happen to me as well.

The best response is to focus. Focus on your job. Put in the hours, do the work. Get to the gym and exercise, it is good for the mind and will put you in better shape for your next visit. It will also make you feel better about yourself.

Plan your next trip. It helps to get the anxiousness focused. Book your tickets, book your hotel, then sit back and count the days. If you keep your mind occupied it goes by a lot faster.

There is no cure for the 'Post LOS Blues' except to book your next trip. Working hard to pay for it makes it so much more worth while once you get there.

Final Thoughts On My First Trip To Thailand

2009-07-08T18:53:00.000-07:00

Well after a great 10 days in Thailand I had time to reflect on the great times and memories that I had there. It was first trip traveling by myself, and as much as I had some reservations before the trip, once I got there I was completely relax and in the groove. Actually it was the most relaxed I had felt in a long time. I wouldn't hesitate to travel solo again. Some many places I still want to see, if I need to do it alone, I will.

Final Thoughts - Bangkok
My first impression of Bangkok was that is was a major modern city with lots of hustle. The traffic was insane, the pollution was a bit much; but the skytrain, taxis made it easy to get around the city and the years of history that you can walk around and see makes you forget the pollution - somewhat.

I really enjoyed touring the Grand Palace, Jim Thompson House and the other tourist sites. The nightlife was pretty darn good too. Though after about three days I was ready to get to the ocean.

Final Thoughts - Phuket
Phuket was amazing. Powder white sand beaches, beautiful blue ocean, and tropical surroundings made for a great trip. It was very relaxing and peaceful. The fresh seafood was fantastic. And once again the nightlife was fun and exciting.

Would I go back to Thailand? Absolutely! I'm already planning my next trip. There are so many places I want to visit, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Krabi, the list goes on.

Till the next time, don't stop travelling.

Last Night in Phuket

2009-07-06T18:18:00.000-07:00

Since it was my last night in Phuket I decided to treat myself to a nice seafood dinner. I headed down to beach road to scope out a few of the restaurants I had seen on previous nights. After a couple of short passes, I got a table at the Phuket Sea Food restaurant. I got a seat on the patio, overlooking the ocean.

The menu and fresh seafood looked delicious. I decided on getting giant tiger prawns. The price wasn't too expensive and it was a great location to have a last night dinner. I ordered a giant Singha while I waited for my meal to arrive. It didn't take long and was well worth the wait. After polishing off my dinner, I decided to head out for a night cap.

I started at a bar in Soi Tiger and overlooked the goings on of Bangla. I took in a couple of Singha's before moving on. I was planning on a quiet night, but still made the circuit like usual. I headed into Soi Sea Dragon and sat down a little bar. It wasn't too busy and I had a couple of drinks and played some Jackpot with the girls.

I moved down to Soi Crocodille, where I sat at tequila bar and watched the ladyboy's dance on the podium. Some of them could fool the best of you. After a couple of beers I headed back to Molly Malone's where I had a drink or two on the patio. People watching at it's finest.

I had a pretty good buzz, and decided since I had an early get up the next day, I would call it a night. I headed back to the hotel to pack up my things before hitting the sack for a good nights sleep. I had prearranged a car back to the airport the next day so it would be quite easy.

I awoke the next day and checked out at 11. I was sad to be heading home after such a great holiday. Those 10 days went by so fast. I had an hour to wait till my car arrived, so I put my suitcase in holding with the front desk and went and got some food. By the time I got back, my car was waiting to take me back to the airport.

My plane was on time, however I arrived two hours early so I had a bit of a wait. Thai Air flew from Phuket to Bangkok where I picked up my non-stop home. It was a full day of travel, and the last 14 hours wasn't as bad as I thought. I had a lot of great memories to think back on. The only negative was a sat next to a guy that wouldn't stop telling me stories of hard luck for the first four hours. I finally got some relaxation after he dozed off.

I got back to LA and made my connection back to Phoenix. I wasn't sure what day or time it was, the travel day had been so long. I made sure I still had a day of rest before turning in for work, it was a smart move.

I can't wait to make my next trip to Thailand.

Phuket Adventures - Day 4

2009-07-04T21:30:00.000-07:00

I awoke at about ten, feeling the effects of the cold even more so than the day before. My Thai cutie turned to me and we had another morning session before it was time to truly awake and start the day. We got cleaned up and decided to head to breakfast.

We walked down the Soi and across the street to a nice little restaurant, quietly named No. 6. I'm not sure if there is a 1-5 or 7+, but this restaurant was good none the less. It was small and had an indoor/outdoor type of setup. The tables were wooden picnic tables, and the food was good and also cheap. My kind of place.

Her phone kept ringing and she told me that another gent was supposed to take her to buy her a new phone that day. Apparently something had happened between the two of them and her old phone was a casualty. I didn't ask the details, nor did I really care. I agreed to walk with her over to the Jungle Ceylon shopping mall after lunch so she could get her new phone.

We walked around the mall for a bit, looking into different shops, until she finally got the call that her shopping companion was there to me her. I happily bid her adieu, and returned to the hotel to steal away a few more hours with a little cat nap. Upon awaking, the day half gone, I decided to get out in the sun with a walk around town.

This time I decided to head back from second road to see what was around a little bit farther from the beach. Mostly the same, small hotels and restaurants abound. Though I did locate a building, that looked like new construction, that was a seafood market. Phuket has some unbelievably fresh seafood, and this market had more unusual selections than I'd ever seen. I took a few pictures, looked around a bit and headed on.

After a few hours walk, I realized it was time to head back for the now ritual evening nap, shower and prep for the night out.

Phuket Nightlife - Day 3

2009-07-03T21:42:00.000-07:00

After my evening nap and a quick shower, I put on my party clothes and headed out once again to grab myself a little dinner. I wanted a full belly before experiencing the Phuket Nightlife I had planned for the evening.

Tonight I decided to head over to Molly Malone's on Bangla Road. I had a seat on the patio, ordered a Singha and a bite to eat. It was fun to sit and watch as the people walked by. It is definitely a prime people watching venue. The tourist are a mix of young and old, some gawkers and some partakers.

I finished my beer and headed out again. It was still early so I wandered down some of the side streets looking at the various shops. I was window shopping, but there really isn't anything of interest to me, other than maybe picking up a couple of t-shirts. After killing an hour, I headed up to Soi Tiger to get a beer.

I went through the circuit once again up and down the different Soi's. I was surprised at how the crowds didn't look that thick for being high season and all. I sometimes felt like I was the only male customer there as I walked through the Soi's.

I ended up at one of the small bars in Soi Eric. I took the fancy a beautiful and friendly Thai Girl. We drank and played many games of Jackpot and Connect four. They were buying shots to go with my beer, so it wasn't long before I had a drunk on. I paid her barfine and took her back to Hotel.

Yet again this one didn't want to show id. I said know and began to walk out. She stopped me and said OK, I never quite figured out why they like that. We headed upstairs for a little fun. She was pretty and pettite, with a large set of natural knockers. Quite a catch. The events weren't that spectacular, but I was satisfied and went to bed. Phuket Nightlife at it's finest.

Back To The Beach Phuket

2009-07-01T13:05:00.000-07:00

I awoke on my third day with a bit of hangover and a scratchy throat. I could tell I had a bit of a cold coming on. I was a little more tired than usual, but I wanted to head back to Phuket Beach again. I showered up and decided to head for a little walk around town.

I headed up Second Road to see what was about, and see if I could locate any daytime fun. It was already about lunch time and I was getting hungry. I walked for about twenty minutes and found a little place to eat. It was called the Four Season, and I can assure you from the look of the place that it has nothing to do with the luxury hotel chain.

I had a seat on the outdoor patio that was covered so there was plenty of shade. The weather is a great this time of year, but the sun is still very powerful. Shade was the order of the day. The waitress didn't speak much English, but I ordered a meal of chicken and string beans. I asked that it not be too spicy, but she didn't understand. She called over another waitress who spoke a little more English, but not much. I think I got my request across.

As I was sipping on my ice cold Singha my meal arrived. If that was what they think is a little spicy, I'd hate to see what a lot spicy was like. I was dabbing beads of sweat from my forehead and generously drinking down the Singha to cool the flames. It was spicy but really tasty, I don't have any complaints.

I noticed from my chair that a large massage parlor was across the street. It looked like the size of an office building. I'm not sure how big it was when you actually went inside, but I can't imagine it took up the whole space. I would have to investigate at a later time. I paid my check bin and continued my walk.

I headed a little farther down, looking for a massage place called Tootsie's, but the walk was taking me back towards Phuket Beach. I almost gave up, when I finally came across the Soi it was located on. Once again, I didn't go in, but now that I knew the location I would be back. I turned around and headed back towards the hotel. I had been out for a few hours, and the Sun and walk had tuckered me out.

As I was making my walk back an Aussie with a Thai man on the back of his scooter pulled up. I thought he needed directions, but soon found out he was pitching a hotel. A few minutes later I realized he was scamming me on a time share and wanted me to go back there with them to 'collect my prize'. When I caught on and said no thanks, he got rude. I walked on, ignoring him. It is best just to avoid these scammers.

I headed back to the hotel and decided I wasn't going to go to Phuket Beach today. It was already 4pm and time to get a nap and before heading out. I seem to take a lot of naps while on holiday, and quite enjoy it.

Phuket Beach Thailand - Day 2 Continued

2009-06-30T21:27:00.000-07:00

After a few hours in the sun, I decided it was time for lunch. Phuket Beach is nice, but I can only take so much lying around, drinking beer, soaking up the sun, and watching the waves roll in. Tough times, I know. I decided to look for a restaurant on beach road, so I gathered my things and headed off for a bit to eat.

I found an Irish Pub with an outdoor patio that looked inviting, so I headed inside. I can't remember the name of it, I know it is not Molly Malone's as that is back on Bangla Road, but if you look for it you can't miss it. I got a table outside and ordered a Singha and a cheese burger with fries. The burger was sub par, but I finished the whole thing.

The weird thing, while I was waiting for my check to come, a raggedy looking lady with some unlabeled jug of mystery drink wandered in from beach road. She walked table to table trying to sell a drink. No one par took, and I can't imagine who would be crazy enough to try...but I'm sure there is someone drunk enough.

I headed back toward to Phuket Beach and walked along looking into some of the shops. Not seeing anything of interest, I decided to make my way back to the C&N Hotel to get cleaned up.

I took a quick nap and awoke around dinner time. After taking a shower and donning my finest beach duds, I headed out to find a place to eat. I walked up Bangla Road and looked at a few of the menu's in front of the restaurant's. Plenty of good places to eat on the cheap, but I pressed on to look at a few more on Beach Road.

I decided to head back up Bangla to one of the restaurants that I saw earlier. I sat down an ordered another Singha, I'd already lost count of how many that it had been for the day, but I'm sure it was many. I ordered some chicken and veggies that was quite delicious. After polishing off another Singha I thought it was time to hit the bars.

I made the circuit like I had the previous night. Soi Tiger, Soi Eric, Soi Croc, and back to Soi Sea Dragon. I had a few drinks here and there but didn't settle down in any particular spot. I had a pretty good buzz, and decided to head home alone. I passed out quickly for a solid nights sleep. It would be back to Phuket Beach tomorrow.

Phuket Beach Trip - Day 2

2009-06-19T22:03:00.000-07:00

My second day on the island and I decided to sleep in a bit before heading down to the Phuket Beach. I was up too late to get the buffet breakfast at the hotel, so I decided to skip it and just get lunch a little later instead. I put on my flip flops, grabbed a beach towel that was supplied by the hotel and made my way to Bangla Road.

This road is much different during the day than at night. It is deserted except for a few restaurants, shops, and tailors. All the bars are closed, and it seems that clean up and deliveries go on all day in order to get ready for another crazy night. I walked down Bangla till I hit beach road. I walked down the side walks and couldn't believe how beautiful the Phuket Beaches are, blue water, power white sand...just like out of a post card.

I finally settled on a little stretch of beach not too far from Bangla. As I made my way down, a lady in a Hawaiian style shirt came up and asked me if I wanted a beach chair. I wasn't sure what the deal was, so I played along till I could figure it out. I said I did, and she showed me to an area. Then a gent walked up and she told me I needed to pay him 300 baht (about 8 dollars). I wasn't sure if I was getting scammed or not, but I decided to pay. It turned out to be worth it.

For that cost, you get the chair reserved for the entire day. The guy you paid looks after you and your stuff. He moves the umbrella for you as the sun passes in the sky if you want to stay in the shade. It is a good deal. There is also a beach bar nearby that servers beers, and other drinks too I suppose - I never asked, food, and snacks. It is a great way to spend the day at the beach. You don't get this kind of service in California or Mexico, I can assure you.

I settled into my beach chair to do a little reading and get some sun. I'm not much of a lay in the sun kind of guy, but I was really enjoying it.

Phuket Beach Trip - Day 1

2009-06-13T21:29:00.000-07:00

Well I checked into the C&N Hotel Patong, and as I mentioned headed down to the Phuket beach before sunset. I walked around looked in some of the shops and decided to grab a bite to eat. I stopped and a small restaurant on Bangla Road to grab some Thai food before heading back to the hotel. I had some chicken fried rice and a couple of Singha's. After settling the bill, I headed on back down to the hotel.

Now I mentioned the hotel room wasn't quite up to my standards, but it was cheap. The room was small and overlooked the alley we drove up in the taxi. The bathroom looked like it was put together with fixtures from the local swap meet. The Tile work was sub par, I did a better job in my own bathroom. There were also ants running around the place like they owned it. But I know it still be worse. It was at least clean and the service was OK, and the location was awesome for the price.

I hopped in the shower and was pleased that the room had hot water - Ha! It really wasn't that bad. I got cleaned up, got dressed and prepared to head out for the evening and see what Patong Nightlife had to offer.

I took the short walk down to Bangla Road, not quite sure where I was going to go. For a grown man I'm still a little bit shy about traveling alone and heading to bars and disco's by myself. So I walked down the street, looked at a few bars, stopped in a few for a beer, still not sure where I would find myself. Bangla was a lot smaller than I thought, however they do pack all the bars and girls they can into that area.

For the November time of year it should be high season and I was expecting much larger crowds. There were quite a few people about but not in the numbers I expected. After looking around, I finally settled at a small bar in Soi Sea Dragon. I had a few beers, chatted with the ladies, and soon found myself in a game of connect four with one. Of course I was loosing and buying drinks.

A couple hours passed and I had a great buzz. The girl I was playing with was really cute and petitie, wish I took a picture of her. As I looked to my left, I had to do a double take. It was Johnny Fairplay from reality tv fame, having a beer a few stools down. He soon left, but I thought it was funny seeing a wanna be celebrity there next to me.

It was getting late, I was getting drunk and I decided to barfine the cute one I was drinking with. We headed back to the C&N Hotel. At reception all guests have to show id, of course my guest did not have hers. After a little discussion I sent her on her way, none to pleased. I headed up to my room on my first night in Phuket alone.

Tomorrow will be another day, and I still had 5 more days at the Phuket Beaches and I've got some more fun stories to share.

Phuket Beaches and Beers

2009-06-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

After a night of hard partying and fine living, it was off to hit the Phuket Beaches. I bid my night time partner goodbye and grabbed a taxi to Suvarnabhumi airport. The check in at Thai Air was quick, and I didn't have long to wait till my flight departed.

I was next to a bunch of Russian tourists who were rude and disrespectful. They threw trash around the plane like their maid was coming by to pick up after them. It didn't help my opinion of them. But it was only a short flight to the pearl of the Andaman Sea, Phuket. I fell alseep, and when I awoke we were descending to the airport.

The Phuket airport was smaller than I imagined, but still nice. I grabbed my bags, and headed out side to find the car my hotel had sent. I found a Thai gentleman holding a sign with my name on it. He didn't speak, just grabbed my suitcase and led me to his car. The drive was about an hour and a half, he didn't say a word the entire way. That was fine with me as a still had a hangover from the night partying in Bangkok.

I knew we were getting close when we came out of the mountain and we saw the Phuket beaches off to the right. The ocean was a beautiful blue and the sand was powder white. We still took another half our before we got to Patong, and I was getting anxious.

The driver pulled in down an alley next to Mr. Good's Seafood. I didn't see the hotel sign from the back of the taxi, but we had arrived at the C&N Hotel Patong. The lobby was decent but not overly impressive. I checked into my room which was even less impressive. I'll do a full review on it at a later time. But let's just say after my excellent accommodations in Bangkok, the Phuket room didn't live up to the pictures.

I was only a couple blocks from the white sand and beautiful ocean of the Phuket Beaches, so I decided to go have a look before it the sun set. This time it lived up to the pictures. More later....

Bangkok Nightlife - Spice Disco

2009-06-05T22:19:00.000-07:00

It was getting late, but the night was far from over. I had made a new acquaintance at Big Dogs who was quite charming. After a few too many beers, the bar was closing and it was time for me to go home, or so I thought. My paramour from earlier had left and I had no intention of finding someone else, or at least I wasn't sold on what I had found. However Bangkok Nightlife has a way of grabbing hold of you and not letting go.

As I got up to leave the bar, the girl asked me if I wanted to go to the Spice Club Bangkok with her and her friends. Apparently it was owned by the same people who owned Big Dogs bar in Nana. After a few too many Singha's, my defenses are down and I will do just about anything. Then again, I really don't need that many Singha's for that. I said yes, and waited inside the bar as the metal doors began to close and she got her things. For a second I didn't think I was getting out of there.

We hopped in a taxi and told them where to take us. I was trusting in someone I just met, but this is Thailand and I hoped for the best. We pulled into an underground parking structure, which made me a little suspicious. There was a doorman waiting by a nondescript door. We paid cover, or should I say I paid cover, and we went inside.

I was very surprised to see such a happening disco on the other side of the door. This place was going off. We ordered a few drinks, dance, sat and talked. It was beginning to be a great night, at 2am in the morning. I was running low on funds, but the girls kept buying drinks. I almost got into a fracas with some Swedish expats sitting next to me. Cooler heads prevailed and I went back to the drinking and chatting.

Before long I was three sheets to the wind and had to go home. My new friend came with me, poured me into the cab and took me home. I was making a big mistake, you should never get so drunk that you can't take care of yourself. But I was fortunate to be with such a great lady. We went back to my hotel and had an unbelievable night of sex. She was fantastic. When we woke in the morning we were on for another session that was even better than the first.

I was running late and had to pack, check out, and grab a taxi to the airport to get my flight to Phuket. She arranged everything for me. I was in such a rush a didn't realize I never compensated her for her time. Shame on me.

Well, next installment I'll share my trials and tribulations in Phuket.

Hope you enjoyed this entry about Bangkok Nightlife and the Spice Disco.

Bangkok Nightlife - Nana Plaza - Part 2

2009-06-01T19:05:00.000-07:00

By the time I returned to the hotel, I was quite tired after spending the day touring Jim Thompson House. I laid down for a quick nap before I got cleaned up and put on a fresh set of clothes. It was still early and I needed to get something to eat. I needed to get ready to experience another night of Bangkok Nightlife.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my first night out in Bangkok was less than exciting. I was tired and looking for a couple of beers. I headed over to Nana Plaza, had a few beers at a bar called Big Dogs, and went home alone and early. I did not plan on having such a tame experience at the Bangkok Beer Bars this time around. I had a feeling I was in for a crazy night.

I headed downstairs to the Bloom Cafe once again for some Thai fried rice and some Singha beers. I have not been very experimental so far on this trip when it comes to food, and this night was no different. Besides, I liked the food at the Dynasty Inn Grande Hotel. Plus it was convenient to the nights escapades.

After dinner I headed back to Nana, and to Big Dogs. I arrived a little earlier than last time and the crowd had not fully arrived yet. I was able to get a table on the deck overlooking the street. I was soon greated by my waitress who was quickly dispatched to get me a Singha. I love the weather, and drinking a cold beer on the open patio is just fantastic.

My beer, and a couple of beautiful bar girls soon arrived at my table. We began talking and drinking and having a right good time. Soon I was surrounded by three or four girls. I think they liked me because I was buying drinks, who can blame them. Pim, one of the cuties I was talking to had to excuse her self as her date had arrived. It wasn't long before her place was taken by and even more beautiful girl.

The next few hours were consumed by more beers and chat. I was having a really good time. I finally had to excuse myself as I had something on my mind. The beauty I had fancied made me promise I would be back, and it was a promise I intended to keep. I paid my check bin and headed into nana plaza.

The first bar I hit was Obsessions, it is a thai ladyboy bar on the first floor of NEP. I grabbed a seat in the stadium seating and ordered another Singha. It didn't take long before I spotted a girl I liked dancing on stage. I smiled and singled here over. I had actually seen her earlier in the day on the BTS platform and she turned my head.

After her set, she sat beside me and I ordered her a drink. After some small talk I arranged to take her back to my hotel for a little short time. It was a hot session although I still wasn't done for the night. I sent Liu on her way, got cleaned up and headed back out to find my girl from earlier.

I headed back to Big Dogs, but several hours had passed and I was afraid she had already been bar fined. I looked around for a few minutes and didn't see her. I talked with one of the girls who had been drinking with us and it was true, she was gone for the night. I stayed for another beer and was soon joined by a little bit older, but still lovely bar girl. The night wasn't close to ending at this point, and it was already 1am.

I'll continue my story of a crazy time in the Bangkok Nightlife in my next post.

Visiting Jim Thompson House Bangkok

2009-05-24T22:17:00.000-07:00

I arose early and went downstairs to the Dynasty Inn Grande Bloom Cafe for a little breakfast and to plan my day. I looked over the maps and guide book for my visit to the Jim Thompson House. After which I planned on hiking over to the Lumpini Park. I finished a breakfast of chicken and egg noodles, paid the check bin, grabbed my backpack and headed to the Nana Bangkok Sky Train station.

I was pretty comfortable with the BTS after my excursions the day before. I took the train to the closest stop near Jim Thompson House. I got off and started looking for the street the house is on. I must have walk past it two times before I finally found it. It is a side street off a busy Bangkok road. I walked down the alley past machine shops, small restaurants, art stores, and found myself doubting this historic landmark was really located in the heart of urban Bangkok.

I made it to the end of the road and the entrance to the Jim Thompson House. It was a historic Thai house, surrounded by trees and bushes, nestled between the canal and a hotel. A quite respite amongst the city sprawl. I entered the compound and headed to the ticket counter. I waited a few minutes for the tour guide.

The tour was nice, she showed us around the house and compound and explained the history. It was an interesting mix of European and Thai decorations. They gave an interesting history of the man, and how he brought the Thai Silk trade to life after he moved to Thailand after the war. His Jim Thompson Silk company is still highly sought after today. The fascinating part was that he mysteriously disappeared in Malaysia while on holiday, never to be seen again.

After a few hours at Jim Thompson House, I decided to hop back on the sky train and head towards lumpini park. The BTS gets you close, but it is still a bit of hike to the park. Once inside the park I took a walk around. It was a small oasis surrounded by skyscrapers. It has a large winding lake, with lots of grassy areas and picnic tables.

I sat down next to the lake to read my book and soak up a little Thai sunshine. I got startled by a 3 foot long monitor lizard sunning itself next to me. As I looked around I noticed these lizards were everywhere. They seemed to do their own thing and not bother the people. After a nice respite I decided to make my way back to the skytrain and head back to my hotel near Nana.

It was a nice day out at Jim Thompson House in Bangkok. Back to the hotel for a little rest, food, and see what the night holds.

Bangkok Nightlife - Nana Plaza

2009-05-10T11:32:00.000-07:00

After getting cleaned up I decided to head downstairs and have dinner at Bloom Cafe, the restaurant at the Dynasty Inn Grande hotel. The weather was beautiful that time of year, so I sat out on the patio to dine. I had the Thai fried rice and another bottle of Singha beer. It really hit the spot. I wanted some nightlife and new the Nana plaza red light district was not too far away.

After I finished another beer, it was about 9pm so I decided to head out and see what kind of trouble I could get into. Nana plaza was a short walk away and I made it in no time flat. I found an open air beer bar right outside the entrance to Nana plaza, where I could sit, drink and watch all the comings and goings.

The place was packed, I got a seat at the bar instead of the patio where I could watch the action. I downed a couple of beers and chatted with the folks sitting next to me. I noticed all the waitresses were dressed in some sort of Thai formal gown and headdress. I inquired about the reason, and apparently I had landed on Loy Krathong. It is a yearly festival Thai's celebrate. It culminates at midnight where they light candles set into ornately decorated rafts the size of a 10 gallon hat, and float them down the river.

I had a few beers and was surprised I was pretty much being left alone by the ladies. Which was fine by me. I soon moved on to another bar, then another, and well you get the picture. I managed to stay out of the actually Nana complex, and didn't visit any go-go's. I was beat and went home to catch some shut eye as I had a big day of sight seeing ahead of me.

Bangkok Shopping - MBK | Siam Paragon

2009-05-09T08:08:00.000-07:00

I took the Bangkok SkyTrain till I got to the Siam Paragon station. It is a huge mega mall and one of the major shopping malls in Bangkok. I was on my way to the MBK shopping mall to buy myself that Thai sim card I was talking about in my last post.

I headed off the platform and found the staircase on the side of the street that I choose funneled you directly into the Siam Paragon Shopping center. Nice way to get customers. I notice there was some sort of fashion show going on at the outside pavilion. I stop for a few minutes to have a look then decided to move on.

Although Siam Paragon was on the list for a visit later in the day, I decide I might as well head inside and check it out since I was already there. All I can say was that it was amazing. Very modern, with plenty of high end apparel stores. I looked around for about an hour, and since I really was just window shopping decided to get on with my day.

I headed outside, got my orientation - or so I thought- and headed off to the MBK. I mentioned earlier I don't like to take out my guide book and look like a tourist. Sometimes this works out well, sometimes it does not. I walked for twenty minutes before I finally admitted I was going in the wrong direction.

Humbled, I got out my guide book, reoriented myself and decided on a new plan. The Skyway, kind of like an elevated sidewalk that connects the two routes of the Bangkok Skytrain, was right on top of me. From the map I could tell it headed right into the MBK. I climbed the stairs and was quickly back on track.

I arrived at the MBK mall in another 20 minutes. Turns out the MBK was just a couple minutes from the Siam Paragon, in the other direction from where I headed, lesson learned. There was a small concert going on in front of the mall. I stopped and had a listen. I didn't understand a word, but the tune was definitely rock-n-roll. I headed on inside to get on with the shopping.

If the Siam Paragon mall was all high end, the MBK Bangkok was middle of the road. Lots of different stores and small stalls, selling everything under the sun. I had read that they had an entire floor dedicated to electronics and cell phones, and they were not lying. The only thing I didn't expect was that there were what seemed like hundreds of small booths all right next to each, just big enough to hold two or three people. I later learned this was pretty common for a lot of Thai shopping malls.

I looked around for a while, but one store seemed just as good as the next. I bellied up, and with in minutes I had my new sim card installed and working. I'd worked up a hunger and decide to try the food court at the mall because I had read it had excellent food at a discount price. They were right on both counts.

After a meal of chicken pad-thai, I had had enough. I left the mall and did a bit of walking around the streets near the MBK that had lots of little stores. Not seeing anything of interest, it was now about 4pm, I decided to head back to the hotel.

I was hot, sweaty, and tired from the days events, but I made it a point not to put my head on the pillow quite yet or I'd be in for the night. I popped a beer from the mini bar relaxed and watched a little tv. I was planning on going out and checking out the bars later in the evening. After unwinding a bit, I hit the shower once again and got cleaned up for the nights events.

Today's shopping was less than eventful, but my first experience of the Bangkok Skytrain and seeing the Siam Paragon and MBK was fun. Till tomorrow

My Bangkok Hotel - Dynasty Inn Grande

2009-05-08T22:42:00.000-07:00

When the elevator stopped at the fifth floor of the hotel, I got out and proceeded to find my room. One of the day porters saw me with my bags trying to open my door asked if it was my first visit and offered to help once I told him it was.

At first I thought he was just trying earn a tip, but hotels in Thailand are a little different than in the States so I was glad I took him up on the offer. First thing is that your key card goes in a socket next to the door which activates the electricity - the lights and AC. I don't think I would have figured that out on my own. Next he showed me the control panel next to the bed that controlled the lights and the AC. I probably could have figured that part out, but it would have taken me a while. I have him a 20 baht time and thanked him Khap-khun-Khrap.

I was dead ass tired, but knew if I put my head on the pillow I would be a goner for the rest of my day. It was only 9am and I need to adjust to the local time as soon as possible. I hopped in the shower to clean up and get refreshed. It felt good after that long flight on Thai Air. I put on a fresh set of clothes, pulled out the guide book and map, as well as some notes I had made pre-trip and planned out my day.

I was going to head off and do some shopping. I wanted to get a Thai sim card for my mobile phone so I could make local calls. They are quite cheap, and very convenient, especially if you need it in an emergency. I also heard they had amazing shopping malls, which I wanted to see as well.

My plan was to take the ultra modern Bangkok Sky Train, a cheap and comfortable mode of transportation around Bangkok. It is essentially an elevated train that gets you out of all that traffic congestion you would find riding in a taxi to the same location. My hotel was conveniently located near the Nana station. With my plan laid out, I grabbed my day pack and head out the door.

I first stopped at the 7-11 next door to the hotel and picked up a bottle of water. I didn't want to look too much like a target..um tourist, so I memorized the map as best I could. It was pretty much a straight shot down the street to the Nana station. I climbed the stairs, hoping I could figure out how to buy a ticket and use the darn train.

To my surprise it was all so easy. I asked the woman at the counter and she directed me to a map on the wall behind me. It laid out the routes and costs in both Thai and English which was a relief. You bought your ticket from a machine on the wall, I think it was $1US for an all day pass - cheap.

I proceeded to the platform to await my train. Within a few short minutes it had arrived. I hoped on, and it has fairly uncrowded. It was a Saturday, I assume during rush hour that thing is packed. It was all so much easier than I thought.

I'll continue the rest of Day 1 tomorrow. My shopping adventures in Bangkok, Thailand

My Not So Cheap Flight To Bangkok Thailand

2009-05-08T00:22:00.000-07:00

I took off in the afternoon and headed over to LA, where I was to wait for a few hours before my non-stop flight to Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok's new airport. My flight departed LAX at 10:30pm and much to my pleasure, Thai Air was on Schedule. It is a 17 hour flight to Thailand, and I didn't need it to be any longer because of delays.

As I mentioned in my earlier, I booked my travel in Thai Air Premium Economy class. This enabled me to board after the business class passengers, but before the masses flying coach. This would be my first trip in this type of accommodations, and I was interested to see if it was worth the extra cost...it was.

The seats are roomier, they recline farther, and they have more leg room. I had a window seat which meant I only had the guy sitting next to me on the isle. Once the plane took off I noticed the row in front of me was empty, so I moved up and had both seats to myself. The only negative was that the arm rests were fixed, so I could lounge out in both seats. It was a bulkhead row, which meant I had plenty of leg room.

Thai Air treats you right. I was departing on Thanksgiving and they change up their traditional menu to serve us turkey and stuffing. I think the meal came at 11pm. They also served us two other meals throughout the trip, with snacks and water or juice offered throughout.

I watched a few movies into the wee hours of the morning so that I was exhausted and would be able to get some sleep on the plane. I did manage to get a few hours sleep on and off. The trip went by fairly quickly, all things considered. But the last four hours, I was really ready to get there.

I arrived at the Bangkok Airport, cleared customs, grabbed my bags and headed to pick up a taxi at the curb. As you head out the door to the taxi stand, a group of overpriced limo drivers will try and get your business first. Just say no thank you and head for the taxi stand.

Once at the taxi stand I gave him the name of my hotel in Bangkok, he tried to charge me a flat rate, which is a way to rip you off for a few extra baht. I said no way, I want meter taxi, he scribbled on a piece of paper, handed it to the driver an we were off.

It took only about twenty minutes from the Bangkok Airport to reach my hotel, the Dynasty Inn Grande. I paid the driver went inside to check in. As I was arriving at 8:30am local time, my room was not quite ready. I moved to the restaurant, had some breakfast and was called to check in about 30 minutes later. I headed for the elevator and up to my room.

I'll tell you about my hotel and first day in Bangkok Thailand tomorrow.

Journey to Thailand - Travel Preparation

2009-05-04T13:14:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share with you my Travel Journal of my first to Thailand. I'll start off with what I did to plan my trip, and continue with Journal entries for each day I was there, It was a ten day trip so it should give you some idea of what to expect and what to do.

This was going to be a solo or independent travel trip. Which pretty much means I don't have any friends who like to travel, or can travel due to life's many different complications. So I would be going it alone, and that would be a first for me. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous and a little apprehensive, but I had decided I couldn't wait for the opportunity to go see all the places on my list, I had to take action. If that meant going alone, so be it.

I'm a researcher and planner by nature, so the first thing I did was gather all the information that I could. I bought a couple of travel guides from Lonely Planet and Let's Go. I went to all the popular travel websites and dove into the information. I also found the forums associated to these websites to be great sources of information. For instance, the Thorn Tree Forum had posters who had either completed the trip or were currently traveling in Thailand and posting questions and responses.

I knew I wanted to see plenty of the Thai Culture and History, and have a beach vacation on one of their tropical islands. I had ten days, so I decided to split my time between Bangkok and Phuket. I used the Lonely Planet's walking tour examples to give me an idea of how long I would need to stay in Bangkok to cover all the major sites. I decided on 3 days before I would hop a plane and head on down to Phuket.

Now that I had my destinations picked, I had to find airfare and hotels. Once again I went online to find the best deals. I looked at the major travel websites, and then went direct to some airlines and hotels that had been recommended. The flight to Thailand from LA is a long one - about 17 hours, and I wanted a non-stop flight if possible. Thai Air was the only airline that flew non-stop. They have since cancelled this service and connect their flights out of Japan.

The Thai Air flight also offered Premium Economy class. It is an upgrade from regular economy with larger seats, more leg room, and seats that recline a bit farther. It is no where near the luxury of Business class, but well worth the extra $400 bucks it costs. I figured I be spending about 34 hours on the plane might as well be as comfortable as possible.

Next I did the same web search for hotels. I opted to email a couple of hotels directly as was recommended on the travel forums. I found a great deal in both Bangkok and Phuket for hotels, I'll cover how these hotels rated in later entries of the travel journal.

Part of traveling overseas means making sure your vaccinations are up to date. I went to the CDC website where they list out destinations and what vaccinations are necessary, and which are recommended. This should be done well in advace of your departure date. Some of these shots need to be done over a period of months to be fully effective. I start planning for this no later than 3-4 months prior to your travel. So after my research I planned for my shots, which took 3 visits to the travel clinic to complete.

Around this time I also started to put together my itinerary. Like I mentioned I am a planner. I outlined what tourist and historical sites I wanted to see everyday. I listed my 'must do' at the top and added a few more should I have enough time that day. The nice part about independent travel is that you can pick the sites you want to go to, and you can change your mind once on the ground if it doesn't appeal to you.

With all that accomplished and my departure nearing, I put together my packing list so I was sure not to forget anything. I put together a shopping list as I went to pick up anything I might need for the trip.

I called my bank and credit card to let them know I am traveling overseas. This is important as I would not be using travelers checks. Instead I would be using ATM machines to get cash for daily use, and credit cards to pay for my hotels. If you don't notify your banks of where you are going, they may freeze your accounts when they see tranactions from Thailand because they fear someone had stolen your account information.

The last step was arranging transportaion to the airport. I opted for an airport shuttle, it was a little less expensive than leaving my car in the economy lot. Plus, I like not having to hassel driving to the airport and finding a place to park. It allows me to start my trip on a more relaxed note.

In the next installment, I'll write about Day 1, the flight and my first day in Bangkok.

Travel Guide to the Grand Palace - Bangkok

2009-05-01T19:24:00.000-07:00

No trip to Bangkok would be complete without visiting the Grand Palace and Wat Pho. These are staples on any package tour and should be on your holiday as well. It is centrally located, and a short cab ride from most hotels. Make a day of it and take in all the surrounding sites by walking.

A Little History...
The Grand Palace was built in 1782 in honor of King Rama I. The compound includes the royal residence as well as government offices, throne halls, and the Temple of Emerald Buddha. Prior to this, the royal palace was located on the west side of the Chao Phraya River.

Have your taxi drop you at the front gates. There will be lots of touts trying to sell you everything from umbrellas to maps. Just avoid them and head on into the grounds. Keep walking straight till you get to the ticket office. Once you purchase your ticket, pick up a map and then just follow the crowd into the upper terrace area where your self guided tour begins.

There are many monuments and sculptures, and you will find plenty of picture taking opportunities through out the grounds. Make your way through the statues of mythical beings and elephants. Each building is outlined on the map with a short description so you know what you are looking at. The path is the shape of a horseshoe so you can't get lost.

You will eventually be led to the entrance of the Phra Maha Monthian group of buildings. They have amazing architecture and roofs colored in green, orange, and gold that are very striking. If you head to the fence you can look at the royal residence, but you are not allowed inside the gates, for good reason.

Continue your tour past the Chakri Maha Prasat Hall. It is a large majestic building. They have two guards positioned outside in dress uniform. You can get your pictures taken next to them and they wont move an inch.

On your way towards the exit, you will navigate through the last group of buildings. You can not go inside, but once again the architecture and colors are quite stunning. Of course, on the way out you can stop into the Museum and gift shop to pick up your souvenirs.

Put this one on your must do list if you make it to Thailand. the Grande Palace in Bangkok is not to be missed.