maipenrai

Too right - two years ago during Songkran I was staying in View Talay 6 and one night when I was heading home around 10:30PM I encountered a group that was heading OUT to play Songkran - when I politely informed them that the water throwing was really supposed to end at nightfall they just looked at me like I was some kind of idiot; I had my fun back in the day during the festival when I could drink for days on end with no seeming ill effect but those days are long passed now - I tried it for a couple of hours last year and I just didn't enjoy it any more and will never partake again.

This sign also caught my eye on my last trip but the venue was closed and I believe for sale - looks like it is open again?

A friend recently stayed in the Pasadena Lodge and he was not impressed - he had booked it as he has mobility problems and wanted to be close to the action, but the room was literally falling apart.

Meanwhile, the other Robin Hood in Jomtien has been sold, apparently to a Russian - was one of my regular Jomtien haunts for years and it will be interesting to see what becomes of it now...

I used to walk over the hill quite often on both sides of Pratamnak Rd and never had a problem with the feral dogs - as FBWY says, just stay clear of them and they won't bother you in the daytime heat; I don't think I would chance a stroll through after dark, however, as stray dogs everywhere become much more active. As for Buddha Hill and the area behind it, there used to be a rather precipitous short cut through an empty lot where you could exit the park area and get onto Thappraya Rd but I haven't tried it for a few years now so don't know if it is still there.

Same as mine, applied for and received in Canada.

I think I could live in a studio condo for an extended period of time providing it was well-equipped and at least 40 sq. mtr.; I've done so already several times for a couple of months and was perfectly comfortable. I'd prefer a lower floor, say up to five stories, so I could avoid the elevators as much as possible and close to a baht bus route so I don't need any transport of my own. I've been living in a house with only 75 sq. mtr. of main living space for 35 years and have no desire for a larger one, and in my part of the world I am growing weary of having to find house sitters for the winter months when I am gone - I got lucky this year for my upcoming trip when an old co-worker moved back to join his daughter who lives across the road from me but it's only for this winter as they will add on to her house next year to make room for him. Sometimes I get the urge to sell off all of my vehicles and other stuff and buy a local condo so that I can walk away any time, but the prices are prohibitive here - too bad, it'd be great to have a condo at both ends and just travel in between whenever I want to without any hassles.

Congratulations from me too, I'd certainly be there if I could....

Very nice to hear...

Yes, they own some condos themselves and act as agents for many others; I've stayed at 16 of their condos in various locations over the last nine years and have almost always been happy with the arrangements - they do tend to be a little more expensive than some of their competition but the condos are all well-equipped and maintained and you know what you are getting, and Tik and the crew are great people to deal with - DW himself has health issues and you don't see him out and about much - I believe he and Tik also live in VT2A.

I've cancelled two trips in the last two months and never even made it far enough in the process to deal with the Thailand entry BS - both of mine were axed by the airlines, first being EVA because of an extended ban on transit visitors in Taipei Airport, and the second when my connecting flight from HKG to BKK with Cathay Pacific was cancelled apparently because of a shortage of pilots for flights in/out of HKG due to stringent restrictions on air crew working these routes. Thankfully full refunds were promptly given by both airlines and now I think I will wait until at least April or May before even thinking of travel to SE Asia, and most likely will just put it off until next winter when things have improved, hopefully...