js007

What's the place called that's past the far end of Walking Street? I've never stayed there, but it might be worth looking in to. Otherwise, it seems like you want everything, even though you're in Pattaya. You can't always get what you want. I still haven't tried the Hilton, but that might be the best you can find, if you don't like the Avani.

Blood tests. Probably a good idea.

My first trip tp Thailand included only Bangkok and Phuket. That was in 2000. I didn't make it to Pattaya until 2002. Before that, though, I had read lots about it. Maxim magazine even had an article about it around that same time. They made it seem like a dangerous place. Anyway, I figured it was with a try, so I spend a month there in 2002. November, I think. I stayed at the Windy Inn on Walking Street. Nice room with an awesome sea view on the top floor. As it turned out, I came down with some sort of terrible cold/cough about.a week in, so my four week vacation was only one week.

I remember doing a search one time about Pattaya, and some of the results were from a German website. Some of the girls looked familiar, but I didn't pay much attention to the board at the time because it was in German. This was 15 years ago or more.

People who are younger and nowhere near needing cataract surgery sometimes opt for lenses that are inserted cosmetically. I'm not sure what the difference is between those kinds of lenses and the lenses used when cataract surgery is performed, but I know the cosmetic type surgery is expensive. A girl I know was looking into it just because she was tired of wearing contacts. In the end, she didn't do it.

I had a night like that once. I had more than enough money for anything you could imagine, but nothing happened. It was pouring down rain and maybe I looked like a soaking wet mess? Maybe it was too late in the evening? Something wasn't right.

Somewhere on YouTube, I remember seeing a video about a free outdoor gym somewhere in Pattaya. I'm not sure where it is, though, but the price is right. Free.

One time I was on a 17 hour non-stop flight to Bangkok. I talked to some girl at the gate and then I didn't see her again for the whole flight until the baggage claim. She said she slept for all but 1/2 hour of the flight by using some Xanax. Maybe you can get a prescription for that?

Not only that, but people surely made less dollars back in 1975 than they do today. Perhaps 1/10 of what they make today. So it's hard to make comparisons between then and now. US dollar inflation, Thai inflation, fluctuating exchange rates, etc.

The problem is that not all economy seats are the same. Depends on the airline and the plane. I've had some trips in economy that were just fine. Other times, I was miserable.

I think the premium economy flights are worth the extra money. I'll be doing that from now on, I suppose, when the seats are available.

Who knows? Anyway, it doesn't go on for too long. The girl in the video is pretty nice. Usually works during the day.

On a lighter note, a clip from Hooters on Beach Road: nTsY9ldtQAq1VZhqpW+S4g.MOV

Pattaya itself doesn't have to be expensive, although you're right, Jomtien is less crowded, less polluted, and has less traffic. Like Pattaya, you can find accommodation in all price ranges.

I've recently used this company back and forth from Pattaya to Bangkok. Booked online and they showed up on time. Good service. https://www.thelimopattaya.com

I don’t blame the Thai authorities for not joining in the race to the bottom.

Yea, the phone cameras seem to do a pretty good job, for what they are. And I always have one with me. Maybe a dslr would do a better job in low light?

Good for American businesses, but only to a point. If they keep it up and continue to destroy the dollar’s value, at some point the rest of the world will have had enough. And when the dollar loses its luster, so to speak, its days as a reserve currency will be numbered. Then what? Big trouble. We’re beginning to see that now. Didn’t Russia and China just make a deal to trade in their own currencies? I think the Romans once tried to print more and more money by diluting the silver in coins. Didn’t work out too well. Ditto for the Weimar Republic in Germany.

Most Americans probably have no opinion whatsoever about the baht. Unfortunately, Trump seems to think he dollar is too strong. So I don’t expect much in the way of dollar strength while he is in office. Maybe the dollar is doomed, in any event? I’m sure the money printing will continue.

What would be the alternative?

I use US dollars, not pounds, so I suppose I may be in somewhat better shape. Still, I’m not sure what my “tipping point” might be. It’s not really costing me much to be here, so the only thought going through my mind:, from time to time, is whether I could live in similar circumstances elsewhere in the world and at what cost. It”s not hard to imagine. Spain? France? Mexico? Costa Rica? Panama? There’s no real reason I have to be in Thailand.

Anyway, I guess it depends on what’s available in your immediate vicinity. There’s also a place called Cafe Le Mar nearby with breakfast for 160 baht.

https://www.booking.com/hotel/th/rs-seaside.en-gb.html?aid=390156;label=duc511jc-1DCAso3QFCCnJzLXNlYXNpZGVIM1gDaI8CiAEDmAEJuAEYyAEN2AED6AEBiAIBqAIEuAKF7Z3oBcACAQ;sid=3a9ca8b62bb5af9b39e7d8e184380c0b;dist=0&keep_landing=1&sb_price_type=total&type=total& I’m not good at cutting and pasting from the maps, but here’s a link to a booking site. Basically, it’s down at the quiet end of Jomtien Beach.

I live nearby in Jomtien, so I walked by this place every day. Never paid much attention. But, the other day they had a chalkboard out advertising breakfast for 199 baht. I decided to give it a try. Not bad. Turns out the place is a guesthouse and restaurant. Very clean and the staff was excellent. If you’re looking for a place in Jomtien, it might be worth a look. From their website, it looks as though they are affiliated with the Page 10 hotel in Pattaya. I’ll add some photos in a minute.

I have an AIS package, but I'm not sure which. When I bought the SIM card I gave the guy 1000 baht and he fixed it so that my phone would be active for about a year. Mostly, I use wi-fi for data, so I'm not charged by AIS. But when I am out and about and using the phone for data, after a short while I get a text message that I have used 10 baht of data, and that for 19 baht I can use data for the rest of the day. 500 mb, speed 512bps. I guess that's not much data and is kind of slow, but maybe they have other plans that would give you more data at a faster speed on a pay as you go basis?