Gordon

So all I have to do when I show up at Spicey's is look for the only 10 year old guy in the place and avoid appearing stupid asking for a 'Vincent' ? Gordon

Monkeyman, Check out time at the Sandy Spring is noon, though you can check out between noon and 6.00pm for half price. Gordon

Monkeyman, I didn't even remember who brought the transfer service to our attention, until now ! ;D It was no big deal in the end just a minor inconvenience and Peter (of P J Scuba) was most apologetic and sincere in his reply - just one of those things that will go wrong from time to time. On the return to the airport I'll use one of those numerous services offering a taxi to the airport for 800 baht. One negative to report about the Sandy Spring - maybe it's just my room or Pattaya is inflicted with them, but there are ants in the room. Just flicked a couple off my computer... >

I'm afraid Ramster that you can't have my room because you arrive on the 6th and I check out the morning of the 7th . I'm not sure if I understand your question but the internet connection from the room is a dial-up though the phone line. There's no other way to connect from the room. I'm not sure what advantage AOL would have here over the local service. Might be faster and perhaps a little more expensive ??? In the three times I've used the service there hasn't been a disconnection. You'd also have to make sure that it's a local call to connect with any other provider. For LoxInfo I'm

I had a reply from Peter of P J Scuba who has apologised over the fact that there was no one at the airport to meet me. He says, and I have no reason to doubt that this has never happened before - the service has (correction, used to have ) a 100% record for over one year now. He'll also get to the bottom of the matter. I have no reason to doubt the integrity of the guy and the service, and now that I am here it's all 'mai pen rai'. Gordon

Hi Ramster, Yes I bought the Loxinfo pre-paid internet connection account at the reception desk at the Sandy. It's the same package and the same price that is available from other places. Just ask the helpful girls at reception (they're not too bad on the eyes either ;D) for the numbers to dial. You also need to unplug the RJ11 plug from the phone into the computer's telephone socket. I'm used to cable at home as well and don't find the drop in speed too much of a deal, particularly as I have a number of web pages open or going at once. Besides, having a connection in your room is not

Unfortunately I have to report that no one from the P J Scuba taxi service showed up at the airport to meet me > . I twice checked both exits from the terminal, perhaps they arrived late, but I wasn't going to wait around indefinately. I'll write to P J Scuba and find out what happened. I took the taxi service from just outside the exit and fortunately there was no queue and I was in a taxi within 2 minutes. Cost was 1,400 baht plus tolls. Gordon

I'm writing this from my room at the 8th floor of the Sandy Spring with a wonderful view of the sea to my left ;D. Arrived in Pattaya 8.30 last night and had no trouble finding Soi 13 and the Sandy Spring. I brought my laptop with me and bought a standard Loxinfo pre-paid internet connection account from Reception. This gives you 30 hours connection for 380 baht. Fairly straight forward to connect from your room. The safety boxes at reception are quite small, but even if they were large enough I wouldn't want to drag my laptop between my room and reception every day. I'm happy to lo

Sorry Steve, No BKK for me on this trip. I've already got the transportation arranged and the hotel booked. I plan to be in the FLB Sunday evening. Gordon

This morning I sent an email with my arrival details to P J Scuba and received a prompt reply, confirming my taxi transfer booking. Their reply also confirmed the cost is as per the web site of 1600 baht (all inclusive) and the money is ONLY payable to the driver when you reach your destination in Pattaya. I'll let you guys know how it went in about a week's time. Gordon P.S. If you don't hear from me, then something really went wrong. ;D

I'm thinking I may book them for my arrival on Thursday 19th February. It's either them or join the taxi queue outside the arrivals lounge. I figure the cost difference including tolls is about 150 baht, but the advantages would seem to be : * You avoid lining up in the taxi queue (last time I waited some 20-25 minutes and I hate queues). * You're likely to avoid the taxi driver stopping along the way for 15-20 minutes for petrol, a smoke and to chat to other drivers. * The guy will know exactly where your hotel is so you won't have to direct him. * I figure you're more

I'm scheduled to arrive at Don Muang airport on Thursday 19th February at 5.20pm on Singapore Airlines. Anyone else also arriving by chance around this time wishing to share a taxi into Pattaya ? Gordon

Please have a read of the article titled "Midnight closing imminent for many types of entertainment venues" in today's Pattaya Mail : http://www.pattayamail.com/current/news.shtml#hd2 Doesn't look good at all :-/ Gordon

Sounds like a very common and normal set of symptoms to me. Nothing to be unduly concerned about though no one who hasn't personally experienced the LOS for themselves could possibly appreciate or understand your behaviour and what you're going through. :-/ I have 33 days to go and notice the same symptoms developing already. It helps to plan every detail of your holiday, knowing full well they will be thrown out the window once you arrive... ;D Gordon

I believe it's positioned somewhere between The Haven and The Sportsman in Soi 13. Someone here will let us know : http://www.bahtbus.com/map/map-soiyamoto.html Anyway, I too hope to be staying at the Sandy Spring Late Feb/early March in 2004. Joy ;D ! Gordon

Well Flash, I do admit to a little fear of flying, but my airline of choice from Sydney is Singapore Airlines with the morning departure and same day late afternoon arrival in Bangkok. My only real concern these days is when am I going to be able to make it back to Thaliand ! > Gordon

Flash, Okay, I understand your reservations, but what about this part "The Bangkok-Sydney route will focus on Thai students who study in Australia" meaning you could be flying with young women of the first category in need of help with their English ? ;D Gordon

To add some more trivia in here whilst we're on the subject of transportation to Thailand, there is a new international thai airline to start up services soon called 'Thai Pacific Airways'. It was meant to start operating this month but I understand it has now been delayed to December with services between Bangkok and Sydney . An article on this new airline can be found here : http://www.bangkokpost.net/080803_Business...2003_biz75.html Some people will appreciate this... "TPA's strong point was its attractive airfares with luxury services including foot massages from professio

Forgive the digression, but whilst on the subject of quicker transfers upon one's arrival in Bangkok to Pattaya, the good news is that the new international airport being built (Suvarnabhumi Airport) is closer to Pattaya than Don Muang. http://www.suvarnabhumiairport.com/newnbia...on_demo_eng.asp The bad news is that the opening date is now scheduled for 29 September 2005, although I believe it was originally meant to be ready on 29 September 2003 (yesterday) > . Gordon

If and when I can ever get back to Pattaya :-/ the Sandy Spring hotel looks like a good hotel to stay in (from what I can gather from a few thousand miles away). The rather central Soi 13 location is close to ideal for me. This, from Stickman's Weekly of 21st September : "Finding a decent hotel in Pattaya gets easier and easier. And many of the new entrants are ‘guest-friendly’ which means they don’t care who you take back to your room. Best of the best for my money is the Sandy Spring Hotel on Soi 13 Pattaya Beach Road. Good rooms at 990 baht, Deluxe at 1,500 and a superb suite wit

Article with some pics about the heavy rains in this week's Pattaya Mail : http://www.pattayamail.com/current/news.shtml Gordon

I don't know which Russian airline was involved in the following folly. The excerpt I believe appeared in an article in the Far Eastern Economic review : “COLD COMFORT: Russian tourists were amazed to step out of a Thailand-bound flight and discover that it was a cold, snowy country. After a six-hour journey, they wandered around taking pictures of the chilly vista. "They were shocked to see so much snow," Pravda reported. In fact the pilot, troubled by problems with one engine during the journey, had turned around and flown back to Russia without telling any of the 350 passengers. " G

Perhaps this latest offering from Eva Air will help with your decision of airline ;D : Gordon

I don't know how much use this may be to people but here is a link to a website that allows you select a graphic file from your hard disk and optimize it. It allows you to adjust the file format, resize the image (particularly useful if you want to upload an image to the Gallery but the image is too large), and apply image enhancements. The address for the website is : http://webservices.adobe.com/save4web/main.html Gordon

Hi Woody, The name of the company is Siggy Tour and it is not much more than a booth situated in Pattaya 2nd road, roughly half way between sois 7 and 8. Their phone number is 038-361207. I booked through them 2 days before I left, paid 300 baht deposit and was issued a receipt. Advertised prices for metered taxis from Pattaya back to the airport seem to be priced anywhere between 800 to around 1400 baht. The only reason I can figure for the variation in prices seems to be that the seemingly more upmarket the tour company shop, the higher the price. Regards, Gordon