Leadbelly

On another Pattaya board (the Yellow board) a poster with the handle of Johno wrote that a friend of his just got back from a stay in Pattaya at the Bay Breeze and had half his cash stolen during the night out of the security box at the desk. Management claimed no knowledge about the incident. Since it sounds like you will be staying there, thought I should at least let you be aware of the post, I don't know if it's true or not.

You can also bypass the Residence Garden lobby desk if you walk all the way down the driveway and go up a flight of stairs that leads directly to the elevator. They do drag a high metal gate across this area (and lock it) usually around 9 P.M., however. But this route would work for you and your earlier "guests."

Steve, I don't know about gyms within walking distance, but for stays of 30 days or longer I've paid 1000 baht per day. Don't know if you can get it lower than that. Also if you want to stay there you should email the owner, Ib, sooner rather than later, as it's a popular place. You can contact him at: ottesen@loxinfo.co.th You'll like it there. Also try the all-you-can-eat dinner buffet at their Captain's Corner Restaurant, 295 baht without drinks. When you get tired of Thai food, it's a good place to fuel up on Western-style food. Have a great trip.

Stump_Dog, Ib Ottesen's email is: ottesen@loxinfo.co.th

I looked at rooms there too, but didn't stay there. Seems to be pretty good value, although the furniture has that second-hand, mix and match look. The rooms I saw hadn't been renovated in a while, but location-wise it's about perfect if you will be hitting places on Walking Street and nearby. It's down by the very quiet end of W. S. Remember, no elevator, so factor that into what floor you want to stay on if you decide to book it.

Turbo, the place in Jomtien is called The Jomtien Fish Park. It's located quite a ways down Jomtien Beach Road away from the Pattaya end. If memory serves me right, it's down Soi 14 (not Soi 4). You can take a baht bus down to Soi 14 and get off. There is a small, rectangular blue and white sign on the corner of Jomtien Beach Road and Soi 14 that says, "Jomtien Fish Park" with an arrow pointing down Soi 14. You will walk down this dirt road about 200 or 300 yards...Soi 14 dead ends right at the fish park. Motos will take you right to the doorstep if you want, I paid 30 or 40 baht from the R.G. to the fish park by moto. Other times I caught a baht bus and paid 10 baht. Getting back to Pattaya you may have to wait a bit for a baht bus at that end of Jomtien Beach Rd., but one will come by eventually. There are cheaper fish parks around...the one in Pattaya on 3rd road is only 40 baht per person plus your bait, food, etc., but it's too small, right by traffic, the fish are smaller...a lousy setting to fish IMO. Jomtien Fish Park is 200 baht per person. It opens about 10 A.M. (I think, the workers live on the premises so if someone was up and stirring earlier you could probably get going earlier as well). The 200 baht gives you as much fishing time as you want that day, and the rod and reel is included in the price. Bait is extra, they sell that for 20 baht a bag. It's 1 of 2 kinds; soft, crumbled-up bread crumbs, or pellets they soften in water. Have one of the Thai guys show you how to bait the hookup, because if you've never done it, it's kind of strange. "Chum" is a very good helper at the park. They also sell this rice coconut scented liquid that is added to the bread crumbs that seems to attract the fish. You can be lazy and have the helpers do everything for you but reel the fish in, all the way to you doing everything...up to you. If they stay with you all day helping, they appreciate a tip. There are wooden picnic tables spread down behind a wooden dock where people set up. It's covered so you can get shade. Go on the left side as you enter for the afternoon shade...as the sun gets lower it will be in your face if you fish on the right hand side (from the perspective of the front of the park). I've both brought food and drink into the park (no problem on that) and bought meals and drinks from the park. You just catch one of the helpers and tell him what you want. They will walk back to the office/kitchen and place your order, then bring it to you. The large pond is pretty good-sized. A very long cast will go maybe halfway across the pond. The big pond has carp (or a cross between a carp and a catfish, if there is such a thing...). There are some big ones in there. Last trip I brought a long-time friend who is a Go-Go dancer to the park (several times actually, over several trips). She really likes to fish. She caught one that weighed about 20 kilos...a little more than half her weight. We have always caught fish there (one time we averaged hooking a fish every 10 mintes for about 5 hours. We landed well over 20 and lost a lot of others after long hook-ups...we were sore the next day, as they put up a decent fight. Many are in the 8-10-12 kilo range, with the occasional BIG ones. That was a day Chum worked for us...baiting, casting her line out, getting the hooks out, getting more bait, getting our food and drinks, etc. I tipped him 300 baht and he was VERY happy, but he busted his ass off too. He would have been happy with 100 baht, I'm sure). It's a lot of fun, in a great setting with fields and trees (and some water buffaloes) surrounding the park, food and drinks available. You can order stuff and they just add it to your bill and you settle up everything when you leave. They like you to catch and release the big fish from the big pond, in the smaller pond (where you switch poles to just a bamboo pole and line with hook) they like you to keep your catch and bring them to the register where they weigh them and charge you a price per kilo (cheap). For the fishing "purists" who don't consider fishing in a "fish park" real fishing, fine. All I know is I always have a fun time going there, it's a great change of pace for a day. I've never stayed past dark, but there are lights at the park and they are open at night...don't know how late though. You should check it out next trip.

pattaya-golfer, many of the internet cafes will sell you minutes at a discount if you pay upfront for a large block of minutes. There is a small internet cafe next to the Residence Garden where I stay, that is attached to the Mr. Mac Hotel/restaurant. They will give you 1500 minutes for 1000 baht (about $23.50 U.S. for 25 hours.) It's a bit cheaper if you buy a 2000 baht block of time, but I didn't do that so don't remember what it cost for that option...probably about 58 hours for $47. I think the cafe is dial up but could be wrong. Hours it's open are from 9 A.M. to 11 P.M. daily. There are many internet cafes around, and generally speaking the further away from the heavy tourist areas, the cheaper things are. As for the least expensive way to phone back to the U.S., someone else will be able to help you there, I haven't ever had to call back to the States. There is a link to phone cards at the end of this post that may help you get a feel for rates. I would think it's doable...the hard part would be staying cooped up in an internet cafe all day (or worse, into the night). You'd better get a computer facing away from the street sights, as your work ethic could be sorely tested by the sight of the Thai girls walking by. Good luck. www.dphonecard.com/Megatel%20Asia.htm

Last trip while staying at the Residence Garden (back in Dec.) there were several buildings going up behind the R.G. To anybody staying there now, how far along are the projects, is construction noise an issue, and what's your best guess as to when the buildings are completed? Thanks for any information in advance. I plan to be back there in May.

Andy, on the Home page of this site, there is a hotel section. There are about 370 reviews of various hotels in the Pattaya area that you can check out. You don't mention a price range for what you want to pay, so more info would help. I like the Residence Garden, there is no problem or check on the guests you bring back, and no extra charge. Through this site you can book a room for 1350 baht at the residence garden...long stays of 30 days or more you can get a discount from that from the owner Ib. These are suites...bedroom plus living room. There are several reviews on the R.G. in the hotel section. Have a great trip.

Raylene, you're putting us on, right?

Well, here it is off their own web site under their "taxi" section....check out what they call the "Champaign Service." <<<TAXI * Please send your credit card details and passport number when ordering a taxi. Please complete reservation / order forms as listed in all fields. * All prices are per vehicle Taxi: Honda / Toyota Limousine: Volvo / Mercedes With complimentary drinks and cold towels $ Thai Baht Personal airport taxi $34 1,500Bt Airport taxi return $59 2,600Bt Personal airport minibus $67 2,500Bt Airport minibus return $102 4,500Bt VIP Airport Limousine $50 2,200Bt VIP Airport Limousine return $91 4,000Bt Champaign Service * $261 11,500Bt * The Champaign Service - for those who want to arrive in style !! Collection at the airport by private limousine 2 Kitten guides, who will meet you at the airport arrivals 2 bottles of ice cold Champaign and cool towels to smooth your journey to Pattaya...... maybe a therapeutic Thai massage on arrival !!!>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

T-Rex, I'm only half-way through book one and the tape that goes wth it. I've found it to be worthwhile so far, but am having trouble putting the time into it that's needed. After work each day I basically get lazy. Hope it's going well with you....chok dee.

Raylene- I've never stayed at the Penthouse, but from reading what others who have stayed there have written, there is no problem with bringing guests to your room. Some like the Penthouse a lot, others feel it's tacky. They would be more likely to slap a "loser's fee" on you for returning to your room alone at night than to make you pay a joiner's fee for bringing back a girl or three. A hotel/Go-Go Club that provides a video feed on your T.V. of their dancers doesn't really get up-in-arms about their clients bringing back overnight guests to the rooms. As to the "Champagne Service" limo pickup at the airport, with 2 girls, bubbly, cold towels, etc., I've also read it is not even close to being worth the cost. Supposedly the management takes the pictures of these "high rollers" and posts them somewhere on the premises, and all the workers have a good laugh while looking at the men who actually spent about $272 U.S. to get a ride into Pattaya from the airport. On their website the charge is 11,500 baht...that's not a typo by me. Unless you are very wealthy and like to blow money just to see if something a little different from the norm is worthwhile, I'd give that service a wide berth. If you can wait 3 hours until you get to Pattaya from the airport, I will arrange not 2 girls but 4 girls for you, a bottle of champagne, cool, wet towels...and I'll pocket the difference. Have a great trip!

OnMyWay- Get on the Forum Members Page, where all the categories of types of posts are..."General Discussion About Pattaya," "Newbies," "Meeting and Cost Sharing," etc. Then scroll down to the bottom of this page and you will see "Info Center." In this section you'll see "Your Instant Messages." You will see the number of messages you have, and the number will be "clickable"...(I guess that's a word...it is now for this post, anyway). Click on it and it will take you to your instant messages.

Boka, the Pornping Towers is a 3 star, large hotel (300+rooms) with a pool. I stayed there a couple of years ago. Guest friendly and good location...a short walk to the Night Market. Can get a single room for 900 to 1000 baht. At the below link you can check it out, plus at this page there is a "Select Other Hotels in Chiang Mai" pull-down menu with information on other rooms around Chiang Mai. I don't know anything about the Holiday Garden hotel you asked about. www.directrooms-thailand.com/chiangmai/pornping.htm

bluesmalone, just finished a book by Stephen Hunter called "Pale Horse Coming," available in paperback (Pocket Star Books, 2001, $7.99 U.S.). If you like fast-paced, violent, action style reads I recommend this one. The story is set in Mississippi in 1950. The hero is a former Marine, Medal of Honor winner who is now an Arkansas State Police Sgt, Earl Swagger. There is prison for blacks in the middle of a swamp called Thebes. The guards did not treat the prisoners well... Lots of shooting, fighting, torture, descriptions of guns and rifles, plenty of bad guys....a fun read IMO. If you want an "intellectual, thinking read" don't get this one. It was on the New York Time's bestseller list, for what that's worth. Of course, so was every book U.S. television talk show host Oprah Winfrey used to recommend...

Bluesmalone, the only down side about May for me is the humidity. This Nov.-Dec. I noticed the difference in the weather from May-June....really pretty pleasant and low (relatively) humidity vs last May-June. It's been said that a lot of girls leave during low season to visit family, or whatever, which is probably true, but there's more than enough girls still in Pattaya to my eyes. Lots less tourists than Nov.-Dec. as well....a good thing, IMO.

thaidane, I have only stayed at the Eastiny Place Hotel of the ones in the soi 8 area. You can get the Eastiny Place for 200 to 300 baht a day less than what the Sunshine quoted you during May-June. The rooms at the Eastiny Place were very clean, and there's no problem bringing a guest back with you. They took the girls I.D's and held them until she left, but a word to the desk if you don't like that would probably result in them handling guests however you asked them to....the staff was very friendly. This was a year and a half ago, however. You can inquire via email to the manager, Mark, at eastiny@ptty.loxinfo.co.th He also manages the other hotel, the Eastiny Inn, further down Soi 8 that is closer to Beach Road and right in the middle of the beer bars. I liked Eastiny Place's location better, very close to Second Road and not surrounded by the beer bars. Eastiny Place has a very nice pool on the 4th (?) floor as well.

Didn't stay there, but was at the Residence Garden, both have the same owner. I did look at a room at the Boathouse out of curiousity, and they are very nice. The room I looked at was a one room (bedroom only). Not like the suite set-up at the RG. Had a good breakfast at the Boathouse, American/English style. 90 baht if memory serves me. Boathouse is on Jomtien Beach Road at Soi 8. There is a web site for the Jomtien Boathouse at www.jomtien-boathouse.com You can check out prices, pics, etc. there.

marley- said I'd get back with you on the Thai class, and am back now. Unfortunately, as with some plans I make, did not follow through on the classes. I did buy "Thai for Beginners" (1 book and 3 tapes) and "Thai for Intermediate Learners" (1 book and 2 tapes) by Benjawan Poomsan Becker. I'd read somewhere they are good...haven't begun them yet. Found them at a good bookstore on Soi Post Office, I think it was...one of those sois in there. It's about mid-way down the soi on the left hand side if you go from Second Road and are heading towards Beach Road. Beginners was 549 baht, Intermediate was 649 baht. Also a good Thai-English, English-Thai dictionary (with transliterations for non-Thai speakers) by the same author. It's small but about an inch thick. The dictionary also has the Thai writing system included (425 baht).

SF dude- do you get the Sunday Chronicle? Haven't picked up one in a long time since my tickets have been bought, but a couple of months ago M & K Travel advertised roundtrip SF-Bkk for $529 not including taxes (China Airlines). I was wondering if they still have that price going. I've find some pretty good buys in the Sunday Chron's travel section. Cost Less Travel used to have some good deals (through Japan Airlines) but I didn't see their ads in there when I last looked, so don't know if Cost Less is still in business. I liked Japan Air over China Airlines. Glad you had a great trip, it is a blast over there, huh?

ukdog- don't know what email address you used, but on their website at www.arecalodge.com they show an email address of info@arecalodge.com If that is not the one you tried, give it a shot. Ask them about a joiner fee in the email....since you're booking a double I don't see them charging you extra for guests. Good luck and have a great trip.

marley- I'll post what happens regarding learning Thai to the board, but it will be in late Dec. or early Jan., since I don't get back until Christmas. Will be having too much fun for the message boards when there.

OnMyWay- Over the last 30 years, the average high temp. in Chiang Mai for January has been 84 F. and the average low has been 58 F. Not exactly heavy coat weather to me, but to Thais 58 degrees is brrrr, cold, mak mak!! If you follow the link below, it will show you the monthly temp. averages and rainfall for Chiang Mai. http://www.weather.com/weather/climatology...day.com&promo=0

johhnyboy- Here is some information about Songkran from the internet: <<Songkran happens in mid-April, usually between the 12 and 15 April, but expect the water fights to start a couple of days earlier. What's It All About? Although for most visitors, Songkran is just a big water fight, there are a number of private and public events that devout Buddhists will adhere to. The festival officially happens over four days. On the first day, Wan Sangkhan Lohng, houses are cleaned and there is a procession of Buddha images and floats ‹ all of which get drenched by the spectators. The second day, Wan Nao, is when special food is cooked and people collect sand from the rivers to make sand chedis (Buddhist towers) in the temple courtyards. The third day, Wan Payawan, is the first day of the new year and when the water fights traditionally started. People get up early to offer the food cooked the previous day and new robes to the monks. On the last day of the festival, Wan Park Bpee, people are supposed to visit and pay respect to ancestors and the elderly, in part by pouring scented water over their hands. The water fights generally last for a whole week, from a few days before the start of Songkran until a few days afterwards.>>>