InternationalTraveler

My first ever visit to Thailand was in 2002 (after regaining my single status) and at the time I remembered saying that I never wanted to leave. I stayed with some friends in the Diamond Beach Hotel on Walking Street and spent most of the time down that end of town. After 30 something visits in and out of Thailand and to many beaches and cities all over Asia.I finally decided to lay my hat here. Having worked or holidayed in 65 countries on 6-different continents I consider myself a man of the world. Having just completed my 2-years probation in Pattaya, I think I have passed the test of endurance, have a sense of achievement, and have now got my house in order. I have also had the advice of many a ‘Pattaya Guru’ along the way. I am 58 years old and work overseas for around 4- months a year, some years a little more and get bags of time to myself. I do not post much because when I am in Pattaya I have a life which does not involve sitting all day at my desk. I allocate myself around 30-minutes every morning for checking my mail / exchange rate /accounts/ Pattaya & World news / football results /golf scores/ lottery /and daily log of expenditure / and a few other things. And for the rest of the day my schedule could consist of many things. Work comes in ‘fits and starts’ and could be a short 3-day visit or up to 6-weeks anywhere in the world. I am writing this blog from a 4-week job in China….and I have time on my hands. Working is a good thing for me as I still enjoy what I do…. and it also:- Stops my cock from dropping off. Lets me recharge my batteries and get to bed before 10pm, sleep alone, drink less beer and get back into a routine. It also gives me a mission and keeps me focused, keeps the ticker and the brain from going senile and gives me a break from Pattaya. And I look forward even more to coming home again. It also keeps me in the style I am accustomed to and I do not have to worry about the pennies. I consider myself very lucky and think that i do have the best of both Worlds. A decade down the line and i only occasionaly use Walking Street for the tour....to see the changes. The furthest i normaly go is the beer garden. I now have a different perspective of life and my never wanting to leave like everything...things change. Now sometimes after 2-3 months in Pattaya...it’s like the Hotel California....I do need to check out and leave.

My new place is just off Central road oposite Soi Buakhao and it costs 20,000 baht /month +electric/ water and cable. Yes maybe as another few years roll on i may tire of this central location eventually but at the present time i am still 'back in the candy shop' enjoying every minute. I am 58 years old manage to get out of Pattaya 4 or 5-times a year, so it gives me a break and i cannot wait to come back.

Once i had decided on the permanent move to Pattaya my first apartment was on the 'darkside' down Soi Nern Plubwan, the other side of Sukhumvit and more than 4- kilometres from town. The rent was 6,000 baht a month for a 1-bedroom apartment + electric and water but included free cable and Wi-Fi. This was picked at random from the Pattaya People or some other newspaper purely because of the price and it was somewhere to lay my hat while I evaluated my finances, established my relationship and worked out some sort of daily routine. The few bars around had very few punters and the price of beer a little more expensive than in town. Even fewer catered for food and a few that did a Sunday lunch were very reasonable and the pricing of the food was good. The outskirts were less chaotic and I used the motorbike to venture around the Mabprachan reservoir, Soi Khaonoi, and Soi Khatalo areas and on a good day it took around 15-minutes to venture into town. I love riding the bike and used to go out on a daily basis to explore and find my way around Pattaya and the surrounding areas. After 18-months the daily grind of commuting into town once or twice a day became tedious to say the least and after a few beers at night even more so. My love for golf soon had me participating from a number of venues and would carry the clubs on the back of the bike. After a long day on the course, a beer some food and the presentation it would sometimes be getting dark and this made the ride back even more dangerous. After a few close calls I ended up buying a car which I thought would increase my life expectancy as anyone who crosses the Sukhumvit race track knows is a test of survival. The tenants of the apartment were always changing and a vast number came and went especially during the Bangkok floods. The noise from above and each side used to be irritating but gradually as time went by became more and more unbearable. What with the shouting, screaming, crying, the breaking and smashing of pots and furniture, banging on doors I must have heard it all in my 18-months. I was on the lookout for something central but the closer the beach, the smaller the room and the higher the prices and during the run up to Christmas all the available accommodation was taken. Eventually at the end of February I stumbled upon what I was looking for and was told I was lucky as it was always full and some of the residents had been there for more than 20-years. Although it’s more than 3-times the rent of my first apartment, this detached house is tucked away in a small little compound close to the centre of town and is worth every single baht. Now I can walk to the beach the supermarket and the bars in 10-minutes and I do not need to use my bike. I have only been in the city 6-months but am definitely a ‘townie’ and like all that Pattaya has to offer on my doorstep. I have talked to a few guys who have had enough of the Pattaya scene, the chaos and the noise and made the move out of town in the other direction. Am I one of the exceptions to this rule?

The British guys in my complex are pissed as they all have packages with True Visions. It will not worry me as all the bars will all have new set top boxes by the start of the new season...and that's where i watch all the games.

I follow the exchange rate every day and at last it has started heading in the right direction. I changed ££££'s from the UK in December and got the bank rate of 49 thb. Lets hope it reaches those crazy heights again, my bank account will soon be running on fumes.

Stevo, I bought my first car in November but not from a dealership. Took a test drive. I would guess they sort out the log book at the dealers. I had to drive to the land regestery office to change over the blue book into my name which also needed a residency certificate from Jomtien immigration. Full insurance from AA Insurance oposite Big C on South Pat Rd which included breakdown recovery cost around 13,000thb

Have used Rosies for many years and can recommend the gammon, pinnaple, egg, chips and baked beans. However just recently i have been using the Pig and Whistle next door as the beef stew is twice as good both for quantity and quality and also includes bread and butter. Both venues give me a chance to leave the San Mig alone and sample the black stuff..........guinness

Knowing your neighbours is probably one of the most important reasons to consider during renting or buying a property. Whether the appartments are with permanent residents or they may be rented out...people come and people go. I used to rent an appartment for nearly 2- years and had a number of British neighbours on either side and above. You would have thought that it would not create too much of a problem but.... On one side there was noisy arguments on a regular basis both day and night with next doors girl and her screaming kids. On the other side the guy was partialy deaf and all conversations with his wife and phone calls were done by shouting. The resonating thump,thump, thump vibrating through the building from the pounding of Thai food with a grinding club (mortar and pestle pot) was driving me crazy. You do not know the score till you move in.....then the once little irritations take on a whole new meaning. After considering the location, 1-bedroom, sun light, shady side, washing m/c, internet, cable, and swimming pool, i never considered knowing the neighbours was going to be the most important box to tick. As for rowdy Russians or party animals......they can move in tomorrow.....with renting you can move out tomorrow. Eventualy i bit the bullet and moved sticks to a detached house with my own space....ahhhh....peace at last...and long may it continue.

I use DHL office in Pattaya 2nd road near Mikes mall for sending mail to both the UK & USA every month and never had a problem. Even the taxi drivers cannot find my place on the dark side when i want to go to the airport so for incomming mail i have a drop box /security box in the Jomtien complex condotel which costs thb 1000 for the year. They call me every time i get a delivery and have had deliveries from FedEx, DHL, and TNT. Again never had a problem.

I am used to fighting my way through the traffic on 3rd road...photos must have been taken early doors and not at rush hour. Try not to go to Thai venues any more as the few i have frequented (trying to impress a girl) have always ended up with warm beer and ice cubes. Not my style.

What about packing your clothes with silica gel ....sure i have seen these in Big C...just an idea....everything i seem to buy has these sachets inside.

Did you know that tourist numbers are up yet again and this is nothing to do with the 'City Planning' or in their case lack of planning to improve and promote Pattaya as a major tourist destination. Falang numbers are low purely down to economics whilst the Chinese and Indian numbers are up due to cheap pakage deals....yes only 2-hours away for a couple of hundred bucks. As long as the punters keep comming and the money rolling in do you think they care. Many Russians come as families and are staying a stones throw away down in Jomtien and at Cosy Beach. Unless you are from a different planet or are totaly naive everyone knows SLEAZE is Pattaya's middle name and that is why they come. Pattaya has always been a place where a certain kind of tourist gravitates toward and that will never change. Should i call it INFAMOUS. Nice one Dr Pat must remember to tell my girl... “Just popping out for a couple of hours - to stretch my, er, legs”.