Big_Brian

I'm currently working my way through the "Malazan Book of the Fallen" series by Stephen Erikson. It' actually 10 HUGE books, on my Kindle (which doesn't give page numbers) a "normal" book is about 5,000 "locations" (128 characters to a location). This monster (a compendium) is almost 190,000 locations, or about the same size as 38 normal books, heavy reading with a lot of characters too. I normally get through a couple of books a week, started this late November and am only on book 5! Should finish in March/April - and now I find that there are 7 more books set in the same universe. I

Jomtien Immigration costs. Well, not actually immigration, and not actually a visa, but the people outside that do the forms for you. The cost of doing the retirement extension forms has gone up from 100 to 500 Baht. Why? "because boss say so" and that was that. Hopefully the actual extension is going through OK, back on Monday for passport. This is just a heads up really, if it goes through OK I don't mind paying the 500 and, as It's my first retirement extension, if he hadn't mentioned the increase I'd have been none the wiser. But if you go there expecting 100, be prepared, it

Fisherman. You're right, my posts do come over as a bit negative. My intent was gentle advice on enjoying a trip, not "don't come here, it's dangerous". The thing is; minor issues that you or I - as long time visitors - would shrug off, could ruin a trip for a first-timer and make him an only-timer. My very first night in Thailand, 20 years back, an expat in a Patpong bar gave me similar advice, I should have bought him more beer, I didn't realise how valuable his words were. I've lost a couple of thousand over the years, had the odd padded bill, nearly left a bar with an unexpected

I've stayed in 1 a couple of times. Would stay again.

One last thing, don't have easily available - in your pockets or room - anything that you can't afford to spend/lose/have stolen. Personally, whatever money I carry, I split between 3 pockets.

I'm on 910 in April, hopefully they won't make any more changes, I liked the plane coming out.

Thanks, I've got my first retirement extension to do next week. Hoping it's easier than getting the Non-O in the first place!

Now, for some reason (nothing I've done), I don't get it on Chrome either. Bah, humbug.

Re; the pop-up. I tried a few browsers as it as annoying me too, you don't get it using Edge.

Evil, I may not take up any of your suggestions, but I want to say thanks for all the trouble you've gone to on our behalf.

I got a buggie in August. Very disappointed. Took me to the bottom of the ramp to immigration, that was as far as it went. The girl did stay with me through to my taxi at door 3, but I had to walk that (from the farthest immigration). So, buggie for the bit with moving walkways, none for the long drag to taxi. Not happy with the service, IMO not worth the cost.

Evil, the one on the left, I can't see a restaurant name? Thanks

I keep hoping they point some of their planes this way. No joy yet.

Not a bad idea, might well do that - if I can find one that my TG will eat at "no like, India man dirty", "but it's a Thai lady cooking, look", "no like"......... When they get an idea in their pretty little heads, it stays there!

Personally, I'm going the other way. Will be back for the last day of Songkran, one day is enough!

Ahh, here it is, was worried something had happened to you - sold for bush meat or suchlike.

It's busy as it is, why change a winning formula?

Yep.

I've been using the Opera browser, not the fastest, but free, and the built in VPN only applies to that browser, normal speeds using others. I get about 39Mbps normally, about 25 through Opera (with it pointed at the USA), though it does vary - it certainly lets me run HD Netflix through it.

If you're going to be here for long, long, time (years), I advise booking a hotel for a couple of weeks and personally visiting the buildings you're interested in. Not everything that looks good on the web looks good when you get there.

It's only for some seats - like the window seat pairs near the back where it changes from 3 to 2 seats. Personally, I prefer the ones that back onto something as I dislike reclining, and those are free to pre-book.

Not a fire, planned demolition for a new condo block.

Oh, and watch out for the ladyboys.

Just make sure that the price, how long she'll stay, what she'll do, etc. are all agreed to before paying the barfine. Don't be worried about embarrassment, you won't come up with anything she hasn't heard before. ALWAYS PAY HER AFTERWARDS and, if she doesn't perform as agreed or leaves early, cut the payment and tell her why.

I booked Glasgow-Swampy return yesterday, cheapest class on their website. Could (& did) choose my seats as soon as I'd completed the booking.