El_Puerco

I checked into Ice Inn yesterday after Apex was full. 500 baht. Little internet cafe downstairs. Slow computers but nice enough staff. Quite a few downsides. I was on second floor. No elevator for those carrying a few bags or returning after a skinful of booze. My room stank of old vomit and mustiness. I told the staff on arrival and a guy put the air con on and came up with an airfreshener. When I returned a couple of hourse later the smell was back. Terrible. Plus the air con was very noisy. The best bit was that at 10.30 am this morning the hotel staff handymen decided to repair some metal chairs in the open plan area outside my room on 2nd floor. Lots and lots of banging. So walked around the corner to find the Bay Breeze. Also 500 baht for a non smelly room with quiet air con and what appears to be a bigger bed. Working elevator, just. Checked out of Ice Inn right after.

There is/was a decent bike shop which stocked Cannondale and Specialized. Possibly Trek also. It was on 2nd Rd near to the covered market and by the hospital at the back of the Little Duck Hotel. Find the Little Duck. Stay on the left hand side of the road and go down to the last set of traffic lights on the left and it's a few minutes walk along. I've cycled in SEAsia and yes it is hot but you do get used to it as long as you keep up your fluid intake. I've also had a nasty dose of sunstroke without doing any major physical exercise, apart from riding a moped in the sun. So keep covered up and it's always handy to have a packet of rehydration salts on you. You could just pop it i n your water bottle before you set out and mix it up. Alternatively take some sugar and salt, mix with a litre of water and drink. Repeat as necessary. Lie down and rest in the shade if you start feeling awful. If really bad get some medical attention.

If you just want to get a feel for the place first then try the open air bar beers first. You can generally sit, have a drink, people watch, play connect 4 or whatever. You generally don't get pressurised into buying too many lady drinks and depending on how many customers they have you may/may not be propositioned. (Having said all that, I wandered into a small enclosed bar away from the main drag last time I was down ole Pattaya way. About one o'clock in the pm. Just wanted a drink 'cos it was damned hot. Only customer there. The only barmaid there that I could see soon came around to my side of the bar and before I could say Jack Robinson she had her hand down my strides making friends. Of course when someone's that enthusiastic you just have to get on with it and lie back and think of England.)

Am also looking into teaching English in Asia. Gotta spend a couple of months in the PI first with my old lady. From my research and experience I would think that taking the 4/6 week Celta/Tesol/Tefl(insert appropriate acronym) would be useful for both teacher and students. However, I don't see how the likes of TEFL international can justify charging $1500.00 approx, although that includes accom. A Tefl qualification is available in the UK for £700.00 or thereabouts, approx $1000.00 US. We all know accom. is v. cheap in Thailand compared to the West. So what gives? Plus, positions don't require Tefl certification although they would like it. I understand that to obtain a work permit it is possible just to have a degree. Not only that, but when one looks at the wages for teachers in Thailand, apart from the international schools, it seems that there is little difference between salaries paid to an unqualified newbie and to an experienced Tefl qualified old hand. I've seen variations as low as 3000 baht a month. So it doesn't take a maths degree to work out that it's gonna take a hell of a long time to recoup the outlay of $1500.00 US if there's only a 3k baht difference a month. Thailand seems like a reasonable place to start and gain experience, see if the cap fits and then do the Tefl course. In fact the Stickman indicates that he'd wished he had a bit more practical experience before taking the Tefl course. The only problem I can foresee is that if one is earning and sees little difference in wages for the better qualified would one actually bother to take the Tefl course? Or perhaps it will become a requirement to obtain a work permit in future?

I've heard Qatar offer a reasonable price but have heard dubious things about them. Any recommendations for a rtn on this route, open for two months or so?

Just got a China airlines open return valid for up to 12 months for Manchester to BKK, via Amsterdam initially on KLM then switching to China. Cost £509.00 including taxes. That's for this November. Tried lots of other cheap flights including a Thai offer at £429.00 and some less than £400.00 including Aeroflot but none allowed for such a lengthy open return. Perhaps someone knows of a cheaper deal?