Mescalito

Here's a link to the best one I've found, and I looked at a ton of them. I found a copy for sale in one of the bookstores in Pattaya, just off Beach Road somewhere, but I can't remember which Soi -- sorry. http://www.groovymap.com/map_files/pattaya.html

Vox -- Thanks for the reply. It's a start, at least, and certainly more info than I had.

Anyone know of or have experience with the guest policy at the Grand Hotel in BKK? It's on Ratcha--- just across from the Poseidon. I'm spending a few nights there at the end of my next trip and thought a bit of advance recce from the vets here would be good to have before I venture "in-country" once again!

I'm on the verge of schizophrenia from all this, and have been for years. I'm an American, but my father was from Glasgow and my best friend is from Kent. Global meetings in my department include an Aussie, 2 Brits, and one from the Emerald Isle. My American colleagues give me the "deer in the headlights" look whenever I slip the occassional "knackered" into the conversation. I'm sure there is help for people like me available somewhere. . . . . "Next on Oprah! Americans who think they're Brits!"

I flew China Air r/t from LAX to BKK in September. It was OK, but nothing for the memoirs. Coach class on a 747, food was adequate and served with regularity. I took Korean Air in January and will again in November, which was significantly better, and the food was terrific. Admittedly, the Korean Air flight was business class, so naturally everything is better, but the folks in coach seemd quite happy, even after 13+ hours. R/T from LAX on China Air was about USD750, booked 3 weeks in advance.

Such comments as Connolly's are beneath contempt.

Sounds almost as bad as CDG in Paris! I arrived exactly 3 hours before my departure back to the US, and they were boarding my plane by the time I got to the gate. Then we sat on the ground for an additional 45 minutes past our scheduled departure, leaving me with just 45 minutes to make my connection when we landed at JFK in New York. Fortunately, I've never had a problem at Heathrow.

Are you talking about the place just a few meters into Walking Street from the archway? I've be to the restaurant there (upstairs) looking down onto the stage with my tg several times. Very good band playing there, and the guitarist can do some very mean Carlos Santana riffs, but I still prefer the guys at FLB.

Since my company has kindly decided to shut down for week at Thanksgiving and Christmas, I now have no excuse for not coming back to LOS and want to be there for Loy Krathong in late November. Which city would be better to see and experience this amazing looking festival? Anyone been in either city during LK? Your sage counsel will be greatly appreciated.

This is very reassuring news about the Conrad. I stayed there at the end of my trip in February after 11 (?) days in Pattaya. I was a bit reluctant to try bringing a guest with me for any of those last few nights, but it now appears that -- provided one demonstrates appropriate decorum -- it shouldn't be a problem. I must also second the comments on the Conrad in general. I have had the pleasure of staying at a fair number of world-class properties over the years, i.e.- Conde Nast Top 100 category. I can think of only one place so far -- the Coeur d'Alene resort in Idaho -- that came close to the level of service, quality, and attention to detail that I experienced at the Conrad. As I was preparing to check out, I made a point of filling out their guest comment card, and made sure to mention by name a couple of their staff. A few days later I received a personal reply from the GM, a letter that he had written, scanned as a jpeg, and forwarded to me by e-mail. Now THAT's my idea of customer care! They have a fan for life.

When I was there earlier in the year I booked all my hotels directly: the Conrad in Bangkok via the Hilton web site; Nana through their web site via e-mail, and Residence Garden in Pattaya through the FLB site. No fuss, no problems, no middle-men. It worked perfectly.

Shellman --- I don't know how good the job prospects in Pattaya would be for someone with your level of technical expertise (ironically -- I'm a US-based headhunter), particularly given the relatively small population. What's the possibility of doing consulting, e.g.- sysadmin and support of the myriad internet cafes in the area? Possibly contract work to the government offices or the systems at the airport? And of course (joking here, obviously) some of the gogo bars' web sites could use some serious upgrading, perhaps a shopping cart for souvenirs!

I just realized no one's mentioned this one yet, and it's got to be a contender for Official Pattaya Theme Song: Tina Turner's classic "What's Love Got to Do With It?"

I'll add in my vote for the Conrad (I also posted a note about it in the Hotel Reviews section after my return earlier this year). It's a world-class hotel in the truest sense; you'll receive service and attention that I have found in only a few other hotels in the world. If you're not a Hilton Honors member, make sure you join before you go, because it's a fairly pricey hotel and you'll rack up quite a few points while you're there!

"Margaritaville" was done by Jimmy Buffett. Another song that comes to mind is The Eagles' "Sunset Grill", with such lyrics as . . . "Let's go down to the Sunset Grill. Watch the workin' girls go by. Watch the basket people walk around & mumble. Gaze out at the auburn sky." as well as . . . "Maybe we'll leave come springtime. Meanwhile, have another beer". My 2 cents on the matter. Or 2.2 Euros, I think.

Richard, If you haven't tried this yet, go to the hotel reviews section of the forums. You can sort by price range in both Pattaya and Bangkok and getting some pretty detailed reviews from the many sage travelers that populate this board. I don't quite qualify as a "sage", I'm sorry to say, having only recently made my first trip there just after the start of the year.