basinboy

Flying in from Nong Khai 14.50, 24 December. Checked Lostinspace thread, but they have a pick up a few hours later. Anybody arriving mid afternoon and wanting to share a taxi down to Pattaya, let me know.

Sound like a good deal, what about inflight meals? If your a vegetarian, I could have the meat and bring the vegies down to the toilet for you.

Windynoi, how can Aussies be bored watching a 90 minute football game that ends in a draw, but can be enthralled by five days of cricket that ends the same way. (actually I do understand the attraction of a five day drawn test match0

Welcome Jamozz from a fellow newbie I have been trawling through the different forums here for a while, I can tell you that you won't find a better resource any where on the net, or more helpful people. I've been to LOS 5 times before but they have been with wife or short business trips. I am looking forward to my first solo trip in December and will probably check the board every day until then. Obviously I can't advise you on Pattaya, but coming from Australia you will no doubt arrive late in the evening, so you should consider at least the first night in BKK, somewhere near Nana, the action will certainly still be going on when you get there. I have been to Koh Samet and loved it, but as another poster said it's probably better to take company to the islands. As others have told you food is generally cheap, the "food is expensive in Pattaya" line is probably from Lonely Planet. Compared to Australia eating is cheap. If you are sensible about what and where you eat you should be OK, all the same you will probably have a few wobbly botty days, but that won't spoil your enjoyment of the most special place that is LOS. Let's have a first timers trip report.

The Aussies performance so far is certainly worrying people here, even though they will say it's the test matches that count. I was listening to a sports commentator on ABC radio (Melbourne) relishing the fact that all Aussie cricket fans love a contest and they will be looking forward to the ashes season more than ever...Bullshit the Aussies love to win, bugger a contest. As someone that's spent half my life in Australia, I am looking forward to a contest and will be happy to see the best team win. Mind you I loved it last year when Australia beat England in the football, that will teach Sven to underestimate opponents and switch players ever five minutes. The most important thing in sport during the next 12 months is for Leeds to get back to their rightful place in the Premier League, Just read that they made a profit of 5 million pounds, thats got to be the biggest turn around since Lasarus came off the bench in extra time!