python

Soi 2 IS a good area! I agree that Soi 2 is not as busy as Soi's 7 & 8, thats why I like it so much, but I believe that Soi 2 mirrors the rest of Pattaya. If Soi 2 is very quiet then Pattaya is quiet. But then I am happy to agree with you, because if Soi 2 stays as it is, then better for me Regards,

nidnoyham, Would you happen to know, or even have a rough idea as to how much it cost them? Just curious, as if things go to plan for me I will need a taxi from BKK to Hua Hin then a few weeks later, Hua Hin to Pattaya, via BKK to drop off my Mrs. Are taxis generally more expensive in HH than Pats? Cheers,

I have had this before in both LoS & Europe. Tasted good to me. By the same token, English or European breakfast ok, is anything else not simply breakfast? Whats an American Breakfast? Is it just a take on the English breakfast? Regards,

Its me also, I agree. I was in Pats for Songkran in 2007 and I have had my first and last one. A day or couple of days ok, But a whole fucking week!!! Maybe at 38 I have got old early then I think bollox, Its Songkran, it becomes such a pain in the arse. All seem to either love it or hate it. What ever floats your boat.

I have been recommended to stay at this hotel in Hua Hin: Jed Pee Nong Hotel I have not stayed here myself as I am not going to Hua Hin until Sep/Oct. I checked it out on Tripadvisor and they rate it well. I prefer this type of smaller hotel as opposed to vast Hilton type complex's. Regards,

Hi, Welcome to the board. Without hesitation, I recommend any of the Sabai hotels. All are around the Soi 1 & 2 then Soi 4 area. Sabai Lodge, Wing, Resort and the Sabai Inn. My favorite is Sabai Lodge on Soi 2. Stayed 14 times now. Don't listen to people that tell you this area is out of the action. Nonsense. Soi 2 bar complex is a good area, also close to Soi 6, Soi 4 complex, Big C, best Soapies etc.... Walking St is 5 - 10 minutes on a baht bus, Soi's 7 & 8 even less. Regards,

Sabai Lodge is, as already stated very girl friendly. Even bringing two or more girls back is no problem and no extra cost. They leave id at desk if you wish. I have stayed in the cottage type rooms at the Ruan Thai pool a couple of times. They are nice but a little pricey. I like the small verandah area to have a drink and a smoke at night and also use it to eat on. I always found the staff to be very good also. I stay here nearly every trip. Regards,

Jack, I have some experience of these and would agree with BigDusa. Go for as large a three system as you can get or have space for. You still need to get advice on how often filter/cartridge requires changing. This not only to do with amount of water that has passed through it but for health reasons. You do not require RO water systems for drinking water and is more expensive. The domestic system I had was plumbed to my fridge for drinking water and ice. The tap over the sink I left unfiltered water as this is mostly used for hand washing and filling the kettle. Saves a little on cartridges which should be changed around once a year and is a five minute job on a domestic system. I have had 3 stage systems fitted in my home for years and a large commercial system outside as I kept fish. The water in Northern Ireland is pretty good compared to other parts of the world I think, so when people commented as to why I bothered to fit these systems I gave them a glass of chilled filtered water, they said ,yeah its ok. Next I gave them a glass straight from the tap, they spit it out. Tastes not bad if you taste it first but terrible compared to the filtered. Regards,

Gotta disagree. Book it for the seven weeks, assuming that your only paying a deposit up front. I would not pay in full up front. Why should I? If you dont like it then leave once you have spent your deposit. I would not take it for granted that they will have a room availabe for 6 weeks without any advance notice. Cheers,

I am surprised that everone seems to have had a better experience with this hotel than me and my friends had. Maybe we are just unlucky or are wrong to expect to get what we pay for? The day we checked in, we decided that we didn't like the hotel and would not be staying. The rooms, the pools and the staff attitude, we all thought were crap. We checked out after 3 days. Had booked for 3 weeks. No one even bothered to ask why we are checking out early!! I hope you like the Areca, but I would never go back. Regards,

mws, I do not understand the flights for northern Thailand. For next week I tried to book a flight from Hong Kong to CM, but I am told that I can not fly direct?? I can not fly from probably the the main international airport in Asia, Hong Kong, to CM, Thailands 2nd city?? I thought this was wierd, but I'm told true. I must fly to BKK with Cathay Pacific, wait for 2 hours then fly to CM with Thai Air. Seems odd to me that I can not fly to CM direct from HK, considering that I can fly direct from CM to Ko Samui. Strange I think. I don't think the Thai Air flight costs a lot but I do see your point. My best advice would be contact Thai directly prior, or just turn up at the desk and ask for a ticket. Sorry I can't help. Regards,

Hi, I've got an idea, well a few actually. First, I think food. What about one of those traditional baked potatoe ovens. You sell baked spuds with a spoonful of whatever filling. Or... Secondly, put in a desk(small one) and a couple of chairs. Open a 1 to 1 mongers advice buereau. Advise all the newbie farangs of best bars, girls for certain services, listen to their probs and advise, you could always ask them to come back meanwhile you could get a second opinion on here as to their dilemma's. Could be good for a laugh, sorry, I mean advice. Lastly.. Have you thought of a few pay phones?? Regards,

Hi Alex, Can you tell me anymore about what you describe above? I am very interested. I have never heard of this before so I would be grateful if you could tell me more. To be honest, I am not sure that I follow what you mean. Do you mean if I book my BMI flights myself on the net and get the cheapest price, then I go with to what ever agent is selling the cheapest tickets, on the net, and I end up with, for example, tickets to BKK with Qatar, I email Qatar and request that my bags are booked through by BMI and I pay a small fee, if required? to BMI I assume? I thought the only way I could do this was if all airlines involved are members of Star Alliance, and in the case of BMI, I still must have a through ticket. Do you know anyone that has done this? as you suggest? How did you hear abot this? This I've done, and know another three that have, so I accept that guys have booked bags through fom BKK to Belfast when they produced their separate ticket on to Belfast, good luck to them, but think we/they where lucky to get away with it, so you can't depend on it, but they won't do it on the way out. Explain more if you can Alex. Regards,

bagpuss67, The "usual" story has fuck all to do with it! do you think I never thought of booking earlier? Yes I can book BMI myself on the net and pay the price you state, but then I'll have two tickets, one for BHD - LHR then LHR - BKK. My problem then is, you can not check luggage through and I need this, especially for the return trip. BMI insist that to book luggage through you must have all flights on the one ticket. The agents selling the flights to BKK will charge you up to £180 for the Belfast connection. If your happy collecting then checking in luggage in LHR on your outward & return journey then fine. As BMI are the only operator flying this route they hold all the the cards. Thats why I welcome anyone else entering into competition. As Aer Lingus operates many international routes I expect the connections to now be a good bit cheaper for connecting flights using a UK based agent selling BKK tickets, as BMI is basically a domestic airline doing an odd international flight/charter the agents wil not offer the flights at the "cheap" BMI internet prices you state. Just for your info, in case someone trys to sell you a ticket, Ryanair and Easyjet don't have any flights to/from LHR. Regards,

pattayaman, What about this.... http://westeasttravel.com/user/default.asp have alook at flight offers. Regards,

dacah & Chivas, I'm in the same position as dacah. I booked 2 months ago with Westeast. But ,I dont think its such a big deal though I am a pissed off!! also like me, maybe, dacah you also get stung by the high cost to get to LHR? Everyone has an idea of when they want to travel, ie 4 months, 6 months, whatever, since their last trip and some guys may well be able to go at a few days notice. Good for them! But.... how do you book the hotel rooms that you want, as opposed to taking just what no one else wanted, when you don't know when your gonna travel until a week before? Most guys reading this will have an idea of whats reasonable and whats expensive. I think if your offered a flight that suits you and the price is reasonable then go for it. If I book a little earlier and pay £50 - £100 more for flights, I am, like I said, pissed off but when I stand back and look at it, I am still happy because I got the rooms I wanted and I have the peace of mind that my trips sorted and all I need to do is push in the days at home until wheels up!! Regards, Edited because most of above appeared in italics!!??

Feileacan, I understand your concern and would agree that "One mans good news is another mans bad news" I did not realize that these routes had been moved from Shannon. I thought they are simply new routes for Aer Lingus. Obviously, Aer Lingus are not happy with the profits from Shannon or they would not have moved them and would have new additional routes from Belfast as opposed to switching routes from elsewhere? I would have thought that Aer Lingus, like any airline, the reasons for moving or starting new routes are profit driven. Are you saying that someone like Michael O'Leary would be more concerned about local business closures than he would be about the profits of an airline he has just bought a large stake in, after recently trying, but failing, to buy the entire company? I doubt it. Anyway, I'm with meatball on this. Ever since BA stopped flying Belfast to LHR, BMI have had the people here by the short and curlies. With Thai Air, I can now fly LHR to BKK direct, rtn from £295 but still must pay BMI £150 -£180 just to fly to London!!! This is fucking robbery!!! One airline having the monopoly to LHR from a country in the UK is a license to print money for them and I think thats wrong!! I welcome anything that gives me cheaper flights. Cheers,

I agree, but, much as I love Thai food and that is what I mostly eat when in LOS, every few days I want a pizia or a good steak. I can't help it, I just get a craving for some food that I'm more famililar with. Tried Pizza Big & Hopf brew house I thought they are the best though I've not had the time to try all the recommendations to places named. Cheers,

Turbo, I flew into Manchester from Belfast last Wed and returned on Sat. The airport seemed to be operating normally. I did not see any queues other than what you would consider normal. There was certainly more security present. This was mostly in the form of extra armed police patrols in the terminals and police hanging around the terminals and carpark. The extra security did not seem to slow things up. No promise's. But I think you'd probably be ok, but it could change by the time your traveling. Hope you get sorted. Cheers

Hi, Please clarify for me. Thai Air fly out of Dublin airport? Direct to BKK? or would you fly with what ever airline from Dublin to LHR, or where ever, then change to Thai Air? Thanks in advance. Regards

Hi, I could never understand all this drama about transport to Pattaya from the airport. Like, its not as if its the fuckin Krypton Factor. I tell my hotel to provide transport, maybe it costs me an extra £2.50, no haggleing or fuckin about and the drivers standing there with a big sign!! Whats £2 or £5 in the cost of the trip??? Is it worth the worry?? I've used Mr Toom no probs. Have him bookeked for my next trip. I'll confirm with him a week prior. Equally, I have walked out of the airport with no transport booked and still haggled, in 2 mins, a taxi down to 1400Tbt. Who gives a shit I'm on holiday!! Regards

mikey, I am not positive, but I am pretty certain that it is not a GF hotel. Email them and ask them if they charge joiner/guest fee. The hotel always seems to be full of Jap tourists. Hundred of them are outside eating at the BBQ that the hotel puts on I think every night. I hear its very good but not cheap at 800Tbt a head. I wonder how much a room is?? This hotel certainly looks impressive as you walk past it, but I dont think its a place I would stay in. I would suggest one of the Sabai Hotels as they are in this area. Regards,

The rooms I refer to are the ground floor rooms around the Ruan Thai pool in a single storey building. Fairly new and nicely furnished Nice bathroom but no bath just a large shower. Each room has its on veranda with table and a couple of chairs right by the pool side. I assume they are what are called Ruan Thai Deluxe on the hotels web site(large green L shape on hotel map). I found room service, poolside service, laundry all excellent. Sorry, I don't know about in room internet. I suggest that you email the hotel and ask. On my last trip, first 3 weeks of April 07 I had booked the Areca Lodge for a change. We all checked out of that shithole after a few days and walked into the Sabai Lodge to see what rooms they had. We got above for 1950Tbt per night. Not the cheapest rooms in the hotel but they suited us well. Hope this helps, Regards,

I think Scalawag puts this very well! The only critism I have heard of the The Residence Garden is the location. I have not stayed at RG simply because of location. IMO its a Bahts bus ride to anywhere. I would opt for Sabai Lodge, Wing, Resort or Inn. I just like being able to take a short stroll to places I like, Soi 2 bar complex, Big C, Soi 6 and its on the Baht bus route!! I stayed Sabai Lodge 2 months ago and found it to be the same as ever. I've stayed here about 10 times in the last 3 - 4 years. The only noticable slight difference is that they do now lock some entrances late at night though this caused no probs, maybe a good thing!! Book direct with the hotel via internet and haggle! some rooms have been refurbised in thg last few years and some have not. I last stayed at the Ruan Thai bungalow rooms previously I stayed in the Deluxe A at the big pool. I thought still good value. I've already booked again!! But as they say ...... Up to U hansome man! Regards,

I it take that that remark was directed at me?? Cheers, you make feel better because I don't live on the mainland. Probably easily worth an additional £180 on my trips to Funderland!!! Edited simply to say that I'm still pissed off about Eastwest Travel.