To Travel Different Roads

Thailand is just wonderful.  The Thai people are friendly, kind, and generous.  They also seem to be very accepting of other people and how they wish to live.   I am absolutely impressed by all this and frankly find it entirely peaceful and relaxing.  

Thailand is a stress free environment for me and I love it.  

**I should mention Thailand is hot, like really really hot.  It is currently April and daily temperatures are highs in the 90 to 95 F and lows at night are 82 F.**

This is an average day in Thailand.  Monthly cost $530 USD for the condo I am renting at the beach.  I eat out for all my meals and spend between $7 and $10 per day.

On the left are bikes, motorbikes and helmets just all sitting unlocked in on the ground floor of the building where I live.  This area is easily assessable from the main road.  My understanding is that people leave everything unlocked because stealing what does not belong to you is wrong.  Therefore they do not do that.  Such a novel concept.   Makes me feel great seeing it.

On the right is a common bus in Thailand.  I have described to my friends and relatives back home how crazy big buses and bill boards are in Thailand, and while everyone says they understand, you can tell they really just do not get it. This is a picture of a bus passing along beach road in Pattaya.  Somewhere in there a driver sits and apparently sees out the window. 

The weather in Thailand can be brutal if you are not used to it.  Even for thai people, day time temperatures can be rough.

The picture on the left is actually for the city of Pattaya.  The official city name is Amphoe Bang Lamung, though in reality Thai people and the government use either or both.  It can be confusing.

If you look at the temperatures closely you will see that it is incredibly hot.  Day time temperature is in the mid to high 90’s and it does not cool off in the evening.  Go out at midnight and you are going to be slammed with the heat.  Evenings are in the mid 80’s.  Humidity is full blast all the time.

These temps have barely moved in all of March, April, May and June.  Every day is basically just like in the picture.  Each day is the same weather as the day before.

With that said, I present to you a word of warning.  If you are old, out shape, obese, drink alcohol often and basically are your typical American or European, you need to be very careful.  These temps can literally kill you.  

I am shocked at how many visitors either die or get a serious injury related to heat, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and other such things.   I drink nothing but water all day and night, and even then I can barely stay hydrated.

Do not come to Thailand for fun in the sun and maintain your normal behaviors from back home.  Most long term Westerners living here either know someone or have heard of someone who died because of the weather.

(Middle picture) Prior to arriving in Thailand I had a patch of skin on my leg that always itched and was driving me crazy.  I do not have health insurance in America so I just did not go to the doctor.  Too expensive.

I now have Pacific Cross Health Insurance Plan.

Upon arriving in Pattaya Thailand I noticed pharmacies pretty much everywhere.  So I went in.  Oh my goodness they sell so much over the counter that you cannot find in America.

I told the lady about the itch.  She grabbed this tube of something (no idea what it actually is) and told me to apply three times a day.  The Tube cost 3 USD.

A couple days later my itch was gone.

This entire episode really bothered me.  For 3 dollars and 5 minutes of my time I resolved something that had been bothering me for months back home in America.

In America I would need to go see the doctor (with an appointment of course)  The doctor visit would have cost me money one way or another.  100$   300$  who knows.  Then I would need to go to another place (a pharmacy) and buy the same tube most likely but instead of it being 3 USD, I suspect it would be more like 30 or 50 USD.

Maybe there are really good reasons for things being the way they are in America.   But all in all, I think I prefer the Thai system at least so far.

(picture on right) Just a typical breakfast at the beach.  Bottle of water and the parfait **which is really huge**, cost $3 USD.  (this is considered a pricey meal in Pattaya just so you know)

Walking Street Pattaya Thailand. This street is just way more than whatever you are imagining.  Think the Las Vegas strip except no rules, no laws, no crime (little crime certainly)

I have only been a couple times.  Walking street is not my sort of thing.  Interestingly enough you have to walk the entire length of Walking Street to get to the docks for the ferry to Koh Larn.

Walking street is completely and totally over whelming in all ways.  Is it fun?  For many it is heaven.  For me it is just too much.  Sensory overload in every way and you are bombarded by women wanting your attention and money of course.

Walking Street and the surrounding areas are extremely busy.  Even when you are not on Walking street, the entire area is alive and filled with people doing basically everything imaginable.

Pattaya has several enormous and shocking filled bazaars.  Almost everything you might want and need can be found in the bazaars.  Masses of food, clothing, shoes electronics and so much more can be found here.

If you are visiting Thailand and bringing a suitcase, just stop.  Do not be that guy.  Only bring 1 carry on bag with you. In fact you can actually come to Thailand with no bags at all and be just fine.

At most, bring basic toiletries and frankly bring a ton of underwear.   If you have underwear you like to wear bring a lot of them.  Due to the humidity I change my underwear about 3 times per day. It is silly hot here.

Everything else you can find in the bazaars and find them for a very low price.  NEVER pay their asking price.  They expect you to negotiate.   The only exception to this is food.  You should pay the asking price for food from a bazaar or street vendor   It will be incredibly cheap and they are not making much.