Ah that lovely moment when you finally click "book"

[Nirish guy]

Ah that lovely moment where in my case anyway I've sat and fucked about doing the should I or shouldn't I mental head wrecking things for weeks now and doing the "I really should go some where else this time" thing and the " maybe this year is the year I just won't bother and maybe save some money for a change" etc etc - only for at 4,30am this morning I finally succumbed and thought "ah fuck it, I'm a long time dead' and lifted the credit card and clicked "book" :-)

So now all set to depart on the 2nd July to KL for 3 nights, then on to Bali from the 6th to the 20-22 or so and then on to a mixture of Bkk and Patts just for old time sake to round things off, until flying back to KL on the 3rd August for home, so, I'll hopefully see some of the usual suspects somewhere on my travels and if so the first beer is on me to you all ! :-) Right time to go and do the usual emergency "OH FUCK" crash diet thing after realising that I can barely squeeze into my summer beach tee shirts anymore it seems - I blame the Thai laundries who I just KNOW shrink every bloody tee shirt I ever give them to wash on my leaving Thailand ( actually that's bloody TRUE and I'm SURE of it !!

So a little Carpe Diem has been duly applied and roll on the summer now ! :-)

[a447]

Looks like I'll miss you - unless Phnom Penn is boring, in which case I'll head to KL for the July 4 weekend. Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the best times to visit Otot-Otot sauna, it seems. Then off to Bangkok for a few days before heading to Pattaya. My friend in Pattaya has been frantically contacting me on Line. Apparently, his bar is basically dead at the moment.

[arsenal]

The Thailand Traffic Bureau has just issued a notice advising everyone to avoid travelling by road in the three days up to the 20th July as the roads will be clogged up with busloads of boys being drafted in to cater for NIrish's insatiable sexual appetite.

[anonone]

Well, looks like I will miss you this time around as well. But holy hell...that is a nice long vacation you have planned ! I am green with envy. Makes my 10 day blitzes seem totally inadequate.

I will be in Patts a couple of weeks prior to your arrival, so hopefully I will lessen some of the burden for your ongoing financial support of the Thai establishment. Of course, I could just be mean and mention to every Thai boy I see that NIrish is on his way and told me he is looking forward to spending a lot of time with you again.... :D

Glad you took the plunge and clicked "book" again. Hopefully we will have a chance to meet up towards year end....you can't stay away, can you?

[Nirish guy]

Ha funny - maybe 5 years ago, now I am a mere shadow of my former self and will no doubt be a one guy every four days guy, with a few early nights alone thrown in to get my energy back even after that !! ( well I may be egging that pudding just a little :-))

[Nirish guy]

he told me he is looking forward to spending a lot of time with you again" ...you can't stay away, can you?

Ha time I am more than happy to spend with them, it's the Baht spending that makes my eyes water when I get home that's the problem more usually these days when I get home and check my statement and ALWAYS say WHAT ! HOW MUCH !

Actually I normally go for an extra week and this year specifically and intentionally cut it back for that reason as that one less week of lying about Pattaya doing nothing ( except the obvious) will probably save me somewhere between ┬г1000- ┬г1500 I'm guessing and I've also intentionally reduced the Pattaya portion of my trip to about 10 nights just now or so, again for that very reason as I find I get double or TREBLE the bang for my back in Bali ( in every way !) and I'm not made to feel like the guys are in the clock or on the make.

So yes you're right, can't keep away at some level but that really is more to do with for old time sake now and seeing old bar friends ( and re the boy old is becoming the word sometimes lol), saying that I always see it as our duty as older guys now to train the younger Thai boys what's expected ( no not in a Latin kind of way) to ensure continuity of service for the next generation ( and when I'm one of the 70 year olds on a Zimmer frame and needing some "taking care of" :-) so no matter what it costs I'll just consider it an investment in my future well being :-)

[thaiguest]

Ah that lovely moment where in my case anyway I've sat and fucked about doing the should I or shouldn't I mental head wrecking things for weeks now and doing the "I really should go some where else this time" thing and the " maybe this year is the year I just won't bother and maybe save some money for a change" etc etc - only for at 4,30am this morning I finally succumbed and thought "ah fuck it, I'm a long time dead' and lifted the credit card and clicked "book" :-)

So now all set to depart on the 2nd July to KL for 3 nights, then on to Bali from the 6th to the 20-22 or so and then on to a mixture of Bkk and Patts just for old time sake to round things off, until flying back to KL on the 3rd August for home, so, I'll hopefully see some of the usual suspects somewhere on my travels and if so the first beer is on me to you all ! :-) Right time to go and do the usual emergency "OH FUCK" crash diet thing after realising that I can barely squeeze into my summer beach tee shirts anymore it seems - I blame the Thai laundries who I just KNOW shrink every bloody tee shirt I ever give them to wash on my leaving Thailand ( actually that's bloody TRUE and I'm SURE of it !!

So a little Carpe Diem has been duly applied and roll on the summer now ! :-)

I know what you mean when mention the lovely moment when you do-it-yourself and click "book" . There's a certain "hee hee" satisfaction that the ladies in the travel agents down the street have been totally left in the dark about your impending departure to sleeze heaven. My smug moment was shattered one time when too late I saw that I had just booked a 24 hour stop-over in Dubai instead of a 4 hour.

[goji]

I know what you mean when mention the lovely moment when you do-it-yourself and click "book" . There's a certain "hee hee" satisfaction that the ladies in the travel agents down the street have been totally left in the dark about your impending departure to sleeze heaven.

There is also the smug satisfaction of knowing you have the screen in front of you and can select the best possible option and not be pushed into the one they get incentives to sell. Or have to pay towards the upkeep of their pointless and obsolete shop. The internet is perfect for travel.

[oldfarang]

I actually never have clicked book (assuming you are talking about internet booking flights/hotels. But the travel agency I always used (a friend) did a perfect good feeling job.
A better feeling was even when the door open from the airport (especially the old one) and wham the heat comes towards you, then you really know you have arrived. :ymparty:

[Nirish guy]

Wow, I'm not being funny or offensive but it just never occurred to me that there were still people out there who didn't book online now ! Short of seeing some random or specialist package tour to somewhere that might be easy and take my fancy I would literally never DREAM of going into a travel agency now to book flights or hotels to places I actually wanted to go as what with all the review sites available now etc I'd be damned to leave it up to some 25 year old little travelled ( probably straight) travel agent where to put me when i was wanting a week or two of debauchery or even just lying on a beach somewhere !

There are of course 'gay" travel agencies for us now should we want them but I just resent paying them over the odds for them putting you in one or two of the gay friendly places you'd probably have ended up staying in anyway in a city after a few simple clicks on line to find them and I ABSOLUTELY resent them marking up flights and then you find they've actually did a worse job than you could of by putting you on some shitty airline with crappy connections and a layover somewhere you'd no wish to be !

So no, it's online for me all the way I'm afraid and based on past experiences if my local travel agent is awaiting my custom they're in for a long wait unfortunately.

[oldfarang]

Not worry, no offense taking. Remember I have been coming to Thailand for 30 years now. In my time before there was no internet booking. The agency I always used was owned by a friend of mine, so I always got good deals (prices and direct flights). The first few times a did book a hotel to start for a few days and in those days just went looking for a nice condo or house (depending if I was alone or with a farang friend).
There after a few holidays found a great place to stay and got a great deal, since I came to Thailand 2-3 time a year for 3-5 months total. The landlord was always happy to accommodate me/us. I do know computers due to my previous work and some internet (porn, TV, forums and such), but since I have good reliable connection built over the years, why change.

The only thing I need to re-learn when I get back next month (still here for now) is getting laid again, since I have not really been to any bar for that purpose for 10 years (boyfriend who died, see other topic (http://sawatdeenetwork.com/forum/goodmorning-you-all-t32900.html)). So I might also need to look in to the internet dating stuff. But whatever I know I will find my way once I live here. 30 years of experience is not lost, just I got older and (prostitute) Thailand of course changed over the past 10 years.

[oldfarang]

Still did not do the click "book" (old fashion oldfarang, with a friend who has a travel agency), but I am back and ready to live the rest of my life here. :ymapplause:

[Nirish guy]

Good for you ( clicked or not :/) - carpe Diem and all that for tomorrow is promised to no one !

[Brad the Impala]

The only thing I need to re-learn when I get back next month (still here for now) is getting laid again, since I have not really been to any bar for that purpose for 10 years (boyfriend who died, see other topic (http://sawatdeenetwork.com/forum/goodmorning-you-all-t32900.html)). So I might also need to look in to the internet dating stuff.

For someone who hasn't been posting here long, and doesn't apparently have much internet experience, you show a rare ability to be able get your urls and htmls in the right place and be able to create your own title for a link. I can only think of one of our regular posters who does that.

[oldfarang]

The only thing I need to re-learn when I get back next month (still here for now) is getting laid again, since I have not really been to any bar for that purpose for 10 years (boyfriend who died, see other topic (http://sawatdeenetwork.com/forum/goodmorning-you-all-t32900.html)). So I might also need to look in to the internet dating stuff.

For someone who hasn't been posting here long, and doesn't apparently have much internet experience, you show a rare ability to be able get your urls and htmls in the right place and be able to create your own title for a link. I can only think of one of our regular posters who does that.

Hi Brad, if you would have read the linked post, you would know that I have been here before.

If you or anybody else would like to know how to post a link on this (or any forum), view this youtube video

[youtube:3e2c541b]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPGQoZbIPqk[/youtube:3e2c541b]

As for my experience with computers and internet, my work required a computer. Had to learn of course, but in 25+ years working with computers I did learn a lot. It does seem for my age I am ahead of most older people when it comes to computers and all that comes with it.

[christianpfc]

Thank you very much for posting the above video. Double thanks, now I know how to underlay a hyperlink under a text (this is no rocket science, I just couldn't be bothered to search for this information), e.g. link to my blog ChristianPFC (http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/)

and it proves that "Powerpoint is when you work 1 hour to show in 20 minutes what you could say in 5 minutes" (from internet, replace "powerpoint" by "video" in this case); the message in the video can be condensed to:

{url=http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/] ChristianPFC {/url]
(replace curly brackets by square brackets to make the link work)

[Phred]

Nirish guy wrote:

Ah that lovely moment where in my case anyway I've sat and fucked about doing the should I or shouldn't I mental head wrecking things for weeks now and doing the "I really should go some where else this time" thing and the " maybe this year is the year I just won't bother and maybe save some money for a change" etc etc - only for at 4,30am this morning I finally succumbed and thought "ah fuck it, I'm a long time dead' and lifted the credit card and clicked "book".

This was perfectly put Nirish guy. ManyтАЩs the time I dithered over clicking тАЬbookтАЭ in almost the exact words you put it in.

And I just went through it again but I seem to be getting better at speeding up the dithering process and getting to тАЬbookтАЭ faster.

Which I did a couple of days ago. I now have plane tickets and hotel reservations all set and will arrive yet again in a couple of weeks or so. And once again IтАЩm very glad I clicked тАЬbookтАЭ. As you so eloquently put it "ah fuck it, I'm a long time dead'. Well put!

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may!

[goji]

And I just went through it again but I seem to be getting better at speeding up the dithering process and getting to тАЬbookтАЭ faster.


Dithering is a habit I need to kick as well. Fortunately, booking the long haul flight is the easy part.
However if I'm not quite sure where to go during the trip or need a different hotel, that's where the problems start. Hours can be wasted.

[Phred]

goji wrote:

However if I'm not quite sure where to go during the trip or need a different hotel, that's where the problems start. Hours can be wasted.

Agreed goji. You know where else hours can be wasted? After clicking book, then scouring the message boards and web sites trying to glean the latest information on the ground. Or just generally fantasizing about your upcoming trip. IтАЩm doing it right now!

[fountainhall]

I know what you mean when mention the lovely moment when you do-it-yourself and click "book"
Except . . . for the time when that booking turns out to be not a booking at all!

I just returned from a 5-week trip away. In that time I had 15 flights, 3 train journeys, 8 hotels, 1 hired car, 6 show bookings - and stayed with friends 3 times! Apart from the friends, all the bookings were made by me online. mostly between October 2014 and March 2015.

Since I travel a lot, I have made all my travel bookings online for quite a few years now. Never once had any problem. This was the exception. On 4 December I firmed up the Asia/Europe flights, as well as the transatlantic flights and hotels part - the latter being 4 flights to get me from Berlin to Chicago and back, three inter-USA flights on American Airlines and two hotels. I had done my research and knew exactly what I wanted. The AA flights were crucial and so I booked them first. No problem. Up came the confirmation page. So I moved on to the other bookings. No problem. All relevant pages were printed out and put into that travel folder.

In the hours prior to my departure from BKK, I decided to draft up a travel schedule. I planned to use my APEC Business Travel Card to access fast track immigration in Chicago and had read you have to prove you are on business. If they get even a hint you are on holiday, you are sent to the back of the other queues. I got all my airlines and hotel information on to the schedule, but had trouble locating my AA flights. So I looked on the main AA site. I could not believe it when I discovered my first early morning flight did not exist! Being 7:00 pm in Bangkok, I phoned AA in London as the UK would be my first destination. I was told very politely by some lady that my booking had indeed been made. However my credit card had been rejected, I had been sent an email on the same date, had not responded to it and so the booking had been cancelled. To rebook the same routing (but not the same flights as they were full) would cost me 4 times as much! The lady was as helpful as could be and promised to hold the two flights that connected with my international flights. She would then have someone else call me within an hour to sort out the problem. I gave her my Bangkok and my UK numbers.

A lady with an American accent did call back but she had totally the wrong route information. She said she would recheck and asked me to make sure the phone was always by my side. She never did call back, either to BKK or the UK. Once in the UK, I again phoned London, this time getting an utterly clueless guy who whenever I asked a question would pause for 30 seconds before answering. Eventually I gave up, called United who could not have been more helpful and got a ticket at 90% more than I thought I had originally paid.

The fact is I never received any AA email either to my inbox or my junk mail box. If it were financially viable in making a claim, I would have a computer expert examine my hard drive to prove that. I fully accept that I was at fault by not double checking that after having received the print-out confirmation, the eticket then actually arrived by email - which it did not. My only excuse is that I was dealing with so many bookings, when you receive an on-line confirmation you are rather lulled into a false sense of security that the booking is firm. In any event, some carriers can take several days or even weeks before sending their tickets.

The other issue here is that my bank informed me that there was no time around December 4 when my VISA card was rejected. Every other booking I have ever made on that card has gone through - and I have never made an error in inserting the details. Again, I should have checked on the next card statement that the original AA flight cost had been billed to the account - which it was not. So ultimately I accept I must share at least part of the blame. But I would love to have a go at American to get them to prove that email was never sent!

The moral I suppose is this. When booking on the internet, make sure you get the online confirmation, make sure you then get the e-ticket and -as soon as possible thereafter - make sure your credit card has been properly debited.

[christianpfc]

I had one case where a booking failed due to slow internet connection in an internet cafe. I got an email with a link to click within 4 hours to confirm my booking because there were problems with transmission of date, otherwise it would be cancelled. I read the email only the following day and had to start booking again.