Questions questions and even more questions

Hi

I know you will be able to answer some if not all the following questions

Pattaya - View Talay 5 15-26 February

During this time i'll turn 50 (20 Feb) and thought it might be a nice idea to have a cake made to take to my favourite place (don't know where that is yet - it may be a go go or host bar or somewhere like Monty's) - any suggestions on a good bakery ?

Also thinking of supplying a bottle of 100 Pipers (I'll be on the tea lol) - do you take the bottle with you (if so where do you get it from - is it worthwhile getting some duty free?) Is there a cover charge? Is it better to get a package of pipers plus mixers from the bar you are in?

Sanctuary of Truth - do you have to go there on an organised tour or can you just turn up and go in?

Taxi to new airport - how long does this take - will need to be there by mid day on a Tuesday

Chiang Mai viangbua.mansions 26 February - 6 March

Am thinking of staying at Viangbau mansions - anybody stayed there - comments good or bad appreciated.

Won't be in CM all this time and plan to tour going up to Mae Sa Long, Doi Ang Khang, Doi Chiang Dao caves, Pai, Mae Hong Son and Doi In-Tha-non, may do the zoo and night safari again and have already been up to the golden triangle - any comments on Lamphun, Lampang (I don't do elephants, oxcarts, horse carts) Anything else off the normal tourist route?

Best bowling alley - traditional and not these modern flashing lights type?

Any Welsh people around on the 1st for St David's day?

Siem Reap - Ei8throoms 6 March - 13 March - anybody stayed there - comments good or bad appreciated.

Any bowling Alleys?

Bangkok Vincents 13 -21 March

Used to bowl at the World trade centre but not the same since they modernised it - any other traditional bowling alleys (not MKB or is it MBK)

any thing special happening on the 17th (OK St Patrick has nothing to do with Thailand but that doesn't stop any celebrating)

Thanks
in advance

Brian

Sanctuary of truth - Just turn up!

Though do check out the different prices - If you dont like bumpy seas cut out the boat trip and save a few hundred. You can choose from about 6 different price options if i recall.

Cake - Do you know Nitras little restaurant opposite where Icon Boutique hotel used to be? She will order you a nice cake and have it delivered fresh a couple of hours before your party. various designs and sizes available.

Whiskey - i would get it from the bar you want to stay longest in. They do charge for mixers if you bring your own ( if allowed) and it actually can work out more expensive.

[Bob]

Hi
Chiang Mai viangbua.mansions 26 February - 6 March

Am thinking of staying at Viangbau mansions - anybody stayed there - comments good or bad appreciated.

Won't be in CM all this time and plan to tour going up to Mae Sa Long, Doi Ang Khang, Doi Chiang Dao caves, Pai, Mae Hong Son and Doi In-Tha-non, may do the zoo and night safari again and have already been up to the golden triangle - any comments on Lamphun, Lampang (I don't do elephants, oxcarts, horse carts) Anything else off the normal tourist route?


Geez, add another couple of places and then you can get it down to staying an hour in each one! Most of these are 1/2 to a full-day side trips and you're going to be rather busy I see (mostly sitting in a car). I haven't actually seen the Viingbua place but have heard it's okay (I, for one, don't particularly like the location and would rather be near the Changklan area so I can walk a bit). Anyway, I'll be in CM before you and I'll ask the locals to watch out for a falang in a rush. Have fun.

[Marsilius]

Re. the cake...

A friend of mine was due to celebrate a birthday while in Pattaya. As we were in the habit of sitting on Dontang beach every afternoon, I asked Ritt (the deckchair concessionnaire) to arrange a cake. It was great to have it served on the beach and to share it among Ritt's staff and the familiar beachboys.

Looks as if I'll need two - one for the beach and one for the evening. Although I don't know the bakery mentioned I do know where you mean.

Chiang Mai

OK had anther look at the scale on the map, realised that it was in miles not kilometers so have dropped one or two places to make the 'tour' less hectic with less time stuck in the car (thankfully I'm not driving anyway)

Brian

BB,

Also thinking of supplying a bottle of 100 Pipers - do you take the bottle with you (if so where do you get it from - is it worthwhile getting some duty free?) Is there a cover charge? Is it better to get a package of pipers plus mixers from the bar you are in?

100 Pipers is a couple of hundred baht a bottle at most supermarkets, so you will probably pay more at the duty free. Although you can take your own whisky into many restaurants, etc, you will not be too popular taking your own booze into a bar. A novel idea!

Sanctuary of Truth - do you have to go there on an organised tour or can you just turn up and go in?

Turn up, go in, and pay two or three times more than your bottle of 100 Pipers cost you, for a basic visit.

Taxi to new airport - how long does this take - will need to be there by mid day on a Tuesday

From Pattaya, around an hour and 40 minutes if your taxi goes at a reasonable speed and you pay for all the tolls. You may also be told that you need to check in 3 hours before your flight departs, which is mandatory for the security grading; check carefully with the airline, as in practice most check in desks only open 2 hours before the flight. Not sure if you are referring to a domestic or an international flight ...?

Any bowling Alleys?

In Siem Reap?? Not when I was there!

... not MKB or is it MBK

It's MBK

[colmx]

Hi

I know you will be able to answer some if not all the following questions


Siem Reap - Ei8throoms 6 March - 13 March - anybody stayed there - comments good or bad appreciated.


Brian

Hi BB
I think a week in Siem Reap is waaay too long!
Anyone who I ever speak to agrees that 3 days is enough... Before you become "templed out"
And there is NO nightlife there - even worse than Vientiane! So would suggest you adjust your itinerary accordingly!

[Marsilius]

Colmx is 100% correct. Three days is about right.

[Brad the Impala]

When we were in Siam Reap two and a half years ago there was a great disco called Douang Jumpaa that was open until 0400. It was packed with a lot of single and relaxed young men. Prior to that there are La Linga and BlueChilli Bars.

Check out Utopia for details of the latter, and ask around for the disco!

http://www.utopia-asia.com/camsiem.htm (http://http://www.utopia-asia.com/camsiem.htm)

Pattaya

The bowling alley in central Pattaya above the supermarket - any idea what time it opens?

Time to airport - the original question was to get to the new airport around mid day [was going to be travelling with a friend for his international flight but things have changed] I've changed my internal flight to CM from Don M leaving at 3 pm - what time would you leave pattaya by taxi?

Chiang Mai - still doing Pai, Doi angkhang and Mae Salong over 4 days/ 3 nights away- that leaves 4 full days in CM - ok I'll probably need a day to recover and probably wont waant to sit in a car for too long - so are there any other sights to see that aren't on the mass tourist route?

Siem Reap - yes I know 6 days appears (from all accounts) to be far too long but I have found over the years that my preferred way of seeing such sights is to have a guided tour have a break of 1 or 2 days and then return on my own (I'm not bothered about wasting part of the weekly ticket) so out of 6 full days I'll spend upto 4 days templing - assuming I don't need to have a day to recover are there any non-historical places of interest to see? Thinking of a day trip to the river of 1000 lingas

BKK

not a new question but one that hasn't as yet been answered - any non-modernised tenpin bowling alleys?

Thanks in advance

Brian

[TrongpaiExpat]

Siem Reap - yes I know 6 days appears (from all accounts) to be far too long but I have found over the years that my preferred way of seeing such sights is to have a guided tour have a break of 1 or 2 days and then return on my own (I'm not bothered about wasting part of the weekly ticket) so out of 6 full days I'll spend upto 4 days templing - assuming I don't need to have a day to recover are there any non-historical places of interest to see? Thinking of a day trip to the river of 1000 lingas

If your flying in, I assume you are, walk outside, around all the hotel sign holders and you will see a motocy stand. Pick the cutest boy and have him take you to your hotel or to find one if you do not have a booking. He will also offer to be your guide or know someone that will.

If your hotel arranges something it will be in a mini bus with a bunch of sweating farangs and end up costing more.

The pass system works in 4 day or one day tickets.

The other option is to rent a motorcycle and go yourself. The sights are spread out and a few are way out but worth getting to.

TrongpaiExpat can you please confirm that they only do a 1 or 4 day pass - I thought they had 3 types 1 day $20, 3 days $40 and 7 days $60. I did read somewhere that the 3 day pass can be used over 4 days depending on the time of day you buy it.

Thanks

From your proposed itinerary I think you might be a few satang short of of a baht. Why dont you do it the usual 'farang' way.....lead with your chin and go with the flow. I do however wish you a great vacation in LOS and trust you will stay safe and healthy.

[globalwanderer]

TrongpaiExpat can you please confirm that they only do a 1 or 4 day pass - I thought they had 3 types 1 day $20, 3 days $40 and 7 days $60. I did read somewhere that the 3 day pass can be used over 4 days depending on the time of day you buy it.

Thanks

not sure whether they day 7 day pass, but if you buy and enter after 5pm, the pass starts the next day

I think you might be a few satang short of of a baht.

In which case if he is, he should fit in quite nicely in the LOS as being in the majority. Personally I hope he is, as I believe it's a good thing for everyone to be a little ting tong. It helps when trying to make sense of the things that occur frequently and on a daily basis in the LOS and are in most instances without any logic.

Choc Dee,


G.

I think you might be a few satang short of of a baht.

In which case if he is, he should fit in quite nicely in the LOS as being in the majority. Personally I hope he is, as I believe it's a good thing for everyone to be a little ting tong. It helps when trying to make sense of the things that occur frequently and on a daily basis in the LOS and are in most instances without any logic.

Choc Dee,


G.

I couldn't agree more George!

Aussieal - most times I have been to Thailand I have gone with the flow and either get so relaxed I can't organise my morning cup of tea let alone any sight seeing or I spend so much time waiting for my Thai friends to turn up and when they do turn up we usually end up going somewhere else - so as this is probably my last trip to the far east I decided to make sure there was some structure and definite plans for some of the time - but apart from the actual dates there is still a certain [but sometimes limited] amount of flexibility. There is no way I would want it so organised that I end up saying 'oh it's 2:30 it's wednesday therefore this must be buckingham palace [I know I'd be in the wrong country lol] Out of the 34 full days available just over a third is ear-marked for being 'organised'