Bob

Thanks for all the photos. Loved having a look! My email refuses to "open" your photos, so I'm viewing them here instead.

Forgot to mention that I was very pleased with your report on Via Vai, my favorite "cheap" Italian place on soi 8, right outside the door of my Adelphi apartment. Glad you enjoyed it. It really IS good Italian, and the price is really very reasonable. We love it! I'll probably grab pizza to go (and take to my apt) at least 2-3 times during my August visit!

See you and K at a GTG...

Carol

we are looking forward to the GTG....sorry more mainland people can't come...we'll hoard the experience then!!

Carol-how can I get my E-mail to refuse to open Bob's missives? How sweet would that be. Sort of a spam protector.

dear dear Andy (smile)... you KNOW you'd go into withdrawal if you couldn't get Bob's emails. Grin and bear it. Gives you something to nag about... lol

(something about virus protection? refuses to open shutterfly photos)

Carol

Bob
Kilueha (sp) is erupting now, as I'm typing. Biggest eruption this year, they say. Hope you and Karen get a good view in September! Aren't you going to the big island after the GTG (or is it before the GTG)?
Carol

Bob....enjoyed seeing all your pictures!! And we are in them!! I'll share them with Gil and the girls. Now I need to get moving on our pictures and a trip report!! Thanks for sharing them!

as HE has only me as a friend, he can close his e mail account if i am prevented from contacting him....why have e mail if no messages are received?

we are going to the big island after the GTG for 3 nites....

Here is a link to the Kilauea update site......it is a sight to see! You can deep up with the happenings at the volcano here:

http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/update/images.html


Aloha!

The definition of friend has been stretched beyond capacity. I like to think of him as a "fellow traveller". This causes him great angst,i.e., lumped with Alger Hiss and Whitaker Chambers.

Thanks, HT, I just looked at the volcano site. Awesome!

the GTG is much more exciting than any hill blowing smoke

How did the HUAC get mixed up in this thread?

Also, <i>any hill blowing smoke</i>:

hill might blow smoke, but bill did not inhale.

Don-I think your medication needs adjusting again. How is it possible that these random peripheral thoughts run (or perhaps walk) through your head and then a complete failure of the normal filtering device results in their appearance on this forum? Whatever the process, please don't stop. I take some comfort in another disturbed poster.

I still owe you a Mencken bon mot; waiting for an appropriate moment.

Don
If you snooze, you lose. Gotta' stay on top of these threads. They take off in lots of directions. lol
Carol

Some general observations….first I have to note the costs, as they stick out in my mind as the thing that has changed most significantly….prices are up, and in some cases up significantly, i.e. hotel prices…way higher than the baht/dollar weakness would call for….food prices at moderate to upscale places are also up….the harmonique dinner we always had for about $20 is now about $30…..the Marriott which always was about $90-115 is now $150-190….

The people have not changed however….still as friendly and accommodating as ever….the shopping is still fantastic, despite the price rises and the conversion pricing…its all still a bargain…

The political situation seems weak at best, but honestly that does not really affect tourists, unless they allow it to scare them off….

New hotels are opening every month all around the country….

Renovations are going on in many places—malls, office buildings, etc…

The discount airlines, like air asia, seem to be doing a booming business with efficiency…

If it is made, you can find it in Bangkok…

Tour guides/drivers continue to provide excellent service at a very reasonable price….taxi rates have just changed….the first 35 B charge is now for the first kilometer, not for the first two kilometers as in the past….

Wine prices are starting to weaken a bit….

ROS is still a dump

The river locations rule for a place to stay for both first timers and for returning guests….its worth the extra money….the skytrain is still the best way to get around in comfort…although I still prefer taxis, so as to arrive not dripping wet…sky train is very cool, but getting to it makes you hot, i.e. climbing two stories of stairs to get to it….

Thai fodorites are generous with their time and information…we miss orgy…having mini GTG’s is really worthwhile and fun…Michael, Hanuman and others provide up to date info which we all benefit from…

The Marriott resort and spa in bkk remains our preferred all around hotel….their staff guest ratio seems very high to me….

We never lack for things to do in bkk, even after 11 trips there….spending only 3-4 days there is short changing yourselves…



More and more places accept debit cards and credit cards, especially American express…

Atm cards are the best way to get thai baht from your banks at home…rarely is there a service fee from the thai bank….exchange rates are excellent generally…I always suggest that you take multiple cards of both types if you have them… hotel exchange rates continue to be lower than money changers or banks…

Thai gasoline is about $4 per US gallon..

Gold prices have shot up, but precious and semi-precious stone prices have remained much the same…gold items seem to cost about 30% more than just a year or two ago….

Indonesia is still a travel bargain…..the exchange rate remains at about 9500 rp to the $1…moderate lux hotels are $100-130 including breakfast and taxes…

We found Malaysia to be less interesting and more expensive than its neighbors, but still worth some of your time..

Asian sim cards for your cell phones are cheap—like $3…and calls to the states are very reasonable using them….your phone must however be “unlocked”.. sim cards and topping them up is easily done at convenience shops and many other retail places..

Luggage is really becoming a problem for travelers….most all airlines are watching weights and #’s of bags very carefully, except for your carry-ons (no more than 2 does not seem to cause a blink of the eye, nor does their weight)…the discount airlines are tough….i paid excess twice on air asia, but it was not that bad ($27 and $51)….costs vary by country…we did two months in asia with two 24 inche rollies and two 18 inche rollies for carry-ons….we added two small checkable bags for the trip home…

Serviced apartment prices seem to remain affordable….there are many new choices all the time in bkk and elsewhere in thailand and other asian countries…

Getting ready for a two month trip can be daunting….the most difficult thing is arranging for bill payments and making estimates of what to send to each card on which day….our bank offers bill payment service up to 364 days in advance of the payment, so that helps with the actual payment…..laundry service is almost everywhere in asia so you can take far fewer clothes with you than you need….service is usually within 2 days of drop off…sometimes the same day…organization is a great help…write yourself lists of things to do as they occur to you…almost any supply you might need is available in asia….even pills….most insurance companies will work with you for vacation refills in advance…

Did we love 60 days away? YES…Would we do it again? YES---I could be ready in 30 minutes or less…

i think i have some additional ovservations, but at the moment they do not appear on this blurry radar...

OK, the ROS is not a dump, i just wanted to see if anyone is reading this....it is not my choice place however...

Bob
Great tips, as always. I will still probably check two bags and carry on one small one, on my return trips from Bangkok. Going over, one larger bag is enough to check in. DH always takes TWO large bags, even if it's just an overnight trip... haha

As much as you and others love staying on the river, I don't think I'll ever go back there. It's just too far away from all the activies I enjoy. Give me my mid-city apartment!!

Wish I COULD go for 60 days. Three weeks at Christmas time will feel like heaven, I think, compared to my usual 10 to 14 days, max.

Carol

carol---tell those cheap b------s to hire you an assistant so that you can get the relaxation you need in thailand and that person can dole out the pay!!