Hello guenmai! Glad you could drop by the Asia boards for a visit. I think I recall that you are headed to Paris this month. When will you return to Bangkok!!?? Your favorite people and places miss you!!! And of course all your fodors friends on the Asia boards miss you as well!!! Come back and see us regularly. Don't be a stranger! Come back to BKK in December this year!!!

Jim, I doubt I get to check out new places on this trip, as my time is so short; and I'm heading off to Samui in two days, and will also make a day trip to Chiang Mai before heading back home. Wish I could help you out, but not this time. Hopefully I will squeeze in a visit to Kinnaree to ask about a space for Bob and panda's GTG in November. Kinnaree is just about 2 minutes walk down soi 3, so it is very close by.

I'm up early this morning, after another good sleep. I'm doing some washing in my machine here in my kitchen. It does a good job of washing, but the drying feature isn't like it is back home in the USA. I hang things all around my apartment for drying! Doesn't take long though. I bring hangers from home (actually I pack my clothes on hangers and put into dry cleaning bags) and then I need to use those hangers to hang clothes to dry. The hangers in the closets are the type that you cannot remove.

Maeng gave me two t-shirts that advertise the Pickled Liver. I think I'll wear one today, since a number of the tops I brought from home will be hanging to dry for a good part of the day!

Today we visit the travel agent to buy tickets for Samui and Chiang Mai. The Samui trip is flexible, timewise; we just know we are going on Wednesday and coming back on Friday. We will stay at a resort owned by DS Brad's friend. It is a basic 3*, but clean and comfortable, and well located at a quieter end of Chaweng Beach. And it is located right ON the beach, which is always good. Just hoping for good weather on our one full day on the island. I think we will probably hire a driver for the day, and just tour around. I really don't want to try my hand at driving on the "wrong side of the road" although I've done it in New Zealand and Tasmania.

The day trip to Chiang mai can be either the following Monday or Tuesday. I head back home on Wednesday, so Monday is probably preferred over Tuesday, but we'll see. I need to make sure a friend is available to take care of shipping for me. I'm taking one big suitcase of purchases (so far) to ship, and will be doing more buying in Chiang mai, at Hang Dong and Bosang Markets. Since I have this opportunity to ship things home (with DS's shipment), I'm not holding back on buying!! lol

Today looks overcast. I think we may get a shower. I have not seen much sun since arriving in Bangkok, but I have not had any rainy days yet either, so maybe to day will just be cloudy and humid once again!! Temps are quite hot.

I hope you enjoy your Sunday evening. My Monday morning is getting off to a good start, and should be yet another busy day in Bangkok. I need to stop by the printing company to drop off some chocolates to my friends in the office there.

We'll be in touch!!

Carol

Hi Carol,

A belated welcome back! For your Chiang Mai trip check out the TG flights as they are having a low fare promotion. My wife and I just bought return tickets for 3,055 Baht and we are flying today.

Have fun!

Thanks for that tip, Hanuman. I do plan to fly on Thai because I earn miles on my UA FF acct.

Enjoy CM!

don't look for kineree on "soi 3" or you will be disappointed..

>>>AO... your idea of a day-jaunt to Singapore really sounds appealing. But I don't think I'll make it on this trip. I'll see how it goes. That would add some miles to my "almost 1k" status this year w/Star Alliance. I doubt it would be enough to put me over the top though. But I really appreciate the suggestion.<<<


You're welcome, Khun Carol! And should you change your mind, those precious Girls are waiting to serve you. (As well as the fine staff at SIA's BKK Silver Kris Lounge; always a must visit for this life-long SQ loyalist, no matter 'how far' from certain gates -- the 'better half' would expect nothing less.)


>>>So, AO, if you used to frequent Annie's, did you also frequent the Tequila Pub, by any chance? My dear friend, Dr Jack, used to be a co-owner. Maybe you two know each other???<<<

('Years ago', I the honour of some rather brief conversations with the fine 'Dr. J', though, was always much more partial to 'conversing' with 'his' lovely females.)

And, as far as various 'pubs', well, I have never been into the Bangkok 'bar scene', neither during my first few tourist visits as a young, 'wild-eyed' mountaineer, fresh in from Kathmandu with various crazed climbing buddies, nor for the past several years as a most-proper Bangkok business traveller. (But I always make an exception for champagne at 36,000 feet with those sensational Singapore Girls. Oh yeah, now we're flying.) Before becoming a 'one-woman' man, I was always much more partial to the quiet delights of post-work Bangkok hotel room evenings with lovely Thai women (thanks forever, Khun 'A'), as opposed to that 'bar hopping'. 'To each their own', suppose.

Have fun, Carol! (And don't forget those Girls.)

robert


... gentle hostess, in your sarong ...

Sawasdee kah, everyone. Internet is hit and miss tonight for some reason. I hope I can "enter" my report.

Oh, how plans can change!!!! Maeng and I went to visit the travel agent today to make our plans for Koh Samui and Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai is booked, no problems, for next Monday. Up and back same day. Early out, late flt back.

Samui, it turns out, is NOT a possibility at this time. First of all, most flights are booked already. Secondly, the price on BKK Airways is well over 10,000 baht per ticket!! Yikes!!! Crazy prices!!!!!! Even though we had a nice room waiting, and at a discounted price, this was just too much to handle. I asked Maeng if she had her heart set on Samui. She said she wants to walk on a beach. Well..... after that response, I had the travel agent check into flts to other locations. Long story short, we are heading to Krabi on Wednesday morning on Thai, 8am, returning friday afternoon around 4pm. Neither of us has been to Krabi. Maeng has been to Samui and Phuket before, but a long time ago. So Krabi it is!! I hope we have nice weather.

Any suggestions? Nothing fancy, we just want to relax and maybe see some sights and eat good Thai food.

I have not booked the hotel, but will probably go with the Krabi Resort at Au Nang. Anyone w/experience there?

I had dinner at a Danish restaurant on soi 8 tonight, with my Danish-Thai friends and a couple of other Danes who are in town right now. The name of the place is the Stable Lodge, if anyone is interested in a nice Danish meal. It was a fun evening, in any case. The food, the beer, the schnapps, those were all "extras" because the best part was seeing good friends once again. We called DS from the dinner table so that he could say hello to everyone (whom he knows as well)

I went shopping at Silom noon market today and bought nothing! Can you believe that? Oh well, there are still a few more shopping days left before I head back home!! It was still a very busy day today, and I enjoyed every bit of it.

I need to post this while the internet is working!

I'm off to sleep very shortly, as it's after 11pm, which is late for me.

Carol

Carol... When we were at krabi in the Sheraton, we went into Ao Nang for dinner several times. We found the Blue Mango on the main drag had good reasonable thai and western food. There are several internet places if you don't have access at the resort. views from the beach there should all be fanntastic. The sheraton is quite aways out of town, but good value with points and miles if you have any. There are resturants across the street, so you don't have to eat in the hotel all the time.

you could look at the sheraton, especially if you have some points....they are doing points and miles....like 2800 pts plus $45 per nite....its way away from the town however in a whole different area, but the beach is beautiful....

the town itself is not all that great...

the regular price currently available is 3800 B on www.spg.com

You bought NOTHING at the Silom noon market? Was there nothing to buy or were you ill? lol

"I had dinner at a Danish restaurant on soi 8 tonight, with my Danish-Thai friends and a couple of other Danes who are in town right now. The name of the place is the Stable Lodge, if anyone is interested in a nice Danish meal.'

I have passed by there many times - often tempted to check it out, but never did.

Kathie... haha..."was there nothing to buy or were you ill?"
I was looking for a specific request from home (dare I say it, a copy bag) and this is the highest quality selection, but the desired bag is not to be found. It's too new.

You should see the two very large suitcases that are filled already, and will be stored here at Adelphi while Maeng and I go to Krabi tomorrow morning until Friday evening. I don't dare buy too much more until after our return. The kindly folks at the front desk all know that I'm here for the shopping (and good friends) but I hate to ask them to store tooooo much stuff for me. I'll be able to shop a lot more after this beach break, and then carry bags to CM for shipping on Monday.

Degas, the Stable Lodge is a very friendly place. Nothing fancy or hi-brow about it. What we had was a selection of open face sandwiches. Everyone was happy with their selections. My Danish friends eat here quite often. If it sounds at all interesting to you, you should stop by there.

Bob and Karen, thanks for the suggestion of the Sheraton. I have been trying to decide which resort will be our home away from home for this short visit. The travel agent was suggesting the Krabi Resort. I've looked on the internet, and it looks quite nice. Maybe this location is better than Sheraton, which you both say is rather isolated. I don't really want isolation all that much. I'd like to walk out the front door of the resort and find a selection of shops and places to eat.

I think I see the sun today! I don't have any specific plans, other than to get our resort booked for Krabi. I will go to the TA and ask for her help, even though I could probably book on line. She might get on the phone and talk directly to the resort, telling them exactly what we would like.

Carol

Carol-make sure you warn them in Krabi that Bob will be visiting in November.

If you find any other good places to eat in Ao Nang let us know. Funny you should mention that you couldn't find "recent" style purses. I had a request from one of our daughters last year and found the same problem.

Jinnys in Silom has some very nice bags (copies and own designs) when we were there last they had the latest IT bags (very very good Chloe paddington copy for £80). However as i am not into copy bags i passsed them up for there own design bags. I will probably check if they are still there when we go in November.

smeagol, where is Jinnys? I'd certainly give it a look next Tuesday, if I find the time.

Had dinner at Maeng's tonight and sat and visited with some good friends.

I have noted that a number of Thais are wearing face masks to keep from catching the flu. It's not as many as 10%, maybe only 3-4% of the people I see out and about in my daily running around.

There are new signs for the skytrain that sort of
threw me off. I am used to seeing Saphan Taksin listed, as it used to be the last stop on the Silom line. Now, there are two more stops past Saphan Taksin. I wrote down the name of the new last station, for those of you who stay on the river. It's packed away in one of 3 bags I'm leaving here at Adelphi while away at Krabi.

Early wake up call, since our flght is at 8am. Gotta catch some zzzzzz's! We'll chat again later... it might be after Krabi, unless I can connect at the hotel, or there is an internet place nearby.

Bangkok is still bustling! Skytrains have been very crowded!

Carol

Carol
Its in Silom village about 3 or 4 shops in on the left hand side (as you enter from the main road past the restaurant- was opposite a craft type shop) I also heard that they sell a lot to Air stewardesses and that they keep the actual copy labels out the back. We bought some LOVELY leather luggage for about £180 which would have easily been 3* that at home. Jinnys isnt super cheap but the quality is good, however it was nearly 3 years since we went there but i read on TA that someone went there a little while ago.

http://www.jinnyleather.net/about.php
dont think the web does the shop justice. just remembered Muffin did have to bargain (i am RUBBISH) but we reached a fair price in the end i think. we bought two leather holdalls - one i would say is an overnighter and one is a weekender very Mullberry like and 2 lovely slouchy handbags (one was a pressent honest) think we paid about £260 all in. This was though Nov 06.

i just sent kinnaree a request...

carol....the skytrain now passes over the river into thornburi, so that must be where the two additional stations are located...

oh gawd, now the ladies will have to go to Jinnys also...