tuesday--

i probably have not mentioned it but our best man's brother was sick of business in the usa so packed up in january and moved to thailand...he sold everything...he is single and his kids are grown...he also has a thai girlfriend from previous trips---we won't get into that story however..

so he has settled down in pattaya...this works fine for us as i have been wanting to go there for many years but it never worked out...#1 we wanted to visit the marriott there as it was the first royal garden resort and we want to visit all of their properties if we can....second we had decided to visit koh chang island which is 3 hours south of pattaya so this made a good 2 day stop on the way....

i had decided that we would take the bus---my one piece of economy on the trip -- 150B each....in talking to steve on the phone a day or so earlier, he had said do not take the bus, it is horrible and as a big guy you you will be very uncomfortable...that was all i needed to hear...this also gave me an excuse to contact a driver we had used in the past and that i wanted to use later in this trip...he is Somphet Gunthon...his wife is a maid at the marriott resort and spa and we have used him in the past to drive us around...he has a green and yellow taxi and stations himself outside the marriott daily...his cell phone is: 0-6040-9893...during a subsequent drive with him i goaded him into getting an e mail address, as he did not have one, and i told him i might be able to get him some business if he had one, as no usa person would call a cell phone to request his service until they had met him....so the day before we came home his wife came to our room with a new card with an e address on it: [email protected]
his english is decent and he is a very nice young guy...he is hard working and is about to have a 2nd child...he could use your business....he is not a guide in any way, but would be excellent to take you around to any places you wanted to go--he differs from ratt in this way...he is good at organizing and on preplanning a trip...he charges about 250 B per hour...
steve offered to send a car for us but i told him i would get someone in bkk to take us...

i arranged for him to pick us up at 11AM and take us to pattaya...he charged us 2400 B...well worth the price in retrospect... it took about 2.5 hours....we encountered quite a bit of traffic on the tollroad as we left bkk...so essentially he charged us for a round trip time wise....AAC would have been 2500 B...

pattaya was just what we expected...an overdevleoped sex centered city on the ocean....the hotel is right in the center and has a small mall attached to it...the place is teeming with people...all kinds of people and many westerners as you might expect....lots of men and lots of women in the bars..

the hotel is also called the marriott resort and spa...it has a fantastic garden/pool area just as the bkk one does...it might even be nicer in some ways...the beach is directly across the street...
as karen reports: "pattaya is just what we expected...lots of single males: young, old and very old..."

the rooms are older style like the marriott at hua hin for those of you who have been there...the room is comfortable however...

after arrival we took a walk in the mini mall and had a quick lunch... and then we walked around the block...i had seen all i needed to for now....bar, after bar after bar...grotty really...

we called steve and arranged a meeting for dinner...they were to come to the hotel to meet us...we met them in the lobby and he introduced us to PIM...she is very nice and we enjoyed her company...
i put my foot in my mouth during the conversation as i referred to a place we wanted to go and thought it was her home...steve corrected me that that was his old girl friend and that pim was a new friend he had met on this trip....enough of this ...

they thought we would like to eat down in town at a fish restaurant that they like.....so we walked along the beach road...the crowds were beginning to grow as nite was approaching....we entered what is referred to as the "walking street"...no vehicles at nite...it is all bars, restaurants and shops...a wide street and hundreds of "girls" (some of questionable gender) calling to every man who walks by to come in to that bar..they had signs claiming to have new young girls, etc...it was a party atmosphere...its thailand...

finally we arrived at the lobster pot restaurant...out front were iced bays containing fresh fish, shrimp, crabs, lobster, etc....they were evidently known there as we were ushered right in to a wonderful table out on the pier at the back of the restaurant which stuck out into the bay...it was fantastic...as karen points out, this is one of those places we would have passed up and gone back to the hotel to eat...

pim ordered most of the meal...
whole fish with garlic steamed, one whole fish fried with sweet and sour sauce, and one fish in oyster sauce...we had shrimp with red curry (which was fantastic), fried shrimp (a huge plate), morning glories and garlic, rice and drinks...the bill for the 4 of us was 2100 B plus a tip $53...unbelievable--my treat....an added bonus was a wonderful breeze coming off the water...

we walked around the walking street a bit more and then returned to the hotel and said good nite...

after we split up we decided we wanted ice cream so we went into swenson's ice cream in back of the hotel for a little treat...in bed by 11...

I'm disappointed that you did not take the bus to Pattaya. That would have been a great story. The 2100 Baht is savings could have paid for dinner for me and Craig at our hoped for GTG in the fall.

I SHOULD TREAT AN ATTORNEY AND A BROKER???? ME A POOR FIXED INCOME RETIREE????

Wednesday

we finally slept in until after 8...breakfast is served in the garden cafe at the marriott...they have a very nice buffet but not as extensive as in bkk...the room is lovely with lots of teak and wood trim and thai silks...in fact some of the fabrics were JT fabrics that we had looked at for our upholstery projects, so it was nice to see them in bigger pieces and in use...

we took a swim in the large wonderful pool and i took some pics...we had arranged for steve and pim to come by about 10 or 11...we called and reconfirmed...they met us in the lobby again...he suggested that we rent a van/tuk-tuk/taxi....they are sort of pick-up trucks with benches in the back and a roof....much nicer and more comfortable than a tuk-tuk...so we exited the hotel to the beach road where they were all lined up...pim did the negiotation and a truck was rented for several hours...they paid, so i do not know the price...maybe 1000 B???

first we went up high on a hill overlooking the city to a large buddah statue and shrine which was very nice...then we went up another hill which directly looked over the beach and the crescent that the town creates...really beautiful....it was very hot and pim treated us all to cold water...
from there we went around the peninsula and drove the entire length of jotiem beach...we liked this area much more...we could see ourselves returning here...more organized, less commercial and honky-tonk...there are lots of hotels and condos all along the beach and many projects underway...

we got out and walked on the beach for a little while which was pleasant...we were the only people on the beach...

many of the thai beaches in this area are part open beach and part set up with chairs and umbrellas in long rows, which you rent...along jotiem none of the chairs were set up this AM but were stacked up instead...

i was hungary so we stopped at nang nual restaurant for lunch...it overlooks the beach...we were the only patrons...we had a delicious lunch for which we were also treated...

we followed the beach along and then turned inland...we went past an elephant camp and eventually emerged out onto the main road---sukhumvit rd i believe...

we pased a large temple after we had turned off of the main road and eventually came to our destination a large buddah which has been etched into a huge mountainside....it is outlined in gold...we are told that this was a project of the crown prince (who we are told is not very well liked by the thai people by the way)...
this area has been made into a park and is a "destination"...it is very high with a solid flat face rock surface...it is quite a sight...the park is nicely tended and there are lots of shrubs and flowers...

on our return to the hotel we all had a drink in the bar..we said our good-byes and wished them well...they are looking at buying a bar in pattaya?????

we went across the street to an internet cafe and spent about an hour catching up on things...

we decided that we had had such a good dinner the nite before that we would return to the walking street and try another place that i had the name of...it is way at the end of the strip but we did not think it looked as good as lobster pot so we returned to lobster pot for another meal...we followed this up with ice cream at sweansons....

Good morning, Bob.
Another interesting report, as usual. I was anxious to read your impressions of Pattaya. Son keeps telling me that we will go there sometime. There is a pool hall there... ! He has never taken the bus, but always opted for a van as there would be 4 or 5 taking the trip together.

Sounds like you had a good bit of rain on this trip. I have really lucked out during my 3 summertime trips to Thailand having only a slight bit of rain.

gpanda... do I read into that last post that there will be a GTG this fall in BOS? I hope so. I think I could even drag son along by then. Hubby.. probably not. It's hard for him to get away from the store. Son and I will be ready for a break after spending sooooo much time on this book project. Speaking of which.. gotta get back to work!

Carol

thursday--

we had a wake-up call for 7:30...steve had arranged a driver to take us to koh chang island which is about a 3 hour drive south...

at 9:30 the driver had arrived and we loaded our stuff up...as a last minute change the nite before i had decided to ask if he would also go onto the ferry with us and take us directly to our resort destination as i had had trouble understanding just what transportation would be available on the koh chang side to get us to the hotel...he gladly agreed to this....we had been quoted 1500 B for the trip, without the added trip....i thought that this was cheap...

the driver was a nice older guy, perhaps about our age...he spoke decent english and that made the trip go along faster....he had worked at the bkk airport for years and thus had good communications skills....it rained for part of the way....all along the route there were fruit trees of various kinds...it made for an interesting ride to see the fruit and the local people...there were collection points along the way where trucks came from bkk to buy the fruit from the local farmers...
the trip ended up being 5 hours with the added part of the pier on the main land to the resort...

the ferry was decent and held about 30 cars and small trucks...there are several piers from which ferrys leave and most are located just past the trat airport....koh chang is very mountaineous and covered with dense vegetation...much of it is a national park...the west coast line is the primary tourist area and the location of almost all of the hotels and tourist life...

we got out of the car during the ferry ride but stayed on the car deck...there is an upper deck with a snack bar and seats... the ride takes about 25+ minutes....you dock at the northern end of koh chang....as we left the boat there were a few taxi/trucks there i believe, but it would have been a hastle to move our stuff from the boat to the taxi....

i should add that this location is just north of the border with cambodia and we are told that there are problems occasionally in this area...cambodians come across the border daily to work in thailand and return at nite---sounds like mexico/texas....

i would suggest that generally the best way to get to koh chang is to fly on bkk air directly from bkk to trat...there is good service via taxi from the airport to the hotels...there is limited air service at this time however...i believe you can also fly to koh samui from chang...

so we were glad that we had asked the driver to take us aal the way to the resort...he had never been to koh chang before...the fare for us and the car was an astonishing 210 B -- $5.+, and i think that was round trip but am not sure...i think that when we go to nantucket here at home the car alone costs $450....

after arrival on koh chang there are signs along the road telling how far to most of the major hotels...ours was about 15 kilomets i think...the island is very hilly and our toyota had to work hard to climb some of the steep grades and switch backs...no place to ride a bicycle...very much like switzerland...

we found the hotel quite easily...i asked the driver the price and he said, would 3500 B be ok?...i said sure, although i was surprised because the original quote from steve had been 1500 but that was only to the pier...even though it was quite expensive, the man earned his pay and it would end up being a 10 hour day for him...

the hotel we had selected was the Barali Beach Resort...jamesA and travelduo from this forum had steered us to this hotel, plus the internet searches i had done...we booked it through the huahin site and paid 3500 B including tax/service and daily breakfast....

the greeting was warm by the staff...basically the resort is currently maybe 30 bungalows nicely set in manicured grounds with a large restaurant/pool complex right on the ocean front...we had room #108...our bungalow was set back from the pool area and seperated by a large lawn....so we were actually back from the beach in the 3rd group of bungalows but because of the lawn it seemed as if we were closer...it could not have been better...travelduo had had beach front which was also very nice...

the resort has plans to expand in the near future back towards the main road...they will build a large not lobby--currently they are using one of the bungalows...they will also add 3 or 4 lux bungalows with their own pools...

the bungalow was basically one large room with a king bed and mosquito net (also a malaria area so malerone is suggested), and a large seperate bath area...the bathroom was about 1/2 the size of the main room...it had a toilet area, sink area, glass enclosed garden and a huge stone soaking tub---big enough for 4 people...there was both a wall and hand held shower in the tub, which you had to step down into---maybe 2 feet+ down--there is a step...off of the main room there was a large porch with a table and two chairs which overlooked the lawn area but was shielded by tall plantings some of which were flowering...flowers were everywhere...

there is a new general manager...the hotel is owned by an absentee owner who also owns another hotel in NE Thailand...there are some repair issues but the new manager is seeing to that...the pool being one major issue...it is starting to show its age...it is now about 4 years old i believe and there are the natural wear and tear issues...
the resort is quite a ways back from the main road so it is totally quiet...there is an elephant camp just across the main road and there are some shops and a grocery shop and some other services in the mini town around the end of the driveway....but not much...we did not eat out there at all...we did have laundry done however...

we walked around a bit to get aquainted and sat at the pool and had a swim...it is an infinite pool which looks directly out onto the beach and some islands out in the ocean...very picturesque indeed....it was perfect for us????

AGAIN THANK YOU TO JAMESA AND TRAVELDUO---ISN'T FODORS GREAT!!!!!

we had a quick lunch and then walked next door to take a look at the new tropicanna resort that may have been my second choice...their restaurant looked inviting and we decided to return there at some point for a meal...

that nite we ate at the barali...their restaurant is basic but in a lovely open air pavillion raised up on the 2nd level overlooking the beach and pool...it is quite pleasant...it is often very breezy or sunny there so they have large shades which they drop down on the water side to shield diners...

we had a grilled fish, french fries, stir fried veggies, ice cream and water and 2 beers for dinner...1050 B...it was good but not fabulous...as the days progressed we were less enthralled with the food at the barali, but the staff was nice and the facility was fantastic...that is ok because the tropicana has fabulous food as does the brand new amani just down the beach---more later...

after dinner it started to sprinkle so we returned to our room and unpacked and did paper work....the a/c was excellent in the room by the way...the bath was not air conditioned as they often are not in thailand...very disappointing...

we did notice that the a/c must be different than in the usa...it seems to only cool the air, not remove the humidity as well....we noticed that clothing did not dry very fast in doors as it does at home in a/c....interesting..

again we were very pleased...

Reading your review so sad could not meet up with you both plus Steve and Pim ( are they 'all' called Steve ? must be something in the name !! ). Sure, I guess Pattaya is very Tijuana, but from a living point of view shopping malls, movie theatres, excellent hospitals and schools, it has a lot going for the expat community, and it is a 'city' after all.
Nong Nual have places in both pattaya and Jomtien and also in Chiang Mai.

You are still holding us in shers suspense as to just how many time shares you bought in Phuket??

I'm sitting in the internet cafe in Chumphon as the wife has gone over to Koh Samui on business, I have decided to stay at the Cabana in Chumphon for the couple of days.

james....we have arranged for the presidential suite for you and the family during your jw marriott stay...it is over 2000 sq feet...
are you available...

phuket report is coming up

friday

this is max's 6th birthday...he is our oldest grandson...he also looks just like me but is skinny as a rail...we had bad news a couple of days earlier...he had fallen in their house and had put a puncture hole completely through his cheek....at the hospital when they gave him some water to drink it came right out the hole, like a whale's spout...he laughed..

we will miss his party...they have rented 3 ponies to take the party goers on rides and are having a western themed party....we will miss it so badly...last weekend they gave us our cowboy hats and bandannas and the rope lassues that my daughter had made for everyone...a memorable party...we did get pictures on line while we were away however...

had breakfast in the dining area...not too inspiring, but adequate...we are so spoiled by the usual thai/western buffet breakfasts...

had a wonderful swim...i should mention about the pool...the pool is only 3 years old but the tiles on the bottom are coming loose...there are big sections which have been removed...in late june they are closing down the pool to have it completely rebuilt....i suspect this will take a month or two, so be warned...

the pool is very nice and has a whirlpool in one end....

we went for a walk on the beach to the right ...a direction we had not previously gone...there is a new something being developed next door...further along is a very large group of huts, some on stilts...it is rustic sea side vacationing...no a/c of course, but it looks like they have bathrooms added on the back...the buildings are made from straw mats or other natural materials...a couple have a second floor...they are real cute....

we walked out into the ocean...it is quite clear...there is plenty of surf but not much undertow....it is quite nice...there are millions of sand crabs in the semi-dry parts of the beach...the tide goes way out....it is a very nice beach....the hotel has kayaks for rent...

back to the pool for some more swimming.. we had lunch there and then back to the pool...karen read while i stayed in the pool...a storm was coming up we could see....this turned out to be a very wet and windy storm....we went back to the bungalow and watched from our porch for a while...

went for a walk after the storm...talked to the hotel manager for a while and learned about the hotel and it ownership and his past on phuket....at each hotel we stayed we met workers who had formerely worked in phuket until the end of last year when they lost their jobs... among other things he told us that the average hotel worker makes $100 per month....

we had beer in the room and then out front for a fish BBQ...they had set up tables near to the beach and had a cooking pit...there was a nice selection of shellfish and reg. fish set up on ice from which to choose...

we had 2 rock lobsters, 4 king prawns, and one sea bass....all grilled and rice and water and ice cream for dessert....814 B inclusive... quite good and the fish was very fresh...

as it grew dark they had burning torches around the area and candles on the table...quite festive...

we were back in the room by 9 that nite....this proved to be a time of total relaxation...we enjoyed it...i had brought a book or two along but never opened either one...karen read several books...

We are so glad that you liked Barali!!! Did they fix the hot water? Remember I told you that when we were there we could only get it to be luke warm?? Was anything going on at the temple next door? You are right about the food at Barali, I wish we would of gone over to the tropicana and tried that out! Jeffrey

Best SE Asia trip report ever - keep it coming. Only 547 posts on this thread until you catch up with "Lynn".

jeffrey..i had forgotten about the hot water...there was no problem...it was largely your comments that cemented out decision to stay at barali and we were glad that we did....there is a new manager since you were there as you may have noted...the "sea wall" or sea front is washing away a bit and they have driven stakes into the sand and filled it with tree limbs and then put sand over it in an attempt to naturally save it....next door they have built a huge wall which is illegal and it will have to be returned...one of the big pine trees in front of your cabin blew down while we were there and made quite a mess...

Saturday

karen records "another busy day"-- in jest..

breakfast, then some hand laundry---her not me...pool, beach, pool, swim in the ocean....karen did find a few shells which we have brought home...small ones....

we ventured through the shrub barrier into the tropicana resort next door for lunch....soup, salad and sandwich...735 B....very delicious....so much better than the barali...during lunch a very quick shower came up and the staff scampered around to secure things and drop the protective curtains...it was over in 15 minutes...it was very windy....

we went back to our room and another huge storm came up quickly....it lasted about 30 minutes...

after it cleared we walked into the little town at the end of the drive...there is not much there really...the most significant thing is the elephant camp just across from the driveway...we asked a restaurant man where there was a laundry and he said i will take it to my friend....just give it to me...so we did and he said it would be ready at 3 the next day...cost practically nothing...

we picked up some beer and a snack or two in the local mini store...

by the time we came back it was time for a beer in the room and some cashews...we had another swim and decided that the lunch was so good that we would go next door for dinner...

we ordered thai food and it was very good and followed this with banana flambee....915 B...

during dinner an english couple came in and sat next to us...we started to talk and they were very friendly...we were the only people in the dining room---there had been a thai party of maybe 12 that left....they told us that they had been eating down the beach further at the new amari resort and that it was excellent and that we should check it out....good idea for another day...

the gm of the tropicana came by our table and welcomed us...he asked when we had arrived and we told him we were staying next door...his welcome was just as nice...we talked for several minutes...

sunday--

we woke up to rain....we had expected that it might rain more than it did...after breakfast it was still raining...we decided that we would rent a car as the prospects for the day were not good...the office arranged it for us...it was delivered to the hotel...we requested a suzuki but when it came i could not fit behind the steering wheel---too fat...so they upped the price and brought us a toyota pick up truck...price 1800 B for 24 hours...perfect...it was better powered as well for the steep hills...

first we went south...went as far as you could go...some wonderful scenery along the way from cliffs high above the water...the road hugged the shore much of the way...the road was quite narrow, but there was no traffic to speak of...it was steep both up and down in places and twisty....i love to drive in these conditions...where is the BMW when you need it...

we drove past lots of small cabins and other rentals including some resorts...

at one point we came upon a fishing village...we parked the car...a boy came running out of no where and demanded 50 B for parking?????
the fishing village is built out into the water in a cove or bay...basically it is a raised cement platform which stretches out for quite a ways and buildings are built off it on either side on stilts...some buildings are houses, some are shops, some are businesses, one was a pool room, some were for diving companies and so on...there is about a 10 foot drop to the mud which is a tidal basin, so water is there 50% of the time....at the end there were a number of dive boats and a couple of passenger boats....it was a nice break...

from there we headed back north to go around to the other side of the island...the road goes about 7/8th of the way around the island but not the whole way....the national park is at the southern tip and does not have roads per se...

on the way back we began to be hungary so we stopped at the amari resort....WOW....it was very fancy...it had just opened in november or december of last year...it is 5 star i should think...totally different from anything else on the island that we saw...they have two dining rooms and we were ushered to the one by the pool as it is the only one open at lunch time...we were seated in a wonderfully big open air room, with fans, that overlooked the pool...i think we were the only people eating...a few people were around the pool bar and lounging at the pool...we had only been there a few minutes when the english couple strolled up from the beach...first they were at the bar and then she spread herself out on a lounge at the pool...we thought they had a lot of nerve as they were not guests there...karen spoke to them while on her way to the ladies room...

our lunch was delicious and beautifully served...we both ordered veggie lasagna...it took for ever to come...the reason: it was freshly made for us...706 B for the lunch...

we continued north around the northern tip and past the boat pier where we had arrived...we continued south on this side of the island....it was much more sparsely populated...it was quite pretty and again the road hugged the shorline...there was quite a bit of poverty on this side of the island..
further south we came upon a settlement where there were quite a few signs offering "home stays"....

after reaching the end of the road on that side we retraced our steps...

we stopped along the west shore in the biggest settlement and did internet for a 1/2 hour or so...it rained again while we were doing that...
back to our hotel...

we went for a swim and attempted to see the sun set for about the 3rd time, but it was not going to happen...too many clouds in the wrong places...

we had decided that we would return to the amari for dinner as we still had the truck..while we were eating lunch they had placed some advertising on the table offering a number of items made from asparagus...it is a favorite of ours so karen wanted to go and try it...i wanted to try their dinner restaurant but karen wanted the aspargus so i agreed...

i had a puff pastry, asparagus and mushroom starter...karen had no starter...she ordered asparagus, lobster, rice and veggies for a main course which was plenty for her (390 B)..i had a mustard chicken...karen had a glass of wine which she said was excellent...we had fancy desserts of some sort...it was very very good...1500 B..

we were back to the barali by 10...the road was empty at that hour...

monday--

a nice day...sunny ..

off to breakfast...we lingered a long time after breakfast talking to a south africian couple we had met at the pool...he is a pilot for SA airlines..they (he) were very nice and talkative and interesting...she hardly said a thing

we went out to get gas in the truck as they were coming to pick it up at 10..it was 400 B to fill it to where it had been upon recipt....not full like in usa, and the rest of the world, but 1/2 which makes it hard to do and of course i over filled it...a gift to them...i had had to surrender my passport to the rental agent so i was glad to get it back..

we spent the next hour and 1/2 swimming as this was our last chance as we were to leave later in the day...it was a fabulous day....the water was cool in the pool...they cool it...we watched as the south africans took a kiak out to the island...they had quite a bit of trouble getting through the initial surf...

back to the tropicana for lunch...the GM stopped by our table again and wanted to know how our vacation was going...we chatted for quite a while...seems that a former job of his had been at the marriott resort so we had quite a bit of chat about that...

for lunch we had onion soup, phad thai, water and 2 creme caramels (huge portions by the way and excellent)...447 B...

we finished our packing...we had ordered a sharred van to the airport for 250 B each...it was 2500 B for a private one....

the a/c did not work too well and it was not turned on until we got in...it was hot!!! we made a stop at the tropicana and at one other spot until the van was full...

the van took us right onto the ferry and we all got out and went up onto the upper deck to be in a cooler area...

the ride was further than i had remembered and we went a different way than the way we had come in...we also went to a different pier...

the trat airport is one just like samui...almost totally open air...it too is owned by bangkok air...it looks like it is a runway cut out of a rubber plantation....the english couple arrived shortly after we did...they had decided to go back to bkk one day early...we chatted...she had a very bad sun burn...

speaking of rubber....all along the way from pattaya and then again at trat there are many groves of rubber trees...each has its own cup for daily collection of the rubber gum....i thought rubber was a thing of the past and that it is all synthetic these days but not so....

i did some internet on the free bkk air terminals...such a nice offering..

the plane landed, it was quickly cleaned, we were driven out to it in trolleys, loaded up and off we went...no fooling around!!!

arrived in bkk about 40 minutes later...this was a prop plane so we flew quite low and you could see the ground all the way....no golfers this day in the middle of the bkk airport...there is a golf course in the middle of the airport...players wait for planes to pass before crossing the tarmack...only in thailand!!!

we took a taxi into town...we were only going to be one nite in bkk before leaving for phuket so i had reserved the holiday inn on silom through priceline to end the controversy once and for all in my mind about the HI (it is 3 star!!!!)....$45 plus about $15 taxes and fees for priceline and an additional $24 on arrival for an upgrade to the executive floor...things went wrong from the minute we arrived...

the lobby was being renovated so reception was in temporary quarters in one corner of the former lobby...quite well set up but disorganized...at first they could not find my reservation...then they found it...they had no record of my upgrade request...finally they found that after i unpacked my papers to show them the e mail from their staff member from feb. 5..they said it would be $40 and i had to insist on the $24 quoted and confirmed on feb 5....then they could not find a king room, non-smoking...it was guaranteed on my upgrade request...
the woman disappeared into the back room and came out with a man...i guess her supervisor...i asked to speak to a supervisor and she said that she is the supervisor....the man was rude to me....i don't remember what he said, but by now i was mad....this lasted for 40 minutes when they finally found a room for us...
not a good start...

after getting settled quickly in the room we decided to go to the lounge for a drink....totally free unlimited drinks and great appetisers...we decided that we were tired and that we would just make a dinner out of the offerings...there were meat/fish items, cheeses, veggies, desserts...it was perfect for one nite...now i know why kathie does this some nites at ROS....

we had planned to go to an indian restaurant on new road but this was fine and it allowed plenty of time for us to go down to the corner of new road and silom to the state building and go up to the sky bar for a nite cap drink...

the sky bar is located on the 64th floor of this newish building on the corner of new road and silom, not far from the river...it is basically an office tower and a hotel...
there is a restaurant (sirrocco) and some other venues up there as well...the restaurant is very plush and expensive..it is italian...they offer both inside and outside dining;...every table was full that nite... we were escorted to the bar, which is down a grand staircase, through a series of dining tables and perched out on a outcropping of one corner of the building....after waiting for a few minutes while the bar tenders were fooling around with each other, i ordered two singha beers...there was no greeting from the bar tender at all...he was absolutely rude...so un-thai...he said 610 B...i made a rude comment of some sort back to him as this is a bit outrageous in price--most restaurant beers are 120 B...he ignorred me some more...the bar is round and is inside of a round glass circle which changes colors constantly...you can see if from the street and the river if you know where to look...there is literally no protective fence or barrier other than this wall which is between waist and chest high...there are some very small nets set out from the building to catch a glass if it might fall over, but it would not hold you if you fell....

THE VIEW WAS FANTASTIC....the air was fresh and there was a huge breeze....we did enjoy our time up there...we stayed about 1/2 hour...we walked all around the bar and around the other venues up there---one had a dj...one had a string quartet--one was just an inside bar...it is quite an operation...we would have stayed longer but we could see a huge thunder and lightning storm approaching...the bar boys began to pack up....god only knows what happened to the people who were enjoying their very expensive dinners in the open air....i would never book an outside dinner for that reason...my guess is that the food was not all that great ....it rarely is in attractive places like this...

the hotel was a block and 1/2 away so we decided that we better get moving...as it was we got pretty wet on the way back, but escaped the bulk of the rain...

we took a taxi from the hotel over to the marriott where we had left our luggage...we had pre-packed a bag with clothes for phuket so we picked that up and returned to the HI in the same taxi...

i went up to use the HI free internet in the exec. lounge before it closed at 11...karen did some repacking for the next day...

about the room....the room was fairly large...maybe even a hair bigger than the marriott...it is nicely furished...the bed is comfortable and there is a sofa...the bath is large with a seperate shower room and toilet room...there is a hug closet area...karen notes that this room could be anyplace...other than there being one asian print in the room it could have been in nyc...the wallpaper was a grey stripe...the upholstery and bed spread were generic...it was a good room and a decent price and the location is good....the staff is indifferent and the registration staff is incompetent...i wrote the GM a letter before i left and i received a generic letter here at home when i returned....we would stay there another time but it would not be a high choice...i think the regular rooms are not as nice, and i know the mattresses are thin foam...

i have to go to nyc tomorrow so there will be no additions until tomorrow nite...

Great report Bob, I think Koh Chang seemed as expected and it's nice to still find those places that really do give a chance to unwind. I am still in Chumphon where it is also very quiet and relaxed. Now was the right time to visit Koh Chang before it becomes another built up Island, I think anyone who wants to visit should do soon.

Very thorough, very interesting Bob. Sounds like Koh Chang will be added to my list for the future. I also want to go to Hua Hin and Pattaya. Wish I could muster a full month in Thailand, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

I'm anxious to read about Phuket. We really wanted to get back to Mom Tri's on the last trip (Feb 05) but didn't manage to do it.

Carol

Hi Bob,
Jesse and Dana here. We overlapped you a little bit in BKK. Jack gave us your restaurant tips, thanks. Some of them we had on our list some we did not. We thought the Bed supper Club was fun, it would go over great here in ATL. Jack did a bang up job on Jesse's suits. The funny thing is, Jack told us that he has opened a store up in Ellenwood, GA of all places, this works out great for us. Everything is still made in BKK, I believe. Sorry we were unable to hook up with you for dinner, we had made other plans with some people we met.

Thanks again
Dana

Dana
Interesting that the tailor says he has a branch in Ga. Our tailor in BKK travels extensively to Europe, taking orders, then making the suits,etc. in BKK, and then shipping the goods to the customers. He has had really wonderful results doing this. He doesn't have a "branch" in Europe, but it almost seems that way. He travels to Germany, England, and Sweden so far.
Carol

I'm enjoying your report, Bob, and look forward to teh next installment.