Leaderboard

Dining in Elgano Italian restaurant in Cardiff to celebrate our 16th Wedding Anniversary.

Now most you long time stayers or frequent visitors might not appreciate this as much as I do. You guys ( im assumeing most of you are guy )are used to the going ons in this fair town. But It's been since 2020(?) for my last visit and things you all just take for granted still surprise the hell out of me. Like the heyday of Babydolls. So anyway, we made the rounds last night and ended up in the new location of Heaven Above ( a place i visited frequently in the past) and of course we start chatting up the (nude) dancers at our table. We were having a great time buying drinks, telling tall stories and groping beautiful women( which is pretty normal when ya run with a bunch of friggen lunatics) and next thing I know a certain larger guy from UK is being wanked off by his gal and mine is rubbing/ grinding her perfectly rounded bubble of an ass into my face. Now this is not exactly normal behavior in my neck of the woods back home. But it was pretty much at that exact moment that it dawned on me of why I love this town soo much. Now I have always been a firm believer that a person needs to get the hell out of Dodge, no matter where or what Dodge might be, at least a couple of times a year... because people have a tendency to become complacent of just how good we have it. My years of traveling to Thailand have been some of the funnest times of my life, with some of the best mates I have ever had the privilege of running with. I'm of the age now that I know one of these days it will come to an end.... and I'm going to miss it. So tonight I'm going to get a soapy....cause I can't get one in Durango.

Might as well start a tr as don't think posting many pics in the what are you doing now thread is a good idea,will be mostly hua hin and any side trips,along the lines of the following pics,scenery,people,ect and anything else I find interesting.

My honest opinion is nicely fitted out I just don't understand how they'll separate from one bar to the next. We went in sat in the middle and a girl with a drink card from another bar not the bar we were sitting in front of rushed over to get our drink order. So it seems that all those tables in the middle it's a free-for-all for customers and for the bars to go get their customers. The problem is going to come from you'll have a bar that will have a group of very aggressive service girls and they'll be running up and down that place not mattering where their bar is located in the complex because they can take drink orders throughout. I can see this becoming a problem between the bars. The Winn bar had food catered in for the grand opening from a Chinese place here in town very nice but again here comes the problem the food is at their bar but you've got 200 people sitting in the middle of the place not sitting at any specific bar having drinks from all the other bars. Well I Can Only Imagine that some of those guys are going to take advantage and Wander Over and Avail themselves of the offerings despite not even drinking or having drinks from that particular bar. I think the customer prices are pretty much in line I think they're. Fair Lady drinks at 170 baht with the girls getting 70 of that as a commission. If you're sitting in the middle and say you order a drink from Caesar's Palace bar and a girl comes over to have a chat with you from Planet Hollywood Bar and you decide you'd like to buy her a drink now you have 2 bins. One of our group asked the girls if after getting the drink they could wander through the complex and have a look with their drink in their bin to which she replied no you have to settle your been here before you can walk through and look at the other places. I understand why they want you to do this because there is going to be without question some bins that are missing at the end of the night with people wandering through before settling up at the particular bar where they got the drink from It was considerably cooler in the complex than it was outside so the air conditioning was working as the owner said 880000 BTU's the electric bill is going to be absolutely massive. The music level I thought was just about right you could hold a conversation and hear what the others were saying this is when the DJ was there before the band started we left before the band got going so can't comment on that. The bar fine is 800. As another board member that we met there said this could very well work for the tourists but I don't think they're going to get a tremendous expat following or guys that have been coming for years and I could be wrong it would not be the first time. I wish them the best it takes a big set of balls to get into a venture like this

I have been up this way for 4 months now and am very happy with my life, more so than any other village I have lived in here over the last 30 years! I eat mainly Isaan food which I love because M'Lady is a damned good cook, but I have to say that because she is a Geoff Capes lookalike in his prime and I don't fancy being on the wrong end of her right hook!!!! The local markets sell all the fresh veggie we need and, along with Tesco Lotus, all the fresh meat ....... except for Aussie beef and lamb. So I have just placed an order with expatfoods for delivery. Shipment costs for transportation, dry ice packaging and box - 399 baht. Sounds a lot but I have added cheese and 20 pies to my meat order !!! (who ate all the pies? you fat bastard you fat bastard!!!) I'll let you know how things progress ....

Home for the next 2 and a half weeks except for a couple of short trips.

We've all seen them, maybe even met or had a chat with them, but this trip I saw nada, zero, none. (I'm not including the sadder cases of those who've psychosis induced issues due to alcoholic abuse or drug abuse over an extended period of time - these people have hopefully received the care they need). Last year I saw a bloke in Trench Town wearing a kilt, along with fishnet stockings , the following night he was in a multicoloured katftan. Introduced himself as "Steve" and was a great laugh and very nice guy indeed, very articulate and intelligent. This trip though, no one at all. I saw some vloggers (cunts) noteably that "vlogging a dead horse" twat who almost managed to get himself a good hiding from a bloke in Time Bar on LKM, but it was quickly de escalated. I even missed bm @Nightcrawler sporting his safari suit , cravat and cigarette holder. I noticed the pace of things is much faster now. Treetown seems to be very transient in its customer base, guys sit, have a beer then move on. Very little "intimacy" as well - not in the literal sense of the word , but perhaps the open design of the entire place doesn't lend itself to that, the girls don't seem to want to go beyond the normal interrogation routine, it's like they get a drink and then the conversation stalls. Not wanting all BM's to munch on a nostalgia sandwich, but this trip there were a handful of bars where I was made to feel welcome, and numerous bars where I was made to feel like just another faceless farang.

At the end of this morning's bike ride I'd thought I'd relax with a massage. There's an older lady at a massage shop on Klang that waves to me most mornings as I ride by, so as I was looking for a legit massage I thought I'd give her a try. I pull up and while locking up my bike I confirm her shop has a shower I can use to cool down a bit before the massage. She said yes, but then went on to explain something about the big boss of the shop going home for Songkran so we'll have to use a different room, but it's a very nice room with a good shower. She then proceeds to lead me down Klang. As we're walking I ask her how far and she says not far. So we trudge along about 25m, turn up an adjoining soi, go another 25m and make a another turn into an alley which I then cotton on to is the building where she has a room. She then puts her finger to her lips and motions me to follow her quietly up the stairs. So up, up, up we go until finally we end our ascent on the 6th floor. To her credit she wasn't even breathing hard and while I wasn't either, the climb after a bike ride in the hot sun meant I was seriously overheating. It was also at that point I realized there was a good chance her room was a fan only room. Sure enough, we get to the end of the hall, she unlocks her door and while it's a nice corner room with good breeze from the open windows, it lacks A/C. It was also obvious that my hoped for legit massage was not to be and that insead if I stayed I'd probably be treated to the sight of a naked great grandmother. Using my overheated state as an excuse, I explained politely to her that even with her promised very good shower, it will be impossible for me to cool down enough to enjoy a massage. I felt bad for her as she pleaded with me to not go as she has very few customers and very little money, but I quickly left after slipping 100B into her hand for her time.

So there i was in Kink and who do I run into but an old friend from Babydolls. No other than Miss Apple. Well one thing lead to another and we spent a couple hours reminiscing about old times.

My final meal of this stay was the same as my first, cooked by the same chef, although in a different location. I might have posted this pic before.... the dish is the same, but I'm too embarrassed to put up the crap pic I took of tonight's...!!

Well my form continues and we won the whole competition, beating some top guys along the way. Really pleased for my partner as she has never won a big comp before and she stayed on water all evening whilst I drank Beer Lao all night and she played very well when needed.

After watching a nice sunset behind the hills,we decided to eat at bann khun paw for a change as not to far,the music wad at a decent volume,busy as usual,still great value.

Keeping in mind that there is a huge difference in a cheap Charlie and a guy who is just living within his means.

A look under the partly-closed shutters of LV Beer Bar Complex this evening:

I think, during Covid, many expats stepped up to help Thais who were seriously affected by lack of food and shelter. The pictures of queues for food and water were more than evident at the time. A lot of money was raised. You wouldn't know it now that just a couple of years ago, Pattaya was almost a ghost town For tourists, like myself, I rarely get to meet Thais, not associated with the tourist industry, but its a lot different for those for expat farangs, many who put back, into the place which they have made their home. I reckon most of us are good farangs in the sense that we behave respectfully and peacefully toward the country and people we are visiting and I seldom see any colonial type attitudes these days. Pattaya and other tourist areas are a bubble, and do not represent Thailand as a whole. Those of us who have travelled around the country and spent any time in villages and typical 3towns will know that. But for some, they only the tourist side behave like they might in Benidorm or Ibiza. They come and go and often behave like animals. But in my opinion, they are few and far a very small minority. We should not forget that the main reason for Thais coming to work in places like Pattaya and leaving their homes and families is due to poverty and a chance of employment that they might not get elsewhere, particularly if poorly educated and unskilled. Indirectly, we are all helping toward the economy and the welfare of Thai families from places far and wide, while having fun and relaxation. Sure it may feel sometimes that we are walking wallets, but everything balances out. I am sure that for most bar girls, shagging Western tourists for money, would have been their first choice of employment if there were other opportunities, and there is pressure from their families and the needs of their children to send money home. Once part of the entertainment industry, its hard to leave, and there is not the kind of welfare systems that we enjoy in the West. As in the first post, it's easy to identify bad farangs but overlook the mostly good and unnoticed Thailand often penned as the land of smiles but I often see beyond the smile on girls faces, who playact night after night to please us, but are constantly thinking about their families back home and the worries they have and we don't see. We can just walk away at the end of holiday, but not so easy for them

A friend's pre-teen daughter happens to like pearls. They often take beach vacations to look for them. One Christmas she told him she wanted a pearl necklace as a gift. He told her to go google and show him what types she preferred. Don't do that.

Golden Rock in Myanmar at sunset.

A walk around tarragona and time to replenish stocks,can't help notice how cheap it is here,cappuccino and icing pastry 3,10 euros in one of the many small coffee shops in town,and 15 euros for the snacks,only 17 today a bit chilly.

Had to add more photos here due max file size

A favourite of mine, chicken fajitas in the Sportsman.

Chicken Kiev

Lieing on a sunbed on Tien beach,Koh Larn.perspiring profusely 😆

After dropping ting tong at work decided to hit the beach and go for a swim,once I get pcx tomorrow hopefully, the routine of dropping her at work will change. A red flag was bobbing around in the water not far from where I was swimming,no idea why,maybe some rocks just underneath the surface,but been many times in this area its never been there before tit. Some pics taken around 8,30am.

A walk along the beach before the sun goes down,love this time of year when the tides way out. Trying out the camera phone,it's as good as the Sony point and shoot I've shot similar shots with ,actually think the zooms better !

My latest trip (and apologies for not making the coffee meet up - I had a lot going on) started kind of well. my (comfortable and slept for a solid 9 hours) EVA flight arrived early, de planed and immigration was pretty clear. By way of some miracle my bags were among the first to come off (same happened on my return journey) and I was out, and into the Nams taxi by 16:30, so less than an hour after hitting the tarmac. I then LINE messaged my friend, (who had given the deposit for my room) immediately called me back. "got a problem with your room mate" "oh no, what's the score" "well, I went to the Hotel this morning to drop you off a few beers" (See, he's a good mate)" and they'd given your room away" "what the fucking hell are you on about?". "yeah, so I got an arse on and spoke to the manager, read him his horoscope and told him he's in breach of contract, so they've upgraded your room for the entire stay, oh and you've got breakfast thrown in as well". My mate managed to work a miracle, and it was a great start to a great trip. Upon arriving at the hotel the senor receptionist gave me a sheepish look and told me that my friend had been quite firm in his manner. For those of you who are wondering, it was Cerberus, the former owner of the Devils Den who sorted everything. In addition, I also got a free cocktail voucher. I was pretty tired, and believe it or not on my first night I fell asleep on the bed with a bag of crisps and a beer and woke up 10 hours later picking broken crisps out of my bumcrack. Fast forward a few days, and I was eating my breakfast when there was some commotion going on. The place (Page10 Soi 10) had only gone and caught fire. Worse still, my room was 3 floors above it. As panic was obviously starting to set in, they evacuated the hotel, however, as everyone was running out, I was running upstairs to grab my cash, cards, passport and phone charger (no idea why I grabbed the charger though), and despite the staff telling me otherwise, I was fucking having none of it. Last thing I needed was to be stranded with no money or cards and having to ponce drinks and sleep in abandoned bars. Luckily Pattaya's finest fire service managed to get their 48 year old fire tender to work and extinguish the fire. My room stunk of smoke, so I aired it all day, stayed at my friends for the night and returned the following day. By way of compensation we were given a cup of tea or coffee in the restaurant. I thought that was generous given the fact I could have been looking at losing all my clothes, my passport, airline tickets and the thick end of a few grand in readies. So, lesson learned and the moral of the story, if your hotel catches fire and you're lucky enough to be there at the time, grab everything and ignore any toxic smoke or instructions from the staff.

Finally I found my form, lost my 2nd match to a guy I gave a 3 start to 6 and the 8 as his extra money ball. It's double elimination, so I beat all of the guys on the loosers side until I got to play the same guy again. This time I was playing real well and beat him hill hill. In the final I slaughtered the guy 7 to 2, I had to give him a 2 start, so he didn't win a game. Very very satisfying to finally start to play to my potential. Unfortunately it has taken 5 months and I will be returning home soon to terrorise the fish! At least over the 5 months my flight has been paid for!

About to take off ,lhr to doha ,bkk Back 5 rows were empty, 3 seats to lie down on,happy days.

Braver than me, ambushing and emptying a few Thai Motorbike drivers 😂

Enjoyed some fantastic trail running over the Malvern Hills today, friggin love this place

Good summary by Larry. I thought the place had a good vibe going and have come around to thinking the place stands a good chance of being a success. I suspect they'll have a problem with drink and dash customers as it's going to be very hard for the staff to keep a watchful eye on all their customers. Made harder by the fact there is nothing to distinguish one bart's bin from another bar. Unfortunately it's the staff who will have to cover the drink cost when a customer walks away without paying. And as Larry pointed out, their electric bill is going to be massive. Even more so as surprisingly they don't have an air curtain at the entrance. Something unique to the beer garden are dB meters at the front and two bars in on each side. At around 90 dB you could still carry on a converstation without having to shout.

A BM here recommended the penang curry in Det5, so I went to try it today. It didn't dissapoint.

Chicken thighs with roast red pepper and Penang curry sauce.

I lived on Koh Lanta (Krabi) for three dry seasons ('06-'09) and would walk the beach (Long Beach) everyday. My gal at the time worked in a little resort with a beach bar & massage shop... Often felt like I was living in a dream. . . .

What a friggen great guy.

An old childhood favourite for lunch. Banana sandwich.

Last night for food stalls at the pier,it was pretty dead,sat for a while with 1 drink enjoying the breeze and thai music.A navy boat was tied up at end of pier,they usually have a 1 night stop here when heading further south.

To me it is more about the accuser than the accused. It is definitely popular amongst Farang business owners to bandy about accusations of cheap charlies not wanting to pay their exorbitant prices, whereas I look to see what I am getting for my money compared to other places and just stay away. So am I a cheap bastard?? All they want is your money (of course - they are in business!)! They aren't your mates, especially if you only see them 3 weeks a year but also if you see them 3 times a week but only in their place of business !!!! So in conclusion. I am the biggest cheap bastard I know...!!

Last night's Anniversary meal

Knocked up a sticky chicken and cashew nuts. Was lovely, but it is pretty heavy on the salt, so suggest using reduced salt soy sauce if needed. I love the taste of Hoisin sauce. Topped with spring onions, sesame seeds and chilli flakes.

Seafood for dinner again including Red Snapper, King Crab, Tiger prawns, salad and dips.

Went walking this morning, first proper walk since I was in Bangkok a month ago .... weather was a bit different though ... clear blue skies , but was only 11C , nice in the sunshine, but quite cold in the shade Last of the daffodils, most are already finished for the year

I finally ran into Bell. She's my main massage girl for a bunch of years. I thought she had moved on.

Going Central World to be a bit shopping later, they stock my kinda clothes 😁

Lasagne

Just had the haircut in Bangkok, first time I'd used this salon. Not as exciting as @Yessongs car story but even the little things can be fun here. Got a terrific cut from a lady certainty at least in her early 50s. The lad before me was an early 20 something good looking gym rat and she's all business with him. She's finishing up, shaving the back of my neck with a straight edged razor. She looks at me in the mirror and gives me the classic " You handsum man"😀, she pauses and then says "No very handsum!!" 100 baht tip secured! I know she's lying but walked out with a spring in my step🥳

Last night's feed consisted of poppadoms, chicken chat and onion bahgees followed by a Lamb Tikka Pathia and a King Prawn Pathia with sides of mushroom fried rice and a Peshwari Nan bread.

Kaprow Gai 🌶️🌶️🌶️

On the way back to the cabin