Butch

Mate, that's what they're saying, but how are you feeling in yourself?. PM if you need to.

Enough to put you off a diving career:

The people running these crawls don't have work permits. I'd be very, very wary of anything connected to this bloke.

She is very much like my Auntie who lives in Dartford, although my Aunt is quite vocal about her thoughts in multicultural integration and race equality. As some of you know my Dad's not very well, so I visited him today and put my Auntie on speakerphone in the hospital, they're both hard of hearing so the volume was up , and I wasn't expecting the comment she made concerning the black staff who might be working there, which was effectively questioning their honesty, their parentage and the fact they should all be "sent back to Africa on the banana boat they sailed in on". (her words, not mine)

This reared its head again tonight. "I'm in Tesco - do we need anything?" "Oh wow, we're in Waitrose* - yeah we need bread and Milk" I end up coming home with bread and milk. You'll never guess what they came home with as well. * My family can afford to shop in Waitrose, but only for cheap items.

I think Walking Street is, unlike most areas of pattaya, is indiciative of the demographics visiting rather than the true face of the town. WS is where everyone wants to be seen, and it's also where City Hall allow so much to go on. The big indian clubs are catering for that demographic, the girls inside are not the Indian stunners you see on the billboards outside, they're actually overweight Thai girls charging whatever they can in what is arguably going to be a very hostile negotiating arena. When I was there last, the Russian places were literally empty and devoid of customers, but still managing to pay the rents and operate. The Indian places were actually quite busy, mostly with guys hanging around outside deciding which one to go in. The Arab quarter has always been the Arab quarter and I've always felt safe walking through there, and even had a few beers with some Omani guys visiting a few years ago. Whether or not that increases in area or not I think is yet to be seen, but tbh I've not given it any real attention. This coming trip, I do have an Indian friend out there who will probably take me into one of the clubs if I ask him. I'm not going to hold his hand though. I think WS will have a cut off point where the Indian / Russian areas stop and the Western themed areas continue, like the Demarcation line in Korea. I cannot see the likes of XS or Skyfall becoming Russian GGB's anymore than Nashaa becomes Insomnia mark 2. At the time of writing it appears that line is roughly where Boeshe / Catz / X Zone area used to be onwards heading to the pier. It'll remain as it is I think, especially the Diamond arcade / Soi 15 parts along with the big guns occupying the relevant section of the main drag. I cant see the Koreans and especially the Chinese being particularly enamoured with having to walk through an area propagated by Indians.

I expect you're familiar with the Soi Bukhao area?. Although 10 years ago LK Metro and that area looked slightly different, there were GGB's etc you could visit, today it's much busier and much better. It's a good street to go to in the evening. For afternoon fun, Gentlemens Clubs are no longer a place you need to travel to, like M club or Jade House, Soi Chaiyapoon has one or two GC's, but the best area is Soi Boomerang, which is just up the road on Soi Bukhao . There's plenty of GC's for you to choose from in that small Soi. BM @forcebwithu has a brilliant interactive map on here which gives accurate locations for pretty much every GC in town. Chaiyapoon has changed a great deal in the last 10 years, Dive Bar and Maggie Mays are worth a look for A/C comfort and good prices. Jibbys on Soi LK Metro for good Air con, Time bar for cheap beer and people watching, billabong for 2 for 1 beers and live music. GGB's are all going to be more expensive as you know, Sugar Sugar is a decent GGB but the quality of the girls is hit and miss, mostly miss.

I don't know whether to be shocked or laugh at those numbers!. Even at 85K per month, there's electric, consumables and wages on top of that. for a small 1/2 sized unit selling only booze and the occasional LD / barfine, and as you say, prices not yet established, even my useless mathematical skills are telling me that the nightly turnover needs to be considerable in order to sustain such a place. That's pushing £2k GBP per month rent for half a plywood constructed and cladded bar made to look like a shipping container (hardly an aesthetical masterpiece) with a couple of fridges, fans and a few stools thrown in for good measure. How anyone can look at this and think it's a good idea in the current pattaya climate now, or at anytime in the last 5 years really need to give their head a wobble.

Start a Youtube channel as a hobby, rewards are small but if you get enough subscribers, it can provide a bit of a passive income - but maybe one for hobby rather than relying upon it to generate anything. My local Tesco employs people on a fully flexible basis, most of them are Mum's who work between school hours. I'm not sure but I think Tesco delivery allows flexible working schemes as well. Parcel delivery is a bit dicey, there are feral gangs in London who follow parcel vans and steal from them while the driver is delivering, or just simply hold him up when he stops. Although you're in London, rurally Gardening is a very popular, although seasonal sideline, simple stuff, lawns hedges and borders. Getting to know others such as Fencing companies or Patio / Driveway companies can earn a few in kickbacks if you're in the game. Here's a left field option, just from the top of ma head, You're a half decent vegan cook, maybe approach local coffee shops / cafes / sandwich shops or even any local "trendy" or "artisan" pubs and shops, offering vegan stuff like pasties, cakes, snacks and the like, on a small scale which you can cook at home and deliver fresh in the morning. You'll probably have to go on a food hygiene course though. you won't need to buy anything apart from clingfilm and a printer to print the ingredients on a sticky label, and an oven of course. Maybe ties that in with a vegan YT cooking channel.

One item of note regarding EVA - their summer "high season" for flights used to run from early July to the end of August, thus most flights during that period would be above the seasonal norm, this is going back a few years though. To put it all in perspective, Pre covid I had paid, in May 2020 £876 PE RTN on EVA. However, in Feb 2013 I paid £735 Economy RTN on EVA, but in May 2015 I paid £1610 Business RTN on EVA. (All booked direct) It might just show that either : a: My timings for buying flights is hit and miss or b : EVA don't really have much of a pricing structure other than it is seemingly linked to what everyone else is charging for the same trip.

LGW seems the right choice for a low frequency BKK flight. I think it'll be very popular, as people who collect Avios and are loyal to BA will probably return, along with guys who don't mind which airport they leave from, as long as the flight is direct and heading towards BKK. I'll be interested to see the timings as well, which may have a factor. More competition in the sector is a good thing, as @Horizondave said, how THAI and EVA react is yet to be seen, but they've certainly been making the most of the situation they have had recently with the prices for direct flights on both airlines. As someone mentioned, it's interesting to see the A380 mentioned, as I thought BA had done / was doing away with them. There was one parked at NAIA for a while on our last trip. All we need is for them to pull the 747's out of retirement - if they weren't all scrapped that is.

Yep, I've read a few horror stories about the condition of the water tanks on aircraft, although I've never had an issue with the coffee, but I don't think the water is boiled prior to making it. On EVA, they do serve their water from bottles. I tend to prefer Tomato or orange juice anyway. It's damn good coffee though.

It's blast chilled or fast friozen then reheated on the Aircraft using convection ovens apparently, still not enough to make me want to eat it!. I just normally have a flapjack that I've purchased and coffee for my breakfast.

Best idea. I think the breakfast attempts are actually not bad. if I recall my EVA was as you describe along with a large mushroom and possibly some potato chunks and a tomato, but the omelette making the bulk of the dish. Considering that the food has been sat for the thick end of 10+ hours by the time they serve it, i'm slightly reluctant to eat the breakfast. Can't really go wrong with a croissant or bread roll. EVA coffee is damn good though. I often treat myself to 2 cups when they come around, I'd like to know the type they use because although its probably some mass produced catering effort, it at least has some good flavour, unless if course it's my palate at that altitude telling me it's better than it actually is.

Given the quality of some airline food these days, most probably the best one!. having said that, I've mentioned before that Airlines want to take us as far away from the magnificent experience of flying as is possible. Blinds, films, food, distractions but the fact remains we're doing something totally unnatural purely by wonders of modern technology .

This video is what prompted me to ask such a question guys, although not armed (to their best knowledge) breaking a door frame or such acts of force to enter suggests hostile intentions. The family disagree, but I'd wonder on what grounds?.

Bit of a law question actually. Am I correct when I ask that if a burglar, armed, enters your house or property without permission and intending to steal / harm, I understand that in all states you have the legal right to defend yourself using a firearm, and if needs be, use lethal force?. In the UK it is different, we're only allowed to use "reasonable force in order to prevent harm to ourselves or to another" - and "reasonable force" is determined by a court and then a jury, not by the individual. In the UK , say if I twatted a burgler around the head with an iron bar or stabbed him, I'd be immediately placed under arrest and placed into custody awaiting questioning or , if the CPS decided, prosecution for whatever charge. Does it work like that in the USA?. - Say a burglar entered your home with a blade or a gun, he was shot and killed by the homeowner, would the homeowner be arrested and subsequently charged, then it would be for the court to decide, or would there be an investigation by the Police to establish his innocence?. One of the more interesting aspects of civil rights that I like about the USA. And please guys, keep the politics out of it!.

To be honest mate, it's always better to rule out the most likely scenarios first...🤣

With the booze, I think that it's again, the bottom line that dictates how much the Aircraft carries versus how much leaving a case or two behind on the tarmac would save in fuel over the active lifetime of the Aircraft - along with the other cost saving of not actually buying so much of it in the first place. That might also apply to food portions I guess. I love watching the YT videos of how they make airline food, with more umami flavours as our palates change at the altitude the A/C is set to while airborne. Can't say I've ever noticed though. There's a lot of thought that goes into it, across all classes of travel.

Something all of us have encountered at one time or another. There's 2 types IMO, the stuff you get as part of your ticket on a long haul, and the stuff people buy while in the air on the short haul flights. Now, I have no idea why some people buy food on a 2 or 3 hour flight, it's not as if they're going to starve to death in the time they are in the air, but it's revenue I guess and keeps prices down. On the occasions I've purchased a short haul flight, mostly in the PI the ticket has occasionally included a free meal, usually a cup noodle, heated up cheese and onion slice, or some kind of high calorie low nutrition snack. Normally on a short haul i'll take my own water bottle and that'll be it. Long haul, I've found the food on Malaysian to be good, Singapore Airlines also. When I say "good" I mean edible. EVA offers OK food, omlette and sausage for breakfast and usually a chicken , beef or maybe fish dish for mains with a yoghurt / Ice cream and small selection of fruit , crackers with cheese and very good coffee!. Most SEA Airlines seem to offer a noodle dish, THAI seem to like this as well. However, options aside, I will only eat if I'm really hungry, otherwise I just stick to the plain crackers and butter, or bread roll with a bit of cheese in it. I just don't trust airline food for some reason, and I'll always grab a mars bar and pack of crisps or flapjack to take on board.

Ahhh, the Nissan pickup, on rusty steel wheels (none of that alloy nonsense) and faded red paintwork!.

It's definitely big enough to be a nightclub but I'll be buggered if I'd even consider staying in a room above one. The sound proofing in the Hotel wasn't great when I stayed there from either inside or outside. I'd be very interested how much the place sold for, if it was sold. They were asking a massive amount for it. How's Classroom these days?. Not been in since Chart was managing it and when it was a genuine GGB.

Erm..fucking yes please.

Velcro and very small number plates are your friend. Be very interested to see what you eventually decide on mate. Got any idea what you're after?. I've always been a Yamaha or Kawasaki fan myself.

Something that I realise now but didn't as a kid, was how a couple who lived across the road from us were very kind, but somewhat guarded. They took immense pride in themselves and their house, garden kept immaculate with the Man of the house, traditionally keeping it tip top. He never got the arse when our football went on his lawn or flowerbeds, unlike other neighbours who'd keep the football, or in one case, puncture it. They were both always very kind and thoughtful. I remember my Mum telling me years later that they had both been in Concentration camps during the War, and were Jewish, met later on and married but never had kids. What really made me think about them was that we used to play "war" in the street with wooden guns, one side Germans the other British. Only now I realise that it must have been quite painful for them to watch and hear.