Horizondave

1 minute ago, Krapow said:

Sounds as if it'll all be okay. 

Gonna book for a week from Monday 24th February, so reckon I'll be able to do that from about 10th March.

And that's also inside the 360 days of purchase. I've actually just walk FinnAir Business lounge now. Overall I'll quite impressed with FinnAir. I like them, like their planes, and love their free blueberry juice lol. 

I am a Finnair groupie, I like their service and I really like the quietness and ease of moving around that Helsinki airport. The lounge is really great, but I nearly complained when I was there; for some reason they had a program about 600lb women and the view of them taking a shower and sitting in their beds was not an image I will readily forget, especially while eating my food and guzzling quality wine.

2 minutes ago, Blue Streak said:

Thursday 22nd of February 2024..... 21.00 hrs... Soi Buakhao.

Appreciate these regular currency pics.

1 hour ago, forcebwithu said:

 

Horison (Horizon) is to the right on Google Maps. The distinct building design of 88 Condo is what I used to orient the view in Google Earth to your picture.

Great pic, I have highlighted my house below in Horizon with the blue dot, loved my time there. It was where my daughter grew up for her first 4 years.

It was quite funny sitting in my condo (just 1 year) watching my old house a short distance away. I would consider living there again if I returned.

4 hours ago, Horizondave said:

Not sure but that looks like Horizon on the right and Condo 88 on the left. If it is then both of my former Hua Hin residences are in view. 

That would be Horizon as Condo 88 was to the west of my house. There was quite a lot of noise when they built Condo 88. In fact I can see my old room on the top floor at the north end of the building looking east.

I used to love sitting on my balcony with a beer while watching the lights of Hua Hin and seeing flights coming up from Phuket. Krabi etc., on their way to Bangkok.

2 hours ago, Krapow said:

What date in April does this run out, Dave? I've loved my time here so much, I'm gonna book another week from 24th Feb. Though FinnAir only put flights on a week or 10 days before the year, so could book and use the voucher probably mid March if still valid? 

It runs out on the 06 April 2024. Value 90 Euro.

If you want it I will send the voucher to you by message. It has the voucher number and pin number to enable use. If you actually then use it, just send me £20/25. I will not use it.

PM when needing voucher.

Edit. as per Finnair:

Finnair gift card is not personal, so you can give it to someone else or purchase flights for others as well. Finnair gift card is valid for one year. Please buy your ticket before the expiration date marked on the gift card. Travel date can be later (max 360 days from the day of the purchase). Unused vouchers or a part of them are not redeemed.

8 hours ago, Phantom51red said:

Pondering whether I should try get to this rock above the condo buildings,looks are deceiving but looking from balcony doesnt look to far,not even sure there's a trail,been up to mast area on the right which is the other side of hin lek fai and Higher with good but obscured views over hua hin,the rock looks a better option.

 

Not sure but that looks like Horizon on the right and Condo 88 on the left. If it is then both of my former Hua Hin residences are in view. 

2 hours ago, Jambo said:

I am due a telephone consultation with my GP at 7:30 this morning.

I don't believe I have ever had a problem with my BP but I left hospital after my mild heart attack in December with a whole batch of medications to take each day including one for BP. As requested I sent my own subsequent PB readings to the Practice and he subsequently reduced the amount of the PB dose.

Earlier this week I sent him my BP results for the last two weeks which average out at 115/52 which presumably is good. On the other hand, my pulse rate seems very low and I previously drew this to his attention and also to the Practice Nurse who takes and monitors my bloods from time to time. Neither seemed to be concerned but I intend to raise this today during the consultation.

It could be that I am getting a false reading from the pulse rate. When I was in the hospital they discovered that I apparently have an "extra" beat in my pulse. Again, that did not appear to be of any major concern and may be heriditory as my grandaughter has the same.

Your blood pressure seems low to me, maybe that is why they are calling you in. Obviously sounds better than high blood pressure but hypotension is also a concern to doctors I believe..

7 hours ago, Yessongs said:

Wifey told me next time we go to Hua Hin, the Centara will be where we stay. Have never stayed there or Hilton.....any opinions on which is better? 

Not stayed at the Hilton although have been inside and used the downstairs club and bars. The Hilton is obviously more modern with the Centara maintaining an older style charm offering a very historical feeling to a stay.

For me I would still book the Centara as you feel so immersed in history, the gardens and facilities are beautiful, the grounds and restaurants are amazing. Just having afternoon tea there is an event. I have stayed then and never ventured outside, I just wanted to savour the atmosphere of a premier class hotel.

The hotel has beautifully finished rooms once inside, they are large and extremely comfortable. You have a feeling of being in a 'colonial old hotel' which I particularly like as it comes with great service, you feel part of history.

Not sure of the costs of either hotel, would need to look that up but maybe the wifey would get a better rate for you if she called the hotels.

Decided bed was preferable to listening to my wife talking to her Thai mate on the phone. 95 minutes ago we were meant to be watching a movie together, but that's when her mate called. She is still on the phone and my patience is wearing thin. 

She is seeing this Thai girl tomorrow at 10 am, couldn't she just talk to her then.

Beginning to realise I can't compete with her phone. Personally wish they would both leave home.

A nice cup of tea and a slice of Barra Brith with butter in Neath Leisure Centre. Lovely.

18 hours ago, boydeste said:

Could confuse some, the Hilton is obviously another hotel, but very close by to the Centara. Great pic.

Still need to go to the Sky bar in Hilton, never been. Centara on the other hand is one of my favourite places to visit when in town.

Waiting for the wife, who is about to arrive in Wetherspoon from her work.

She wants Coors, I have Jemima's Pitchfork. Paler than my normal choice, but a great session beer.

The Welsh don't go out on Mondays so pretty empty in here.

2 hours ago, Glasseye said:

 

Well done. I would think that would be very enjoyable. Would be very cool to see that show and interact with other Bowie fans. I would certainly get hammered.

I saw Bowie three different tours. All of them were great.

 

----------------------------------------- a bit of a side story that I think I may have mentioned in the past here, regarding Bowie.

My brother went to the Ziggy show in 1972 at the Chicago Auditorium (Historic theatre, with brilliant sound and atmosphere. Most likely the only place that may compare would be Albert Hall. Both were built in the 1880's).

Following the show my bro went to an "after hours" party of some sort at a private residence (Brownstone type building, big stairs in front of building) not far from the Auditorium. 

Bro was on the steps, talking to some friends. Bro turned around and Bowie was standing there, hanging, just as anyone else.

 

If you ever come across a vid of theirs with decent sound then attach it to your post.

cheers

Will add a video if I find one.

The last Ziggy tour was great, I will say the sound at Hammersmith Odeon was amazing, especially as I was at the last ever Ziggy concert on 03 July 1973, when Jeff Beck came on as surprise guest to jam.

Great days, I looked at my t shirt which had the ticket price on it, ranged from £1.50 to £2.00, amazing value back then.

12 hours ago, Lemondropkid said:

I'd love to try that, haven't had any French real ales.

Their website describes it as "Mont-Blanc’s La Rousse, an iron fist in a velvet glove" 😀

My brother was staying in Flaine, he had a drink of that beer just before an afternoon session of skiing. Just the one though, pretty strong at 6.5%, lovely though.

My brother gave me this bottle, brought back from his skiing trip to France.

Very nice 750 ml at 6.5%.

3 hours ago, Sangsom said:

I had balut when in Phils. Fucking discusting and I puked up straight after. 🤢

Got to be pretty pissed to eat those eggs, have indulged on quite a few occasions.

Did enjoy the balut sisig in Gerry's Grill in SM Angeles once, was pretty good.

Well, I managed to download, not great sound as just copied off a phone but live, it was great, the sound in the small venue was very atmospheric, I even moved my feet a little.

The lead guitarist's solo (Andy Marr) on Moonage Daydream was amazing, although I will always say the Mick Ronson live solo on 03 July 1973 was my favourite..  

Last night, I went with my brother and nephew to see a cover band called Absolute Bowie. Their first set was all Ziggy, and after the break they changed to more modern attire to play most of Bowie's later songs.

Small venue but great night. I wore my Bowie 1973 Ziggy concert tshirt which, amazingly, got a few ladies complimenting me. Even got a kiss on the cheek from a lovely lady as I was leaving, a bit of a shock but didn't take it further, must be getting old.

Hampton Hub is small but perfect for cover bands.

Will add videos if I work out how to make it less than 19mb, maybe somebody here can tell me how to do that as the two videos I want to put on are 50 and 80 mb.

8 minutes ago, boydeste said:

I think he had the small one on both occasions.

Seemed plenty at the time.

Good food and excellent service always, love the place and so convenient for drinks across the road as well. Turn left and the new complex towards the railway is also a great option after.

16 hours ago, boydeste said:

It was in Le Pub. no idea what it cost.

Depends if you order small or large. Pretty sure I had the large cod at less than 300 baht, it was lovely. The small portion would be enough for some.

50 minutes ago, Stillearly said:

I know that's the proper term , but I personally think they mean the same thing in the article ... 🤷‍♂️

I only time I've heard it referred to as Visa Exempt is on forums like this , most people on holiday just call the 30 day stamp a tourist visa 

I could be wrong though ....

I would agree with you. I think the article refers to anybody coming in on a visa exempt (visa free) entry. It is also stated in the link about this 

56 countries offer visa free entry but it is still considered a 30 day visa by immigration as they make the decision on entry to stamp you in. As the link below stipulates it is actually called a Por 30 visa. 

https://thailand.go.th/issue-focus-detail/009-006

It is just visa free......for 30 days and can be extended. It also looks like an interim measure before the 300 baht fee comes in although that appears, not too soon.

4 hours ago, Toy Boy said:

I flew business with Qatar in August and October, BKK-DOH-LHR-DOH-BKK, and I was, by and large, disappointed for an airline that regularly claims to be the best or second-best in the world. I wrote a trip report for my own records but never finalised it as I had better things to do.

 

 

My first gripe was that all four legs were scheduled to be in Q-Suites. That’s great, especially as they all have aisle access so there’s no need to worry about reserving a seat. Then, a few weeks after booking I was informed that, due to a change of aircraft, the BKK-DOH and DOH-BKK legs would not longer have Q-Suites but the conventional 2-2-2 business class seating in a 777 instead. As I like to have aisle access, I reluctantly coughed up an extra 6,000 Baht to reserve a seat on both legs (3,000 Baht per flight).

 

 

All of the first three legs were OK but nothing terribly special. There was nothing in the food or drink or service to write home about, but there was nothing really to complain about either. When I arrived at Doha for the final leg back to Bangkok, I was informed at the gate that the seat reservation I’d paid 3,000 Baht for had been cancelled as they’d changed the plane. I was pretty cheesed off until I saw that it was an A380, which I’ve never flown in before but was keen to do so. That flight was brilliant, one of the best ever, great food, great drink, great service, and a full-size bar behind the business class cabin where I spent the final few hours getting pished with an interesting Chinese guy from Guangzhou. Ten out of ten for that flight with Qatar, anyway.

 

 

One aside, when I got to Heathrow for the flight back, they weighed my suitcases and informed me that, at 42 kg, they were 2 kg over the allowance and I would either have to move 2 kg into my hand baggage or pay £65 in excess baggage. I would have tried rearranging the stuff in my cases, or even chucking some cheap things away, but they were chocker full of chilled and frozen food, and I didn't want the staff seeing any of that lot so I decided to pay up. I’ve been flying internationally for almost 60 years and this was the first time an airline anywhere had ever made a fuss about 2 measly kg. And in business, as well, that’s just taking the mick when you’ve paid around three grand for the ticket. Are Qatar the only airline now that’s strictly enforcing the luggage allowance, or are they all up to the same trick?

 

 

One further aside, I realised that the seat reservation had been cancelled by the airline not by myself and, according to their own terms and conditions, I was due a refund. After quite some e-mailing to and fro, they finally agreed to refund me the 3,000 Baht for the DOH-BKK leg. Almost 2 months later, I’m still waiting for it.

 

 

In terms of price, Qatar still seem to be the best value airline on the LHR-BKK route, unless you really like flying in a crappy little plane all the way to Helsinki. It’s a shame that they’ve become so petty about small extra charges, and the quality of their business class has deteriorated noticeably since my last flight with them before Covid.

 

 

Enjoyed your report until you slagged off Finnair's crappy plane lol

To be honest for a 2.5 hour flight in business on an Airbus 321 connecting to a brand new business seat on the A350 sounds like a better deal than you possibly experienced on 3 of your legs.

I probably would prefer to go non stop, if in business, or via the middle east if guaranteed an A380 but for cheap Charlies like me who can't afford the the more popular airlines, then Finnair works for me.

My journey on Finnair was most enjoyable, but it was also the great lounge at Helsinki and a wonderful smaller sized airport departure area, that made my vacation special but then again I am only 68 lol

My last trip on Qatar was not a great experience and the airport itself really didn't float my boat but yes, if the flights that you had booked actually had given you the customer service and product you had paid for, it might have given you a more positive experience.

I get discounts on Qatar as they are part of IAG, but I would still prefer Finnair if and when I travel back to Thailand, probably not before summer 2025.

Just wondering, also, what the comparable fares are for when booking business ex Thailand as opposed to booking the journey ex UK, is there a great difference. I used to use Gulf Air business when in Thailand as they were very competitive but the ex UK journey was way above my pay grade.

5 hours ago, Jambo said:

All my telephone conversations these days both to and from Thailand are either using Line or Whats App.

I make a video call to Thailand most every day using Line  and it still amazes me how clear these calls are thanks to the wonders of modern technology.

Which reminds me..........I am late!

That's all well if you are calling person to person via an APP, but I think the OP wants to call a landline or business. Skype allows calls to genuine local landline or mobile numbers.

If he was calling his mum at the home it may be that they only receive calls on landlines etc., not apps.

Like you, I am in regular touch with my mate in Hua Hon in via Messenger or WhatsApp

Yes, I think both AIS and DTAC have relatively good costing schemes for calling abroad, just need to visit one of their shops to see what is best for you.

My mate in Thailand just has money on his Skype account purely for the need of calling UK phone numbers. Think that works out very cheap and is still a way to call any number within the UK, rather than using an APP based function such as Line, What's App or Messenger.

Obviously having good Wi-Fi is essential as well.

That I need to get to Wetherspoon early today as the 4.45pm kick off of England v Wales will fill up the pub. Probably be there about 2.45pm and meet the wife from work, probably out the door by the start of the game, not really an interest for me.

Some nice brews on.