Well folks, I'm still living in Pattaya and as I have reached 50, I've managed to get myself a 1 year Non Imm 'O-A' visa, so that's a fond farewell to all the bloody border runs to Laos and Cambodia.
It also means that my passport will not fill up so quick which is another benefit.
Money is still tight, but that was to be expected, however a small windfall from the UK has been enough to buy .5 Rai of land 'up country' and should have enough to get the basic structure erected (Walls / Roof / Plumbing / Electrics).
For those that are vaguely interested the location is on the road from Khok Kha Min to Non Ya Plong. (The middle of the field can be found at Latitude = 17.2080, Longitude = 101.8577)
Around 30km to the nearest Tesco, but one benefit is that there is a small airport at Loei with flights to Bangkok costing around 2,000 Baht (compared to 500 Baht and 11 hours on the bus).
Sunday 29 May 2011
Saturday 5 September 2009
September 2009
I'm still here in Pattaya and am all official with Visa and Work Permit.
I gave up posting to this blog as there were too many instances of my past being used against me.
I gave up posting to this blog as there were too many instances of my past being used against me.
Saturday 8 December 2007
Trip 4 - Day 121
December 8th Saturday
I get up and leave Nam a tip of 300 baht again which she makes no complaint about and she heads off back to see Mama and she’s definitely going to work tonight and I let her know that I won’t be at her bar as I am not planning to go out tonight.
There is a party on at the FLB tonight, that I had no intention of attending, however I am informed by Kev that my attendance is not optional; it is mandatory.
The first beer is bought for me by MM and I’m asked to check out his Camstreams Webcam. I check out all the settings and can find nothing wrong with his configuration, however there is no video stream being broadcast and I cannot determine what the fault is. I am reluctant to shut down the system completely as there are closed circuit recordings also running on the machine and I do not wish to jeopardise any mandatory recordings. (so sorry about that guys!)
When Kev arrives, he sends me another beer over and when I finally give up on getting the stream working tonight, I find that Green Malaka has also turned up. The party tonight is Sexy Secretaries, but I find that I am more interested in hostess Yok than the girls on stage. Tonight, Green Malaka and Kev take it in turns to ply me with beer and the night ends up with me quite drunk, so I simply head off home.
Expenditure :
Food 130
Tip 300
Scooter Taxi 160
Drink for Da 100
I get up and leave Nam a tip of 300 baht again which she makes no complaint about and she heads off back to see Mama and she’s definitely going to work tonight and I let her know that I won’t be at her bar as I am not planning to go out tonight.
There is a party on at the FLB tonight, that I had no intention of attending, however I am informed by Kev that my attendance is not optional; it is mandatory.
The first beer is bought for me by MM and I’m asked to check out his Camstreams Webcam. I check out all the settings and can find nothing wrong with his configuration, however there is no video stream being broadcast and I cannot determine what the fault is. I am reluctant to shut down the system completely as there are closed circuit recordings also running on the machine and I do not wish to jeopardise any mandatory recordings. (so sorry about that guys!)
When Kev arrives, he sends me another beer over and when I finally give up on getting the stream working tonight, I find that Green Malaka has also turned up. The party tonight is Sexy Secretaries, but I find that I am more interested in hostess Yok than the girls on stage. Tonight, Green Malaka and Kev take it in turns to ply me with beer and the night ends up with me quite drunk, so I simply head off home.
Expenditure :
Food 130
Tip 300
Scooter Taxi 160
Drink for Da 100
Friday 7 December 2007
Trip 4 - Day 120
December 7th Friday
The 07:30 waking has not been such a problem this week as I thought it might have been and it is actually quite a good feeling knowing that there is a purpose in getting up each day.
I leave with Nam still wrapped up in bed and realise that I have only a little money in my wallet, so can only leave a ‘tip’ of 300 baht. As I had no plans to barfine last night, I had not been to the bank.
I spend the afternoon visiting a few properties around Jomtien and then a trip out to Siam Gardens which is a development out by Maprachan Lake. For 6m baht it is quite impressive the amount of property that can be bought. (see website)
I get a call from BM Bryan saying that he’ll be in Noi’s Bar for a while this evening, so I end up getting a scooter taxi back to Khao Noi and have a few beers in the company of Bryan, Kolobos and the ever lovely Bow.
I am still very desirous of this girl, but as I have Nam waiting for me just 50 yards away, I decide that it is definitely time to leave instead. On the way home I stop off at the corner shop to get some more booze which myself and Nam proceed to consume during the evening whilst watching TV.
Expenditure :
Baht Bus - 20 baht
Scooter Taxi - 60 baht
Tukcom - 150 baht
Nois - 460 baht
Beer Whisky Ice Soda - 230 baht
Cigarettes - 48 baht
The 07:30 waking has not been such a problem this week as I thought it might have been and it is actually quite a good feeling knowing that there is a purpose in getting up each day.
I leave with Nam still wrapped up in bed and realise that I have only a little money in my wallet, so can only leave a ‘tip’ of 300 baht. As I had no plans to barfine last night, I had not been to the bank.
I spend the afternoon visiting a few properties around Jomtien and then a trip out to Siam Gardens which is a development out by Maprachan Lake. For 6m baht it is quite impressive the amount of property that can be bought. (see website)
I get a call from BM Bryan saying that he’ll be in Noi’s Bar for a while this evening, so I end up getting a scooter taxi back to Khao Noi and have a few beers in the company of Bryan, Kolobos and the ever lovely Bow.
I am still very desirous of this girl, but as I have Nam waiting for me just 50 yards away, I decide that it is definitely time to leave instead. On the way home I stop off at the corner shop to get some more booze which myself and Nam proceed to consume during the evening whilst watching TV.
Expenditure :
Baht Bus - 20 baht
Scooter Taxi - 60 baht
Tukcom - 150 baht
Nois - 460 baht
Beer Whisky Ice Soda - 230 baht
Cigarettes - 48 baht
Thursday 6 December 2007
Trip 4 - Day 119
December 6th Thursday
I have no idea what time I left the bar last night, but on the basis that I wake up at home with Nam at my side, something obviously happened, so just to make sure that it’s not a complete waste of money, I manage to find time for a ‘quickie’ before having to head off. This doesn’t let me off from a severe ‘earache bashing’ over not having my phone, so Nam couldn’t get in touch with me or for being ‘mau mak mak’ last night
Nam has also got up this morning as she’s going home to see Mama, so we leave together. She gets a scooter taxi, whilst I walk down to Klang.
Today, the Bar Crawl is an afternoon one in Soi 6 which I cannot attend, but I am able to meet the guys for a quick Coke in The Queen Vic before they all head off. This is when I am told by Volsfan that he had been at the Cherry Bar last night and whilst it hadn’t been particularly late, I had been pretty well smashed. Hammer overhears this conversation and says that at least I’m keeping up the Cherry Bar tradition.
On the way home in the evening, I finally get around to buying a new padlock for the front door, so now I’m reasonably safe from an unannounced visit from A and removal of everything in the house.
At 22:00, I get a call from Nam saying that she doesn’t want to work bar tonight and can she come round. I need to pay barfine and scooter which will cost me 400 baht. I just end up agreeing and 20 minutes later she arrives on a scooter. 100 baht for the scooter and 300 baht for the scooter rider to take back to the bar.
At least it’s not too late a night and I’m able to get a good nights sleep tonight.
Expenditure :
Tip - 500 baht
Bar Crawl - 40 baht (A coke in the Vic)
Baht Bus - 20 baht
Padlock - 120 baht
Barfine – 300 baht
Scooter Taxi – 100 baht
I have no idea what time I left the bar last night, but on the basis that I wake up at home with Nam at my side, something obviously happened, so just to make sure that it’s not a complete waste of money, I manage to find time for a ‘quickie’ before having to head off. This doesn’t let me off from a severe ‘earache bashing’ over not having my phone, so Nam couldn’t get in touch with me or for being ‘mau mak mak’ last night
Nam has also got up this morning as she’s going home to see Mama, so we leave together. She gets a scooter taxi, whilst I walk down to Klang.
Today, the Bar Crawl is an afternoon one in Soi 6 which I cannot attend, but I am able to meet the guys for a quick Coke in The Queen Vic before they all head off. This is when I am told by Volsfan that he had been at the Cherry Bar last night and whilst it hadn’t been particularly late, I had been pretty well smashed. Hammer overhears this conversation and says that at least I’m keeping up the Cherry Bar tradition.
On the way home in the evening, I finally get around to buying a new padlock for the front door, so now I’m reasonably safe from an unannounced visit from A and removal of everything in the house.
At 22:00, I get a call from Nam saying that she doesn’t want to work bar tonight and can she come round. I need to pay barfine and scooter which will cost me 400 baht. I just end up agreeing and 20 minutes later she arrives on a scooter. 100 baht for the scooter and 300 baht for the scooter rider to take back to the bar.
At least it’s not too late a night and I’m able to get a good nights sleep tonight.
Expenditure :
Tip - 500 baht
Bar Crawl - 40 baht (A coke in the Vic)
Baht Bus - 20 baht
Padlock - 120 baht
Barfine – 300 baht
Scooter Taxi – 100 baht
Wednesday 5 December 2007
Trip 4 - Day 118
December 5th Wednesday
I wake up and Nam is still fast asleep and is still that way after I shower. Sense would dictate that I wake her and get her out of the house before I leave, but sense has not been one of my strengths out here and instead I end up giving her a set of keys to lock up when she leaves and I leave a ‘tip’ on the table with her bag.
I leave the house hat 08:00 and as I reach Sukhumvit highway, I realise that I have left my mobile at home. There’s no way that I’m walking back for it, so just decide to leave it where it is.
The day is spent continuing to appraise myself of procedures and starting to document how things are currently done as it is currently a word of mouth process which is not the way to do things in my opinion.
I have been asked if I can make myself available in the early evening to attend the launch party of the Paradise condo development in Jomtien Soi 7 which I attend with a couple of colleagues.
After the ‘bash’ at which each of us manages to demolish the best part of a bottle of Hardys ‘bubbly’, it’s time to finish up, so we make the decision to have a few beers, however it’s the Kings birthday today and many of the local bars are closed (including Country Roads and the We Are Number 1 GoGo). We end up in the Jomtien complex, but Fantasy Lounge is closed as well and we end up in El Coyotees which is in the process of being refurbished. Dire would be an understatement as to the quality of the staff working here tonight, so we leave and as there is nowhere else open, we head back into town as I need to be in Soi 8 for 20:00.
We park on Soi 7 opposite Amazing Paradise, so I see Nam sitting out the front of the bar and so I go to talk with her. The bar is not serving alcohol though, so we do not stay for a drink. I explain that it is Wednesday night and that I am working at the bar in Soi 8 tonight, but I will call in when I finish.
We walk round to Cherry Bar and the effects of the wine and the beer is already taking effect. It’s only 20:00 and I’m pissed already. MM turns up with his ‘wife’ as the FLB is closed for the night and later Volsfan turns up. (I don’t actually remember this until I’m reminded the next day.)
Expenditure :
Tip + Scooter Fare - 550 baht
Baht Bus - 10 baht
Scooter Taxi – 100 baht
Drinks – 210 baht
I wake up and Nam is still fast asleep and is still that way after I shower. Sense would dictate that I wake her and get her out of the house before I leave, but sense has not been one of my strengths out here and instead I end up giving her a set of keys to lock up when she leaves and I leave a ‘tip’ on the table with her bag.
I leave the house hat 08:00 and as I reach Sukhumvit highway, I realise that I have left my mobile at home. There’s no way that I’m walking back for it, so just decide to leave it where it is.
The day is spent continuing to appraise myself of procedures and starting to document how things are currently done as it is currently a word of mouth process which is not the way to do things in my opinion.
I have been asked if I can make myself available in the early evening to attend the launch party of the Paradise condo development in Jomtien Soi 7 which I attend with a couple of colleagues.
After the ‘bash’ at which each of us manages to demolish the best part of a bottle of Hardys ‘bubbly’, it’s time to finish up, so we make the decision to have a few beers, however it’s the Kings birthday today and many of the local bars are closed (including Country Roads and the We Are Number 1 GoGo). We end up in the Jomtien complex, but Fantasy Lounge is closed as well and we end up in El Coyotees which is in the process of being refurbished. Dire would be an understatement as to the quality of the staff working here tonight, so we leave and as there is nowhere else open, we head back into town as I need to be in Soi 8 for 20:00.
We park on Soi 7 opposite Amazing Paradise, so I see Nam sitting out the front of the bar and so I go to talk with her. The bar is not serving alcohol though, so we do not stay for a drink. I explain that it is Wednesday night and that I am working at the bar in Soi 8 tonight, but I will call in when I finish.
We walk round to Cherry Bar and the effects of the wine and the beer is already taking effect. It’s only 20:00 and I’m pissed already. MM turns up with his ‘wife’ as the FLB is closed for the night and later Volsfan turns up. (I don’t actually remember this until I’m reminded the next day.)
Expenditure :
Tip + Scooter Fare - 550 baht
Baht Bus - 10 baht
Scooter Taxi – 100 baht
Drinks – 210 baht
Tuesday 4 December 2007
Trip 4 - Day 117
December 4th Tuesday
The alarm goes off and I’m up and out the door at 08:00 once again and it feels good to have some ‘purpose’ once again. The day is spent determining how existing procedures operate and it is clear to me that there is much that can be done to automate and improve the internal processes, however with little in the way of technical expertise on hand, things will have to be taken slowly in order that full training and clear documentation can be provided.
The day passes quickly and it’s 18:00 before I finally leave. Instead of going home, I walk down to Soi 7 and settle myself down at the corner of the bar in Amazing Paradise.
Many of the girls come up and say hello and start giggling, but I’m not particularly bothered. After 30 minutes, I sense someone standing behind me and when I turn, it’s Nam. She sits with me for a while and explains that the “Big Boss” has been taken ill at the bar tonight and “he go to hospital”.
There’s a collection being taken by the girls to buy flowers and other gifts. From what I’m told, the collection is actually for gifts to Buddha to say prayers for the boss rather than for him directly. On the grounds that Nam has said that she doesn’t want a ladydrink, the 100 baht that she asks me to give as a donation on her behalf doesn’t seem to be too big an expenditure.
Whilst on my second beer, I’m told that I don’t need to pay big money in the morning if I pay barfine, so with such a deal on offer I pay checkbin including the barfine and we go for something to eat. I’m introduced to the food stall at the end of Soi 7 where we have a meal of chicken, noodles and soup with whole garlic and chillies as an accompaniment. It’s extremely tasty and very good value and we’ve also bought a large bag of chicken bones for 10 baht that Nam is going to take home for “My dog”
We get a scooter taxi to take us back to Khao Noi and after a bit of messing about on the sofa, we move into the bedroom and it’s a great finish to the first day of a new regime.
Expenditure :
Breakfast (Apple) - 10 baht
Baht Bus - 10 baht
Beers - 140 baht
Barfine - 300 baht
Food - 70 baht
Scooter Taxi - 140 baht
Donation for Amazing Paradise Big Boss - 100 baht
The alarm goes off and I’m up and out the door at 08:00 once again and it feels good to have some ‘purpose’ once again. The day is spent determining how existing procedures operate and it is clear to me that there is much that can be done to automate and improve the internal processes, however with little in the way of technical expertise on hand, things will have to be taken slowly in order that full training and clear documentation can be provided.
The day passes quickly and it’s 18:00 before I finally leave. Instead of going home, I walk down to Soi 7 and settle myself down at the corner of the bar in Amazing Paradise.
Many of the girls come up and say hello and start giggling, but I’m not particularly bothered. After 30 minutes, I sense someone standing behind me and when I turn, it’s Nam. She sits with me for a while and explains that the “Big Boss” has been taken ill at the bar tonight and “he go to hospital”.
There’s a collection being taken by the girls to buy flowers and other gifts. From what I’m told, the collection is actually for gifts to Buddha to say prayers for the boss rather than for him directly. On the grounds that Nam has said that she doesn’t want a ladydrink, the 100 baht that she asks me to give as a donation on her behalf doesn’t seem to be too big an expenditure.
Whilst on my second beer, I’m told that I don’t need to pay big money in the morning if I pay barfine, so with such a deal on offer I pay checkbin including the barfine and we go for something to eat. I’m introduced to the food stall at the end of Soi 7 where we have a meal of chicken, noodles and soup with whole garlic and chillies as an accompaniment. It’s extremely tasty and very good value and we’ve also bought a large bag of chicken bones for 10 baht that Nam is going to take home for “My dog”
We get a scooter taxi to take us back to Khao Noi and after a bit of messing about on the sofa, we move into the bedroom and it’s a great finish to the first day of a new regime.
Expenditure :
Breakfast (Apple) - 10 baht
Baht Bus - 10 baht
Beers - 140 baht
Barfine - 300 baht
Food - 70 baht
Scooter Taxi - 140 baht
Donation for Amazing Paradise Big Boss - 100 baht
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