Avoiding The Scams December 10, 2009
Posted by Martin in : Thailand, Travel Tips , 1 comment so farTik and I feel quite embarrassed when travelers spend time in Thailand and end up getting cheated here.
Thailand as a whole, and especially Bangkok, are in my experience, the safest places to travel in the world.
Unless you’re really unlucky you’ll never find yourself under any physical threat here – regardless of where you venture or what time of the day or night it is. Pretty much the only crime you might experience here might be confidence crime or possibly minor theft or pickpockets.
For those of you nervous about traveling to a country where police don’t command much respect, I’ve put together some known scams you might experience here and some advice about how to avoid them.
The Start of Our Day Trip : Pimai Temple, Korat December 6, 2009
Posted by Martin in : Thailand, travel , add a commentAfter picking up Careys friend Craig from the airport we began our Issan Road Trip.
After a predictable stop at ChockChai Farm for our routine burger we arrived at Pimai temple in Korat.
The temple itself is derelict, it is still a hub of tourism and seems to be used for festivals. We were all impressed by how much the ruins looked like Ankor Wat in Cambodia.
Tik’s real motivation for taking us here was to take photos. My personal favorite was her “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” shot, modeled by Craig and Carey.
Not as Unfit as I Thought November 21, 2009
Posted by Martin in : Health & Sport, Thailand , add a commentToday I ran 10km in Suan Rot Fai (park).
This time last year I was in peak condition having spent three months training for the Bangkok 10k fun run. I’d lost a load of weight and was full of energy.
One year on I’ve never been heavier so I’ve been getting back into running for the past 2 weeks. As a benchmark today I decided to run in the park to see how my time compared to my adequate 75 minutes last year.
Flight of the Gibbon, Chonburi November 14, 2009
Posted by Martin in : Thailand , add a commentTik, Carey and I drove to Chonburi for the day to try out Thailand’s most publicized new tourist attraction.
‘Flight of the Gibbon’ is a series of zip-lines fixed high into the forest canopy which one swings between for both the adrenaline rush and for the incredible views of the forest.
There are three Flight of the Gibbon branches now in Thailand; Chonburi (the largest and newest), one in Chiang Mai and there will soon be one in Koh Pangnan. Carey also said there was a similar (but smaller) service in Koh Samui running under a different name.
We were lucky that there was just the three of us and one other gentleman called Aly so that we were not waiting around too long between lines. We were aided by two staff members who did an excellent job of keeping us safe and confident at all times.
At about 1,200 baht for Thais and around 2,000 baht for foreigners this wasn’t a cheap day out but considering the ziplines lasted nearly three hours and the price included full access to Kow Kiew Zoo and a reasonable lunch it was actually very good value.
To learn more about Flight of the Gibbon, click here.
A Perfect Sunday in Bangkok November 8, 2009
Posted by Martin in : Friends, Health & Sport, Leisure, Thailand , add a comment
We currently get so little free time these days that I’ve begun planning our only day of leisure to make sure we are still getting some fresh air, some exercise , doing something new and meeting friends.
Carey has returned to stay with us this week and after an early morning swim we headed to Chatuchak weekend market to explore the artwork and puppies there.
Weekend in Pattaya September 20, 2009
Posted by Martin in : Friends, Thailand , add a commentWith Tik studying so hard it’s very rare we get a free weekend to get away. On the verge of burning out we managed to get out to Pattaya though for two days and met up with our friends Wayne and Lorraine.
A Day Round Khao Sarn Road August 16, 2009
Posted by Martin in : Leisure, Thailand , add a commentIt’s been a very long time since Tik and I took a trip to Khao sarn road area which is recognized worldwide for its cheap amenities for backpackers.
Most people we known prefer now to stay in the road behind Khao Sarn which is called ‘Thannon Rambutree’. Rambutree has similar amenities for backpackers such as guesthouses, cheap cafes, travel agents and bookstores but it’s a lot quieter than Khao sarn and we much prefer it.
We had no real aim for the day but I really do love eating at ‘Oh My Cod’ restaurant as their large cooked breakfast is a real treat.
Protected: Lonely Planet Online July 23, 2009
Posted by Martin in : Thailand, Travel Tips , Enter your password to view commentsKanchanaburi Safari Park July 6, 2009
Posted by Martin in : CouchSurfing, Friends, Leisure, Thailand, travel , add a commentThe following morning we visited the safari park.
I’d seen videos of this park online and looked forward to how close we could get to the giraffes. The park itself was great value; 300 baht for westerners, 130 for Thais.
Outside the park we had the opportunity to play with an excitable lion cub and have a group photo with a pretty lethargic tiger.
The park itself was as I’d imagined it, animals so used to tourists that they stuck their heads right into the car.
I found the zebras a little aggressive. They constantly snarled and jumped at the giraffes in a bid to get into our windows. (more…)
Weekend in Kanchanaburi July 5, 2009
Posted by Martin in : CouchSurfing, Leisure, Thailand , add a commentOur Couchsurfing friends David and Sharon were only meant to stay with us one night. Even before meeting them I felt bad that we’d not get more time with them as they were an extremely interesting couple with a positive and proactive attitude and a lot to share. Thankfully we managed to convince them to join us for a weekend in Kanchanaburi as I was keen to visit the safari park there.
We chose a bank holiday weekend so a few guesthouses were booked up but we were lucky enough to find Sams Rafthouse which is along the river Kwai and not far from the infamous (and infamously dull) railway.
Although we were planning on only modest accommodation Tik was excited to be offered the VIP rafthouse with fully fitted bathroom. At 800 baht for the night this was very reasonable and the room was clean and well-maintained. We were looking forward to sitting outside on the floating patio and getting to know our new friends.
We sat outside on the porch, discussing life until late.
Bang Naampeung ‘Floating’ Market May 24, 2009
Posted by Martin in : Leisure, Thailand , add a commentWe go frequently to Bang Naampeung ‘Floating’ Market as it’s close to my favorite park when I want to go jogging. Tik’s a fan because of all the unusual foods available there.
The market is about 30 minutes away from our apartment, across the suspension bridge which goes outside of Bangkok. The market has quadrupled in size in the last year but luckily it’s still off the tourist map.
I am reluctant to call this a floating market because it’s really a market by a canal. Only a few vendors actually use boats.
Here’s a selection of photos taken during our two most recent visits.
Tigers in Thailand May 13, 2009
Posted by Martin in : Thailand, Travel Tips , add a commentI feel obligated to write a post about The Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi, Thailand because a lot of travelers have mentioned how excited they are to go there.
I’ve been there once and really do not recommend going it.
Here are my reasons:
Weekend in Ayutthaya April 25, 2009
Posted by Martin in : Leisure, Thailand, travel , add a commentCarey, Tik and I went to Ayutthaya for the weekend.
Ayutthaya is a historic city that once operated as the capital of the country. It hosts a lot of temples and, having not been there for over 5 years I felt it was about time we revisited.
On the way we stopped at a local tourist village and park which had an aviary, aquarium, park and local handicrafts.
Suan Lum Night Bazaar April 4, 2009
Posted by Martin in : Friends, Thailand , 1 comment so farWe got to Suan Lum Night Bazaar a lot but rarely remember to bring our camera when we go. Tonight we went with Carey and our Couchsurfing friends Greg and ShaoYi.
Suan Lum is one of our favorite attractions in Bangkok with live music (albeit really bad music), a great food court and a cheap, well-organized market.
Buy This Apartment – Get A Free Blow Job March 30, 2009
Posted by Martin in : Creative / Humour, Thailand , add a commentPerhaps the credit crisis is also hitting Thailand too as this advert below might suggest.
2.9 million baht is a pretty high price for what she’s selling so perhaps the extra service might be a deal-breaker.
I doubt it’ll be snapped up by any newlyweds though.
