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7-11's are also the perfect place to break 1000 baht notes.
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Aug 18, 2010 02:57
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Sheep-Goats posted:They have sun tan lotion and good mosquito repellent in Bangkok. Bring at least one long sleeved button up shirt for sun protection though -- especially for scuba diving and whatnot, it's a lot easier and less messy to just wear your shirt into the water than to slather on this lovely lotion and then have it wash off and later explode in your pack. However what Sheep-Goats has forgotten to mention is that any and all skin lotion type stuff in Thailand will be 80% skin whitening cream and 20% lotion, so if you want any sort of a tan and you're only taking carry on luggage then good luck
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Aug 18, 2010 07:34
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brendanwor posted:However what Sheep-Goats has forgotten to mention is that any and all skin lotion type stuff in Thailand will be 80% skin whitening cream and 20% lotion, so if you want any sort of a tan and you're only taking carry on luggage then good luck Not ALL of it, just most of it  In shops like boots (I think that's what they're called, there's one on khao san road for example), they sell a lot of stuff just for tourists without the whitening stuff.
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Aug 18, 2010 11:40
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Just got back from a trip like this with my girlfriend: Seoul-> Guangzhou, China layover -> Hanoi Hanoi for a day Sapa for 3 days and 2 nights Ha Long Bay for 2 days and 1 night Sleeper bus to Vientiane (mistake! should have flown to Luang Prabang from Hanoi!) Bus to Luang Prabang 2 Days and 1 night in Luang Prabang 2 Days and 1 night in Vang Vieng 1 Day and 1 night in Vientiane Flight to Phnom Penh 2 Days and 2 nights in Phnom Penh Bus to Ho Chi Minh Bus to Vung Taun (or something) beach 2 nights and 2 days in beach area 2 days and 2 nights in Ho Chi Minh Flight home, arrived late, no bus to my home town, so we slept in an internet cafe until the buses started running again What I didn't expect: -Ha Long Bay is beautiful and amazing. Should have stayed longer. Same with Vang Vieng. If I go back, I will concentrate on these areas. -HOLY poo poo LOOK AT ALL THE TOURISTS! I thought this area of the world was not that well-traveled. It's just not well-traveled by Americans. Met a poo poo LOAD of Dutch, French, Spanish, British people. Absolutely no Americans except on the flights over and back. -Phnom Penh is boring, depressing, ugly, irritating. We took the flight there because we were short on time - not so much because we wanted to see the city. Should have immediately hopped on over to Angkor Wat even if the travel would have sucked balls. -US Dollars are very, very useful if you don't have a "major" currency you're bringing over. We brought lots of Korean money and loving nobody wanted it or if they wanted it, they wanted to give us terrible rates to which we replied, "gently caress you" and paid for things with a credit card sometimes. -drat near no tourists in Phnom Penh and the aforementioned beach. -Laos food was really great, despite what I read to the contrary. -Laos people were the most friendly and least annoying "TUK TUK RIDE SIR YOU WANT TUK TUK I WILL GIVE YOU TUK TUK RIDE! OMG!" They don't really give a poo poo about selling you things with few exceptions. Loved that country sooooooooo much -Pay attention to the conversion rate in Chinese Airports. Coffee is $11-12. Yes. $11-12. A regular spaghetti plate is near $20. I talked to a girl that accidentally spent $60 on a meal because she didn't look at the conversion rate. I'm American and I very proudly proclaimed, "I'm from Texas!" or "I'm an American!" when people asked. Nobody held it against me and if they did I'd think they were retards I didn't want to know anyway. I really don't like America and that's why I'm living abroad and plan to stay in Korea so I'm not a typical American, I guess. But I've known some Americans that choose to hide their nationality when they travel to areas that America bombed the poo poo out of. I think those people are dumb. If you're dealing with people that can't separate a citizen from a country's policies then no big deal. Sidestep that person and move on. If you're planning on a visit to the area I very highly recommend Laos. Friendly people, cheap prices, great food, amazing scenery, etc. And just like all the guide books say, get the hell out of Vientiane quickly. It's expensive and boring. If you're going to Vietnam do not skip Ha Long Bay and do more than a quick boat trip through the islands. Stay on a boat for a night or go to the main island (forgot its name). Do Kayaking and swimming. It's fuckin' fantastic. edit: I saw no "happy shakes" anywhere that were mentioned on the internet and in guide books. Not that I really wanted to partake, but what did I do wrong here? TreFitty fucked around with this message at 14:10 on Aug 18, 2010 |
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Aug 18, 2010 13:53
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TreFitty posted:Just got back from a trip like this with my girlfriend: What did you make of Sapa? I personally couldn't stand it, other people have liked it though. Honestly I feel like Vientiane gets an unduly bad rap. There's at least 2-3 days worth of cool stuff to do (climb Patu Xai, the Army Museum, Golden Pavilion and other temples, the market, Buddha Park) and great dining by the river in the evenings. It's still got a fair bit of its old French colonial character, and isn't as fast-paced and crazy as a lot of the other major cities in the region are. There were a lot more hookers on the street at night when I last went there two years ago than I remember there used to being, but they're harmless (as long as you aren't partaking, I guess). I was talking to one of them before she went "on duty" and it turned out she was from Nong Khai (across the border in Thailand); it's an entrepreneurial way of skirting Laos' quaint miscegenation laws. Phnom Penh is admittedly bit grittier and uglier, but it still has plenty to do. The riverfront is great to walk, especially if you end the evening at the FCC and people-watch from a balcony with a cold pitcher of Angkor. S-21 is a really powerful and heart-wrenching look at the Cambodian genocide (honestly I didn't find the Killing Fields nearly as interesting), and there's stuff like the Royal Palace, Wat Phnom, and things further afield like the zoo and army shooting range, if that's your thing. I just re-checked your itinerary and I can't believe you did PP instead of Siam Reap though, I mean I just spent a paragraph talking it up but Angkor Wat is a hell of a lot more impressive. Siam Reap itself is a pretty cool town with a lot of nice cafes/bars that have sprung up to cater to all the tourists. It's pretty painless to get between the two of them; Siam Reap-Phnom Penh is Cambodia's oldest stretch of highway and it's very well-maintained (in Cambodian terms). A bus takes about 5 hours and costs $3-5, IIRC. Obviously nobody's going to take Korean money outside of maybe a few 5-star hotels in Siam Reap, I dunno where you got the impression they would. Even so, US bills have been slowly on the way out as the dollar weakens; when I was in northern Laos in 2008 people actually preferred Vietnamese dong (which aren't even supposed to leave the country) to USD, and the government has somewhat woken up and started printing a 50,000 kip note. Cambodia was still pretty good about taking American money in general, but a lot of Vietnamese places didn't seem as jazzed to see US money as my somewhat dated Lonely Planet indicated. The ATM's were all dong anyways, I remember counting out like 8 million on the street when I bought my motorcycle and thinking it had to look like a drug deal or something. Thai money is also good in parts of Cambodia and Laos. As far as all the other tourists, you really did nothing outside of the main backpacker/tourist circuit so that shouldn't really come as a surprise 
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Aug 18, 2010 16:02
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mrfart posted:Not ALL of it, just most of it Also the sunscreen bit still works so if all you can find is whitening cream just roll with it. The girls like white skin anyway.' === On the topic of Phnom Phen I think it's actually a pretty cool city but it's definitely a place where you have to enjoy the seedier side of life (either directly or vicariously) to get the most out of it. I don't mean you have to bang a bunch of 17 year old hookers, what I mean is that you go to the shooting range, see Touel Sleng, get out at night and see what the Cambodians (and foreigners) are up to, buy poo poo you shouldn't be able to buy in the markets, blah blah blah. Plus Cambodians are pretty cool and ready to have a good time with you if you are. Maybe not the best place to go with a girlfriend, but whatever. Oh and don't go to Cambodia and skip Angkor Wat (if you've never been there). Angkor is too cool to pass up, even if the trip out there is a little lovely (used to be horribly lovely but there's a decent road there now). You can always fly to Siem Riep, too. quote:I saw no "happy shakes" anywhere that were mentioned on the internet and in guide books. Not that I really wanted to partake, but what did I do wrong here? The signs are mostly down. If you wanted a shake you should have just asked someone about it. When I went to my first full moon party in Thailand I asked a group of younger Thai people and they just said "up there on the rocks." Things that are brazen (and illegal) in the guide books are often a little covert once you show up -- mostly thanks to the guide books. It's when you get off the trail that you run into some hilariously illegal poo poo, like when I was nosing around on a visa run in Burma, wandered into the part of town where the tourists don't go, and was immediately asked if I wanted to buy weapons (guns) by one of the three or four Burmese kids following me around. raton fucked around with this message at 17:22 on Aug 18, 2010 |
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Aug 18, 2010 17:12
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so...I arrived in hanoi yesterday. I think I saw most of the interesting stuff already and I have to say...gently caress this city. Its like the loving ben thanh market spread out all over the city centre. At some times you literally see more white people buying the lead ridden crap offered everywhere. There are like 5 different stores repeated over and over again, selling the same junk. Maybe Im just spoiled from living/working in hcmc and getting to know the "real" vietnam thanks to my work collegues. Cant wait to get out of here to ha long bay... Btw, am I the only one that noticed just how strictly all the tourists stick to the designated crap-selling areas? Just walk in any direction for not eveb 10 minutes and you can be sure to be the only white guy around. Ita retarded, if you walk that far the shop prices will literaly fall by 60-80% and there will be also more offered than pirated dvds, prada knockoffs and pseudo-ethnic handcrafts. I also find it funny how devoted many vietnamese are to ho-chi-minh. When I announced that I would go to see him I got a shitton of messagea from collegues telling me to say hi to him from them and to say thanks for everything. Oh, does someone have an idea where I can get the book of the requiem exhibition in the war remnants museum in HCMC? It was absolutely stunning, but Im not paying 200 bucks for it. Sorry for any mistakes, I only have my cellphone here 
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Aug 18, 2010 17:21
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Holy poo poo something went wrong. Please delete!
Popelmon fucked around with this message at 17:34 on Aug 18, 2010 |
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Aug 18, 2010 17:22
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Please delete, cellphone/ wifi went bonkers
Popelmon fucked around with this message at 17:32 on Aug 18, 2010 |
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Aug 18, 2010 17:23
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Argh, stupid cellphone posted twice
Popelmon fucked around with this message at 17:27 on Aug 18, 2010 |
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Aug 18, 2010 17:24
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TreFitty posted:edit: I saw no "happy shakes" anywhere that were mentioned on the internet and in guide books. Not that I really wanted to partake, but what did I do wrong here? Maybe you didn't look supicious enough? 10 minutes into Vientiane walking around looking for a place to sleep, first tuk tuk driver i ran into had his whole little script. You want tuk tuk, no, you want hotel, no, you want women, no, you want weed, no. Vang Vieng, i think it was in the middle of tubing one of the bars puulled out the happy menu. There must have been more places, but was to busy drinking there to be bothered with drugs. Cambodia was the easiest, walked out of the guest house down the little cheap backpacker street in phenom penh (next to the lake, i forget the name of the area) and the first cafe i walked into for food proudly displayed a happy menu, didn't even have to ask for a special menu. Guess they just dont care as much in Cambodia. Suggestion, happy shakes and S21, not a good mix. I enjoyed phenom penh a fair bit, maybe i never really looked for it, but the first night we were walking around looking for a bar we ended up going to some kind of karaoke hostest bar that was just for locals (none of the girls bothered to sit with us) which was fine. Just watching people was pretty fun. Really wish i went to a shooting range. Oh yeah, seeing hands massage in Cambodia was pretty cool, although its a little bit freaky. Worth the few dollars it costs and well i hope its going to deserving people. Also had a blast in Vientiane, but i think thats more because of this crazy local i met there. Drinking in a bar with some random guy that was telling everyone to call him Papa. Telling us all this poo poo that happens, where the after hour bars are and that they are all a rip off. Stupidly i decided it would be good for him to give me a ride on the back of his motorbike when we were both really loving drunk. Then after he got of he was telling me we need to take a photo, but stand next to this car so it looks like its mine. Good times. Also had strange North Korean restaurant there, unfortunately the guide book lied and there was no singing or dancing of patriotic songs by the waitresses.
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Aug 18, 2010 17:43
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What do you guys do for guide books? I try to avoid them as much as possible, but find it's handy to have one on me. I've found that Lonely Planet are getting increasingly poo poo these days, they all just seem to be full of outdated information and don't really cover areas apart from the places you could easily find out about online. For example, the Indonesia one was quite informative for Yogyakarta, but the sections on Flores and Borneo were so poo poo. Some parts of the Flores section in particular hadn't been updated in 5 years. What's that about? Also some info on Jakarta was out of date too; you would think that the section on the capital would always be updated.
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Aug 18, 2010 18:05
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Xanin posted:What do you guys do for guide books? I try to avoid them as much as possible, but find it's handy to have one on me. I've found that Lonely Planet are getting increasingly poo poo these days, they all just seem to be full of outdated information and don't really cover areas apart from the places you could easily find out about online. For example, the Indonesia one was quite informative for Yogyakarta, but the sections on Flores and Borneo were so poo poo. Some parts of the Flores section in particular hadn't been updated in 5 years. What's that about? Also some info on Jakarta was out of date too; you would think that the section on the capital would always be updated. You have to expect your guidebook to be outdated. Five year old info isn't that bad really, back in the dark ages (the 80s) people used to go to Florence with 20 year old information. I still think Lonely Planet is the best overall, but if there was a just updated Moon Guide and a four year old Lonely Planet I'd get the Moon Guide. You have to talk to people (your guesthouse / hotel operator is always a good place to start -- taxi drivers are also great sources of info but you have to find one that isn't trying to scam you first which can be impossible in some locations) once you get there to dig poo poo up.
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Aug 18, 2010 18:18
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Popelmon posted:I also find it funny how devoted many vietnamese are to ho-chi-minh. When I announced that I would go to see him I got a shitton of messagea from collegues telling me to say hi to him from them and to say thanks for everything. He's basically their George Washington (but still much more fresh in living memory), what's so surprising about that?
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Aug 18, 2010 18:50
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Further ignorant SEA questions: What do people tend to do regarding mobile phones? I know email is perhaps the best way to stick in touch but I'd feel better having a cellphone on me for if I needed it. Do any carriers have particularly good service plans for international travel (2months, various SEA countries) or is there a recommended international SIM or anything like that?
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Aug 18, 2010 19:05
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Crivens posted:Further ignorant SEA questions: You can get by fine without one, but it does come in handy, especially if you start making friends. You're better off buying a SIM and prepaid credit in whatever country you're visiting (don't worry, it's not expensive) rather than dealing with roaming. A basic brand new GSM phone can be had for like $20 at MBK in Bangkok, but buying the GSM phone of your choice before you leave and getting it unlocked when you get there (or just buying an unlocked one in the first place) is also fine. I had an old-rear end smartphone (Palm Treo 650) which was handy for checking/replying to e-mail when I couldn't be assed to go to a cybercafe, or was in a town too small to have one. Pompous Rhombus fucked around with this message at 19:33 on Aug 18, 2010 |
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Aug 18, 2010 19:31
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Sheep-Goats posted:You have to expect your guidebook to be outdated. Five year old info isn't that bad really, back in the dark ages (the 80s) people used to go to Florence with 20 year old information. Wikitravel is all I use, personally. It avoids the problem of being outdated, and tends to have more than enough info (unless you're the kind of person who has to plan out a full itinerary for a trip). Crivens posted:Further ignorant SEA questions: Yeah don't use global roaming with your normal carrier unless you really feel like spending thousands of dollars (you'd be amazed how quickly the dollars pile up just from a few messages). You can get a sim in any 7-11.
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Aug 18, 2010 22:06
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Pompous Rhombus posted:You can get by fine without one, but it does come in handy, especially if you start making friends. You're better off buying a SIM and prepaid credit in whatever country you're visiting (don't worry, it's not expensive) rather than dealing with roaming. A basic brand new GSM phone can be had for like $20 at MBK in Bangkok, but buying the GSM phone of your choice before you leave and getting it unlocked when you get there (or just buying an unlocked one in the first place) is also fine. I had an old-rear end smartphone (Palm Treo 650) which was handy for checking/replying to e-mail when I couldn't be assed to go to a cybercafe, or was in a town too small to have one. The logistical advice is sound but most people in SEA these days apparently have a gene that makes it impossible for them to either arrive on time or to stay in the prearranged meeting place for more than 30 seconds before wandering off and shopping for fake designer jeans. What I'm saying is that having a cellphone opens up a ton of possibilities for your trip through SEA and is almost a social necessity. Get a GSM phone in Bangkok (at MBK of course -- every taxi driver will take you there if you tell them "M B K" though you can try using the full name, "Mah Boon Krong," if you want to confuse them) and have the girl behind the counter get it going for you. Prepaid. If you show up in a country and it doesn't work buy a new SIM card (prepaid) and carry on. While you're in MBK visit the food court and get a Som Tam (just look for the booth with a lot of people around it) and see a movie in the nice rear end movie theater on the top floor so you can bitch about how loving lovely movie theaters are back in the US when you come home. I also recommend taking a motorcycle taxi to MBK rather than a normal taxi because MBK is surrounded by huge busy streets and that motosai ride is a loving blast -- you'll have to negotiate with the driver but whatever. Across the street from MBK (you'll know which street I'm talking about just by looking) is a warren of shops that's called Siam Square. A lot of young designers have little clothing stores there, there are restaurants and bars set up to cater to the nearby Chula students, and it's a kinda cool spot to walk though. Also, just behind Siam Square is the Chualalongkorn university book shop, which is a great place to go to pick up some books written by Thai people or some Thai music in MP3 form on CDs or whatever -- when I was last there the English section was up a flight of stairs just inside the doors. That bookstore is where I originally got the CD that this MP3 came from (my upload my youtube *fartz*): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvESuQYzo_E I still have my SIM cards from SEA somewhere in a box 
raton fucked around with this message at 23:28 on Aug 18, 2010 |
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Aug 18, 2010 23:18
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Pompous Rhombus posted:Obviously nobody's going to take Korean money outside of maybe a few 5-star hotels in Siam Reap, I dunno where you got the impression they would. Even so, US bills have been slowly on the way out as the dollar weakens; when I was in northern Laos in 2008 people actually preferred Vietnamese dong (which aren't even supposed to leave the country) to USD, and the government has somewhat woken up and started printing a 50,000 kip note. Cambodia was still pretty good about taking American money in general, but a lot of Vietnamese places didn't seem as jazzed to see US money as my somewhat dated Lonely Planet indicated. The ATM's were all dong anyways, I remember counting out like 8 million on the street when I bought my motorcycle and thinking it had to look like a drug deal or something. Thai money is also good in parts of Cambodia and Laos. quote:As far as all the other tourists, you really did nothing outside of the main backpacker/tourist circuit so that shouldn't really come as a surprise edit: liked Sapa, but didn't appreciate the sales aspect of it. All of the kids are basically "in costume" and you're dumb if you can't figure that out. They come up to you and ask in their most pathetic voice whilst looking homeless and with dirt on their faces to buy something lovely from them. Otherwise, it's a beautiful and relaxing place.
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Aug 18, 2010 23:57
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brendanwor posted:Wikitravel is all I use, personally. It avoids the problem of being outdated, and tends to have more than enough info (unless you're the kind of person who has to plan out a full itinerary for a trip). Wikitravel is fantastic - it's honest, it's got a good layout, easy to use etc. I can't loving stand navigating my way through TripAdvisor and Hostelworld.
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Aug 19, 2010 12:16
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Pompous Rhombus posted:He's basically their George Washington (but still much more fresh in living memory), what's so surprising about that? well, I am german and we do not have any kind of this cult at all, so it struxk me as weird. Guess it is more common in other countries. Ho chi minh mausoleum was REALLY packed with vietnamese tourists. Was cool though, met a cool group from Saigon I hung out all day with. Concerning guide books: My roommate from my stay in hcmc dumped a ton of them on me. The lonely planet one still seems to be the best. It is perfectly fine for the maps and info on historical stuff. Just try out bars/restaurants that seem interesting, not like you lose much money if it sucks and you might find a real gem. Also, today I found a restaurant with an awesome name: half man, half noodle. Unfortunately I already ate. .
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Aug 19, 2010 13:12
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Actually the Vietnam Lonely Planet is really good (aside from listing stupid bullshit like the Temple of Literature in the top things to do). Even in out of the way places like Pleiku or Dong Hoi it has really up-to-date info and excellent maps. Compare this to Lonely Planet China, which I'm using now, where even the maps - the one thing you can usually rely on LP for - are absolutely atrocious.
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Aug 19, 2010 13:18
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Popelmon posted:well, I am german and we do not have any kind of this cult at all, so it struxk me as weird. Guess it is more common in other countries. In Thailand many (most?) businesses have pictures of the King and Queen up, as they're also very highly revered. Some German/British friends of mine who have a small software company in BKK have posters of Angela Merkel and Queen Elizabeth on the wall as a subtle joke, although we're pretty sure none of the non-Thais get it (they just assume it's what everybody does)
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Aug 19, 2010 17:04
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Pompous Rhombus posted:Honestly I feel like Vientiane gets an unduly bad rap. There's at least 2-3 days worth of cool stuff to do (climb Patu Xai, the Army Museum, Golden Pavilion and other temples, the market, Buddha Park) and 
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Aug 20, 2010 18:37
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wtf is going on there? I went to Laos with a friend in 2007 on goon advice, it's by far the best/most relaxing vacation I've ever had. Looking to go back again in early 2011, hopefully the people are still more or less great. The lack of effort anyone put into trying to really (instead of mildly) screw money out of us was great after Thailand. sanchez fucked around with this message at 20:40 on Aug 22, 2010 |
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Aug 22, 2010 20:19
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Does anyone know where I might be able to buy this underwater case http://www.amazon.com/Canon-WP-DC35-Underwater-Housing-PowerShot/dp/B002LITT4W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1282586748&sr=8-1 for my Canon Powershot S90 in Thailand? I won't have the opportunity to pick one up before I go and I'm hoping a camera store there might carry it. Any suggestions?
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Aug 23, 2010 19:08
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EndoLuft posted:Does anyone know where I might be able to buy this underwater case http://www.amazon.com/Canon-WP-DC35-Underwater-Housing-PowerShot/dp/B002LITT4W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1282586748&sr=8-1 for my Canon Powershot S90 in Thailand? I won't have the opportunity to pick one up before I go and I'm hoping a camera store there might carry it. Any suggestions? Try FotoFile at MBK. I think there might be a dedicated Canon store somewhere in MBK too, but I'm not sure. Either way, expect to pay more for it than you would back home (although I think you can get a VAT refund on your way out as a tourist, so hang on to the receipt). Them's the breaks.
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Aug 23, 2010 19:13
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Thanks for the quick response! I figured I'd have to pay a premium for it. I just bought the S90 for my trip and I'm kicking myself that I didn't get the underwater case for it. 
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Aug 23, 2010 19:27
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EndoLuft posted:Thanks for the quick response! I figured I'd have to pay a premium for it. I just bought the S90 for my trip and I'm kicking myself that I didn't get the underwater case for it. Can you get it overnighted? Fotofile/other shops in BKK are far from a sure bet for something as specialized as an underwater housing, and like I said, it'll probably be more expensive anyways. You could try calling up B&H/Adorama and seeing what your options are. If you're staying at a hotel in BKK you could get it shipped there, although if it comes direct from the retailer (with the customs declaration filled out honestly) it's likely get stopped, and you'd have to make a trip down to the Customs House in Lad Phrao to pay the duty. I had to do that on my Strobist kit which was valued at around $200, but everything I bounced off my parents in Florida came through without a hitch. At any rate, EMS takes 3 days from the US, regular airmail is 10.
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Aug 23, 2010 20:18
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I've got most of my diving trip sorted out, but I'm looking for some advice. We're planning to spend a week diving on Koh Phi Phi or Khao Lak in December. Keeping in mind that we're then planning to spend one month on Koh Tao, does anybody who has been to either or both other locations have any insight? Dive quality/ease of getting around/night life/where to stay/other stuff to do/how relaxed or not each place is? I'm under the impression that Koh Phi Phi will be more of a party scene (which I'm not sure we'll want one our way to one month of diving/party) but Khao Lak will offer better diving and some seriously cool national parks etc.
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Aug 24, 2010 00:19
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And another question! What is driving like in Thailand outside cities? I'll have roughly twelve days to get from Chiang Mai to Surat Thani, and I'm thinking the following could be an interesting option... Chiang Mai -> Pai -> Mae Hong Son -> Khao Lak -> Surat Thani. Is this a crazy idea? Budget Rent-a-Car claim that twelve days hire of a 1.8 litre Civic will be around 24000 baht, including tax and fees and so on. There will be two of us, possibly three - are we better off flying or is driving going to be a cool experience? Google Maps has given us the following: http://tinyurl.com/24by2uk Finch! fucked around with this message at 08:29 on Aug 26, 2010 |
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Aug 26, 2010 08:23
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Steve. posted:And another question! Generally nuttier than we're used to, hardly unmanageable though. Lots of twisty mountain roads up there in the north, be sure to stay on your side of the line coming around bends (because Thai drivers will help themselves to as much of your lane as they please). I've ridden around on a motorbike tons and never had any incident. Also gas is almost $4/gallon (although if I take from your spelling of litre you might not find this price as offensive as an American would )
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Aug 26, 2010 11:39
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Steve. posted:What is driving like in Thailand outside cities? I'll have roughly twelve days to get from Chiang Mai to Surat Thani, and I'm thinking the following could be an interesting option... Thai drivers tend to respect other vehicles and where they're headed once they can see them. This is a problem, however, in twisty mountain roads. They're no where near the craven lunatics you see in the mountains of Indian or whatever but they seem to think they're in a race car and need to hit those apices to make it around the bend. Stay well in your lane and if it's a U turn or something consider honking as you approach it. Many foreigners fly for short trips in the NE (like from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son) simply because it saves so much time over the bendy mountain roads and because it's pretty cheap. If you do get hit on the mountain it's not likely you'll get hurt. The other driver will be going slow, just not slow enough to stop in time. This happened on my way up to Mae Hong Son from Chiang Mai:  The guy in the car tried to stop but just slowly slid down the wet road into the side of the bus, gently waking up the hippie piece of poo poo that was sitting right next to the impact point. We also saw a guy who had laid out his bike, but he'd done that all on his own being a retard. Our driver didn't even slow down to check to see if he was okay, so don't crash your bike up there. As to your earlier question, Phi Phi should be a little busier and have some more nightlife. Neither is really a banging party city though or anything. Dive towns are usually pretty quiet at night. raton fucked around with this message at 00:28 on Aug 27, 2010 |
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Aug 27, 2010 00:25
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Thanks, Pompous Rhombus and Sheep-Goats. Much appreciated. I've been to Mae Hong Son once before, and arrived by river from Pai and left by plane for Chiang Mai. Unfortunately the river won't be any good for rafting when I'll next be there, and I'm going with some friends who haven't been to the north before, and I figured driving would give us a lot more flexibility and it doesn't appear to be much more expensive than flying. I hate bus travel. I want to stop every few kilometres to check something out, and flying past loads of food places just pisses me off. Perhaps the idea isn't as silly as I thought. Definitely worth considering further. Pompous Rhombus, you're right - USD4 per gallon is something like AUD1.18 per litre, which isn't bad at all. My car eats litre upon litre of 98 octane at AUD1.65 per litre! Thanks for the tips, guys. It sounds as though being careful and respecting the conditions will go a long way towards keeping us safe - much the same as we do here, anyway. Shouldn't be too scary then... Sheep-Goats, thanks for the info regarding Phi Phi and Khao Lak. We're still undecided, but if we rent a car then Khao Lak will be the easier option. Night life can wait for Koh Tao... my luxurious 18000 baht per month apartment is five minutes from Lotus...! Finch! fucked around with this message at 01:31 on Aug 27, 2010 |
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Aug 27, 2010 01:22
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Doing a shopping run mid september to Bangkok. Does anyone know what the deal is in regards to pay showers at the airport? On my last day I'll be tooling around the city for a good 10 hours before heading to the airport. I dont want to stink and be uncomfortable on the plane if at all possible.
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Aug 28, 2010 08:48
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Pompous Rhombus posted:Can you get it overnighted? Fotofile/other shops in BKK are far from a sure bet for something as specialized as an underwater housing, and like I said, it'll probably be more expensive anyways. You could try calling up B&H/Adorama and seeing what your options are. I went by MBK and found a place that has the underwater casing. Then I went to the ATM to get some money and the bank froze me out. Had to stay in Bangkok another day while that was resolved. Making my way towards Koh Tao today, hopefully.
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Aug 29, 2010 06:11
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fist4jesus posted:Doing a shopping run mid september to Bangkok. Just keep your hotel room for an extra night. You don't really want to lug all your previous shopping around for your last day anyway, do you? And unless you're staying at the Conrad or something you're probably paying all of 20 bucks a night for your shower / storage / AC refuge.
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Aug 29, 2010 13:01
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EndoLuft posted:I went by MBK and found a place that has the underwater casing. Then I went to the ATM to get some money and the bank froze me out. Had to stay in Bangkok another day while that was resolved. Making my way towards Koh Tao today, hopefully. I hate that. When I was living there my bank randomly froze my account after like 7 months of steady withdrawls  It took almost a week to straighten out though, had to live off a $100 traveler's check I kept around for emergencies.
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Aug 29, 2010 13:32
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Sheep-Goats posted:Just keep your hotel room for an extra night. You don't really want to lug all your previous shopping around for your last day anyway, do you? And unless you're staying at the Conrad or something you're probably paying all of 20 bucks a night for your shower / storage / AC refuge. I got a sweet serviced apartment 5mins walk from mbk, $50aud, Point taken though.
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Aug 31, 2010 03:53
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I've been riding around SEA for the past couple months and I just crossed into Vietnam from Laos. I picked up a (free) helmet in Laos since I know you're supposed to wear one in Vietnam but police haven't seemed to care much yet as I've cruised by. Anyone know if this law is being enforced these days?
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Aug 31, 2010 11:25
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