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Dope, maybe we can get that added to the OP. I'll add my recommendations when I get home xcdude24 fucked around with this message at 15:22 on Nov 22, 2013 |
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Nov 22, 2013 15:12
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Madd0g11 posted:It's a SEA Christmas and New Years Nice, but you should change the permissions to let everyone edit it. 
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Nov 22, 2013 15:31
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I already have a group-made spreadsheet for restaurants/bars in Saigon, I could add it if people plan on being there.
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Nov 22, 2013 15:53
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ReindeerF posted:http://www.adventurouskate.com/cambodia-has-changed-and-not-for-the-better/ Haha, I read that earlier. This is the same person that decided that Howie's was a hooker bar. If anything Cambodia's getting safer, aside from the occasional spike in bag snatching in the days before the major festivals. I like the idea of a bar/restaurant spreadsheet. Maybe set up each country in a different tab?
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Nov 22, 2013 15:59
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Howie's is too dirty even for hookers to spend time in.
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Nov 22, 2013 16:15
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xcdude24 posted:Is there some way we can create a communal spreadsheet with restaurant recommendations? I have zero spreadsheet experience, so I'm wondering if it'd be possible to create one that's easy to navigate (given the fact that SE Asia is a huge place) You're supposed to run around and eat everything not consult your spreadsheet nerdberg
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Nov 22, 2013 16:22
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Tytan posted:Haha, I read that earlier. This is the same person that decided that Howie's was a hooker bar. If anything Cambodia's getting safer, aside from the occasional spike in bag snatching in the days before the major festivals. I love that she cites bag snatching as some new thing. When I got there in 2007 is was like a tried-and-true strategy of thieves in PP and had been for years. All of her complaints amount to "well it didn't happen to me last time, therefore it wasn't happening at all". Maybe if you weren't gallivanting around like a precious idiot with your valuables hanging out everywhere, flinging your phone around and skinny dipping in Sihanoukville you wouldn't have as many issues you stupid child. Ugh. Also, I like how she tries to cite all the locations she has been to as proof that she knows Cambodia well... and then proceeds to list off the top 5 most popular tourist spots. I bet "the countryside around Phnom Penh" was a tuk-tuk ride down to the Killing Fields. quote:Do visit Cambodia, but be vigilant throughout your visit. Hold on to your bags. Stay in lodging that locks properly. Lock up your valuables. Keep your purse zipped up. Don’t pay drivers in full in advance. Avoid isolating situations when possible. Watch your drink like a hawk. Don’t get too drunk. Sooooo... act the way you're supposed to literally anywhere that you travel in the world...?
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Nov 22, 2013 16:54
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I appreciate as much as possible that travel experiences in places like Cambodia are simply different for women, and in some ways are more menacing, but, man, I know plenty of women who've been - alone - including my mother, my second cousin and tons of random travelers and I'd never heard a report like that or even so much as a hint of "I felt uneasy." It reeks of SEOnsationalism and linkbait by a somewhat desperate travel blogger. Reminds me of the famous article by the Western girl who lived in Bangkok and hated it. I need to dig that up. She made a number of factually accurate points, but I was like, "Your entire experience was that? Man did you gently caress up." EDIT: I should point out that there are plenty of legit articles about the latter topic written and to be written, but scathing "gently caress You Bangkok!" articles are not among them. Just googling for it reminded me how much awful male expat content is generated on the other side of the issue.  If you've never waded into either world, just google something like western women thailand and grab a beer.
ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 17:21 on Nov 22, 2013 |
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Nov 22, 2013 17:02
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A butt
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Nov 22, 2013 20:41
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I've got to say based on the stories people were telling me of being in Cambodia when I was in Vietnam circa 2003, things have not gotten worse by any stretch of the imagination. Far fewer cases of people getting shot up at least... Also Caberham if you're reading this, there's a Canadian girl living in Hong Kong visiting KL for the next couple of days, do you need me to weird her out and demand she take some Kaya back with her for a random HKer she doesn't know?
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Nov 22, 2013 21:00
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My mom visited us in Saigon and ended up staying there for 18 months. She was 62 years old, tiny and skinny, only speaks French and she was living alone by herself in District 3, not that close to where we lived. She was never mugged or robbed and never once felt unsafe - and her apartment was in a dark alley. When she realized how safe she felt in Saigon of all places, she also realized that she had been scared way more often in Montreal where she always lived.
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Nov 22, 2013 21:04
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Realization #2, if you stay long enough, is, "Oh poo poo, maybe I was overreacting at home, too."
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Nov 22, 2013 21:10
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eviljelly posted:Nice, but you should change the permissions to let everyone edit it. That's what I get for posting 10 beers into the night. It's fixed now. It's a SEA Christmas and New Years NOW EDITABLE! edit : sweet still a beer left in the fridge, time to start the day. Madd0g11 fucked around with this message at 01:22 on Nov 23, 2013 |
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Nov 23, 2013 01:08
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Madd0g11 posted:edit : sweet still a beer left in the fridge, time to start the day. You would fit in very well on Koh Tao.
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Nov 23, 2013 01:38
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You know, reading this thread "inspired" me to go through SEA and have a blast and meet up with hostel people blah blah blah. But staying in this thread and after a bit more travelling made me kind of jaded against other hostel folk.MrNemo posted:Also Caberham if you're reading this, there's a Canadian girl living in Hong Kong visiting KL for the next couple of days, do you need me to weird her out and demand she take some Kaya back with her for a random HKer she doesn't know? gently caress YEAH KAYA. I can get Kaya here in HK but it's the generic no name brand and it blows. Has your friend been to HK before? Tell her that this random Honger is an amazing host! Let me take her out for some nice sushi. Japanese food in Hong Kong is done right and much better than Singapore  Oh you got wechat MrNemo? I'm adding you to the China group (there's another KL goon there) Is there anything you want in return? If she doesn't mind carrying, I can throw in a case of Gulden Draak/peanut butter cups/Cheese or whatever imports you are craving.
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Nov 23, 2013 05:58
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Is anyone going to be in Bali between 12/3 - 12/22? I'll be in south bali, at a surf camp in Pecatu. For anyone who's been to Bali, I have a few questions. - is Denpasar Bali Int'l airport as awful and scam ridden as I read on http://wikitravel.org/en/Bali ? - any thoughts on drinking the tap water out there from a US person perspective? I couldn't find a consistent answer to this online - how commonly were credit cards accepted in south bali / Kuta? I got a foreign fee free card, hoping I can just rely on that a lot - how frequently will I run into my fellow US countrymen out there? - has anyone been to Twice Bar in Kuta? It's a punk rock bar out there I am interested in - I've been vegan for many years, I will be flexible with dining out there as necessary but I'm curious how frequently I might find good vegetarian / vegan food around South Bali. I won't stress if I have to eat animal derived food but I'm curious what I can expect I've already searched around online a bit and read through a travel guide, I couldn't figure this stuff out.
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Nov 23, 2013 07:37
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ReindeerF posted:Two functional boat lines, a skytrain, a subway, an airport link, a BRT and the best expressway network of the Southeast Asian metropolises have me a bit spoiled on this count. Still, you know, I'm not saying it'd make it unlivable, but it's a serious consideration for living in a huge city. The guys I talk to who live there complain a lot about traffic and the government's half-assed, poorly planned solutions. Can't be anywhere near as bad as Manila, though, and I don't even want to contemplate Jakarta. The MRT/LRT in Manila helps a bit, but they lack the extensive and effective expressway infrastructure. My personal worst was something like 4-5 hours from the airport to Ortigas in rush hour traffic. That's loving staggering and exactly what the old time Bangkok expats say it was like here before the expressway system came in. Holy poo poo, don't let the amateur urban planning cub Marxists in dnd hear you say that building road infrastructure improved a city. Iiiiiiiinduuuuuced demaaaaaaand hoooooooo
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Nov 23, 2013 09:03
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WeAreDevo posted:Is anyone going to be in Bali between 12/3 - 12/22? I'll be in south bali, at a surf camp in Pecatu. I haven't been to Bali since the 80s. Indonesian airports were all terrible poo poo holes back then. Drinking tap water out of a 4 star hotel tap is not the same as say drinking out of a guest house tap. Whatever you do, bring immodium or iodine tablets, or a life straw. Bali is a tourist dump. Go to lombok if you want a nice peaceful holiday. Vegan? Enjoy starving. No one in the third world is vegan. Our allergic to wheat flour that matter.
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Nov 23, 2013 09:11
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Cultural Imperial posted:I haven't been to Bali since the 80s. Indonesian airports were all terrible poo poo holes back then. I think this might be the most useless post of all time. Admitted outdated advice? check. Repetition of the most basic travel fact? check. Complete disregard of his initial post, saying that he was in Bali for a surf camp (not a nice peaceful holiday)? check. Saying "enjoy starving" when the poster had clearly just said he wouldn't stress if he had to eat animal stuff? Yep, check. Why did you even bother replying...? Just wondering really. WeAreDevo: Avoid the tap. Even a 4 star place, honestly, the bottled water is cheap enough that you shouldn't gamble. In Kuta, you can use credit cards in a limited number of shops from when I was there in 2009. I would guess that you could use a CC at some of the hotels too but it might limit your options, and you definitely would be limiting yourself on food and drinks and the like. It may be a popular tourist destination but it's still the developing world. Not many Americans-- the place is packed with Aussies. It's the Australians' version of Cancun, and they get just as drunk and loud and ridiculous as their counterparts do in Mexico. There will be Americans I would guess, but you'd have to seek them out probably. Can't help on the other questions I'm afraid.
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Nov 23, 2013 09:48
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Pretty sure rice, vegetables and fruit are vegan? All of which is in plentiful supply on the street and elsewhere! Bread as well which is reasonably available depending where you are.
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Nov 23, 2013 11:04
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Cultural Imperial posted:Holy poo poo, don't let the amateur urban planning cub Marxists in dnd hear you say that building road infrastructure improved a city. Iiiiiiiinduuuuuced demaaaaaaand hoooooooo
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Nov 23, 2013 11:25
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WeAreDevo posted:Is anyone going to be in Bali between 12/3 - 12/22? I'll be in south bali, at a surf camp in Pecatu. quote:- any thoughts on drinking the tap water out there from a US person perspective? I couldn't find a consistent answer to this online quote:- how commonly were credit cards accepted in south bali / Kuta? I got a foreign fee free card, hoping I can just rely on that a lot quote:- how frequently will I run into my fellow US countrymen out there? quote:- has anyone been to Twice Bar in Kuta? It's a punk rock bar out there I am interested in quote:- I've been vegan for many years, I will be flexible with dining out there as necessary but I'm curious how frequently I might find good vegetarian / vegan food around South Bali. I won't stress if I have to eat animal derived food but I'm curious what I can expect
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Nov 23, 2013 11:26
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caberham posted:Is there anything you want in return? If she doesn't mind carrying, I can throw in a case of Gulden Draak/peanut butter cups/Cheese or whatever imports you are craving. Friend of a friend who's lived in HK for the last 5 years so probably not going to get anything in return She's over to see a Canadian band at the Urbanscapes festival (and then discovered they're playing HK next weekend). I'll see about reinstalling Wechat after losing my Chinese number and forgetting the password I'll have to make a new account.Edit: Done I'm MrNemo1 (apologies for LANning it up, I'll stop) MrNemo fucked around with this message at 12:47 on Nov 23, 2013 |
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Nov 23, 2013 12:43
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WeAreDevo posted:Is anyone going to be in Bali between 12/3 - 12/22? I'll be in south bali, at a surf camp in Pecatu. - I've been in Bali about a year ago. I didn't notice any scams at the airport, but I have a pretty solid gently caress off face. - Don't drink tap water. period. - Credit cards are accepted at most western run places, just don't rely on it. - a lot. - gently caress that young aussie infested shithole Kuta, but most American surfers seem to like it. Not sure why - Vegetarian stuff is a short scooter ride away. Vegan, not sure.
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Nov 23, 2013 12:56
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Fun things to do in Chiang Mai solo?
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Nov 23, 2013 16:05
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Thanks all, very helpful answers. I'm excited to not run into fellow US tourists actually. It sounds like in Bali they will be uncommon enough that it'll be a fun rarity. I got a few more question for South Bali - any other US travelers found t-mobile to work well out there? T-mobile now let's me txt and use data and make fairly cheap calls in Indonesia, I was pleasantly surprised to learn - any first hand accounts of Pecatu and of the surfing out there? I read plenty already and very excited but curious if there are any first hand accounts anyone would like to share
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Nov 23, 2013 17:13
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Pixelante posted:Fun things to do in Chiang Mai solo? There is a lot of all kinds of trips you can take. Last time i did flight of the gibbon, ziplining in the jungle. Thai guys looked pretty scared sometimes, trying to stop 110kg bald farang coming right at them. Thaiboxing is pretty big there too. Also there is this cool bar/restaurant near the river that has live music, a lot of locals and some foreigners too, i just can't remember the name. edit: sorry about the spelling, i'm a little bit tipsy. (read: drunk)
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Nov 23, 2013 18:36
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Pixelante posted:Fun things to do in Chiang Mai solo? I spent a month there, and I still can't really answer this. Just don't go to Spicy. Lots of temples in the old city, you can spend a whole day at them, even if you're "done with temples". I liked Chedi Luang, and Doi Suthep is a famous one outside the city. It might be best to go on a tour or get a group for that one since the price to travel out there alone is steep. The reservoir and houseboats are cool, but more of a thing to do with friends on a weekend kinda thing. The Sunday street market is cool, if you're there on the right day. Go to the lady with the cowboy hat at the small night market just on the other side of the North Gate, outside the moat. She makes superb pork. Tons and tons of locals go there, but the people who work there also speak enough English to let me know I should eat lots of garlic, because it's "good for men." The North Gate Jazz Bar is also worth checking out, look online to see when they're playing. It fills up, so don't get there too late or you might have to find a seat on the crumbling bit of the city wall. I think it was in Chiang Mai that I shared a tuk tuk with a lady to see silk farms and a rice paper umbrella factory. I can safely say you can skip that tour, unless you have a shirt you think would look better with a seriously sweet dragon painted on it. There's lots of pretty legit massage classes in Chiang Mai to take, if you're ever wanted to learn. Oh, and you should get a massage at the Women's Prison. It's way better than it sounds. How can you say no to a massage from possibly the world's cutest and sweetest convicts? They are really nice, when my stupid floppy massage pants fell down the first time I went, they remembered me well enough to laugh at me again the second time I went.
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Nov 23, 2013 21:13
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Rent a scooter, ride up 107 then left at 1096. Visit waterfalls or the elephant camp if that's your thing. That road is beautifull Loop around back to Chiang Mai. You can also just ride up the mountain, do some waterfalls, maybe visit the monastery on top.
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Nov 23, 2013 22:33
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I asked in the Singapore thread and didn't get a response, so I figured I would check in over here..what VPN services do you guys use? Finally moving to Singapore full time and need to keep my Netflix, HBO Go and Hulu going.
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Nov 23, 2013 23:54
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I use Private Internet Access, $40/year but sometimes they do sales so you can grab it for cheaper. Netflix and the like works well with it and the speeds are pretty good.
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Nov 24, 2013 01:27
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Host vpn is goon run, first month is only 2 cents. But being in Asia and having fiber Singapore internet,might as well just  Oh and speaking of bali surfing, let me ask a Shanghai goon, he's a big surfer and has been to Bali. He's actually going to Bali this weekend. And he will respond soon. If not pm bad astronaut Oh and mr nemo added you on wechat. Your friend going to clock en flap? caberham fucked around with this message at 01:36 on Nov 24, 2013 |
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Nov 24, 2013 01:28
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caberham posted:Host vpn is goon run, first month is only 2 cents. But being in Asia and having fiber Singapore internet,might as well just but my wife isn't quite as technically inclined as I am. And running Netflix off my Apple TV is just more convenient, anyway.
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Nov 24, 2013 01:54
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I just booked my (first-ever) international flights. Leaving in the evening on Friday, January 17th, arriving in Bangkok early in the morning Sunday the 19th (it's only 21 hours of actual travel time, thanks to the magic of time zones!). Flying back is going to be fun, my departure is at 1:40 a.m. on Sunday the 26th, and again thanks to time zones I'll be back home by midafternoon the same day, despite it being 25 hours of travel. Flying on Qatar Airways the whole time, all Boeing 777s it seems, I hope none of them catch fire. Is this a good time to say that I really hate flying  caberham posted:I posted a Krabi trip report and it's buried in the thread. I suggest fly in to BKK, then fly to Krabi. If you want a younger vibe stay in Krabi. If you want to go hard core rock climbing, stay in the rock climbing hostels in one of the island. My recommendation, stay in BKK for 3 days. Get rid of jet lag. Hang out with RingoR and gooons. Eat some coconuts and develop the bad shits (just get that out of the way). Then fly to Krabi, take a boat to Railay, spend a week there climbing different areas, try deep water solo. Thank you for this recommendation, it sounds like just what I want. I've booked a flight to Krabi on Thai Airways at midday on 1/21 with a return on 1/24. Less time than you describe, but my vacation time is what it is. Still need to figure out hotel/hostel booking. Staying in a hostel for the social aspect is appealing, but sharing a room is not, at all, so I may stick with hotels. At minimum, I'll book a private room in a hostel, I'm not on that tight of a budget. Plus I'm close to 30 so the younger crowd might object to me  The only other thing I can think of that I need is some travelers' medical insurance, since I've got a passport and Thailand doesn't need a visa for a short stay.
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Nov 24, 2013 03:48
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Kylaer posted:all Boeing 777s it seems, I hope none of them catch fire. 787's are the ones that spontaneously combust. I done made a spread sheet so all the goons visiting can try to have a goon meet and have awkward conversations about the internet in bangkok. Put your details in it.
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Nov 24, 2013 04:10
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Where is it?
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Nov 24, 2013 04:15
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duckmaster posted:Where is it? It's a SEA Christmas and New Years
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Nov 24, 2013 04:21
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Kylaer posted:Still need to figure out hotel/hostel booking. Staying in a hostel for the social aspect is appealing, but sharing a room is not, at all, so I may stick with hotels. At minimum, I'll book a private room in a hostel, I'm not on that tight of a budget. Plus I'm close to 30 so the younger crowd might object to me Hostels in SE Asia sometimes have a dorm area but the usual setup is a private room and shared bathroom. Most hostels have private bathroom options available. Also whether you want aircon or not is a typical option. Hostels have a mix of ages, although the hostel crowd in SE Asia does skew young. Can I put my name on there even though I'm going to be freezing in New York the whole time and sitting on an ambulance and listening to Springsteen howl at the end of Jungleland raton fucked around with this message at 05:05 on Nov 24, 2013 |
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Nov 24, 2013 04:56
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I just did my last dive of my trip  I leave Koh Tao tomorrow.And I'll be back home in rainy California for Christmas, freezing in the 50F weather. I am going to look like a total wimp when I go back home and wear my hardcore cold winter gear but hey in-n-out and chipotles. Then saving up to return next summer 
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Nov 24, 2013 06:10
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I think I'll probably be in Bangkok over Christmas also. But I'm coming back here for New Years. Also, if any of you weirdos are into this sort of thing, they're having a special fireworks show for the King on December 21st here in Hua Hin.
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Nov 24, 2013 06:31
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