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eviljelly posted:im excited to wear shorts again woot lol internet. posted:edit: Also, ReindeerF, does Lao Central Airlines fly out of Don Meung I guess? I might just book BKK round trip and do Lao Central leg separate as long as the extra baggage fees aren't too much. * - Except you, Philippines & Singapore. Shine on you crazy, detail-attentive diamonds. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 05:28 on Jan 20, 2013 |
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Jan 20, 2013 03:52
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lol internet. posted:Going to be heading to SEA soon for 4-5 months. Been following this thread (again) for the last 3-6 months. Getting excited, me and my wife are quitting our jobs in March. If it's just a connecting flight and you're not planning on leaving the airport, you shouldn't need a visa: http://www.vietnamonline.com/visa/transit-visa.html ReindeerF posted:Until I finally went completely on my own, this was a no-joke job requirement for me. I've never held a position where I had to wear pants (except on occasion, of course). If I had to go to Europe and wear pants because of the weather I would kill myself! Being able to wear flip-flops to work is one the highlights of my job. And this is from someone who still wears a shirt/trousers every day.
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Jan 20, 2013 06:12
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G-Hawk posted:I am (tentatively) planning to be in Koh Tao in the middle of February, and I would like to do the cliche thing and do a scuba course. I've glanced around online and it seems like there are dozens of places that basically offer the same range of stuff. I'm coming as a complete beginner and I'm guessing I would want to do one of the 4 day inclusive type things (tell me if this is a terrible idea). Any recommendations as far as where to go and what the best plan is for someone who is a complete scuba newbie? Also consider Koh Phangan. Prices are roughly competitive with Koh Tao but you tend to get smaller classes and more attention. I did a tune-up with the Dive Inn and the girlfriend got her open water cert. Pretty chill all around and I'd recommend them in a heartbeat. It's also a bit easier to access Sail Rock and its abundant marine life from Phangan. Tao has more immediate diving and on the whole more consistent visibility, but a clear day on Sail Rock can be a pretty magical thing in of itself. Or it can be a trial by fire in two meter swells with five meter visibility for your first open water. Either way you can't go wrong with either island -- just don't shoot for the factory schools (i.e., Ban's). If you want to get advanced and do wreck diving, however, I think Tao is the place to do it. Mind you the Gulf is not particularly known for its wrecks, though.
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Jan 20, 2013 09:04
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Greetings from the  thread! My winter break is coming up soon, and I'm planning to spend a few weeks in Thailand. My plane lands in Bangkok on the 27th, and I have tentative plans to head down to Koh Tao, like the poster above me, for diving and relaxation. Over the summer, I spent a day in Seoul with the Korea goons and had a really great time. I'd love to meet some of you in Bangkok if you have the time. Would anybody be interested in a meet up on the 27th or 28th? I'd be happy to bring some crap from China if you like! Let's have a goonmeet!
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Jan 20, 2013 20:53
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I would enjoy a beer with a fellow jelly, altho ill be gone by the 27th. look me up when you get to koh tao, though. finch! is also on the rock. I am going to try to drink less this time around on koh tao. I say this every time, mind you.
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Jan 21, 2013 01:37
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So I'm thinking about travelling for about a month as sort of a grad gift to myself. I'm not sure how much country hopping I can do so should I limit myself to Thailand, or go all out? I've been flipping through a couple travel books and it seems like there is a lot that you could do, so long as you can get yourself around the country.
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Jan 21, 2013 02:57
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Tytan posted:Being able to wear flip-flops to work is one the highlights of my job. And this is from someone who still wears a shirt/trousers every day. DeadMansSuspenders posted:So I'm thinking about travelling for about a month as sort of a grad gift to myself. I'm not sure how much country hopping I can do so should I limit myself to Thailand, or go all out? I've been flipping through a couple travel books and it seems like there is a lot that you could do, so long as you can get yourself around the country.  For an answer, you'll need to fill us in on the other two sides of the triangle.
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Jan 21, 2013 04:15
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ReindeerF posted:When I see you in a suit with flip flops I'll know you've gone completely native. Speaking of which, I'll be passing through early next month around the 4th - 7th, you planning to be around? Haha, in that case I'll have to come meet you straight from work one day. I just need a suit jacket and the look will be complete! Yeah I'll be around, shoot me a message when you're over and we'll sort something out. I think imnotinsane may still be in town too, he said he might stick around for a while.
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Jan 21, 2013 05:32
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So I've had an insect bite on my arm for a few days that just swelled up to the size of a 5 baht coin yesterday. Feels kind of meaty like a bruise when I pinch it. It's either from some kind of flea/sand fly insect from my guest house in Bangkok or mosquitos in Chiang Mai. I'm not really worried but I'm leaving Chiang Mai tomorrow for Krabi and I figure the hospital is probably better here if my arm is about to fall off due to black plague or something. Anybody seen this before? I've had a few other bites but they didn't swell up like this one. Otherwise having a blast. Chiang Mai is awesome!
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Jan 21, 2013 06:05
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Are there tiny larvae crawling out of it yet? Seriously though, I've never heard of a bite that takes a few days to manifest. Sounds like maybe a bite got infected? Either way, probably best to visit the hospital if you're not sure, yeah. If anything about a bite takes several days to present symptoms then I'm guessing it would probably involve some sort of illness passed on by the bite or some kind of secondary infection. In fact, forget the hospital. Rush to the nearest kitchen, grab a knife and just cut your arm off completely. Be sure to cauterize the wound afterward.
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Jan 21, 2013 06:15
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I've had that kind of reaction to a bite before in New Zealand. The delayed swelling was really weird but I just took an antihistamine on my dad's advice and the swelling disappeared reasonably quickly. That was in New Zealand, though, and I think seeking medical attention is a good idea.DeadMansSuspenders posted:So I'm thinking about travelling for about a month as sort of a grad gift to myself. I'm not sure how much country hopping I can do so should I limit myself to Thailand, or go all out? I've been flipping through a couple travel books and it seems like there is a lot that you could do, so long as you can get yourself around the country. My boyfriend and I are nearing the end of two weeks here before heading to Cambodia and honestly I feel like we could easily have spent the whole six weeks of our holiday here. Four full days in Chiang Mai is not nearly enough. But yeah it depends on what you want to do/see and what your budget's like.
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Jan 21, 2013 08:10
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Yo, anyone down there in Koh Tao, Nakadia's DJing at The Castle tomorrow (the 22nd): https://twitter.com/nakadia/status/293264747682476033 I'm not huge on live DJing as some kind of event, but she's really good and she's gotten kind of big in Europe and it all started with her career down in Samui, basically. She's originally from the middle of nowhere in Thailand too, which makes it kind of all the more impressive given how things work here. Anyhow, yeah, give her a shot if you're around!
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Jan 21, 2013 09:57
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She's played in PP at Pontoon a couple of times, I saw her back in 2010 I think and it was a pretty awesome night. I hadn't really heard of her before then and even now didn't realise she was getting big in Europe, that's pretty cool. Of course this was back when Pontoon were actually getting decent acts to come and play, and not generic hip-hop DJ #125. 
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Jan 21, 2013 10:16
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Tytan posted:She's played in PP at Pontoon a couple of times, I saw her back in 2010 I think and it was a pretty awesome night. I hadn't really heard of her before then and even now didn't realise she was getting big in Europe, that's pretty cool. Tytan posted:Of course this was back when Pontoon were actually getting decent acts to come and play, and not generic hip-hop DJ #125. Also, I'm excited to head back. I assume I'll be landing to a completely re-done Howie Bar with wood floors, new countertops an- hahaha, just kidding. EDIT: By the way, are we doing balcony chat again? Someone threatened it a few posts back, so let me pull the trigger on this mutually assured distraction.  A nice sunset across the Chao Phraya from my desk. Just finished the weekly cleaning so the dead bodies and empty bottles of Beer Lao aren't littering up the shot. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 11:02 on Jan 21, 2013 |
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Jan 21, 2013 10:23
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ReindeerF posted:Wait, there was a time when post-river Pontoon wasn't entirely about dodging freelancers while Khmer Party Republic photos of dudes with freelancers and NGO trustafarians flash by on the screen? GET OUT. Haha, the freelancers were always there but believe it or not it was actually getting a pretty decent reputation, they even managed to get a few fairly big name DJs to play there. If I sound bitter, it's because it was turning out to be the first "proper" club in PP, and has now turned into a Heart of Darkness clone, apparently thanks to the owner's "vision". And yeah Howies bar is... well, it's Howies bar. I'm staying away from that place at the moment though haha, a few too many drunken nights there over Christmas.
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Jan 21, 2013 10:44
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Tytan posted:Haha, the freelancers were always there but believe it or not it was actually getting a pretty decent reputation, they even managed to get a few fairly big name DJs to play there. If I sound bitter, it's because it was turning out to be the first "proper" club in PP, and has now turned into a Heart of Darkness clone, apparently thanks to the owner's "vision". Tytan posted:And yeah Howies bar is... well, it's Howies bar. I'm staying away from that place at the moment though haha, a few too many drunken nights there over Christmas.
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Jan 21, 2013 11:13
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The wife and I did our honeymoon in Thailand for a couple of weeks, which was definitely not enough time to do everything we wanted to. However, my time there did make me think about dropping everything and moving to Thailand permanently. Could anybody please convince me as to why it would be a bad idea to open up a frozen yogurt shop on Koh Tao?
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Jan 21, 2013 13:37
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Tytan posted:Haha, in that case I'll have to come meet you straight from work one day. I just need a suit jacket and the look will be complete! I'm up for beers as well, I am here for the next few months. Also I have a tan line from my flip flops, living the life.
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Jan 21, 2013 14:14
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ReindeerF posted:For an answer, you'll need to fill us in on the other two sides of the triangle. Chocolate Milk posted:My boyfriend and I are nearing the end of two weeks here before heading to Cambodia and honestly I feel like we could easily have spent the whole six weeks of our holiday here. Four full days in Chiang Mai is not nearly enough.
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Jan 21, 2013 18:08
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ReindeerF posted:EDIT: By the way, are we doing balcony chat again? Someone threatened it a few posts back, so let me pull the trigger on this mutually assured distraction. -love Korea
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Jan 21, 2013 18:23
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IMO two days is plenty for Chiang Mai unless you're doing related stuff in the area there. For a month in SE Asia I'd suggest about two weeks in Thailand, one in Cambodia, and one on a special themed excursion (Burma visit / hilltribe trek / SCUBA classes / wildland exploration) with leeway as you please. Your interests could be a lot more specific and that would let up make better suggestions for you. IMO with four weeks two must-dos are a Thai beach and Angkor. I'd also stridently suggest a hilltribe trek out of Mae Hong Son but no one ever listens to me about this. Other popular "excursion" type stuff would be cooking classes, learning Thai massage at Wat Po, kickboxing camp, playing with the tigers near Kanchanaburi, playing with the Elephants near Chiang Mai. If you want to try SCUBA diving that will be a fairly big hit to your budget and you will want to time it right -- you can't dive right before you're going to get on an airplane. It's all possible though. raton fucked around with this message at 19:07 on Jan 21, 2013 |
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Jan 21, 2013 18:54
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Some day-long activities I would suggest for Chiang Mai: - Whitewater rafting - Cooking class - Motorbiking up to that temple on the hill (and to a few waterfalls) - Monk chat (not a day long event, but still do it)
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Jan 21, 2013 19:43
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I should be in Ko Phangan tomorrow morning in preparation for that stupid hippy backpacker party. Any suggestions for a good hostel or advice for finding one? Also, how do the Thais not absolutely hate westerners because of that aforementioned demographic?
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Jan 22, 2013 01:54
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Stay far away from the party beach if you plan to sleep or have concerns about your belongings. Leave valuables with the guesthouse office on the actual FMP night. It's the one time in Thailand you can consistently count on opportunist theft. Backpackers might be awful but we're also affable, easily-corralled sheep who spend all our money! Except the singlet bogans, anyway. Everyone hates the 6' farang picking a fight over paying 10 baht too much for another bucket of liquor.
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Jan 22, 2013 02:51
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Goon meet 4pm @ TBA (I'm getting a massage after food tour) Okay! Tickets purchased. Flying in to BKK Friday night, and having a goon meet with some K-goons and SEA goons Saturday Afternoon. ReindeerF and RingoR should be coming out. Sorry SpiderJelly, can't take a half day off Monday or else we would have hangout on Sunday. I do hear that you have been vouched by several Korean goons. Any lurkers/hippies/sexpats/weekend warriors/burnt out teachers or what not you guys come on out this Saturday. Nice thing is that nowadays everyone has whatsapp and some sort of chat program. I would be trying out https://www.bangkokfoodtours.com - Never really paid for a food tour before, normally I rely on locals and word of mouth. Hopefully the food would be good and legit. If not, I will post pictures and the trip report. It's vouched by CNNgo (Joke travel in Hong Kong), and Lonely planet. 950 Baht Inclusive for a few restaurants and morning stroll. 3 hours, for 950 Baht. Not too pricey and it's street food. BKK street food prices just amazes me. gently caress you Isetan and Paragon Mall. Krispy Kremem why do you have to cost so much compared to my cheap 10 baht Satays/Beehoon  duralict posted:Stay far away from the party beach if you plan to sleep or have concerns about your belongings. Leave valuables with the guesthouse office on the actual FMP night. It's the one time in Thailand you can consistently count on opportunist theft. Try not to wander around alone? If you are going to get trashed make sure there's a travel buddy or someone watching your back. It's really easy to get hurt, burned, cut, gashed or what not. Small dosages of hedonism is fun.
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Jan 22, 2013 03:19
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qwertyman posted:The wife and I did our honeymoon in Thailand for a couple of weeks, which was definitely not enough time to do everything we wanted to. ante posted:I should be in Ko Phangan tomorrow morning in preparation for that stupid hippy backpacker party. Any suggestions for a good hostel or advice for finding one? ante posted:Also, how do the Thais not absolutely hate westerners because of that aforementioned demographic?
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Jan 22, 2013 04:06
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I think the real answer is that everyday Thai people don't actually spend much time thinking about us. e: even counting the FMP, the only time I ever saw Thai people actually show open disgust with tourists was during the flooding in 2011 when Khao San Road spent an hour or two under 3 feet of water and some idiot backpackers decided to go swimming in it. duralict fucked around with this message at 04:26 on Jan 22, 2013 |
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Jan 22, 2013 04:21
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duralict posted:I think the real answer is that everyday Thai people don't actually spend much time thinking. Sorry Thai peepun I love you but it's true.
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Jan 22, 2013 05:31
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Last time eviljelly and I were at KSR a few months ago, a bunch of bucket/bar touts started kicking and smacking a farang tourist as he walked by with his girlfriend - and they weren't playing. I presume he had pissed them off the day before, because he didn't do anything at that time. I've seen it once or twice before, always on KSR, never anywhere else in Bangkok. Generally speaking I don't think average Thai folks spend a lot of time thinking about foreigners any more than average Americans do, but the people who work in tourist locales worldwide tend to be pretty jaded. If you get to know any Thai people well enough that they'll share honest opinions with you there are some stereotypes, of course. Farangs smell bad, they all come to marry hookers, etc. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 05:40 on Jan 22, 2013 |
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Jan 22, 2013 05:38
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Kuala Lumpur airport is confusing. Lots of duty free stuff to buy when you get off and there was a sim card guy. Had what I needed for 25myr,but no atms around. Got outside immigration where we aren't a captive audience and the price jumped to 40 and the lady was an rear end. I am so confused. Told this to ToussaintLouverture and he started to explain "Well obviously... Well they have a captive aud... er... Huh." I start the Malaysia leg of the trip thoroughly confused and vexed. Also, thanks kru and pvtdancer for coming out Friday and for Creamyhorror for showing us around. Kgoon approval.
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Jan 22, 2013 05:47
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ReindeerF posted:Last time eviljelly and I were at KSR a few months ago, a bunch of bucket/bar touts started kicking and smacking a farang tourist as he walked by with his girlfriend - and they weren't playing. I presume he had pissed them off the day before, because he didn't do anything at that time. I've seen it once or twice before, always on KSR, never anywhere else in Bangkok. In the very rare instance (I don't think I've ever seen it happen personally, but I've heard stories) of a foreigner getting into a fight with Cambodians, it's pretty much guaranteed that the foreigner did some very stupid first. I assume it's pretty similar in Thailand, with maybe the difference being that a lot of foreigner stupidity is concentrated into certain areas (KSR, for example).
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Jan 22, 2013 06:14
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caberham posted:
I've been endlessly curious about expat goons, and as luck would have it, will be spending the first weekend since I moved back to Bangkok actually here.
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Jan 22, 2013 06:21
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Tytan posted:In the very rare instance (I don't think I've ever seen it happen personally, but I've heard stories) of a foreigner getting into a fight with Cambodians, it's pretty much guaranteed that the foreigner did some very stupid first. I assume it's pretty similar in Thailand, with maybe the difference being that a lot of foreigner stupidity is concentrated into certain areas (KSR, for example). Chair Huxtable posted:I've been endlessly curious about expat goons, and as luck would have it, will be spending the first weekend since I moved back to Bangkok actually here.
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Jan 22, 2013 06:33
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Yeah, don't you guys live in Nonthaburi? I'm on Khlong 4 in Rangsit. Where do you guys usually meet up?
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Jan 22, 2013 06:50
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Walking around for an hour trying to find a transit card and then the monorail. My associate, "Malaysia is confusing and scary". Why do we go underground into bus smog hell to get to a monorail? Edit: found the monorail, not at all clearly marked and then everyone got off and it left empty also there are only two cars. My last public transit before this was Seoul, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Call me spoiled. DontAskKant fucked around with this message at 07:36 on Jan 22, 2013 |
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Jan 22, 2013 07:25
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DontAskKant posted:Walking around for an hour trying to find a transit card and then the monorail. My associate, "Malaysia is confusing and scary". Why do we go underground into bus smog hell to get to a monorail? the new thread title should be "SE Asia - Confusing and scary"
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Jan 22, 2013 08:15
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creamyhorror posted:Pfft, ya'll are spoiled. (I don't think Malaysia does subway transport well, it's a bigger country after all. I suspect people generally take buses, if they don't drive. Are you using a travel guide?) I pictured the entire area where we arrived and where we were staying completely differently. At least KL Sentral is all kinds of hosed, by my spoiled standards. There is so much construction around here, I've yet to find a part of the city that isn't being torn down or beat up. Kind of wish I had spent a little more and got a nice hotel, we've had some 'special' dorm mates. The area seems livable as a place I could move to though. Maybe not this part, but some part probably suits me. DontAskKant fucked around with this message at 09:20 on Jan 22, 2013 |
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Jan 22, 2013 09:18
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DontAskKant posted:I pictured the entire area where we arrived and where we were staying completely differently. At least KL Sentral is all kinds of hosed, by my spoiled standards. There is so much construction around here, I've yet to find a part of the city that isn't being torn down or beat up. Kind of wish I had spent a little more and got a nice hotel, we've had some 'special' dorm mates. The area seems livable as a place I could move to though. Maybe not this part, but some part probably suits me. Oh, random food notes: try some cendol (chendol) if you see it - it's an icy dessert made with palm sugar and coconut milk. Also, roti canai is essentially roti prata, though served a little differently. creamyhorror fucked around with this message at 10:07 on Jan 22, 2013 |
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Jan 22, 2013 10:03
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Cendol is pretty weird, mine had some beans in it as well (I had it in Penang, might be different over there), didn't really like it. FWIW I had not trouble finding or using the public transport in Kualu Lumpur. I was however totally lost everytime I exited a station  KL doesn't have that much to offer to tourists unless you like shopping in mega malls. Enjoy some of the streetfood on Jalan Alor, everything is good there. Alternatively you can go to the excellent foodcourt in the basement of the nearby Lot 10. Buses to a lot of destinations (Georgetown/Penang is great, go there) leave from Puduraya bus terminal.
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Jan 22, 2013 10:21
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eviljelly posted:I would enjoy a beer with a fellow jelly, altho ill be gone by the 27th. look me up when you get to koh tao, though. finch! is also on the rock. Koh Tao goon meet! Don't drink less, it's unbecoming. ReindeerF posted:Yo, anyone down there in Koh Tao, Nakadia's DJing at The Castle tomorrow (the 22nd): I am envious of everybody who has the stamina or the chemicals to even think about going to Castle today - it's a "recovery" from this: http://thebeachkohtao.com/ I'm not a big fan of that type of music or the type of people that music attracts (read: full moon morons) but I went yesterday anyway, mostly because I got to spend 10 hours on a yacht in the gulf of Thailand with 70 friends and a baby dwarf pig. It's a wonderful life. Finch! fucked around with this message at 11:20 on Jan 22, 2013 |
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Jan 22, 2013 11:02
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