TotallyOz Posted July 3, 2008 Posted July 3, 2008 Life throws many twists and turns at every corner and when ever you choose a different path more obstacles come your way. Pattaya has always been a fun place for me and I love the bar scene here and often went to 5 or more in one night. But, the real reason that has brought me back to this fair city time and time again is the boyfriend. First it was boyfriend number 1 who taught me how to be a farang in a foreign land and to be taken for every penny possible. (I will not count the baht lost on him or the number of mobile phones) LOL I am now with a guy that I have been with for 4 years and I adore him. He really makes me very happy and content. I look back on each trip to Pattaya and it is the same thing each time. I stay at an expensive hotel because of the great high speed Internet and the service and I spend a great deal of money on the bars and the tips. I can’t even count how many tips I gave to boys just to sit and have a drink with no intention of an off. Now that the USD is low and times are hard for us poor Americans to travel and enjoy the good life we once did, I have decided to try Pattaya a different way. I have rented a home in the fair land by the sea. The boyfriend and I have settled in and started to play house. Buying flowers for the garden, stocking up the fridge, etc. We are eating out less, going out less, frequenting the bars less, spending less money and trying to make this little heaven by the sea some place that is good for both of us and a place we can both thrive and enjoy life. For me that means a balance between him and the bar scene. For him, I think it is a balance between me and his family’s needs. We joined a gym and started exercising together. He has been very good with this. We have been swapping times cooking and he is trying things he never heard of and so I am. As my regular nights use to be going out EVERY night, we are committed to going to gogo bars only one night a week together (this one I have already broken), one night for Karaoke, one night for movie and one for bowling. Yes, that is a lot of going out but just not the same stuff every night. We are trying to add variety and flavor to the day to day routine. He hates Sunee Plaza and refuses to go there with me. That is fine with me as I will usually have one of our other friends go with me. So, for those of you that see me walking around the plaza, it is most likely not with the boyfriend but with another companion. I am not sure how long any of the “other” friendships will last but I am hanging out again with one favorite guys. As LMTU said to me when I first dated the guy, “I remember him when he first came to Pattaya. This boy has one huge cock. Number 1 boy in Pattaya.” LOL The cock part is true. He still has the handsome long hair and divine smile. Mix that will a lot of personality and a good heart and perhaps he will hang out with us for a long time to come. How long this will this “Nobel Experiment last? I am not sure. Been here for almost a week and so far it has been great. Only time will tell. I gave him my word that I would not to hire many guys (we didn’t discuss the term many) and try to stay at home and be a good wife for him (I only broke this once so far). The house I have taken is nice but not huge. It is clean but not without needed TLC. The garden is sparse but getting better each day as we spend our days at the flower marts and orchid farms. Today we shopped for some fish for the outside fishpond. Yes, I have a fishpond. We have 12 lovely pets and I hope they are able to stay alive for a long time. They have plenty of room and we give them plenty of food, but hoping that the occasional party go’er does not get drunk and mistake them for someone to put on the BBQ. Anyway, I hope to have lots of reviews of restaurants and new places over the coming months. Perhaps not as many reports on the bar scene but we will see if I am able to keep to my one night a week out goal (that does not include beer bars with friends). My biggest struggle is going to be trying to balance my desire to keep working out with the multiple of distractions found in Pattaya and in Thailand in general. I was not able to get this in synch on my last trip and I am putting a much more concerted effort into it on this trip. September, I plan to return to the fitness camp I have been to in the place to train for my first marathon in October. So far my longest run has been 22 miles. A full marathon is 26 miles and I feel good about finishing my first one this fall. But, if my time in Pattaya was anything like the last time, too little exercise and too much fun, I may be in for a struggle this fall. But, that is what goals are made for. You set them and try to find a way to achieve them. My goals on this trip are noble in nature but defiantly a long shot. Quote
Guest Posted July 6, 2008 Posted July 6, 2008 One week down. I find that a big trip to Big C or Lotus each week is fine for most of our groceries. I also really enjoy Villa Market at Major. They have an amazing selection of beef and good food and tons of Western products. They also have free delivery for anything over 2k baht. That surely helps. Most of my cooking has been Italian. I think this week, I'll try some Southern food for a change. Not sure how it will mesh with my small kitchen but I'll give it a try. For my own small meals, I have enjoyed the Roast Beef and Ham I get at Villa Market on whole wheat bread with some Dijon mustard. For breakfast, I like oatmeal and found some good American oatmeal but it is not easy without a microwave yet. We went to Index this week to buy one but they did not have a good selection of microwaves. I'll have to look elsewhere for that item. Any suggestions? The diet is going fine. One night at Oud's for their Apple pie which was delicious and one ice cream at the beach and that was my sins for the week. Most of my eating out consist of fish and Thai food. Oud's Place is comfortable, well decorated and peaceful. A great stop on a night out. Pattaya is not a cheap place to live. Chiang Mai is much more affordable and it is there I would be if not for the BF's son. He is in school in Chomburi and I don't want to change things so drastically for the family. However, Chiang Mai is my preferred place to live in Thailand and I am sure that one day, I will make it there and find a way to make things work with the BF. Movies here are about the same as Chiang Mai but everything else is more expensive. From rentals to bowling to food to gogo, the price difference is pretty major. Both cities have their pluses and minuses and I am sure that Chiang Mai has a much more suitable climate for me. Pattaya is fun and pretty amazing at times. Small doses of it can be exhilarating. Not sure how this long spurt will do for me. Quote
Guest buckeroo2 Posted July 6, 2008 Posted July 6, 2008 Home Pro and Home Works both have a large selection of micowaves. One week down. I find that a big trip to Big C or Lotus each week is fine for most of our groceries. I also really enjoy Villa Market at Major. They have an amazing selection of beef and good food and tons of Western products. They also have free delivery for anything over 2k baht. That surely helps. Most of my cooking has been Italian. I think this week, I'll try some Southern food for a change. Not sure how it will mesh with my small kitchen but I'll give it a try. For my own small meals, I have enjoyed the Roast Beef and Ham I get at Villa Market on whole wheat bread with some Dijon mustard. For breakfast, I like oatmeal and found some good American oatmeal but it is not easy without a microwave yet. We went to Index this week to buy one but they did not have a good selection of microwaves. I'll have to look elsewhere for that item. Any suggestions? The diet is going fine. One night at Oud's for their Apple pie which was delicious and one ice cream at the beach and that was my sins for the week. Most of my eating out consist of fish and Thai food. Oud's Place is comfortable, well decorated and peaceful. A great stop on a night out. Pattaya is not a cheap place to live. Chiang Mai is much more affordable and it is there I would be if not for the BF's son. He is in school in Chomburi and I don't want to change things so drastically for the family. However, Chiang Mai is my preferred place to live in Thailand and I am sure that one day, I will make it there and find a way to make things work with the BF. Movies here are about the same as Chiang Mai but everything else is more expensive. From rentals to bowling to food to gogo, the price difference is pretty major. Both cities have their pluses and minuses and I am sure that Chiang Mai has a much more suitable climate for me. Pattaya is fun and pretty amazing at times. Small doses of it can be exhilarating. Not sure how this long spurt will do for me. Quote