TotallyOz

What is usually the best way to get USD converted to baht? I have usually waiting till I am in a city before I convert things over but it is better to do at the airport?

Chris is a nice guy and I have known him for a few years. He seems to get along with everyone and his stories on living in Thailand are very well written and documented with photos and personal information. I suggest anything thinking of moving to the LOS read all his 5 chapters. It has a lot of great information in it. http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum...t-5-t15175.html

George posted a detailed thread on SGF about the new owners of Memories Bar. It was a very well written detailed explanation and telling of recent events. I did finish my pot of coffee before I finished his story but it was well worth it. It is located here: http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum...ues-t15187.html

I love drink Propel. It is like Gatorade but without all the sugar. It is a drink that has lots of electrolytes and helps your body repair itself and it great for exercise or when sick. I have never seen it in Thailand and wanted to bring some with me but the bottles are so heavy that it would be impossible. I found a great solution for those that love the drink as much as I do. They sell it in a box with powder. It is called Propel Fit Powder. It comes in a box of 10 and is relatively inexpensive. I brought over a case of it and it weighs very little and easy to put into a suitcase. I ordered mine from Walgreens in the USA but many other stores have them as well. Just an FYI for any interested.

Well, sorry, I am kidding on that one. Just wanted to give a nod to my friend Ear Wig and let me know he is still loved. As for Sunee, I am sure that you veterans have heard this over and over again, and it has never come to fruition. But, having visited Pattaya and spent time in Phuket, most that I talk to outside of the Sunee area say it is on its last leg. It is at the end of its heyday. I met several in Pattaya show say they will no longer go there and many others who say that they will not support any businesses related to the bars or the owners there. I am sure many of you have lived through the roller coaster ride before. Is this the beginning of the end? Will be bars that are there be able to sell and get their investment back? Are others willing to open up a bar where so much controversy exists? I cannot imagine that any of the bars are making good money, with the exception of bars like Ouds or Come In bar and maybe Jimm Jimmy James. Perhaps I am dead wrong in this and that there is great money to be made there. I just don't see it. What am I missing?

I dropped by the Hutch store near Tutcom the other day and saw their USB powered modem. It is supposed to give speeds up to 550 kb per second and is about 16k baht per year for the modem and the plan. Anyone tried this? I tried to buy the upgraded modem but they were sold out when I went there and they said it would be back in stock in 1-2 weeks. I have the ATT one for the USA and it is amazing and fantastic.

Apple has now introduced the new Iphone GPS due to hit stores in many countries July 11th. It looks great and amazing. It is supposed to be sold in 70 countries and I am sure not long before Thailand will have an official carrier. The price is lower on this one than the previous ones. http://www.apple.com

If you are a points guy like me, you love the free upgrades that hotels give when you are a priority member. Marriott is offering one to join up with them. All you need to do is go to the link below and sign up for the rewards program and give them your KLM number. I used my NWA one and it worked but if you want t follow the letter of the rule, use your KLM and once Gold, you can always revert back to NWA. Your Marriott will be upgraded to Gold. I have friends that have done this and it was instant. If you are already a Marriott member, you may go ahead and get another account or you can simply try to merge the two. The later works for some but not for others. I have friends that used this link with the current account and it was automatic upgraded the next day. It is worth a try for those of you that ever stay at this hotel chain. http://www.joinmarriottrewards.com/flyingblue/FBG2

If you are a points guy like me, you love the free upgrades that hotels give when you are a priority member. Marriott is offering one to join up with them. All you need to do is go to the link below and sign up for the rewards program and give them your KLM number. Your Marriott will be upgraded to Gold. I have friends that have done this and it was instant. If you are already a Marriott member, you may go ahead and get another account or you can simply try to merge the two. The later works for some but not for others. I have friends that used this link with the current account and it was automatic upgraded the next day. It is worth a try for those of you that ever stay at this hotel in Thailand or elsewhere. http://www.joinmarriottrewards.com/flyingblue/FBG2

In NYC I found very similar things. The West Village and Chelsea were mostly gay when I was there. They are now Yuppie heaven. Many of the gays are moving out to Queens and Brooklyn and even in those areas, the gays seem to be more spread out than in past times. I miss the old West Village and the days where the night clubs in Chelsea were kings of the universe.

Absolutely Divine!

Thanks for the link Anton. I appreciate it. I have used Vonage for years. I do this as they don't pull my IP and base my outgoing or incoming calls on where I am located. This means I can travel anywhere and still get all my calls for my monthly fee. I have the world plan and it covers most places I travel. It is not free but I find it worth it. I have used Skype in the past and enjoyed it. But, they have gotten much more expensive and they do look at your IP. I have unlimited US and Canada calls per month but if I am outside of the USA, they count that as long distance and charge me for each minute. This really sucks as I am out of the USA more than I am in USA. I haven't really tried other plans but I still use both of the above but mostly Vonage. The Vonage adaptor is also 110-220 so it plugs in fine in most countries and I can set up a regular phone with it and it works perfectly.

We are working on a revamp of the site. It will be our first major revamp since we started the site. We want to make it as user friendly as possible and give you as many new features as we can. So, what do we need to add? How can we make the site better for you? What features would you like to see? We would greatly appreciate any input possible. Thanks.

I have been in touch with a broker about a home in Pattaya. Not really interested but wanted to see the options. The prices for what they offer for most of the homes are outrageous. Most of the 3 bedrooms in nice secure areas are 85,000 baht. I guess the market is not as bad as many thought if those places are renting out consistently. I would never live in the city as I do feel it is not as safe as the Jomptien area. I had a friend that rented between Pattaya and Jomptien in a very nice large home with swimming pool and his home was broken into a few times. As my realtor was driving by that area, I asked him about home prices there, he commented that only an idiot would move there as the area is know for the robberies. I thought it may have been just a coincidence that my friend had his place broken into but I guess that was not coincidental. The realtor said he would not even show me anything in that area as it was a big mistake to move there. Most of the places he showed were in Jomptien and gated communities. I do know there are many that live in Pattaya and don't live in the gated communities. How safe do you feel? How secure are our belongings? Do the gated communities offer that much more safety?

In Pattaya with he boyfriend and I was woken up around 1 am with the biggest downpour I have seen in a bit The rain really plummeted out of the sky tonight I walked into my hotel lobby, ordered a bottle of wine for me and some security and we drank as we watched the streets slowly settle down and the mobs of wet people moving along the streets. It really does rain hard here!

I have gone up and down for a bit. I actually posted the weight loss journey I had last year. This year has gone well but I wanted to get ready for the San Francisco to Los Angeles Aids Lifecycle for charity. It is 550 miles in 7 days. I did it last year but I was not ready for it. I wanted to try it again this year but to be better prepared. I started getting ready in Chiang Mai in March and took a few escorted bike tours. They were mostly mountain bike trips and I had a nice time. They were not terribly long but they were enough to get me back into shape for the ride. I then went back to the fitness facility I had gone to previously http://www.camptechnique.com They are simply wonderful and they put a schedule in place for me to have enough riding and cross training to get the trip done and be prepared for it. Luckily, most of their rides were on the beach with beautiful scenery and they averaged 18-30 miles per ride. Doing this 3-5 times a week for my six week stay really helped me prepare for this event. The guys at Camp Technique are amazing and I had a fabulous time there. They are a bit expensive but they were worth every penny IMHO. I decided the best way to loose weight was to do it naturally instead of taking some miracle drug where the side effects short term and long term are unknown. I had one friend who took some drugs in Thailand for this and he turned from a kind and gentle man to a total psycho. All his friends think the drug had a great deal to do with it. I was not willing to take that risk. The camp was a struggle this time. Not physically but it did not produce the weight loss I expected in 6 weeks. I was working out up to 8 hours a day 6 days a week and only loosing one pound. The owner knew something was wrong. He wanted me to go to a doctor in Beverly Hills in order to find out what is happening. The doctor specializes in this and while a bit more than I had ever paid for an office visit, it was truly worth it. He did a full blood work up with over 13 viles of blood to test every thing imaginable. What he found was the cause of me not being able to loose weight the way I should. It was not the reason I gained weight as I know that eating the wrong foods and drinking too much sodas with tons of chemicals had really taken a toll on my body. The drug regiment he put me on was a combination of vitamins and minerals as well as drugs for hormones, thyroid, and about 4 other things I can't pronounce. He also is having me do a sleep study as he said anyone who does not sleep will not loose weight properly as that is needed nightly for the body to recover. After my bike ride, I flew to the deep south to spend 2 days with my grandmother and then back to LA to see the doctor again. That night I boarded a plane and headed to Thailand. I won't see immediate results in the weight but I should start to see them when I get the right mix of meds and exercise. I have another task I really want to do this fall that I am preparing for along with one of my best female friends. We expect to go back to that Camp and train for a month in order to do the event in September. My goal is weight loss is not to look great in the mirror but to get healthy. I also have a dream of finding a way to spend my money in Thailand on a charity. I have almost decided that I want to do a bike ride from Pattaya to Bangkok with all the money going to charities in the area. Does anyone think this would fly? Am I wasting my time and energy?

Was around in Sunee for a bit tonight. Ate at Ole restaurant and it was enjoyable. The boyfriend loved the steak and we had a good time sitting and chatting. Jimm Jimmy James was a bit slow. I was told many boys were off already when I showed and that others took the day off. Still, what was on stage was cute and all seemed to really enjoy themselves. I know I enjoyed the boys frolicking with each other. I headed over to Villa Rouge but it is still closed and not open for business. I was told the other 2 bars that were closed were open tonight but Villa Rouge would take longer to open. We went to Sundance and they had a mass of guys and some very nice looking doormen. Topman was where the action was at tonight. The stage was full of boys and there were many customers to be found. I found a dear lad there that I just had to have accompany me out tonight. Yumm. I did not see one dancer who had even questionable age on stage or around the bar at all. The mamasan from years back is Jack and always a pleasure to talk to and deal with. The 2 doormen I took off had a 400 baht off. Not a price I wanted to pay but I had already offed them before I was thrown with that. Come In bar was crowded all night and seem to be the busiest beer bar around. But, damm, the beer bars across from Jimm Jimmy James also had full houses. Corner Bar wasn't packed but had a nice group in there. I think their may have been some club meeting going on at one point as I saw a few owners of other bars chatting away. Oud's bar looks fantastic. They did a stand up job on the place and he was full of laughter and silliness. The place will be a hit and bring a nice bit of traffic to that part of the Soi. I did hear from many of the boys that it was so slow and not many customers. I didn't see the lack of it there but perhaps I am just not used to the numbers. Things looked pretty good to me. I took my guys to see Hulk at Major Cineplex tonight and we all enjoyed that a great deal.

I have been in the USA a bit and I have a lady that gives me massage 2 times each week. She is Thai and an American citizen. She also loves Thailand and wants to return there one day. She is married and has children of her own. We talk often and chat about Thailand and the boyfriend there. Today she asked me if I would take care of her nephew. I was a bit shocked at this request but I listened to her. She said he had finished high school and wanted to go to University but his family could not afford it. They live in Chiang Rai. I asked if he was gay and she said she did not know but was sure I would be happy with him and we could take care of each other. I asked about what he looked like and she got on the phone and called her family in Thailand. She spoke Thai and I didn't understand much of the conversation. But, I did hear the words, Take Care and Jai Dee Falang. After a few minutes of her with her phone to her ear and half way massaging me, she came back and said the she would get a photo from her family via e-mail this week and send it to me. Tall boy she said, and he is in the army now but gets out soon and would love to meet me. I know she didn't talk to him as I heard a female voice on the other end but I guess someone can speak for him. The whole thing took me a bit by surprise but it was a nice one. Just talking about Thailand with her always makes me want to jump on the next plane and take a trip. I do not think that this conversation will lead anywhere but I guess I was a little surprised that she was trying to fix me up with her family in Thailand. She has a BMW here and I am sure she would be able to afford to help him. So, I don't really know the full story I am sure.

I normally stay at the BaanYinDee hotel and love it there. Their suites are booked for the time I will be there. Does anyone know of some really great hotels with close access to Patong Beach and that have a great swimming pool and high speed Internet? I have stayed at the Baan Yin Dee and the Holiday Inn and enjoyed both.

I asked the boyfriend over and over what he wanted for this Bday and I usually take one of my boys to a nice restaurant and then to a disco. He said all he wanted was me to come to Pattaya and have dinner with his friends. I said OK. A long Thai Air nonstop from LA today put me in Thailand at 6:00 AM. The trip was easy and I did get some rest. I am not a good planner so the Premium Economy cost me 1990.00 because I did not book in advance. An extra 400 for luggage and so far the trip is getting expensive. They do allow you to carry 2 pieces on for free but I had 6 total and one was for presents from "friends". Once in the car, I called the boyfriend who was still asleep and he woke up, showered and met me in Pattaya. He is adorable and his smile is just amazing. We went to Royal Garden for some food and then we went to a Country Beer Garden near Big C that serves many things but Thai Whiskey is part of it. Our group of around 10 or so had tons of drinks, lots of food that is cooked on the table over flames and lots of booze. We even had 2 large Hookas (large pipes for smoking). After 4 hours of non stop eating and drinking I paid the bill. It was 2400 bath for everything. I was tired to I left money for the boyfriend and headed to the hotel alone. I had a great time and it was lovely to meet many of his friends from school. They are not money boys and girls and it was quite a change of pace for me to spend time in this group. I throughly enjoyed the trip to the beer garden and I am sure I'll do it again when jet lag isn't so good. I had given the boyfriend his birthday presents early as I can't seem to wait for anything. He loved them and it brought a bigger smile to his face. Spending a night in Pattaya without even entering a bar is a rarity for me but it is something I quite enjoyed.

Well, I am from the South and I am not racist against blacks. I don't date white guy, but I have lots of them as friends. Honestly, I don't know much about Obama and that is what is disappointing to me. He is an unknown for me and I honestly think his nomination will not succeed and that we will be in for another 4 years of Republican rule. I am open to listening to him. I even ordered his book and will read it. I will read it with an open mind. But, I am not willing to change my mind that he should not have been the nominee. That was a mistake and one that will hurt us for years to come.

I have to agree with Anton on this one. The room is my space while I am there. To just randomly choose a place I had left money and take it was wrong. I have left some near my desk as well. That was not touched. It was the money in the bathroom near my 16 bottles of cologne that was taken. I am glad she didn't take the new bottle of Angel for Men as that would have been devastating for me. I tip for good service in all areas. But, I don't tip when things like this are done. I would also not stay at this hotel again. It was a one time thing.

From the Nation: Skyrocketing oil prices have clipped Thai Airways International's wings, forcing the flag carrier to retrench on its 10-year business plan, including possibly paring routes and new aircraft procurement. "The airline's revision will also include its revenue projection," THAI president Apinan Sumanseni said yesterday. "THAI's revenue this year will fall short of the target of Bt210 billion," he said. The new plan will be finalised by next month, but the airline has already decided to close its long haul Bangkok-New York route in July and cut frequencies to Los Angeles, London, New Zealand and Johannesburg due to higher jet fuel expenses, he said. On July 1, the New York station will be closed down and flights to Los Angeles will be reduced from seven a week to five. "The company has already lost Bt4 billion per year for the two long-distance routes to New York and London," he said. The oil price is the key driver of the cost of operations. The jet fuel price has jumped from US$270 per gallon last year to $400, which hits all airlines, he said. The four A340-500s used to service the Bangkok-New York route will no longer be needed and sold off. The company bought the aircraft for $130 million (Bt4.3 billion) each. The long-haul routes are struggling the most because they consume much more fuel. The Bangkok-New York flight was launched in May 2005. The airline is running an average load factor of 80 per cent on the daily flights, but the return is still poor due to fewer premium seats. Major rivals including Singapore Airlines still operate the route but have transformed all seating to business class, which gets higher rates. THAI is studying reducing frequencies to London, Johannesburg and other destinations. The airline will also revise its route from Bangkok to Oakland, New Zealand, by adding stopovers in Sydney or Melbourne. The plan is set to start in October. However, traffic to India is picking up so it will increase flights to New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/topstory/r...newsid=30074952

What are you rooting for? I am putting my bets on LA for this one. Sorry TY.

Just to name a few.