Exercises in celibacy - trip to Thailand and Vietnam in Jan 2025

[vinapu]

40 minutes ago, thaiophilus said:

Physical cards can be virtualised too. If you add a physical card to Google Wallet you can use your Android phone to make contactless transactions on the card account, but as an extra level of security it uses a virtual card number, not the one on the card.  I assume iPhones have an equivalent.

It's amazing how technology enabled  to make complex simple thing of paying for one's meal ( or condom  or whatever )

10 hours ago, bkkmfj2648 said:

I have a couple of virtual cards. 

more of them we have and more we use those we are exposing ourselves to more fraud.

I used my card only once last trip and it was enough to create trouble as described above. 

At end of day,  juggling all those cards and accounts is not making us richer more than stirring a tea makes her sweet. 

when travelling I use cash and cards are used only if there's no other option ( like buying airfare on internet ) and even the majority of my card use is just withdrawing money from ATM. Main reason is that using cash allows me to control my expenditures much better ( where that 50 tala or 100 taka  from back pocket went ? ) 

as a matter of principle I boycott those establishments who sport " we don't accept cash " and similar signs. Of course I'm not dogmatic and yield if absolutely necessary but it's rare.

[Keithambrose]

6 hours ago, BangkokDreamer said:

If you have the app. Most cards have a function you can turn off and on. I only turn on my card to make a purchase and then I turn it off right after. It helps avoid fraud. The same with my debit card. I turn it on to withdraw money and turn it off again right after. 

Yes, the 'suspend function' is very useful.

[floridarob]

5 hours ago, macaroni21 said:

the thought that a proper airline like Cebu Pacific

You give them too much credit, lol

[10tazione]

2 hours ago, vinapu said:

when travelling I use cash and cards are used only if there's no other option ( like buying airfare on internet )

If you are in Thailand, some airlines offer cash payment at 7/11. Bangkok Air does. You book your flight on internet, and then choose as payment method, i don't know now what it is called, "Cash at 7/11". You receive a mail, go to 7/11 within a certain time, i think something like 2 hours, show the barcode to the cashier and pay him. There is a very small fee. After paying, you receive the booking confirmation of your flight.

[vinapu]

1 hour ago, 10tazione said:

If you are in Thailand, some airlines offer cash payment at 7/11. Bangkok Air does. You book your flight on internet, and then choose as payment method, i don't know now what it is called, "Cash at 7/11". You receive a mail, go to 7/11 within a certain time, i think something like 2 hours, show the barcode to the cashier and pay him. There is a very small fee. After paying, you receive the booking confirmation of your flight.

thank you , I did not know about it and certainly such option was not offered when I did booking for S as it's very unlikely i wouldn't spot it.

  Our flight was with Asia Air which is super budget airline while Bangkok Air brands itself "Thailand's boutique airline " and charges accordingly. 

[12is12]

10 hours ago, ichigo said:

 

Back to the topic highlighted in the title of this thread:

I can attest to Vinapu's typical high spirits, despite 2nd night of celibacy.

Thx again for your time and company and guidance!

[vinapu]

 

Day 10

 My flight to Krabi was at noon so I took my luggage with me to Foodland and straight from there I went to Swampy.

 At Krabi airport I took van for 90 baht and luckily I was 1^st passenger who alighted from it after perhaps 20 minutes of ride.

My hotel was named Riverview and indeed  only street separated me from river and I had nice view of the river from my window.

 

strange logic, smoking in the room prohibited but ash tray provided

 

What fascinated me the most were mangroves as it was first time I had occasion to see them from up close – ban opposite of the city is practically mangrove forest.

 

Some people advised me to stay on tourist ghetto of Ao Nang few kilometers away but my preference was city and it was smart choice.

 

Rest of day I spent wandering about the city and splurged on ‘early bird  “ tour of the famous Phi Phi Island , Maya Beach and other islands. Promise was ‘beat the crowds” with start at 6 am. So I decided to splurge 2800 to join. While expensive I saw offerings for the same as high as 3500 in other places , among others in my own hotel .

I visited no less than 3 night markets including one with Chinese theme as in few days we will have Chinese New Year.

Knowing I need to wake up at 5.30 I went to bed bit earlier than normally.

[vinapu]

Day 11

 Anxious to see famous Phi Phi Island and even more famous Maya Bay with addition of beating the crowds I woke up at 5.30, spruced up , made a tea and  at 5.50 parked myself in front of hotel hoping I wont wait too long. Indeed I did not. Car came at 6 on the dot

 I was treated to car ride as it turned out I was only boat passenger from Krabi Town, rest were Ao Nangers. On joining the rest I learned that my driver was no one less than owner of tour company and I was given ride in his own car. That is proper client service I thought.

 No only we started early but also our boat was speedboat  , no wonder it cost that much but with 7 islands on the schedule it was good option.

 At 7 we were already on the water. I thought our first stop will be most popular place i.e. Maya Bay to beat the crowds indeed  but no, we stopped at other island where we were treated with quite lavish breakfast at beautiful setting . Then off for short stop at two micro islands joined by strip of sand and finally off to Maya Bay .

 Breakfast setting :

our speadboat

 

 It was  past 9 and forget about ‘beat the crowds” part. Beach itself is beautiful indeed, swimming is prohibited, one can wade into water up to ankles but mass of humanity made visiting more chore  than pleasure.

 I even saw few baby sharks in the water and  noticed that we people are really herd animals as ¾ of visitors crowded part of beach close to the entry while part further away was quite pleasantly less populated.

 

I even spotted one very handsome specimen of tourist and followed him for a while out of sheer visual pleasure, judge for yourself.

Isn't Maya Bay beautiful ?

 

Crowds to get back to the boat were insane, we wait perhaps 30 minutes in line just to board.

Next stop was supposed to be famous Phi Phi Don island and my expectancy was as high  her fame.

 First we were invited for a lunch to one of many restaurants lining beach, while also crowded food was good and I noted that on this tour today they feed us very well, other than beer there was no need to buy any snacks or drinks as what they provided was more than sufficient. Then we had time to survey the realm and let me tell you I was not disappointed with such famous place.

 Indeed I was fucking disappointed like   shit with that poster boy of overdeveloped tourist trap, sorry my language but that’s the best I can do even now , 6 weeks after actually being there.

 Setting may be beautiful but narrow strip in the middle flanked by beached on both sides is nothing but overbuilt horror crowded with hordes looking at overpriced souvenirs and drinking even more overpriced drinks. After visiting Phi Phi now I consider Patong on Phuket pristine and unspoiled destination.

Some may disagree but my point is , if one can avoid visiting Phi Phi, don’t go and give island some breathing space.

 On course I tasted some swimming on the beach so I can boast about been there , done that  but it was low point. Honestly , no idea what is the pull of place making it so popular.

 Next stop was Bamboo Island where we had 1 hour for swimming and by way Chicken Island we returned to Ao Nang at end of day.

Chicken Island :

 

Despite being disappointed  with Phi Phi and tired with crowds at Maya Bay I still consider that 2800 well spent. Tour was organized well, they could do what they could to show us what was scheduled. Whole ;’’beat the crowds” thing did not materialize but I was not disappointed for simple reason- I did not believe that part from the start.

 If one wants to beat the crowds at may beach only option is to hire private boat and set off there as early as possible without any stops on the way. Even that may not succeed.  While beautiful I still thing doing our part for mother Earth is leaving Maya Bay alone.

I got again  car ride  to hotel , not private this time as two people from other tour joined in .

In hotel I realized I’m quite tired but that did not stop me from wandering around the city. Tomorrow complete change of scenery.