Brief Trip Report - The Songkran that wasn't meant to be

[vaughn]

This trip report might just boil down to a few posts, the reasons for not as much to report will become evident soon enough.

Leading up to this trip let me indulge you in some context with a brief a life update: I had just recently ended things with a guy I was dating for the past few months back in farangland, it was messy and I always find it incredibly difficult to tell someone I don't want to continue with them, but it had to be done. To add to things on the home front, my work have unfortunately realised I'm more capable than I like to let on, so there has been stress coming from that direction as well.

Do you know what I need, a nice little getaway to 'surround myself in the culture' of Thailand, again. I've almost given up on trying to explain away these trips at work now, they surely know whats happening.

-begin

A jump, skip and hop via Changi and I am shoes on the ground in BKK Swampy, Exit 4 to my Nams taxi sedan and then we're pushing down the highway by 11am to Jomtien, 1200 baht to the driver, early check-in allowed by Agate, everything is coming along nicely.

It's been about 9 months since I've been back in Thailand, even longer since I was last in Jomtien complex (end of 2023). There have been some changes, some bars have new names around the horse shoe, the soi with Sophia's has had some minor cosmetic enhancements and a barber shop, Soda still exists so that's my first stop at about 1pm or so when the boys show up.

My last encounter at Soda when I gave my line to the guy things escalated a little too quickly for my taste, so I hadn't been back to Soda since incase I find myself under attack.

Did I learn from this mistake, no, but thankfully after I reluctantly gave my Line to the new guy this time he didn't give me the same treatment and the guy from before doesn't appear to be there anymore. This Soda guy was very sweet, not much English but we don't need the formalities of spoken language to engage in our interpretive dance. With a warm release from both he and I leaking down onto the massage table we're done and a nice tip exchanges hands.

I head back to my room to freshen up and then as the sun goes down I venture back out to Sophia's for one of my favourite meals in the area, this may be controversial but I rate her chicken cashew above the Patpong institution we all know and love. Enough blasphemy for the first post, i'll be back to continue later.. the beginning of Songkran (D-DAY)

[bkkmfj2648]

9 minutes ago, vaughn said:

I venture back out to Sophia's for one of my favourite meals in the area, this may be controversial but I rate her chicken cashew above the Patpong institution we all know and love.

wow, good to know because I have never eaten at Sophia's.  I did not even know it existed or where it is located within the complex.

I will give it a try when I am back in Thailand.

[tm_nyc]

X2 on Sophia's!

[vinapu]

10 hours ago, vaughn said:

I've almost given up on trying to explain away these trips at work now, they surely know whats happening.

................

My last encounter at Soda when I gave my line to the guy things escalated a little too quickly for my taste, so I hadn't been back to Soda since incase I find myself under attack.

you don't need to tell them where you going to avoid those stares , gossip and jealousy. In my workimng days I always told folks I'm going to  a country where my sister lives.

I they were curious how come I came  with tan in the middle of the  winter I had answer ready " I went skiing for few days with my brother in law"

................

I know the pain of giving Line to overactive guy and now when going for massage I conveniently "forget" my phone . Not that easy when hosting guy in my room

10 hours ago, vaughn said:

I venture back out to Sophia's....... I rate her chicken cashew above the Patpong institution we all know and love. 

you not first one who says that 

[ichigo]

Sophia's is great! This is crispy pork with kale. As it is open air, smoking is also allowed (if you are that way inclined). And even better, it is situated in front of Burirom Massage so you can 'study' the guys working there.