Pattaya

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Hi from pattaya, I had written a long entry but lost it somehow so will write another one tomorrow....I am too pissed off to try again right now....😊

Ok, lets try this again !!!!!!

Hi everyone, the last two weeks have found me hunkered down in the seaside playground of Pattaya in Southern Thailand. The Americans made Pattaya what it is today when they came to Thailand for R & R during the Vietnamese war . Today it has gained the reputation of anything goes if you have the cash to pay for it. Money is number one here and you can buy literally anything here. It boggles the mind ....

I have rented a bedsit type room in a small community just south of Pattaya called Jomtien Beach ( 150 dollars a month). I had to buy my own bed sheets and towels etc but hopefully I can sell them to the next renter. My apt. is about 50 yards from the beach which is packed with vacationers and locales all day long. I live on the fifth floor with no elevator so I get a good workout just climbing the stairs a few times a day. Exercising outside it out of the question in 35C heat with 90 Degrees humidity, Just walking down the street my shirt is soaked through. One gains a quick understanding why so many hot climate people just lay around all day seemingly sleeping the day away when in fact they are just trying to stay cool.

My journey out of Cambodia was yet another bone jarring 3 hour taxi ride on a dirt road that makes the forestry roads of BC look like super highways. Its beyond my understanding why Cambodia doesnt improve thier road system which has to be the worst I have ever experienced and I have been many places on this planet of ours. Crossing the border from Cambodia to Thailand was like entering another world in another galaxy. The difference has to been seen to be believed.

I must back track a little bit to share one of the hi lites of my trip to date. I have posted pics of the slow boat trip from Siem Reap to Battambang but have not written anything about the journery. It cost 15 dollars and took 7 hours ( advertised to take 4). If anyone ever has the chance to take this trip, dont miss it. It really is a wonderful excursion through rivers, canals, lakes and swamps. The rainy season has just ended so the water level was very high, giving the appearance that the entire area is flooded but in reality its just high water and in the dry season the water is much lower, which I am sure would take away some of the beauty. The villages on stilts or floating on the water along the journey were very beautiful and villagers seemed very happy, well fed and in good health. Many of us said this would be a nice place to live for a few months just to experience the flavour of life floating on the river with no cars or motorbikes and only row boats to go shopping. Country life always seems to be more enjoyable that city life and in Cambodia that is multiplied many times over.

My departure from Siem Reap was a little sad actually. I had become good friends with my motorbike driver who I had hired for 4 days to show me all the temples. That cost me 30 dollars but well worth it. He was a very humble and friendly young man who lived with the monks and he went far beyond the call of duty to see I was well looked after and that I saw everything there was to see. I posted a pic of him and me having dinner at one of his friends house.

Well that about brings you up to date of where I am. The last two weeks have been more or less staying in one place and taking daily excursions out and about pattaya and vicinity to take in the full flavour of the lifestyle here. I dont think I would ever return however. Its worth seeing once just to say "been here , done that".

Till next time.....keep warm and enjoy winter for me everyone....:P

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Photos

yes they really eat grasshoppers
and every other kind of insect too