Pattaya Thailand Essentials

As the countdown to my next trip to Thailand ticks away from months into weeks my anticipation grows. I’m really looking forward to getting back and relaxing for a couple of weeks. I noticed when I stepped on the scale this morning that I’ve put on a few pounds – well more than a few if I’m honest – since my last trip. Only four weeks left and I’ve decided to get as fit as I can in that short time span. I find I do this before every trip, wait till the last minute to try and fix 6 months worth of bad habits. But I find the healthier I am before a trip the better I enjoy it. How about you? Are you always fit and in shape, do a maintenance run a month before your trip, or maybe you just don’t care?

I’ve found the better health I’m in when I arrive in Thailand, the less likely I am to coming down with an illness and I’m better able to keep up with those long days and late nights.  I do tend to indulge a bit in the libations when on holiday and stay up way past my bed time.  A month or two of clean living before the trip keeps me going when the engine should stall.  I fully realize I should be living a healthy lifestyle all year round, but so far that has not been my reality.

What’s been working for me so far?  I start by cleaning up my diet.  Lots of fresh fruits and veggies and lean meats like chicken and tuna.  It’s a bit hard trying to put together a healthy meal to eat at the office everyday, but I manage to do it for most of the week.  The days I can’t I just visit the Subway but forgo the chips and soda.

I’ve also started getting some exercise in everyday…and man-o-man am I out of shape.  It was tough the first few days and I’ve been sore in places I never knew I had muscles.  But I’m starting to get in the groove and start to look forward to the daily work outs.  I also enjoy walking around Pattaya quite a lot when I am there, so I’ve been working in a long walk after dinner to make sure the legs are feeling good.  Don’t want the tootsies all aching when I’m out wandering around taking photos for a few hours.

So far so good – but no real progress so far.  I’m not quite as young as I used to be an the weight just doesn’t come back as fast.  But it’s a step in the right direction.  Who knows, maybe I can get used to it.

I’ve been traveling to Thailand for the past 3 years.  It is something I can say I truly enjoy.  I’ve fallen in love with the country, the culture, and the people.  People back in the U.S. don’t quite understand it.  All they know is what they’ve seen on some tv show like dateline or 20/20.  There is much more to the country than that.  This November will be my 5th trip in four years.  I usually try and get there for two weeks every November, and one year I was lucky enough to squeeze in a second trip. Though it was to short and not that enjoyable – but that is a story for another time.

I really look forward to my trip every year, and this time it is no different.  But I’ve come under some financial strain the last couple months that make me wonder if I should cancel or proceed as planned.  I’ve had to buy a new car and do some home repairs that have put my debt levels at an uncomfortable position that I’m not sure I’ve really ever been at before.  But I’ve purchased my tickets and hotel rooms already, so the only outstanding item I need to worry about is cash for those two weeks.  I can manage, but it still leaves me with an uncomfortable feel with the trip only 6 weeks away.

It kind of sucks having to worry about money, and if you are doing the right thing when you are taking a vacation.  But to me, I work to live, I don’t live to work and my vacations are almost a sacred thing to me.  Those two weeks helps me recharge and refocus myself so that I can make it another year.  One day I hope to be free from the chains of working for someone else.  I’m working on a few projects now that I hope will benefit me in the future, but for now this is my reality.  So debt be dammed, I’m heading to Thailand.

I usually spread myself around on my two week adventures.  Some time in Bangkok, Phuket, and Pattaya.  This trip it is straight on to Pattaya.  I’ve booked in at a fabulous hotel on Soi Diana called the LK Renaissance.  It is a great hotel and well worth a look if you are going to be staying in Pattaya.  Their are cheaper places out there, but this is one of the nicer hotels I’ve stayed at which is so close to downtown.

I’ll be traveling alone, as I often do these days.  But to me that is a misnomer.  I get there by myself, but I meet plenty of great people, and hook up with some friends, so I am far from alone.  I actually enjoy  getting the chance to meet new people, and I can tell you this, Pattaya is full of interesting characters.

I can now only sit and wait for the next 6 weeks to fly by, and I know they will.  Time to take myself to the gym for a last minute tune up and clean up my eating and drinking habits.  That is long overdue anyway.  The cash maybe tight, but I’m looking forward to this trip more and more.

The worst is over and order has been restored to Bangkok. So is it safe to travel to Thailand again? The answer depends on a few factors. Truth be told, even with all the coverage on the international television about the protests and violence in Bangkok, if you were not in the main areas of the protest you were still safe, and wouldn’t have known what was going on if not for the TV. Areas like Pattaya, Phuket, and Ko Samui, were not effected by the turmoil of Bangkok at all, except for the curfew.

That being said, things could have taken a turn for the worse and gone to all out civil war had the conditions been different. It is always easy to look back and make a judgment call. I feel that our advice earlier to avoid Thailand for the time being was sound. Looking at the destruction and curfew that took over in most of the country, you got a glimpse of the nastiness that could have been much, much, worse.

For the time being it appears to be safe to travel to Thailand once again. The main storm has blown over. However, the underlying problems still remain. I won’t go into explaining the undercurrents of what is happening there, there are many opinions on that matter, and several posts could be written about it. But knowing that the problem in Thailand is still unresolved, it is best to keep updated on the situation there until your trip or vacation has come and gone. The Bangkok Post website is a good way to get up to date news. As well as the local news websites of your favorite destination of Pattaya or Phuket.

Now, bear in mind, just because the turmoil in the streets of Bangkok has been squashed, doesn’t mean that your government has yet to lift it’s travel advisories. Take a look at your State Departments website to see if their travel advisory is still on. Here are the links to the U.S. and U.K. travel advisories.

Why do you care about travel advisories? The most important reason is travel insurance. Most policies won’t make good on any claims where your government has issued a travel warning about going to Thailand. You need to have insurance when traveling abroad and certainly to Thailand. Accidents happen and you need to be covered. Make sure you check with your travel insurance company about whether you are going to be covered by your policy.

The streets are clear, the curfew is gone (well it’s almost gone and maybe by the weekend), and it is safe to travel to Thailand again. There is still rebuilding that needs to be done, not only the brick and mortar kind, but also the fabric of a country slowly being torn apart. Watch your government’s travel advisories, check your insurance policy, and watch the Thai news sites to keep updated. Things change, and they don’t usually make international headlines till they are on the verge of something nasty.