maikee

Hi all,

Coming down next week for 3 days with wife, daughter (7 years old) and Mother In-Law. This is our first time visiting Phuket. Looking for a nice place close to or on the beach. Would like it to be fairly close to nightlife, shopping, restaurants. Interested in having access to a nice pool that the daughter can play in safely. Would like a separate room for privacy.

After looking online ALL day, I think I have found a pretty nice place: The Residence at Kalim Bay. Can anyone give me an opinion about the place? How far of a walk is it to the busy part of downtown?

Also, I'm thinking about renting a car during our stay. Would that be something you folks would recommend and if so, which rental company would you recommend?

3 days isn't all that much time, but I would like to get out and see some interesting sites. My wife's mother gets around pretty good, but her hip is starting to bother her. She's never been on a boat, so not interested in risking sea sickness... Any botanical gardens, zoo's, waterfalls, etc. that you would recommend that would be fairly easy on tired hip?

1 last thing. My wife and I both enjoy Italian food. Price isn't "necessarily" an object, but I would like to keep it in the 2500 to 3500k range. Any place with outstanding risotto and a quiet comfortable atmosphere would be on the top of my list.

Thanks for any info you can provide.

Cheers,

Michael

Signed up for a post-paid DTAC number last week primarily for the GPRS program.

During sign up it was mentioned that I would have to wait 3 months to use the direct international dialing capability. I said no problem as I have a calling card and would be accessing it through AT&T USA direct (toll free Thailand number). This was met with a smile and a response of "OK" from the girl at the DTAC desk.

Tried calling the number today and got a "Service denied" message. Called customer service and they said I cannot call toll free numbers with DTAC. Does anyone have any other experience with this?

Put my AIS sim back in and made the call, but that's a bit of a pain.

On that note, since it appears that appears that I need AIS and DTAC (if I want to continue using the DTAC for GPRS or EDGE in supported areas), I understand that there is some sort of Sim card that allows you to copy information from multiple sim cards. Supposedly this gives you access to multiple numbers from 1 chip. Does something like that exist here in Thailand?

Cheers,

Mike

with the apple cider vinegar, you apply it topically on your afflicted areas of skin. I would recommend doing some research on this natuaral remedy and it's many uses, internally as well. Just search yahoo groups ..

Interesting. Any idea on where to buy organic apple cider vinegar in Bangkok?

I'm really interested in trying the natural remedy, but does anyone know of a good skin specialist in Bangkok?

I've had what I guess was a mile cases of eczema for a few years now. dry itchiness on my elbows and the base of my neck on my back. Have had 2 bad outbreaks on my face that cleared up pretty fast with medication.

Back during Christmas in Thailand, my elbow developed a rash and started itching badly. I just figured it was bug bites. My forearm started itching (no rash) and then my face cheeks started itching really badly (again, no rash).

I had to leave to work in Japan a couple weeks back and I developed what looked like bug bites on the left and right side of my torso and my arms continues to itch, with bumps appearing on both biceps. Areas on my legs were also affected. I was able to get some Cortizone cream to control the itching and the bumps eventually went away. The day before yesterday, I actually had no itching whatsoever, but last night it came back with a vengeance. Every area started itching, including my ears. It's not red at all though and there is no rash. It's driving me nuts.

I've never been allergic to anything before. For the past 2 weeks, I've been doing nothing but eating pretty good, taking vitamins and minerals, and drinking plenty of water (no alcohol or cigs).

Sometimes, it'll feel like my skin is "crawling".

Anyway, if anyone can recommend a good skin doctor, so I can at least get an opinion. Some of the reading on the natural apple cider vinegar was interesting as well, so I'll probably give that a shot too when I get back.

cheers

Mike

with the apple cider vinegar, you apply it topically on your afflicted areas of skin. I would recommend doing some research on this natuaral remedy and it's many uses, internally as well. Just search yahoo groups ..

Interesting. Any idea on where to buy organic apple cider vinegar in Bangkok?

Wow, I have driven a jet ski a few times and thought it was dead simple. Must have been a major malfunction, or maybe she was too busy eyeing up the Thai jet ski boys on the beach (as I sometimes do myself )

They are pretty simple to ride, but sometimes people freeze up when things don't go right. She may have been coming in when a wave jarred her which caused her to squeeze the throttle. That may have surprised her and she just froze with the throttle on full causing her to run up onto the beach at high speed.

Back about 12 years ago, I bought a brand new Wave Raider. One afternoon I took my friend out after work and let him ride it. He used to race motorcycles so didn't figure a jet ski was anything too complicated for him. I gave him some instruction and emphasized the all important "The jet ski will absolutely not turn unless you are giving it gas" and bring it in to the beach area at a slow and controlled speed. I even demonstrated the technique and let him practice before going out.

He went out for about 10 minutes then came back in... safely and slowly. I told him to go back out and have fun. After 20 minutes or so he came back in and this is where it gets wierd. He was coming in at a fairly quick pace.... at least... not idling in. I watched as he kept speeding up until he ran into the beach retaining wall at a pretty high speed. He went flying over the wall and the nose on my 1 month old jet ski was smashed to pieces. What happened? He realized he was coming in too fast and was going to hit the wall and let up off the throttle... So... he remembered my advice, you cant turn unless you give it some gas... which he did, but this surprised him because that sped him up, so he let up of the gas... but he couldn't turn! , so he gave it gas.... continuing the cycle right into the wall.

I can picture the whole seen in my mind clearly and it is now funny as hel_l really. Pissed me off at the time though once I realized he was ok.

Maybe that's what happened to her... she just froze. Course I wouldn't rule out some sort of mechanical malfunction either, although if the throttle stuck, you'd think the kill switch would have worked.

My friend Oi owns the Peacock Guest House. She's been in Pattaya a long time having owned the Mosquito Bar on Soi 8 (now named something else) and the Peacock Bar that was in the bar "complex" next to the police station on Soi 9/Beach Rd (now demolished).

The rooms ARE basic (The pictures don't lie). But, the rooms are clean and have air, fridge, and a TV. Lockable safe in the room. No phone in the room.

Oi and her staff are super friendly. You'll find it a comfortable place to have a couple beers before going out, or to sit back, have a few beers and watch the people go by once you get back in at night. Mac is not bad at pool and she is a hoot.

I had some personal issues back in July and Oi was kind enough to store all of my things down in her storage area in the back on the ground floor. Computer, mountain bike, etc... Kept everything for a month while I was gone. Nothing was missing when I came back. I stayed there for another month while I looked for an apartment. Safety for your belongings will never be an issue.

The pics for the Sutus look pretty good, with the pool being the deciding factor if a pool is important to you. Rooms for the Sutus look a little bigger.. comparable room amenities, with the Sutus looking to be a little nicer overall. What's up with those blue curtains?

If your budget is higher, there is a Keerati Home Stay apartments "caddy corner" to the Areca Lodge. Not even a year old. Last couple times I stayed it was 1000 baht. Beautiful rooms. Wood and tile floors, TV/DVD, phone, separate kitchen area, with microwave/fridge, use of the pool at the Metropole serviced apartments complex next door (same owner). Not sure what the price would be now, although surely more expensive for high season, or even if they have rooms available. I don't have a number, but if you are interested, maybe call Metropole at 038-428-100, they should have the number. Areca is ok. Fairly new hotel with pretty standard hotel rooms.

You'll want to do your homework now though as it will probably be very hard to find a "nicer" room in December when you arrive.

Good luck,

maikee

maikee? no sh1t?

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chai lairo maikee

zint,

You say you have the money, but then you say you would have to put your building your career for the future on hold. That tells me that you do not have the money to buy a truck for her family. I understand why you say that though.

You screwed up by not giving a definitive NO (accompanied by a rational reason why). You left somewhat of an open door and really... there is no telling how what you said was really interpreted by your fiance. Other thing... You and her talk together, but then you never know what she is really going back to say to her father about the issue (maybe you do). Or, you don't know what her father is saying to her to possibly be bullying her.

My opinion is forget about entertaining any ideas of having the money used for a down payment on a new truck (although you can't really stop them doing that with the money). My experience is that that is not going to work (although it might). What are you going to do when they can't make the payment for the month? You might decide to make it a couple times and then it will be expected. Or, you may say "no way", in which case your wife will be stuck in the middle and problems may begin. My opinion is providing money for a down payment on a truck is a non-starter.

You are going to have to first come up with a number that is comfortable for you.. If this truck issue never came up, what would you have been comfortable with providing for the sin sod? From there, you need to sit down with your wife and her family and discuss the future. Your intent is to be with your wife until you are old and dies I assume :-). You will always be there to help out in case the family needs it, but you have to think about you and your wifes' future. What is good for you and your wife ultimately will end up being good for her family. They need to understand that. Actually, you need to sit down and discuss this all with your fiance first and get her to totally understand things and be on your side, then bring this up with her family. To save face in this instance maybe you'll have to have a big display of money at the marriage with it given back to you ( minus the agreed upon number ).

The save face story? The father is jai dee and is helping you out by becoming successful. I'm assuming you have some good plans in the works. Parents being able to brag about their rich successful farang son in law... every day... far outshines the bragging they get to do for one month about his new truck. Maybe in this way, he can then go get a nice second-hand truck and still maintain face about the whole truck thing.

Having a family that respects you and is on your side is far better than one that is alienated from you and your wife, or worse, is constantly hassling your for money. Now is your chance to try.

or... you could just tell them to &lt;deleted&gt; off :-)

Mike

Any folks here on the TV Pattaya forum do any bicycle riding? I'm looking to do some 30k rides in the early part of the morning 2 or 3 times a week.

I'm located around Soi Diana/Buakow area. Can meet anywhere. Maybe head out toward Jomtien along the beach or across Sukhumvit/East Pattaya? If you know of some good off road areas I'd be interested as well.

Not looking to kill myself. I'd like to get into pretty good shape (I'm not exactly a slug right now), but I don't need to do it the first week either

PM me or reply here if you are interested. I'll be back around the 3rd of next month.

By the way, does anyone know where in Pattaya I could bring my bike in for a tuneup?

cheers,

Mike

Posts like the previous (edit: now that I've posted it is actually the second previous post) remind me of Benjamin Franklin, that famous Brit who coined the phrase (among many others), "Neither a borrower nor a lender be."

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amen

My brother-in-law changed his from Chalaht to Wootichai before he went off to the university. He was embarassed of his name even though he is very chalaht.

Not sure what we gave... I'm sure my wife gave some though out of what I gave her per month...

Tell you where I majorly phucked up.

For our marriage we discussed a sinsot amount. Regardless of what you guys say is enough, too much... doesn't matter... I wanted and we agreed to 100k. Found out later Mom had a couple chinots out on a couple loans. One located at the bank, the other with someone who was taking 20% a year, she still owed 180k on that, so feeling all magnanimous I suggested that I give her 180000 for the sinsot with the promise and deal that she goes and pays of the chinot from the loan shark. She'll then owe me 20k every 6 months. Should have been easy since paying back just 20 percent interest of 180k is 36k. Mother liked that idea and was more than fair.

Everyone was all smiles.. chinot paid off... everyone was happy.

I had loaned her mother several times before up to 10k and had always been paid back without being asked.

As the last couple months approached, I reminded her of the deal and each time was met with no problem, everything is under control.

This month came it was time and all of a sudden it was a big deal. I decided to stick to my guns, because really, it wasn't a problem to pay 20 percent a year on this other debt. Well, they didn't plan. I just ended up cutting 20k out of what the wife used for expenses and the wife asked mother for money. So I pissed off 2 Thai women in one fell swoop. Mother pissed. won't talk to me or the wife. After taking grief for a couple days, I said enough... don't worry about it... forget the debt. I don't want any more problems. Even kicking back in the expenses... Nope, wife would have none of it (would not take the money), instead making me out to be the bad guy (and having her brother believe her "half" of the story, although I since explained the real deal).

As others have said... and I learned, the hard way, never consider a loan a loan... it is a gift.

If a phone was stolen in Thailand that was set up for international roaming from another country, but may or may not have been reported stolen; and eventually that same number was reassigned in the original country.....

Would it be possible for both of those phones to be online in both locations (Thailand and the originating country) and working at the same time? Could this go indefinitely until someone paying the bill recognized what was going on?

Just doing a little investigation into something that happened.

Thanks

My wife came out with a pretty clever one today.

We were on the way to the school supply store when she was trying to explain to me this special kind of pencil our daughter wanted.

She was making hand gestures and said kind of shyly "It's like Apollo". I wasn't sure if I was to believe what she just said so I asked "What did you say???" She was really embarrassed and leaned over in my lap laughing. I kept pressing her to explain as I knew what she meant I was just really surprised at the example she used.

So I said, "Are you talking about Apollo, the rocket that went into space?" Again shyly, she responded "Yes".

When we got to the supply shop, I asked her to show me the "Apollo pencil". Sure enough, it was one of those "multi-stage" pencils with separate little "lead capsules" that can be "ejected".

I'm still smiling about that one.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=13931    sorry  to  be  the putz 

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no problem

I'm reading a great book right now that does a great job of explaining many of the recent discoveries in physics, cosmology, relativity, etc. Incredibly interesting stuff. Numerous great reviews from a wide variety of sources on this one.

Brian Greene: The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=books&n=507846

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Excellent thread.

I read Elegant Universe several years ago, excellent book. Infact I have it with me in Thailand now, but it is 5 years old and I'm sure science has moved somewhat on a bit. Is "The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality

" available in Thailand? If not I guess I can order it from Amazon, do they deliver to Thailand safely?

As for the existance of God, I'm an Atheist. People generally tend to believe in whichever religion their parents taught them to believe in, which is usually defined by where they were born. So most Americans believe in Christianity, but some stone age tribes in Indonesia believe that crocodiles are Gods. I see no reason why one is any more valid or invalid than the other. I think it makes no sense for someone to say that their religion is correct, and all others are wrong.

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konanggrit. The Elegant Universe is still pretty current (well for this laymen anyway). A lot of his latest book seems to just be his attempt at maybe explaing his first book in a slightly different way, with a few years of experiences thrown in. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was trying to capitalize on the popularity of his first book (and television program) purely for monetary gain. Still.... Very interesting reading.

Regarding your comment that you don't see any reason why one religion is any more valid or invalid than another. I can only agree. Purely from looking at religion as a whole it just doesn't make logical sense that one would be any more right than the other. I'd be pissed off if I was some rainforest Indian who croaked, or the Thai Monk who dedicated his life to Buddhism... thinking he had it right, only to get to the "pearly gates" and be told he wasn't welcome . My mother is a devout Christian and I have attempted to present this argument to her, and she'll hear none of it. So, we just don't have discussions like that.

One thing about your argument though... As an atheist shouldn't you believe that all religions are invalid? I guess I am just going by the definition of athiest:

One who disbelieves or denies the existence of God or gods.

I am caught in the middle at this point in my life (and I guess will probably remain this way). It's impossible for me to disbelieve or deny the existence of God or gods. But then it is not possible for me to have any faith in any God or gods. I'm a "proof" kind of person. I do know this. It is impossible for me to know in this life that there DOES NOT exist a God, gods, another dimension of existence/consciousness, whatever. Hows that for riding the fence

I'm not that well read philosophically. I just have my own thoughts to go on. Maybe I am "egocentric", but I like thought that possibly we could continue through some sort of constant cycle being born/reborn, constantly learning, whatever. It "is" possible. At least going by the current breakthroughs in mathematics, there is, at least hypothetically, a mechanism for this to occur. It doesn't drive my life in any way, but, for me, it is very interesting to think about the possibilities.

I had a very good friend that died almost 15 years ago. He was in the hospital with acute leukemia basically existing (pain medication induced) somewhere deep in his mind... based on what he was saying, he was reliving some happy memories. His mother was asleep outside in the waiting room when she felt a warm "touch" her arm. She got up to check on her son and he had died the minute before. Whose to say that my friends' "soul", existing in some organized pattern of energy, wasn't able to inprint the idea of a "touch" onto his mothers thoughts as he was "passing on"? She DID feel something.. Maybe a coincidence... maybe not. I think he knew something bad was coming on though. About a month or so before he died, he started reading the Bible. Not going to church or anything... just reading the Bible. He seemed to pass on peacefully though, so for that I'm happy.

In the end... seems like Albert Einstein had it about right for our life now. (I like that quote Thomas_Merton )

"Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to a divine purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: That we are here for the sake of others...for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day, I realize how much my outer and inner life is built upon the labors of people, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received." Albert Einstein

Regardless of what is on the other side (if there is another side), if we all lived our lives based on this quote, the world would be a much much better place.

Now. What really blows my mind though is the thought that the universe existed as a single point (nothing with a size of a Planck length, no Planck time). I pulled this off of www.physlink.com

The Planck length is the scale at which classical ideas about gravity and space-time cease to be valid, and quantum effects dominate. This is the ‘quantum of length’, the smallest measurement of length with any meaning.

And roughly equal to 1.6 x 10-35 m or about 10-20 times the size of a proton.

The Planck time is the time it would take a photon travelling at the speed of light to across a distance equal to the Planck length. This is the ‘quantum of time’, the smallest measurement of time that has any meaning, and is equal to 10-43 seconds. No smaller division of time has any meaning. With in the framework of the laws of physics as we understand them today, we can say only that the universe came into existence when it already had an age of 10-43 seconds.

So squeeze everything down in our universe.. Take away any "space", no planck length, no planck time.. nothing, and "it" all squeezes down to a single point? Pretty trippy

I can fathom (accept?) "eternity", "infinity". I can even fathom a "Universe Pump", a universe, that eternally expands and contracts. It makes accepting the idea of initial glob of Universe making stuff a lot more easy (However that came to be ). What intrigues me though, as a lot more others way way smarter than me, is the idea of an ever expanding, hence slowly dying Universe. Not very elegant and a little cold in its reality. They already theorize about Super Black Holes, black holes that can devour other black holes. Maybe that's what happens... You end up getting a black hole that is so colassally huge that it begins to slowly get a grip on the expansion (at least in a certain direction?). Once that grip takes hold though, I'd bet it grabs in a hurry and WHAM here we go all over again.

OK... just thought I'd end it with an idea kind of cooresponding with the OP question.

Lots of cool food for thought in this thread. I disagree about this not being a good conversation over beer... I've had a few Big Chang's and it's even more interesting. It only becomes confrontational when some folks need to classify others thoughts that are different from their own with arrogant psychobabble terms. But if thats what they need to do to find comfort, then I guess that's cool too.

Since I DON'T know what happens when one die, I find it very interesting to investigate all the different interpretations. If someone presented me with 2 doors, one was to cease to exist as some sort of intelligent consciousness, or to choose door number 2, to go on to some sort of other plane of existense.. whatever that would be... I'd choose door number 2. Sure it's hyphothetical... but it's fun... kind of like discussing what you'll do with your 40 million in lottery winnings.

One of the posters said he thought it was pretty cool just living out his years here on this small little rock orbiting around a fairly normal sun among billions of suns in a big galaxy among billions of other galaxies in a universe (among many universes???) that originated from some infinitesimally small point (so the theory goes). It is cool.... but it be a heck of a lot more interesting if there was something else to it. I maintain, that logically speaking... Quantum physics makes the idea of metamorphosing?? into another plane of existence at least possible and it makes a lot more other interesting things, at least logically, "possible" instead of just PFM (Pure Farking Magic).

I think you folks who automatically dismiss the mind boggling ideas of what is "possible", are shortchanging yourselves a little bit. Cmon! open your minds a little bit.

I've pondered this subject since I guess I was 8 years old. Back then, I tried to grapple with what infinity meant.. the imaginary line of where things had to "stop" was a brick wall in my mind. I tried to imagine what was beyond the brick wall. I kept running into brick walls Since then, lots of good PBS shows on the subject. I saw the PBS show on The Elegant Universe based on Briane Greene's book by the same name. I also read his latest "The Fabric of the Cosmos" as well. Great reading.

It did get me to think though about what happens when you die though. I'm not "religious". But then I'd like to think there was something on the "other side". Just the idea of going to the long black sleep makes me a uncomfortable while I'm awake It would be nice if there was something more to all of this than just a bunch of energy/matter rattling around with the occasional creation of something that can try and understand it all.... then, in the blink of a cosmic eye, it is gone.

Anyway, for me Quantum Physics kind of gives me hope that there is something else besides living and dying. There's no reason why all those vibrating strings that make up your "self" can't continue to exist in some sort of "consiousness" on/in some other plane/dimension once your physical being ceases to exist. Otherwise... all of this is just a big waste of time (and space)

Thailand does seem to attract a fair share of people you really don't want to get in a conversation with,so maybe people are scared to initiate social contact.

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No doubt. But I'm not talking about striking up a converstation. Just a simple smile, maybe a friendly hello to another person. Besides, who needs words? A look is worth a thousand words right? You'll probably never see the stranger again in your life. You don't know the person, so why not assume the best and "say" the right thing with a smile?

Carl, good idea. Should be easy to detect all the TV members

Aletta, I'm up around the Saraburi area. I need to take a trip up to the Isaan area to what's up.

Jayenram. Mormons do not acknowledge you because you are not their target. They assume you are hopeless, or already have some "religion". You don't even show up their radar. There is a whole country here of folks that needs to be "saved".

I know this has been discussed in other threads, but....

If you asked any farang to list the top 3 reasons why they live/visit Thailand, somewhere in there would be something about the friendliness and the easy wonderful smile of Thais.

Why is it then that farangs have such a hard time acknowledging other farangs with a smile (or even just acknowledging) in areas where there are not that many of us. Saw 3 yesterday in the Lotus.

1 lady who was with her luk kreung (guessing) gave me a constant dirty look.

1 guy who sheepishly looked up at me at the last second. I smiled and said hello. I did manage to get a quick smile and a hello though. It was wierd... it was like he was slinking past me.

1 guy I stood behind in the liquor section buying up half the section. Glanced at me for a second and then ignored me.

It's like that always.

I just find very odd and really very funny that I'd say 95 percent of the farangs I run across refuse to display the very personality traits that they find so attractive in Thais. Having said that.. I haven't seen too many friendly smiling Thais in the Lotus either... They all look really pissed off. Maybe it is just Lotus? Kind of like what going into Wal-Mart in the U.S. does to me.

Well anyway, just an observation. Unless you are just a very hard non-giveashit about anything person. I'd warrant a smile from a stranger (especially in a country other than your own) on some level makes you feel good.

ine said something to the effect that I would not be able to be with the one I love.. can't remember the exact wording. Hers was more positive and almost contradictory.

If they were contradictory, then one will always be true, however, if you're not the one your wife loves, then they aren't contradictory at all, and the prophecy has been fullfilled.

As a level headed person I'd be inclined to discount the latter and realise that if the opposite had happened, and you could work for your company here, then you would be making a post saying how your wifes stick had predicted it would happen.

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I doubt I'd be making the post at all, besides, the opposite did not happen. Another way of looking at it (being the level headed peron I think I am ) would be that for my current situation (the short tem), the prediction held true, but in the long term, my wifes "prediction" holds true, so in fact both can be true

Ah well... I still know there are others with interesting stories regarding coincidences, premonitions, whatever in your life in Thailand.. Anyone care to share?

Neeranam, I certainly keep an open mind about things. I'm not prepared to go as far as to say there is absolutely no such thing as coincidence. I seem to have a couple times a year when I dwell on things, research a bit, and advance my own understanding of what I feel about this subject.

As cliffy said, If you want something bad enough in life you can formulate some sort of plan to attain it, discounting unforseen circumstances like an ultra-conservative lawyer interfering with a plan almost a year in the making

I do feel though that in the case of my situation now, that the two events I described seem to point toward the resolution of my current situation. Although unfortunate, the outcome isn't really that bad and I'll have a lot more free time on my hands to formulate a more permanent plan.

Well... I really didn't want to have this turn into a thread about religion, or destiny per se. I do know some of you have had some interesting experiences. Neeranam, obviously you have had some. I'd be interested in reading the stories.

Well, I had worked with my company for coming out here to Thailand for quite some time. I'd be able to "tele-commute", but be based out of the office we have in BKK. Mid-December I was given the green light to move out with only a few loose ends to tie up. Loose ends turned to "major" problems in the ensuing months and a couple weeks ago, I got word that the company will not support the move. I've got a wife and stepdaughter now, so the news has been difficult to take. Company will be working with me though, And I'll be able to have right around 6 months off here, so for the short term, it's a workable solution (nothing else I can do)

ok.. so much for the background. Wierd thing is, perhaps things occurred that let me know this was going to happen.

For example, back in July, my wife and I took a trip. Once of the places we visited was Nakhon Pathom. In the temple that had the reclining Buddha, we did the thing where you shake a canister full of "fortune telling sticks" until one falls out. It has a number on it then you take the to get your fortune. Mine said something to the effect that I would not be able to be with the one I love.. can't remember the exact wording. Hers was more positive and almost contradictory. I told her not to worry about it. Hey, I was given the ok to move out here in December right? In my mind, though, the words on the paper from the temple were still there, and I never thought to myself "heh, I told you so".

Move up to January to when we should be married. Upon planning for the correct date we went to go see the monk in the town temple. He was very good I was told. After consulting his book and dates and whatever else he calls on, he made a couple of spot on "readings" of my life leading up to this point. Then he says (and he had only known me for the few minutes he had seen me) Someone from my work does not want me to be here and I could have a problem.

So now 2 things screwing with me head. From January, I made plans with my company to get a Non-B Visa, then ultimately a work permit... My immediate boss kept telling me to be patient a little longer.. everything almost in place, and then it all fell apart. I'm told there was one particular lawyer in the company who had major heartburn with this move and elevated the issue up a couple levels below the CEO. And that was that. Case closed.

Should be able to salvage something of a "normal" life though with 6 months here throughout the year. That'll be my time with no work responsibilities so I can start to build up something here in preparation when I can quit current job and be self sufficient here (maybe a couple years down the road depending on how things evolve)

It's just a little wierd that on the only 2 occasions where I came into contact with something/someone religious that the message given to me was that I wouldn't be able to come here (for now).

I'm sure a lot of you other folks here have some interesting stories to tell (not that mine was all that interesting). I know I'd be interested in hearing them.

Cheers LivinLOS Thats enough to get me going in the right direction.

Hi All,

I'm on IPSTAR with a 192.168.x.x IP. I'd like to be able to access my computer here when I am on the road via a Remote Desktop Connection (Or some other means). Is that possible without involving IPSTAR? Maybe a stupid question... don't know, but be kind if it is