Swamp Thing

I have a proposal.

This year, in Thailand, New Year is to be celebrated on 29/30 of January. The bars will be packed. Those who want to, can eat, drink and be merry.

Beverages can be purchased the next day, from supermarkets etc, and stored. If anybody wants a hair-of-the-dog session, they can go to the bar the next night until midnight.

On New Year proper, the stored beverages can be unleashed at home amongst friends and family.

Everybody wins. Dr Killjoy has a successful proposal, the bars make their money and New Year becomes a three day celebration. (All without driving, of course).

A similar thing could be done for Songkran. Shift the dates.

It's even better when you have someone with you...either pillion or another bike. You can get out and see sights that neither have seen before, find new roads that can be used later, and enjoy the companionship at stops where you can talk about where you were and where you're going.

If you post up the general area you live the board members will be glad to give pointers about roads to try out.

Indeed. This could also be a good socialiser.

I live just outside Pattaya.

All good responses. I'm happy to read them.

As I've mentioned, I was a cyclist for years. On-road, off-road, distance and local. It was a hobby to me and made me feel content. I miss that.

But since getting the PCX, I've had a feeling that I have found another hobby which brings me a similar feelings of pleasure. I'm getting older and pushing pedals in a country that never gets cool is something I may not relish as much as I did. But on my Sunday trip, I relaxed, enjoyed the motion and the feeling of not travelling in a box, and felt I'd found a hobby that I could do and continue to do.

To once again study maps, work out (preferably) circular routes and head off to places, not with the intention of getting from A to B quickly, but with the feeling of enjoying the trip from the moment of firing up the engine. To even enjoy a short trip to the shops.

I've been looking for something like this and I've found it.

She forgot, (or didn't know), one of the golden rules of travelling.

If you are approached by a local when in a foreign country, they are probably up to no good.

1,000 baht per person?!? They're having a laugh!

A brief update.

I can't find a shop which has the LX7 in stock and BC in Central are not able to order it for me.

So, after reading the reviews and watching numerous vids on YouTube, I will go for another camera recommended on this thread, the RX100. The picture and video quality seem very good and there are lots of manual control options.

I've been reading the thread from Costas with interest, but I am sticking to my budget.

Thanks to all who replied.

Thank you for more food for thought.

All things considered, I'm sticking with the plan of buying an LX7. If I can get anything like those pics posted by MJP from it, I'll be very happy. Particularly the night shot. I've always found it difficult not to have graininess in the night pics I've taken.

I've been to three branches of Big Camera and none of them have the camera in stock. So I'm going to order it from BC. Wifey says I'm setting myself up for a rip-off, as apparently I have to pay in advance, but I'll chance it.

I'll be doing this later next week, so any more input is welcome, before the final decision is made.

Yes, the RX100 at 13,000. Same price as the LX7.

So, what to do? From the recommendations on here, the reviews I've read online and the vids I've watched on YouTube, I'm going for the LX7.

Any further thoughts and opinions are welcome.

Thanks to all for helping me to narrow it down. This is just what I hoped for.

Thanks for the replies.

Particular thanks for your brief but very welcome reply, MJP. I've followed up on your suggestion by reading some reviews and the LX7 sounds just the ticket.

I've also read some good reviews on the Sony RX100. Does anybody have any thoughts on this camera?

This is probably a bit of a lo-tech question on this section of the forum, but I'll ask anyway.

I'm planning to buy a compact camera. I've tried reading online reviews and, in some ways, the more I read, the more baffled I become.

I am looking for a camera which can be carried in a shoulder bag with other holidaymaking odds and ends. I'm not that fussed about mega-zoom capabilities, or extreme close-ups. I'd like it to be able to take very clear pictures and have HD video capabilities. I'd also like it to have a touch-screen focus-point function. That's about it.

I'd prefer not to buy online but in a camera shop.

I'd like to spend 10-15,000 baht.

Any suggestions?

Thanks for the tip, RichCor.

It worked!

Now to the Photography section...

I've just logged in on Firefox and if you see this message, it's worked.

I'm using an AIS aircard for my connection, at 21 Mbps. It works for all other sites but this one.

I am not using any extensions.

I can browse TV perfectly, with or without being logged in, but not post.

Thanks for the swift reply.

Since then, I have been trying to reply, but still get the Error message.

I am using Google Chrome and when I clear my browsing data, all Cookies and other site and plug-in data is removed. I have tried doing this when I sign in to TV and just before I click on Post, and many other permutations. Still, in general, I get the Error message.

When I get the Error message, I am also signed out.

I'm trying to ask a question in the Photography section and after 15 tries, I'm giving up.

I can sign in, but get 'error, your secure key doesn't match...' when I try to post.

I have had this problem since joining TV. I can post on other forums and YouTube with no problem.

I try clearing my browser multiple times, but still can't post.

Is it worth opening another account and getting this one deleted? I notice that other posters have 1,000s of posts and seem to post all day, so is there a glitch with my account?

Does anybody else have this problem to this extreme? (Although you might not be able to reply to that question, it will probably take a lot of effort on my part to get this post up).

Thanks for the replies.

I should have more faith in people being willing to help somebody in need.

After reading of your experiences I will feel more relaxed on my travels.

I have completed my first road trip this morning. Pattaya to Chiang Mai? Pattaya to Hanoi?!? Nope. Pattaya to Khao Chamao and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

But while riding through the pot-holed roads leading to the park, I had a thought which has crossed my mind several times. 'What would I do if trusty machine breaks down?

My mechanical skills when it comes to motors are roughly on a par with Basil.

I don't know anybody with a truck who could readily come to collect bike and I should a breakdown occur. So what would I do?

Does anybody know of a recovery service in Chonburi/Rayong that I could use should the need arise?

The Kawasaki shop on Sukhumvit between Pattaya Klang and Pattaya Tai, heading south, has a good range of Real helmets. I bought my G-Force there and they had them in various sizes.

They may have yours.

I've been having this problem since I joined TV.

I can log in but when I try to post I usually get security code invalid, or occasionally 'You do not have permission to do that'.

Sometimes, but not often, I can post.

As I've said before on this topic, it is what it is.

Thanks for the replies.

I've been watching some vids on YouTube on installing a topbox. It appears to me that the fittings aren't very strong. Also, it is bolted on. Has anybody experienced their topbox being stolen when their bike is parked?

Also, are the topboxes usually fitted by the purchaser or does the shop usually offer a fitting service?

I don't plan to take it off the bike, but to leave it on as a fixture.

It seems like Shad gets the thumbs-up so far.

I have got the 2 year insurance you speak of.

I will read your thread on the built-in alarm with interest.

Thanks for your reply.

As you may have read on another thread, I have recently purchased a PCX 150.

I have decided I would like to have a topbox fitted to it and thought that making my choice would be easy. I went to GT Rider in Pattaya Tai with the intention of checking out the cases made by Givi and making my choice. When I got there, I found that many of the cases in there were made by a company called Shad. I have done an online search, but haven't found out which is superior quality, if any.

Are they pretty much the same in construction? Any advice or recommendations welcome.