Kathiejs

We have to go to immigration soon and I was wondering whether it would be possible to wander round to Big C afterwards. It's only round the corner I know, but is it an OK route for pedestrians? On the map it looks like a slip road and major highway unles there's a short cut? We don't have a scooter or a car so those aren't options.

Easy Study Thai school in Chiang Mai is no longer around? I went to their website and found Chiang Rai location only.

It was there yesterday morning when I went for my lesson!

If you can't produce the required paperwork in NZ for an METV you should still be able to get a 60 day SETV there. If you enter on a 30 day waiver you will only be able to extend it by 30 days giving you 60 days in all. If you get a SETV you can extend that by 30 days giving you 90 days.

So to summarise:- 1) American "English muffin" = British "muffin (you know, the bready kind you split not the cakey sort)" 2) both Americans and Brits expect their eggs benedict to come on an English muffin/muffin 3) Brits need a more concise way to differentiate muffin types and 4) Americans do apalling things to scones.

How to treat a scone -

I thought an American 'biscuit' was a scone? Eggs benedict should come on a muffin, not a scone! I'd rather have them on toasted white roll than on a scone I think.

I think air traffic control have been reading this and decided to spread out the noise! I'm near the river/night bazaar and we've had several planes over us this evening. Not just-taking-off loud, but I've not noticed them at all before.

We looked at Baan Thai, but they didn't supply bedding and the units didn't have a kitchen. It seemed to offer no advantage over a guesthouse, quite the reverse as they wanted a large deposit - I didn't see the point. And Nimman isn't 'the best' area, it just depends on the individual. I opted for another part of town. Try Airbnb - a rental for a month or more can be reasonable, but use the website not the app, as the app doesn't show monthly rates.

I arrived at the beginning of Dec and scoped out areas to stay for 3 months. One visit to the Nimman area had me puzzled as to why it was so popular, given the aircraft noise - it got struck off my list straight away. Makes more sense if it's worse than usual at the moment.

Does anybody know of any morning markets in the area south of the night bazaar or down Chang Klan Rd area? Just a few stalls selling fruit and veg, fresh noodles, maybe a bit of fish. I can't believe every resident hikes up to Warorot for these, but I know such markets are often hidden away down alleyways.

We should really compile a list of things I wish people had told me when I first arrived in Chiang Mai - particularly for things like housekeeping and cooking. There are enough people on the forum to come up with real left of field things that we would never have thought of but that applies to others.

I would be willing to write the code for a mini site within a site and get pictures up (including photo's of some of the stranger exotic looking fruits and veggies and how to prepare or cook) if people think it's a good idea, could provide hosting if desperate but would rather not.

Good idea or not?

A very good idea I think. I can't help with coding or hosting, but happy to give input or feed back on content from the new arrival's point of veiw.

Yes, it's tupperware for me too. My mother used to go to tupperware parties - the 1960s housewife really knew how to have a good time...

When I was in Bangkok earlier this year I bought some split mung from Big C, to make dhal. When I rinsed it, the water turned bright toxic yellow - why the **** anybody would think it necesary to dye lentils is beyond me. It took several changes of water to get rid of the colour, but I dread to think what was still in there. I'm not normally into all that organic business, but maybe here I should be.

I had an email from the school yesteday confirming the dates of the next course, so it can't be shut yet.

I tried to learn from a 'Thai for Travellers' book last time I was in Thailand, but as a complete beginner I found it hopeless. A book can never teach you pronunciation - videos are a little better but still can't give me feedback on my pronunciation. And unless I grab some random person off the street, no, I don't have access to a Thai person - I've only been here 5 days. The "listen & repeat" methods don't work for me because my learning style is Theorist - in order to learn things I need to know why they are as they are, and for languages that means understanding the grammar. Other than French, which I did at school and have used quite a lot since, the only language that has 'stuck' has been Spanish - the only one for which I've done classes.

At the end of the day, all I want to do is buy stuff and go places. I could probably manage as I have on previous trips to Thailand with nothing more than "hello" and "thank you", but I have the time on this trip and am staying a 10 minute walk from the school.

I enjoy classes - I've done loads, in all sorts of subjects from archaeology to upholstery, just for fun. I even did a CELTA just because it was interesting and I could wangle my employer to pay for it (quite hard work that one!). Nobody will be using the course that I'm considering as a loophole for getting a visa because it doesn't qualify, but if others on the course are slower it won't bother me. And so what if some of the benefits of joining a class are nothing to do with learning Thai.

Get a f*cking bike. Done.

Not. An. Option.

As it turned out the decision was made for us. After we'd finished doing the paperwork our landlady offered to drive us to Rimping as she was going there anyway, and then she'd drop us back if we wanted. And she'll pick us up on Monday when she goes to Promenada to do the TM30, so we can do our TM28s. What a lovely lady ?

That's a very good point, I've been told I'm learning very formal Thai, not typical modern everyday conversation which is what I should be needing more.

That's what often happens with learners of English in other countries, especially because formal English is easier to learn in some ways. People sometimes switch to what they think is simpler language when dealing with a learner, but actually what they do is switch to less formal language. Informal English often makes no sense to a learner because they try to translate it literally so, for example, they might understand "argue" but not "fall out" (fall out of what?!).

The green paste sounds interesting....

Excellent info, thanks all. I looked at the YMCA course but it's B1900 for 10 hours, while Easystudy is B2000 for 24 hours, a book and a CD. And Easystudy is walking distance from our condo, which is a major plus as it's 3 mornings a week. I just hope it's open through January at least!

Rimping has a bigger selection of western food, although with some things you are paying a king's ransom for. I don't see the point in buying imported cleaning liquids and gels just because they are the ones I've been used to all my life (although if they sold Domestos here I would buy it and I bring Ariel laundry liquid for whites back from UK as nothing works as good as it). Try local brands but buy small packs to see if you like them before buying a bigger one. Took me a long time to find a washing up liquid I likes.

I'm pretty much a brand slut even in the UK - with a few exceptions I buy what's cheapest, especially if it's not edible. For the last 2 years I've mostly been doing my laundry with bar soap or shampoo in a hotel wash basin, and the washing up soap at our place in Goa last month was some strange green paste in a tub. I'm sure whatever they sell here will be fine ☺

Oooo Makro...cheese ingots...I'd forgotten about those. I didn't know about the delivery services, thanks.

I just wondered if anyone had experience of this course http://www.easystudythai.com/learn-thai-course-info/thai-course-information/171-coversational-thai-for-beginners

I'm aware there are other better-known providers, but the location of this one is much more convenient.

I'm not looking to eventually become fluent as we're not here permanently - just to get by in the market etc.

Thanks - yes, we'll use markets for fresh stuff. Getting our own transport is not possible. I'd noticed in Bangkok that there wasn't much price difference between Tesco, Big C*, Tops and even the posh one in Paragon mall (Gourmet Market?) but Rimping is a new one for me.

*Except the central Big C often had heavily discounted French cheese - worth the bus journey for that alone ?

We're moving from our guesthouse into an apartment tomorrow for almost 3 months, so we'll need to stock the cupboards (and I like to cook). We can walk to the Rimping by the river, but I'm wondering if it's worth (price wise) going out to Big C for a big initial shop? We'll need oil, flour, detergent, tinned stuff, cereals, mayo, loo rolls, spices, cheese, butter etc.

I'm assuming we'd need to get a tuk tuk back, but is it likely we'd be able to pick up a songthaew headed to Big C from Loi Kroh Road?

But do I have to do a TM28 as well? And if so, can I do it at the airport office or is that completely gone now?

Just out of curiosity, if I ran into problems because the landlady hadn't done the TM30, would checking into a guesthouse for a day re-set whatever system they have?

I'm trying to get my head around the requirement to report address change (T28? T30?). I'm on a 60 day tourist visa, currently in a guesthouse - I know the guesthouse is responsible for reporting that. But on Saturday I'm moving into an apartment on a short lease - do I need to report it? If so, how?

I will be applying for a 30 day visa extension in due course, and don't want to get to Feb and find I should have done something in Dec! Or have problems because my landlady should have done something.

Any good places near the river, south of the night market?

I tried to catch a No 2 yesterday to head into town from just north of Maya. A Thai guy was waiting too. Despite our waving and hollering the bus sailed past the stop in the far lane, obviously with no intention of stopping. Only 1 passenger on board. A saboteur driver?