Old Nomad

Mr. T Taxi service
https://mrtpattayataxi.com/prices/
I always simply email them from, to, date+time. Receive confirmation promptly. Never had any problem with them. Always good cars and drivers.

I generally don't like buffets. In Jomtien I only know the breakfast buffet at Danmark Restaurant in Soi White House

1 hour ago, Danderman123 said:

I wonder how many hotels here in Portugal accept Google Pay.

I assume every place with a CC terminal that accepts contactless payment (visible by to contactless symbol).

"This allows me online use of the cards. But some hotels need to see the actual card, which requires me to go to America to get the physical card."

You could register your card with Google or Apply pay (don't need the physical card for this). This enables you to pay in shops and hotels and even get money from ATMs that support cardless withdrawals.

As a precaution for yours and similar problems I carry at least two CC from different banks and different CC organizations.
Details (in German) here: karten - Weltweit im Ruhestand

The German "social insurance" provides a pension and nursing care. Pensions are paid in full regardless of where in the world you live and increases are not frozen (as I have heard for UK). There are restrictions for disability pensions. Nursing care is only paid when living in Germany. The retirement age is gradually shifted to 67. One can claim the old-age pension early from the age of 63, but with a deduction of up to 14.4 percent.

In many years they never bothered me. A friendly no always was enough.

How old were you at 17?

Jokes aside. When staying at a new hotel I always get two business cards of the place and put one in my wallet and the other one in as pocket of my trousers. This not only helps me being confident to find back but also sometime makes it easier to show a taxi driver where to go.

This would be relevant for some German expats. While Germany has a tax agreement with Thailand, many Germans choose to be taxed in Thailand, relying on TH not collecting the tax on their pensions even though it is entitled to do so. The German tax on typical pensions is not high, e.g. 63€ tax for 1700€ per month pension in 2020.

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

... my zimmer frame. Any further and I use either of them....

 

 

In Germany many use walkers like these
https://mot-shop.com/products/nowego-carbon-rollator-sonderedition
https://www.amazon.de/s?k=rollator&__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&crid=1AQ8K6NOXTTN8&sprefix=rollator+%2Caps%2C152&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
Besides giving support while walking, one can sit on them to take a pause anytime.

A new Dengue vaccine Qdenga was authorized in the EU. In contrast to the older vaccine this one is said to be safe for use without a prior infection.

Simple Simon for a good englisch breakfast.

Surf Kitchen at the beach front.

Kiss Restaurant for cheap thai and western dishes at rhompo market.
Street food at rhompo market, in the evening only.

Akvavit at the beach front has good western and thai food. Very clean - one of the few places I eat a salad.

Ons Moeder for breakfast. Has the cleanest toilet I ever saw in Jomtien ???? 

Miyazaki in Pattaya. Not for sushi but for other japanese dishes.

There was a very good Japanese Restaurant for Sushi and Sashimi in Pattaya 2nd road  - on the opposite side of the airplane. Forgot the name, has lots of ads outside. Doesn't look like much, but I really liked the food. They have a second restaurant in Terminal 21.

Made me remember the following (not that I live by this):

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”

― Hunter S. Thompson, The Proud Highway: Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman, 1955-1967

https://www.chiangmailocator.com/wiki-traffic-rules-in-thailand-and-how-to-avoid-traffic-accidents-p169

As much as I love traveling to exotic locations, to find oneself might be easier in ones own culture. A new culture might be too distracting.

Assuming your are Australian: how about finding a retreat in NZ.
https://www.theurbanlist.com/nz/a-list/new-zealands-best-retreats

Some answered you were too old. That is nonsense! Even psychotherapie is worth it at any age.

Did you try one of the repair shops at Tukcom Pattaya mall?

16 minutes ago, JoseThailand said:

What kind of report? You mean a complaint? Clearly that was a violation of the law, since there is no limitation on entries by air.

No complaint. As far as I remember I had to sign something saying that I had been warned and was informed that I need a visa for my type of travel.
Violation or law or not: I will not go through this again, it took about an hour of waiting and discussions.
 

The same happened to me about 2.5 years ago at DM airport. I made 3 trips out of TH (Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam) - each between 3 and 4 weeks long. Three IO talked to me for a long time. They insisted I needed a proper Visa. Had to sign a report. Will definitely get a visa next time.

I gave up eating airline food (including Thai Airways) many years ago. Generally don't like the taste and strongly dislike eating cramped up. I bring a pack of chips because sometimes I crave something salty during long flights. Instead I eat something at the airport before the flight and have a meal at my destination (not at the airport).

9 hours ago, BE88 said:

It seems to me that not many retirees have a monthly income of $ 2380 to take advantage of the mm2h visa

 

https://www.mm2h.com/requirements-to-qualify/

"The minimum monthly income required was raised from RM10,000 a month to RM40,000 and there was a major increase in the required Fixed Deposit to RM1 million."  The Sararwak My Secound Home programme might be an alternatvie.

According to the German insurer association (Gesamtverbands der Deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft (GDV) electric cars do not catch fire more often than cars with combustion engines. 
Source: https://www.next-mobility.de/brennen-e-autos-wirklich-leichter-a-1029962/

The statistics for electric cars in the US may differ.

1. AZ, 2, BioNTech
Both in Germany.

2 months after 2nd shot an IgG test (SARS-CoV-2 S-ak quantitative) shows 3670 BAU/ml antibodies.
Will try to get 3rd shot about 5 mon after 2nd.

I don't know the specific size limits for airlines in TH.

In my general experience with carry-on luggage on airlines allowed weight is the more limiting factor.
While weight and size are often not checked I prefer to adhere to the limits so I never have to worry.

If one is not used to drive with high load this can happen very easily. I once crashed my MTB in tree branches when parking under a tree. Was the first time I had it on the roof. Even stopped as I heard strange sounds and asked my passenger "where does this noise come from", we looked in all directions but not up... and then I drove on ????