Prubangboy

Heavy selection bias here; we're the ones who did it and it worked out -or who are gagging to do it. We never hear from the failed and the not-interested, who are many. Back home, how many people were/are travel/diff culture-driven? I have one friend who I mentioned being Brazil-oriented, and one who's married in Kyoto. Out of a lifetime.

I live in Chiang Mai where you do see a very thin smattering of retired western women (my western wife among them). They're here for the crafty, hill tribe, weaving, charity-based thing. Working with Shan women is a big interest. I spent a couple of months in Luang Prubang and could have had a bit of western dating there with the same demo. But gotta pick one fast; Luang Prubang is a small town indeed. Obv. we're talking about a lot of French and a fair amount of armpit hair in the mix. But if only a micro-% of men expatriate, then for women it's far less. Plus, women are more likely than men to be the ones stuck taking care of relatives and have kids they want to be close too. We lone wolf horn dog beatniks were a minority our whole lives. We're even a minority here.

The best preserved old teak town on The Eastern Seaboard. Worth 2 days, partic if the (not that great) gem dealing market is happening (only monthly, I think). Gem-wise, with bargaining, I got 30% off BKK prices (for junky fake jade crap for gifts). Legendary durians that never leave the area. I recall a place out in the sticks where you can eat fresh water crab in a sort of mangrove setting. Very unique old church worth a peek into. To damn it with feint praise, it is the Tak of the south. Trat is another fine teak oldie to linger in a bit before getting on the ferry, with a slightly more western hippie vibe.

Most def. BUT if you're a poor person and give up your tiny bit of savings to get here and then let your rickety social and support network collapse back home, that fear is pretty rational. Another metric: How many people are genuinely curious? Maybe 5%? And then how many of them are going to be Thailand-specific curious? Maybe .0005%? Due to unpardonable sin of old whities getting laid here, Thai expats get much more media attention than all the other expats combined. I lived in England. They have as many expats in that tiny, rainy fly speck as in the much vaster USA, plus plenty of expat diaspora in places like Spain. In my day to day, I almost never met such people.

Google tells me that only 70,000-ish Yanks live in Thailand. That's including everyone from overseas job postings to English teachers. And a lot of those 70K won't make it to the 2 year mark. I live in Nimman, aswarm with older whitie tourists, and regularly chat with them. Never do any of them dream of living here, in the most dead-easy expat place I have ever seen, even as snowbirds. Retiring overseas will always be well off 99% of people's radar. When you were back home, how often did you hear about people living overseas or even wanting to? In the states, it's less than .01% of the population. And mostly they'd be in Mexico, with maybe as many again spread out over the rest of Latin America and the Carib. Even in New York, I'd have to talk to several hundred people to meet one who's even been to Thailand. You also have to be more than a bit disassociated and Free Bird-istic in your life to even think about it; not worrying about seeing your relatives and friends etc. On average, I find such people to be very mentally healthy in being so self-directed and unencumbered. Of course, being such a person, I would, wouldn't I?

Free Bird Cafe in Chiang Mai has a Jackfruit burger, which well mimics the meat texture. When you pile on all the lettuce etc, it's like a McD hamburger. A jackfruit burger is often on a vegan menu in the states. About half the burger joints in CM offer a fake burger. I eat so little meat that I rarely bother. The fake one at Burger King is close to indistinguishable from the regular one. If they have a v-burger that's mostly mushrooms, I usually pick that over over the fake meat kind. Good Souls Vegan in CM Old City does a superb one at Gwyneth Paltrow levels for 250 baht. But if I'm in a vegan restaurant, there will always be more tempting options, since Thai dishes lend themselves to vegan versions so well.

-Assume that she didn't just arrive here from Mars and possibly has a clue as to why you're contacting her. -Assume that others are enjoying Line chats with her too and move your low ball pitch along already. Jesus, Christ on a cracker.

What am I waiting for? A colonoscopy. Thank god for Xanax.

Have a friend on the São Paulo plan. He likes the women for their intellect there -but crazy, crazy left-wing. He has to vet for them that he's not a CIA age; this is with otherwise normal woman. But the sex is kinky and white hot. Prob: Left wing tax rates. He'll dodge and do half the year in São Paulo and the other in Buenos Aires, which means more expense than a single, long-term lease. Also: high rents, medium-crime, too many black beans on the plate. I did Mex City. It was in the realm of pretty good, but not a patch on Chiang Mai. Air-conditioned apartments are hard to find. Tossed out of here? Malaysia. Hopefully with a pot connection that doesn't involve me getting a cane applied to my bottom. Back to the states? Never.

When reached for comment, Trump, long-time Hitler admirer (true!!) responded: "I did nazi this coming."

"I don't care if I sound racist". "I said it in front of others". 'Hello, Human Resources? This is Jesus Tagalog from building services.' 'A crazy, self-admitted racist, boomer won't leave me alone - he just hounds me all night long about the inferiority of my nationality. He won't let it drop.' 'What should I do? Tell him to dial 1-800-UNEMPLOYED? You say you'll do it for me? Thanks!'

Nah, we're just diff. If I see a group of brownies, I think: group of brownies. You think: GANG. I'm American, we save all our racism for 2 groups. Euro's, Brits and Commonwealth just cut to the chase and look down on everyone. Even each other. I love that. Sukhamvit is one of the most successful tourist zones in the world. It reminds me of the old joke: That place is so popular that no one goes there any more. Can you name another place with more 5* restaurants in such a small space? And great Sunday roasts for your chavvy ilk.

I was staying down on Soi 11 a month ago. I stayed at the super-bargain Swiss Park, ate next door at Yuna Sushi, among the most 5* sushi restaurants in BKK, but at 3* prices. Yuna, a former Japanese film actor was genial and instructive as always. A meal at the counter with him is like going to sushi college. The next day, I popped over to Charcoal, the most innovative Indian place in town. Mark Weins has a good video where he orders a manhole cover-sized nan there. In between, I went to the Sports Bar on Soi 13, one of the best pubs in town, and they'll let you order in a curry from the famous place next door. My wife stocked up on vapes, I bought a 3D pic of dogs playing poker for the bathroom. There's not a soi downtown that doesn't have a similar range of pleasures. Don't see any "gangs" of Indians (could you be more racist?). Do see a lot of Euro-couples. It's the equivalent of staying in Times Square in New York.

You should go to the Stickman sites and read the bike reports of the intrepid poster, Mega. He has done Thailand top to bottom and photo'd it to death.

That little maze of ME restaurants was really decimated by Covid. My favorite babaganoush purveyor is gone. I stayed there a couple of times for an ethnographic experience. Verdict: No cheaper rooms than a couple of soi's north, not too white-friendly, prob the cheapest laundry drop off in Bangkok, and the sandalwood incense was 80% off of New York prices (if you like incense).

Below Soi 11, tons of African men selling drugs and dildo's past 11 PM. Some huge black hookers too. Coming from New York City, the opportunity to float among throngs of black drug dealers and hookers with virtually no fear for my safety is sort of a weird pleasure, but not one I need to indulge in often. I went to African and Middle Eastern disco's near Bumrungrad. Super-friendly. The Grace Hotel bowling alley is always good for a laugh too. One time, on Khao San Road on New Year's Eve, an Afro-hooker, reached down the back of my elasticized pants and touched my winkle. I told her, "you should be in commission sales, you have the drive and the people skills".

New law enforcement in Nimman: -Grab drivers asking you to buckle up your seat belt -Pot places asking you to smoke pot out back (whities not allowed in the front, as per police). How many days (or hours) will these crackdowns persist?

I don't think there's enough people left here to put any on ignore.

Any place in Nimman asking 150 baht for Khao Soi Noodles is packed. That aint locals.

I changed it to arthouse. Your gift here is the writing the same travel review over and over again: "Nowheresville - they had a temple at the top of a hill. Then me and Honey had a coffee. Later on, we saw a band at the night market. Then had a beer".

Have you ever bought a mama-san a drink? Is there any advantage to doing so?

Late 90's, Prime Lonely Planet-era, J-Salarymen wouldn't let you buy your own beer. Like a 3 to 1 ratio. 'Can't tell one from another, nor can from tap; which in Europe, you most def can.

I agree, he's no Bob Smith. That's like Fredo compared to Michael Corleone.

I have a notebook that I put people down in to think about when I'm doing a full metta meditation (the neutral object of contemplation -people you don't know, but wish well). I'll toss you a vibe or two up the road. Stay safe, help those good people.

Beer Lao is basically a Heineken. I like Asahi, which pops up on a lot of pub happy hours. I'm only good for maybe 10 beers a year. It's for Mex food or BBQ. With Thai food, a beer is very dissonant due to the bitterness. Which is why I like Asahi. It's Asian Corona, just barely a beer.