susanlea

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

waterfalls yippee, you can do all those things except waterfalls around Pattaya. I've done enough waterfalls for a lifetime, they get boring like temples

Also crowded, polluted and doesn't have a relaxing atmosphere. If it was so good nobody would go to the islands yet they do.

12 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

That was a lot more about the cleaner, than the city, expensive or not, as didn't complain about cost.

 

If retiring in a more expensive country, then have more funds.   If I planned on retiring in the USA, I would not have liquidated my RE, or stopped trading in the market.

 

Which would have provided steady income, and much bigger oops fund, in just a few year, as in 3 maybe, if not less.

 

If not such a LPOS, and having so much fun the last 10 years of 'employment', could have retired much earlier, just didn't see the need or desire to.

I can see what he is getting at though he didn't make enough effort to do more. 20 years of gym, beach walks and cheap massages could be 19 years too long. 

3 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Also retired at 45/46 yrs old, now 69, and if had say, about 5 happy massages a month (5.2 exactly), that would be knocking on 1500.

 

Sad part would be if retired, living in TH, and actually had to P4P.  Nothing I'd be bragging about 

Try retiring in an expensive country. The cleaner tried 6 weeks in a cheap city and was bored so it is not for everyone.

3 minutes ago, Hummin said:

all this sounds good, but without someone to share the experiences with? 

 

Most people (at least in my mind and in my social network) just want to have normal days home, and go holidays and adventures once and awhile for the contrasts sake. If you living in paradise, paradise becomes the normal! 

That's why the cleaner or whoever needs a girlfriend or boyfriend. Plenty of lesbians, gay guys and straight people in Thailand to start a relationship with. Then go do things together.

39 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

You can stay in Pattaya and do nothing and relax, the difference is on koh Chang etc there's little choice

There are waterfalls, gyms, elephants and boat trips. Also hiking, beach walks, restaurants and bars. Enough to do for weeks.

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I never got the point of tourists flying to their destination once in LOS. For me the journey by train or bus was part of the holiday experience, not something to be avoided.

What was so great about sitting on a pile of sand that one has to pay large to sit in a metal tube for a while and not see anything as it passes by just to get there a few hours sooner?

 

I was once quite boggled on the airport train after arriving in Bkk. A young western tourist got on and never once took his face out of his computer to look out of the window. One had to wonder why he bothered paying large to go to LOS if he had no interest in it?

Mixing it up can be fun. Fly some place then catch a bus next time. Finding a new gym or trying a different beach. Young people view the world through facebook and miss the actual world.

21 minutes ago, simon43 said:

I've been staying down at Khanom Beach, on the mainland and opposite Samui.  The beach is about 12km long and almost deserted.  Absolutely beautiful! But..... I like quiet places, but Khanom is like a morgue - it is too quiet even for a recluse like me 🙂

 

I'd go back to teaching in the classroom again, but the word seems to have gone round and no-one will employ me LoL.  Still, I make enough teaching online, but I might look for somewhere a little more populated than Khanom

 

Set up your computer under the tree and teach whilst eating coconut. Looks really good. I saw a good gym at Khanom.

32 minutes ago, Hummin said:

The rain season is not so good, and got stung by jellyfish a few times before I gave up my morning swim. The morning walk on the beach is great, and meet regulars and also managed to get a few dates when I was still single with a few morning birds. 

 

Hua Hin gets boring after awhile to, but can be a great base not to far from Bangkok, Suan Phueng, Kanchanaburi, and great base to travel south by car. 

 

Not to forget the train will give great uppertunities at once it is running as planned. 

 

 

It is fine for people who want to relax. If you want nightclubs though it isn't for you. Plenty of small bars but I didn't see any nightclubs.

5 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

I would do that. Travel the world. The problem is cost.

The cost really is not that much difference. Probably an extra 8,000 baht a month. I was actually surprised how cheap you could get a room with a pool and gym on a daily basis. Or if you give up those extras the range increases. 

Just now, georgegeorgia said:

And the question remains though...

 

How long should we stay in ONE place on our vacation/holiday before one gets bored ?

6 weeks in Pattaya bored me ,I had to take side trips !

 

Hua Hin for how long ,a week??

 

I would give it 2 weeks if you want to fully explore the city. I was never bored. Split time between gym, beach and eating.

If you are bored again you need to stay working.

1 hour ago, JimTripper said:

I'm going to try Hua Hin for a month. Rates on airbnb are much less for a month, usually similar to a couple weeks so no rush. Not into arriving without a place and searching for housing.

What are the rates? I would suggest south of soi 80 is good. The area north of the main night market isn't as good. There are three other night markets which are far better for sitting with tables and chairs. As a reference point near Market Village or south is the best part of town. Market Village has a good food court on the basement. Very cheap food and fairly good selection.

2 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

Songkhla further south near Hat Yai is much better. Beautiful swimmable water and nice sand. It's a bit isolating though, lots of muslims who keep to themselves. I felt like I stood out too much when I was there to be comfortable living there long term. Has the mermaid sculpture on the beach.

The water quality in Hua Hin in the centre of town near the kite surfers was good. The beaches are actually very long in parts and not that many people. Anywhere from Soi 88 south was good for the beach. The beach at the northern end towards the airport was the worst.

10 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

Never been there but it seems to get mixed reviews. Ideally it is the best of both worlds - enough shops and fun but still not too chaotic or polluted. The beach gets mixed reviews but seems more swimmable that Pattaya area. Maybe further south is better still but could be too quiet without full time partner. 

Nothing wrong with the beaches. They are all fairly good. At the southern beaches you have tables and chairs for food service. Not much traffic, air quality is good. Limited nightlife and food variety are the only two limitations I found.

11 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

Thinking about Hua Hin now. If I'm serious about potentially retiring in Thailand I need to give each place a month I think at least to get a better feel for daily life. 

I think 1 to 2 weeks is enough to either eliminate it or include it as an option. Then go back again next time. I stayed in 5 different hotels in 5 different locations over 2 weeks. Three of those hotels offered monthly rates. By the 7th or 8th day I had a good idea about the city and by the end of 2 weeks I realised it is a nice city. The only limitations are wide food variety of Bangkok and limited nightlife. Everything else is good. The malls are good enough, there are good value condos. Some excellent gyms and cheaper than Bangkok. Golf courses, beaches and even mountains nearby. The city even has an airport but not sure what the plans are. A good room with pool and gym including weekly clean is 10,000 to 12,000. Cheaper if rent long term. VIP buses to Bangkok and numerous rideshare apps.

1 minute ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

Not for me. After 9 months of hard work away from my girlfriend. Like happy time at beach and in nature. I'll look to live a normal life in Jomtiem with some fun added hopefully. Not expecting it to be super amazing. 

Jomtien could be mixed with Koh Samet. I would add on Hua Hin and Kanchanaburi and would not commit a month to one location. One week is enough to see if you like it. I wonder if they will build an airport in Kanchanaburi in future as that would make it boom.

No way to cover 4 countries in 6 weeks. Choose 6 locations in one country or 3 locations in 2 countries. Decide if you need a beach or not. How large a city you need. An airport, shopping malls, nightlife and variety of food. Also pollution and safety. Peaceful atmosphere or not.

I would rank Hua Hin number one based on overall criteria for a peaceful life. 

31 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I've never had a blue print since I tried farming- the hours are too long and the pay is rubbish. My dream at school was to be a farmer, but soon learned that to be a good life one needs to inherit a place or marry one, and neither were an option for me. After that I just did what came along. Military, Antarctica, nursing, working overseas as a nurse in Saudi and London, retiring early and moving to Thailand to be with the beloved till she wasn't loveable, divorce and back to live in NZ just in time for covid lockdown.

I joined up because I worked with an ex military guy on the farm and it seemed like a better option than working an 84 hour week for a pittance, went to Antarctica because I met a guy skiing that had been and it seemed interesting ( it was ). Went nursing because my unit helped out with disabled kids and I met some great nurses. Went to Saudi because nurses in NZ get paid a pittance, and went to work in London because had enough of Saudi and NZ nurses get paid a pittance. Started going to Thailand when in Saudi and fell in love with it. Fell in love with the wrong Thai woman and ended up leaving it as divorced and out of money ( can't get my pension there ).

 

Now I'm just waiting for the fat lady to sing and off on the last great adventure of my life.

 

Get up when I want, do what I want, eat what I want, sleep when I want. To pass the time I watch movies, go on here, do a bit of DIY ( I made some of my furniture myself ), raise Monarch butterfly's, do some gardening. While nothing I do is important, it pays to keep busy.

 

Am I bored- not a chance.

 

Would I like my life to be different- yes. I wanted to live in LOS till I died, but that's what happens when one marry s the wrong woman.

Would I like it to be different in NZ? I'd like to live by a beach, but that's way too expensive for a pensioner.

I'd like to have a small dog though, but not allowed where I live.

Are you happy?

6 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Working for bullies sucks. I retired early and never been happier. I have more to do than I will be able to do before I die. When I lived in the family house in Lamphun I laid patio pavers, did plumbing, wiring and generally improved the house and surrounds. Gardening is a great past time.

 

Other than that there is photography, reading, on this forum, movies on DVD, art, hobbies of some sort.

If anyone is bored it's likely because they can't self motivate. Go help out at an orphanage, join a soi dog society, or similar. If bored, look at yourself first- are you motivated or just lazy and want to blame something else instead of yourself?

How is your life now and do you have a blueprint to follow?

9 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Living in Isaan the AQ is just as bad as BKK, Jan to May, plus you have endless funerals, weddings, village blessings, temple events....BKK is much more tranquil....555

Hua Hin is peaceful, Bangkok is not. Can't imagine wanting to live in Bangkok.

11 hours ago, Prubangboy said:

-Have not found this to be remotely true in Thailand. These are the least chatty gyms I have ever gym-ed in.

 

Jett's Gym lets you use their gyms countrywide. They're usually in nice malls.

Jetts are expensive and western gym. Probably attract the wrong type of person. Try the Thai gyms.

Just now, JimTripper said:

I find them sickening.

What is sickening about gyms?

5 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Horrendous.....used to read four or five books at a time....now I can hardly manage to read the title of book. 

 

Find very little appeals, movies, TV series, books etc......end up just looking into the middle distance wishing I was in BKK.

I enjoy visiting Bangkok but never want to stay long. It is always polluted.

3 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Silom and around Sukhumvit 22.

 

Price doesnt matter, 

Don't know those areas well enough to advise.

1 minute ago, mikebike said:

I have only frequented a gyms when recovering from motorbike crashes. Gyms are the definition of boring.

Enjoy your Bob Marley forums then. Some gyms have good client base for meeting people and a wide range of equipment. Some of the crossfit equipment is fun.