fiddlehead

From my memory: 8:30 to 12 noon in the morning.

I traveled across Russia 20 years ago.
People were friendly.
I have some Russian friends here. Granted they don't smile much, but are nice.
I think they just have to know you but opening up a bit.

The western media loves to mark them as bad, mainly due to politics and should be taken with a grain of salt.
I would question that media more than the honesty of Russian people.

I was mostly led to believe that they were dirt poor, not very educated, living in a frozen hell.
Found out mostly the opposite is true (although it was cold in December), so, must wonder why they paint them so evil.

Don't fall for the brainwashing, and go meet some personally.

Your views might change.

Their web site isn't that user friendly either.

Can't be worse than Air Asia's.

I just can't stand even trying anymore so, fly Nok or Thai Airways for (very) slightly more.

This is a great price for Lion Air.

I'll also be keeping an eye on reviews and (hopefully) safety.

So, they're going to rip down the Dewa?
That's a lot of concrete.

Yes, litter is something that Thai people apparently believe is NOT a bad thing.

Much of Asia is the same, although I must say, I just was in Cambodia and Vietnam and both were much cleaner comparatively.

China, parts of Nepal and Thailand seem the worst.

It has to start with choices of where to throw the garbage (trash bins please?)

And then education.

(maybe get the school kids out there picking it up, then they can teach the parents)

Wishfull thinking I know, but a long term solution if done properly.

There's another way.

Get yourself a digital recorder.
The Tascam DR40 is a good one.
Then record on it, and it will convert your recording to either a WAV or MP3 file, depending on how you set it up.
No need for the expensive interface OR expensive mic and cable (the cables you buy here are pretty crappy anyway)

I see movie audio people using this method sometimes for voiceovers.

They told me they were volunteers from hotels around the area.
They were all wearing look alike (grey) T-shirts.
Might have said something on them, but I didn't take noticed.
I thanked them mach mach and picked up a few bits myself as it was a much needed and welcomed deed they were doing.

I am certainly looking forward to it.
I love taking the family over to Bang Wad dam.
We have many picnics there and now, there'll be more reason to go.
I too hope it's not as expensive as that one up on the northern tip of the island.

Cheers to the Hungarian!

170 baht for X-rays (OP) is really amazing IMO.

I remember paying 700 baht at a clinic and thinking it was a steal.

What would you pay in the states?

I will comment that my son had an X-ray at Phuket International last year and about 2 minutes later, it showed up in the doctor's office on his computer.
First time I had seen that technology.

Once I had an x-ray taken at Krabi hospital and the nurses all started laughing when the young doctor (looked to be about 18 years old) hung it upside down on the light thing.

(that was a govt hospital of course)

Oooh! Very painful.
Didn't the hospital tell you how to get rid of them?
I think they have to pass by themselves.
Never had them, but my good friend had them 3 times.
Said it was the most painful thing he's ever gone through.

He believes it comes from not drinking enough water.
So, he's always with a water bottle and trying desperately to not let them happen again.

Good luck.

I used to make sticks for a snake magazine's owner who sold them through his mag.

He used (and sold) the ones on the bottom of that page. The one called a hook.
We used golf club handles and bent stainless steel and fastened them together.
I would think you could make one here fairly easy.

So, are they stopping people before or after they are dropped off? (or picked up?)

Yes, I can drive my pickup in and then switch drivers, but what about when he leaves?

or if it's before, what about when he picks me up.

Be careful what you wish for folks.

It's great to cheer about this, until it affects you.

So, what happens when I ask my (Thai) neighbor to drive my truck to drop me off at the airport?

And pick me up when I return?

Or, must I take my motorbike?
I am not going to pay 400 baht a day to park. (going away for a week next month)

Will I have to get a farang friend to drive instead?

If so, will THEY be questioned?

I looked for a while and finally found one of those roadside stands selling them.
These are the small cheap ones of course.

But, if havent' seen any lately.
But, if you go to Saphan Hin on a sunny, windy, weekend, you see Thai people flying quite elaborate ones.

They are mostly homemade and I bought one of these from a guy flying one for 200 baht.

If the weather doesn't cooperate and they aren't around, I suggest you go to Google and figure out how to make one yourself.

Good luck.

Worst I've ever seen was in Vegas.
I have only been approached by one here in Phuket. (I ended up dating her)
This was some time ago.

Yeah, I'm here.
I already play 4 mornings a week, with 4 different partners, so, I don't have time for another.

There was a thread just a month or so ago that was very similar.
I started playing Aussie Rob from that one.
He might want to play more than our 2 days a week.

I don't play very often at the Sportsman's club as they only have one court and it is often booked.
I sometimes play at Intana (near the big TOT office) (3 courts)

And sometimes at the Hilton. (3 courts)

And sometimes in Phuket Town at Saphan Hin. (4 courts, rarely used, but probably in the best shape of all of the above)

They are ALL nice courts in good condition.
Hilton is the most expensive.

Good luck finding a good matched partner.
So important in tennis.

Just played 4 days in Melbourne.

Boy that city has tennis courts everywhere.
No wonder Aussies are good at tennis.
Unlike America where I see weeds growing in the tennis courts.
Priorities. (many small towns have million dollar turf on their football fields)

Are they giving receipts for that 100 baht?

I was in Patong the other night and here is what I saw: Sitting at a restaurant around dusk, I saw many people heading back to their rooms from the beach. 90% were Asian (not Thai) I guessed most were Chinese and possibly some Koreans. Hardly any farangs.

Then while walking around, I saw the bars had mostly farangs in them.

I concluded that most Chinese come for the beach, and most farangs come for the drink and nightlife.

The whole town seemed quite crazy with people to me, but then, I live in a quieter part of the island and Patong always seems crazy.

I guess that's why people like to live there, they like some craziness in their life.

It appears to me that they are strengthening the dam breast to enable them to raise the water level higher.
Probably a good idea and long term plan for the water problems on this island.

If so, the picnic area could possibly be too low when the dam would be full.

Also, the new dam that they are building near Phunaka golf course would add a lot to the water supply on Phuket.
I estimate the new dam, when complete, would be about 2/3 the size of Bang Wad. (circumference of Bang Wad=6.25km, circumference of new Phunaka dam=4.2kms)

I hope my assumptions are correct and it would show that at least the water authority is doing some long term planning here.

I would drive the whole west coast of Phuket, stop and get out and check out each beach along the way.

That IMO is the real beauty of this island.

The view from the windmill near Nai Harn is one of the best.

Check out one of the Thai festivals. They have many at Sapan Hin in Phuket town.
And each Wat has one or two a year. (earplugs can be a good idea at these events however)

There is a tower on top of a mountain over there at Panwa. You can see it from many places in the south of Phuket.
Head up there and check out the 360 views.
You can even see Phi Phi on a good day.

Everything I mentioned above is free.

If you want to pay for more touristy things, Splash Jungle, the Aquarium on Panwa, the Botanical garden, Tin Mining museum are all good.

Play some badminton, tennis or bocca ball over at Sapan Hin in town. Public swimming pool there too.

There are a few National Parks here too: BangPae waterfall, Ton Sai waterfall near Talang, as well as the north part of Nai Yang beach is a NP, Layan beach has another one. These are the natural settings that Thai families go to and well worth seeing a bit of Thailand while you are here. Much of Phuket is a bit distorted in that regard.

Enjoy. Lots to see.

 I think we can assume his not wearing a seat belt may have saved his life. 

I don't see where it says he was drunk.

Screw me once, shame on you.
Screw me twice shame on me.

I used to buy a coconut water from the a lady at the local market.
One day, I caught her charging a Thai (and let he butt in line, in front of me als), a lower price than me.
That was about 4 months ago.
I haven't bought one since.
Many times (including just today) she gives me a sad look, as if to say: Why don't you buy from me anymore?
If I knew how to say the above quote in Thai (screw me once..................) I would.

Anyway, someone said, there's no more Mom and Pop stores in my hometown.
We have a local farmers market there too, that's expanded into T-shirts, shoes, yes, even the Chinese guy selling everything under the sun out of cardboard boxes, as well as local produce of course.
It's where I buy most of my food when I'm back there.

I like dealing with real people.
And, those people don't need a calculator to figure out how much change to give you if the price is 95 and you give them a 100 either. (extra rant there)