Petbon

There are not many courageous decent useful guys out there these days, as when I was young. There were heaps of them back then and my man was great! All my friends married good ones too.

Paler skin was valued in Asian society long before whites were even seen by them, because it distinguished the wealthier from those working in the fields.

Europeans blonde their hair so as to appear to be in that more elite/rarer group, though now they fake tan their skin to emulate the wealthy who have the dosh to winter to hotter climes.

Has a lot to do with wanting to appear to identify with certain groups to which they aspire to be part of.

Love McD's in Auckland city centre, as for a few years I went in most mornings to read the paper, have my bagel and free seniors coffee, chat to other regulars. Staff are so nice. It fills a much needed gap in NZ where food is pricey. On rainy day it provides a kinda refuge for many of the homeless, lonely, unemployed too so they're acting as a social service.

When travelling around NZ, it's a good standby as one knows exactly what one is going to get and the general price range. Do go in Bangkok as there are too many other well-priced tasty options.

I thought it sad that so many are brainwashed into wanting to lighten their skin, until I realised how many bottle-blondes there are around. Guess it's the hope of making oneself more attractive. But have to say I've seen the plainest kiwi white gals improve a bit once they hit that bottle.

I close windows/doors late arvo which keeps them out. Haven't worked out the latest time to do this - anyone know as it sure gets hot at night and I don't bother with fans/aircon just as I never use heaters in NZ.

Here I think there are many valid reasons why there is a lot less handwashing and accept it. Street food vendors just don't have the facilities...matter of availability.

NZ def. doesn't lack facilities yet food workers walk out without washing which is why I don't eat at malls. In fact Charles Sturt, head of the Serious Fraud Office, commented on policeman there not washing their hands after using urinals! Happens everywhere - there it's due to upbringing.

I seldom been offended by the smell of locals, but my son encourages his kiwi guests to shower a lot as they often stink despite being clean people.

Fantastic to read of the efforts you are making with learning the language of this country.

My son moans that his Thai suffers whenever I come to stay! Like you guys, he works at speaking it properly, with some reading/writing. It amuses me that he avoids mixing with foreigners who speak it badly as he doesn't want to pick up their poor grammar etc.

I'm told lemongrass spray, which smells nice, isn't liked by the critters.

I spray some eucalyptus around, just because someone gave it to me, but unsure whether that's doing anything.

"Dont mean to take it off topic, but i totally agree. Most of the guys that have a huge chip on their shoulders about western women, end up with huge chips on their shoulders about Thai women. "

I agree, they have huge chips about Thai people in general, not just the women! At last a chance to feel superior instead of bottom of the heap in their own countries.

In NZ my husband and I earned and gave childcare in equal measure. Both of us had worked from childhood due to family hardship. So, I could never respect an irresponsible lazy man with no money - though could understand it if they were disadvantaged badly or had some awful tragedy. Being responsible we had savings which is a dumb thing to have in NZ as you end up keeping going without yourself in order to maintain the lazy and extravagant for doing nothing...the government can't wait to hand out money to many undeserving there: e.g. chap on welfare for 102 identities and drew millions$$ so became a millionaire! Another young chap travelled the world on unemployment benefits for 2.5 yrs, reported this week.

I'm shocked by the number (35 - 80), from many parts of the world, who've had many opportunities/good jobs who haven't any assets and expect to be kept for the rest of their lives. I hear from some of them that they're interested in coming to Thailand...that figures with talk of 50+ retirees overburdening this country's hospitals.

Great 7/11 around the corner - but they're always flat out with customers, so we swap smiles and leave it at that.

I find most of the staff at all the outlets I buy from to be helpful and they ALWAYS remember my particular preferences...very nice when they don't see me for 9 mths at a time.

There's a Pattaya expat group/club who meet every 2-4 weeks: you can join up for their newsletters.

Around Ocean Beach marina area, there seem to be quite a number of farangs too who belong to the boat club.

Can understand your situation. Even when surrounded by one's own, there are few one "connects" with at a deeper level, so it's made even more difficult by the language/culture aspects.

Quite often I smell urine when on my walks around Auckland, in the best suburbs too! Especially on Thursday and Sunday mornings after the louts have been out ripping out trees, signposts, mailboxes because it's acceptable here. Once some set fire to three vehicles nearby, including ours, alongs with stealing petrol in the carport. The vomit is dreadful too, but last couple of years, they've cleaned up more frequently. Happens everywhere I think. In NZ they regard this and graffiti as acceptable, all part of growing up, unfortunately.

Good on the guy for taking action, so many wouldn't. Makes a difference to these women.

Good for you. I'm one of the global rich elite (thread here) precisely cuz those 5B savings add up LOL!

I use free net in Auckland because having own pc too wastes too much time. Here, I find my son's blackberry net too small to read as he has pc at work.

It's absolutely an Auckland NZ problem too and their fees are huge. Careful experienced specialists who don't charge the earth are rare anywhere.

The leaky building repairers on my son's house created even greater leaky building damage with their lack of care/experience. The property management company chose the contractors and as they were in short supply the useless/dodgy were only staff they could get.

There are so many building regulations, yet they not adhered to.

I've been using the same one costing 15B per hour. Just found out that from midnight to 8am it's only 10B. Better still, if paid before 8am, one can have hours for 10B.

Hope that's a good rate and useful for others to know.

Others here have been so helpful that I wish to contribute useful info too.

Also best kowl mun gai 30B at corner shop opp. Carrefour in the same area.

IMO Thailand should get tougher with those entering this country. I've met several people who have taught here informally enough to live on, yet never paying any tax, and now some oldies tell me they're thinking of coming here to teach English - they've been jobless for years in NZ - have health issues and no resources to call on. I wonder whether developing countries are being invaded by suchlike, where they pay no taxes towards the community, but are, and will be, landed with them when they fall ill.

It shocks me that NZ let in tourists with no insurance - e.g. South African young woman who ended up with reaction to medicine, costing taxpayers near half a million $$s - NZers are having to wait for treatment themselves.

I've just learned that in the late 80s/early 90s quite a number of NZers (with degrees) escaped from highest unemployment ever there by coming here and to other Asian countries to earn money teaching English and live cheaply...I've met some of them now living on benefits in Auckland. They would've been earning and spending yet probably not paying any taxes/rates to contribute towards their use of services. Kiwi ingenuity?

It must be very difficult to be a pretty honest politicians in a democracy with fledging institutions, so I admire him for doing the best he can. I hope he gets in again as to have another Thaksin-type would be disastrous.

Third visit in 17 mths, 90 days this time. Bangkok super, getss better each time I come - weather great just now, same as Auckland was yesterday.

Come on. You come from a beautiful place like New Zealand and call Bangkok super? Maybe check out some of the really beautiful places in Thailand!

Auckland city centre is polluted and somewhat dead these days....with much aggression/anger displayed by those living in apartments paid for by the welfare department/taxpayer. I've lived with international tourists for 10 mths and 75% of them can't wait to get out of Auckland because they feel it's limited as a city, with little of interest...but they DO love the beauty of other parts. I'm asked to give money 2-3x a week and then get sworn at when I say no...last mth someone asked me whether they could have some of my food in a cafe. When I said that it was a treat for me so no as he got plenty of welfare benefits, that well-dressed bloke said he was saving that for his holiday!! I dont see that kind of dependency, laziness and anger in Bangkok, so it is super as I walk around without being bothered.

Third visit in 17 mths, 90 days this time. Bangkok super, getss better each time I come - weather great just now, same as Auckland was yesterday.

LOL endless rain in Phuket since a month not really a day of sunshine....

Just come back from Khao Sok Nationalpark, endless rain...

I have been here 31/2 yrs--am as happy as larry--but just seeing your reply about Auckland makes me want to go back---just to be there for a short time--see family---I'm from Tauranga.Good luck mate--merry xmas--Dougal

Have a happy time at Christmas and a fantastic 2011 Dougal. Hope you make it back to beautiful Tauranga sometime soon....NZ has so many great spots. Aucklanders can be JAFA's LOL...people in smaller towns/cities are less likely to be as arrogant and pretentious.

I've noticed that despite some Thais looking scruffy, they don't usually smell, while tidier farang often do. Maybe it's something to do with a meatier diet and being unused to the heat? Not being offensive here, but my son says he sometimes asks his clean kiwi mates to shower as he's not used to their stronger odour in his home.

When he first came and lived in cheap backpacking areas, he found their smell quite overwhelming.

NOPE not taking the mickey...Bangkok is heaven after the angry/unhappy number of unemployed "crazies" I've encountered Auckland this year! I've not yet been faced with any oddballs here yet. But I'm happy there, because it offers me an easy enjoyable life and there are happy people there too. If it were not for not speaking Thai, English book libraries, not living by the seaand the heat, I'd be just as happy in BKK which is more vibrant but more relaxing. The weather is fantastic this third time.

What one perceives, one gets. As asked above, why do cynics who Thailand-bash stay?

Yesterday my son went for a run at the railway park next to Chatachuk park, which has been much improved even in the 10 mths away, while I watched happy families picnic, laughing Thais row, fly kites, kids running around...with the breeze, and the sounds of a chamber orchestra playing beautifully, I understood why my kid has lived/worked here for 11 years despite job offers elsewhere.

Don't want to jinx anything, but haven't seen any car accidents, only a couple of cheeky overtakers, and people stop to ask whether they can help when I'm puzzling over which way to go. Believe me, the arrogance and bad driving in Auckland is horrific.

I love the variety of food/fruits available. As pc is quite expensive here, and son's Blackberry too tiny, hadn't been able to follow up this thread.

Third visit in 17 mths, 90 days this time. Bangkok super, getss better each time I come - weather great just now, same as Auckland was yesterday.