It's the hot season,how are you holding up.

[Sooo Upto Me]

We r off to Koh Chang next wk as its very humid here in Patts at nite.

Is it busy there?

[Joedoebarinio]

no problem at all I have been here almost 10 years and I have adjusted to the heat very well although the first two or three years were hell

[Joedoebarinio]

I've been here in Thailand full time since Christmas, I hope it doesn't take me ten years, I might not live that long.

[emilymat]

Even after beginning my morning runs no later than six thirty am they still seem to have gotten a bit more brutal and I am running slower than usual.

I agree. I've been here 8 years and I've regularly gone for a jog/run most days around the lake where I live, not in the morning but around 4pm. It's about 6km. I'm past 70 but have run lots of marathons in my 40's and 50's at around 3hrs 30 min.

The reason for that mini background is to say that in the last couple of weeks I have found it very trying and it's quite amazing how much a few degrees can make a difference from, say, 31 to 36 Celsius shade temperatures.

But it's not simply that I think. It's the damn humidity that saps you, as we all know. Frankly, I now feel it a bit dangerous to continue the 4pm exercise. I think I'll follow you and go early in the morning - although that is going to take some steely motivation.

Mind you, it shouldn't be much of a problem as, in 8 years, I don't think I have had a straight through full nights sleep, even with aircon. Mind you, that may be the fault of the soi dogs who seem to spend all day resting under cars and coming out at night like a pack of wolves.

[jagfx]

No doubt about it, it is hot. The wife and I have been in Hua Hin now for about 2 months and loving it. I did a comparison on where HH is from the equator to where we lived in Australia. It is about the equivalent of about 100kms south of Darwin. Even though we have lived on the Gold Coast for the last 20 years, we did spend about 10 years in the Northern Territory, so we have experienced the heat on a day to day basis. It is all about acclimatizing and following what the Thais do. Stay indoors during the heat of the day and use as little energy as possible during these times. Then do all your chores/tasks during the cooler hours of the day. When I say cool, I mean when the sun is not belting down. Mind you, when I see the Thais with jeans, long sleeve shirt, jacket, face mask and gloves on, it blows me away....

[Naam]

ceiling fans are a great alternative to air con...

[firefox999uk]

Any body want to come and mix some concrete with me...and ill show you what HOT is all about.

Up here in gods country it was 42 degrees today and no shade.

PS, and i dont have air-con...maybe thats why im losing weight.

Have a Nice Day.

[swissbie]

When it gets really hot, I always think about the poor lads having to stay at places up to 50 degrees or workers here on construction sites or tarring roads, even the ones behind the big cooking pots and, and.. That makes me feel much better. Otherwise staying outside in the shadow with a fan and a few hours of ac at 26 at night works well, also trying not having any business outside between 11am and 5pm.

[Sandman77]

Tomorow 44 degree in isaan!

I check out soon cold EUROPE waiting every year more hot..!

20 year maybe 50 degree

[Myshkin]

More swimming, more 'siestas', less biking, and all is fine for me during the hot season in Chiang Mai. No air con , if I wanted cool temperatures I would have stayed where I came from. as it was available in huge amounts back there.

[slipperylobster]

making it so far without aircon in CM. Too lazy to fix the one in our rented home, and too cheap to buy the owner a new one. The owner is not present.

[robertthebruce]

I LOVE IT... The Hotter the Better...

I know it does not some folks, but i seem to ''Thrive'' on it...

[Vogele123]

No aircon here, it is about 38-40C outside, I measured the temperature on my computer desk (it is a metal framed and metal topped desk - like a filing cabinet material) it is 55C!. It is like sitting in a barbeque.

Cannot waste money on aircon as the place is made of wood with so many gaps, no insulation. But bugger it is HOT!

[MickGC]

Loving it. It's 7 degrees here.

Patsy,given the choice between 7c and 40c,i would choose 7 everytime.

Bugga that! 7C is too bloody cold. Give me the heat over the cold anytime.

[Rockhopper]

ผมซอบอากาศร้อน

[balo]

I started sweating today , my t-shirt was wet after just walking. Normally I do not sweat , must have been the humid conditions . I feel sorry for myself but then I watch the poor Thais working outside in the heat all day and smiling, after 7 hours outside in the sun without a break.

[Daniel Ingalls]

what does LOS mean?

'Troppo' eh Marko. Very much an Aussie term in the Northern Territory (Oz for outsiders). AKA the 'build-up'. Mango madness et al. Fifteen years and I did not get used to it. Moved to Tassie in my old age for the seasons. Nice for a decade. Swore I'd never need a passport again. Now........an event occurs.....new passport, living for whatever time I have in the LOS. Personally, I simply accept - without necessarily enjoying - the seasonal variations. Hell, even the Thais don't enjoy this time of the year. Keep good all.

[Chonburiram]

what does LOS mean?

'Troppo' eh Marko. Very much an Aussie term in the Northern Territory (Oz for outsiders). AKA the 'build-up'. Mango madness et al. Fifteen years and I did not get used to it. Moved to Tassie in my old age for the seasons. Nice for a decade. Swore I'd never need a passport again. Now........an event occurs.....new passport, living for whatever time I have in the LOS. Personally, I simply accept - without necessarily enjoying - the seasonal variations. Hell, even the Thais don't enjoy this time of the year. Keep good all.

LOS= Land of smiles = Thailand

[redandyellow]

Because I lost 40 million Baht in the frickin' stock market, I missed Thailand this year, and have to suffer the abysmal 15 C temperature in British Columbia - but I have tickets for Thailand in November..I'm such a wuss it's hot for me in Phuket ( where the wife is from) in November, except in the north of course, where it's also 15 C sometimes, so I pretend I'm in Chiang Mai in early January, whilst stuck in Canada in April..

My wife is pretty, but there are few other nice women to look at around here, and certainly no short time activity

no one will be jealous of my situation, LOL

[redandyellow]

what does LOS mean?

'Troppo' eh Marko. Very much an Aussie term in the Northern Territory (Oz for outsiders). AKA the 'build-up'. Mango madness et al. Fifteen years and I did not get used to it. Moved to Tassie in my old age for the seasons. Nice for a decade. Swore I'd never need a passport again. Now........an event occurs.....new passport, living for whatever time I have in the LOS. Personally, I simply accept - without necessarily enjoying - the seasonal variations. Hell, even the Thais don't enjoy this time of the year. Keep good all.

I LOS so much $$ I LOS count

[jacko45k]

Afternoon naps in the AC... disturbed by worries of large electricity bills.

I may join the old boys sitting around in the Malls.

[ggt]

Ice coffee in the mornings...gin, tonic, ice and a twist of lime during the hotter parts of the day...seems to get through the heat...

[jaideecm]

I have been going to Doi Inthanon National park and enjoying the cool weather. It was 6 degrees C. at the summit the morning of April 3 and 12 degrees with nice clean air where we were staying at Mae Klang Luang bungalows

Leaving Chiang Mai city again tomorrow for a couple of days in the park also for Songkran.

[kwaussie]

I was OK till the last 15 km, just after noon. Then the goose bumps were setting in, I could feel shivers coming on, and I was struggling to get on and off the bike. I was grateful for a bit of rehydration and a calming Tiger

I was a bit like that about 3 years ago as I was planning to ride to BKK about 350 km away.

I managed the first 40 km and felt so bad I rode back home after hoovering 500 ml of Coca Cola. I was about 4 km from home and I was nearly falling off my bike and I stopped at a little Mom and Pop place.

They took my backpack and me off the bike and led me to a sort of table to lie down and offered me cold water. It took me 10 minutes to recover enough to ring my wife to come and get me. She did and somebody rode the bike home. I went to bed for a couple of hours with the a/c on and felt a bit better.

I was so dehydrated and I nearly fell of and that scared me. Now I drink lots of water and I am thinking of getting a spray bottle to fill with cool water andf spray myself after a stop and let it evaporate as I ride.

I haven't tried this personally, but I was once told that when on a bike, get a neck scarf and soak it in water to get evaporative cooling to stop your head overheating.

Where possible i stick head under tap plus soak tee shirt or singlet and put back on.

[Oziex1]

Heat doesn't bother me too much, but the damn smoke.

[robblok]

Bought a new air-conditioner recently to replace the one in the living-room that is 7 years old. I must say its great turn the thing on 29 degrees with a fan and I am ok.

Turn it to 20 degrees and you don't need a fan.

You will when you see the electric bill

If a hundred bucks is going to break you, why bother having an a/c?

Actually its not the bill but its comfortable at the temperature i said it was. I combine it with a ceiling fan. At night I sleep with an aircon on 25 degrees. To be honest 20 degrees.. id be shivering.. I hate for instance how cold it is in the Thai cinema's. But I do sweat a lot when I am out.

The aircon in my home gym i set on 23 degrees.. so you see its not about money just about a temprature that i feel is comfortable.

[ToddinChonburi]

Mind over matter, The heat does not mind and I do not matter. Not sure why people run ac and a fan ? just turn the temp on ac as needed. At night I do 24 and during the day 27. works great.

[ToddinChonburi]

Yes riding with the helmet on you have to be careful. Took a ride to Bangkok and back about 170km it was the next day that I seemed to suffer. No energy at all. It was really windy on the way back so that did not help any.

[Oziex1]

Managing dehydration is a full time job, especially when you have a few coffees in the morning and a few coldies in the evening.

[robblok]

Mind over matter, The heat does not mind and I do not matter. Not sure why people run ac and a fan ? just turn the temp on ac as needed. At night I do 24 and during the day 27. works great.

I can run the aircon at a higher temp when I use the fan too. But its one of those ceiling fans that hangs above my desk (big rotor ones). Combine that with the setting of 29 on my aircon keeps me cool. Actually quite comfortable like that. Just went to the market.. was sweating like a pig..