Thailand in October

A lot has happened since my last post. My travel companion decided it was not the right time for her to go to Thailand, and my father had a stroke.

I'm going to Thailand in October! Also I will be helping a company I'm involved with search for talent to run our Bangkok branch--Uber Technologies, Inc.

We'll see how much trouble I get into.

I got my new passport and my plane tickets, and my friend Amanda will join me in late October, so there will definitely be some awesome stuff to post about!

Thailand in 2014 Announced

I'm going back to Thailand in 2014. It's going to be legen... (wait for it) dary.

Who's coming with me?

I've prepared a sample budget. The goal is $3,000 for a comfortable vacation in Thailand doing some awesome volunteer work and staying in some awesome places... riding elephants and playing with monkeys.

I think we can get away with going for as low as $2,000, and perhaps hustle cash while we are there, maybe have some credit cards just in case, but I think a safer number is $3,000 for the long trip in which, this time, we plan on visiting many countries instead of just Thailand, and thus will be spending a lot of time outside of the US.

I have one travel companion already geared up to go. I think it will be fun to go as a group again, so I'm lighting the beacon and will be sending this blog out to my friends.

So... I didn't get married.

Quick update, I didn't get married, and it's been a few years since I've been to Thailand. More updates soon.

7 Days Later

On the Song Tewl in Chiang Mai going to our Guest House

The Day I Proposed, in a flower garden.

Elephant riding on the 23rd!

Geared up for the Jungle Flight

Ice Skating at Esplanade

Family Picture!

So I haven't updated in a week... Here's the scoop:

I proposed to my girlfriend in Chiang Mai on 23rd December. It was pretty awesome. We rode elephants and hiked to a waterfall the next day, and on Christmas day, we flew around the jungle on zip lines. After the Jungle Flight, we went to a 3 hour day spa trip. After that... I found us a nice little restaurant in the sticks of Chiang Mai that served a Christmas Buffet! Turkey, ham and roast beef with all the fixins!!!

Yesterday we got back from Chiang Mai and went ice skating with my kid brother and sister and cousin, then went to dinner at my Aunt's house. After the dinner, we took family pictures and I broke Kelly's pink toe--and I haven't heard the end of it yet.

Went to the hospital today about 11:30 am, got out about 12:30 pm. Checking in, blood pressure, x-rays, and a few doctor consults later, we were out... and the damage: 1,400 baht. Good news is that it's not broken, but she says it feels like it.

We're getting ready for our trip to Koh Samui Tuesday morning. Look out world, here comes Eddie and Kelly!

Food Poisoning

Looking straight down from our balcony.

Looking out our hotel room window

Drinks at the outdoor hotel bar called the "Octogon" shaped like.. yup you guessed it, a Dodecohedron. Just kidding, it was an octogon.

On the beach, lounging with booze.

Getting ready for parasailing!

I got some food poisoning in Pattaya I think. So I've been sick, and now sick again. Sucks. The last day in Pattaya was real shitty for me because Kelly and I decided to go Scuba diving... unfortunately for me it was on a boat and I get really terrible motion sickness.

Being on a boat for about 7 hours was pretty rough. I did go scuba diving once though, then yacked all over myself in the waters of Thailand's gulf. That was enough to make me swim to shore and sit on the beach for a bit. After that, I went on board the boat and just sat in one place for the next 4 hours till we got to shore.

Anyway, Jomtien beach and Pattaya were pretty spectacular as far as the sights go. I did enjoy parasailing and this sweet restaurant on the beach.

Doctor's visit today cost me $20 bucks. My godfather is the chief of emergency medicine (Dr. G, I call him) at the hospital I went to last time. He prescribed Dramaine, more antibiotics, some other medication, and plenty of rest, so that's what I'm doing today. Price tag, 20 bucks. Yup. American Healthcare, blow me. Oh, also they wheeled me out in a wheel chair because they didn't want me to walk. Every time I tried to walk on my own, a nurse came to wheel me. Classy.

Jomtien Beach

Kelly and I made grilled chicken salad and garlic broccoli for my family.

Thai Fanta in Khaosan Road.

Crazy Thai/Asian ads.

We've moved around Bangkok so much now, always meeting at the IT Mall. So many malls in BKK, we're sick of them, so we decided to head out of the city.

We went back to Calypzo a few nights ago, and made our way to Pattaya yesterday. We're staying in Jomtien Beach which is a little quiet beach next to the main town. It's humid here, but not too bad... especially when you have a nice cold Fanta.

We've traveled so much the past week and as our first full week comes to a close, we're happy to have made it this far without killing each other. We've been sick, hot, sticky, and uncomfortable, but we've also had fun, great massages, and shopping experiences.

Next week we're going to Cheng Mai. That's going to be a great time!

Today: waterskis?

Hotel Hopping

Much like we did the last time I was here, we are hotel hopping in different areas. Last night we stayed at Park Hotel in Sukhumvit Road, Soi 7. It was a dive from the 70s or 80s that looked nice from the outside, but turned out to be a shit hole.

Today we're at another hostel like hotel, but it's 1/3 the price. I've also stayed here before, so I feel pretty comfortable here. It's called the Four Sons Inn off Khaosan Road. It's super cheap and close to a bunch of cool things to see and do.

I'm still kind of sick and trying to recover because it feels shitty to be sick on my vacation. Kelly and my brother want to go out and do everything, while I'm feeling like a bump on a log.

Hopefully it'll clear up soon.