Back from paradise…
Unfortunately it's over again. Yesterday I am with Air Berlin flown back to Dusseldorf. The beloved Thailand and leaving my friends there. Well, sometimes it's not easy.
It was a busy schedule this time. Met a lot of people and traveled a lot. Yet Thailand continues to surprise me. One day in Thailand is enough for 10 stories. I hardly know where to start.
Thanks everyone!
First of all, thanks to all readers of Thailandblog for the many emails and reactions to my article 'Hun Peter goes Thailand'. Funny to see that this posting was also used to discuss Thai ladies in particular. It shows once again how powerful the male hormone testosterone is.
Now that I'm back I will try to steer the discussions in the right direction again 😉 Thank you Hans for doing the honors as moderator.
Thai hospitality in Brabant
A week before I left for Thailand I personally met Joseph Jongen who, together with Hans Bos, helps me to keep Thailandblog attractive with good articles. That was a combination of Brabant and Thai hospitality, so super cozy. And after having visited Thailand about 50 times, Joseph has a good idea of what is going on in Siam. Thanks to all his fascinating stories and the delicious food, I had a great time.
Pattaya with Hans and Hans
In any case, I would like to thank a number of people who have ensured that this trip to Thailand has also become unforgettable. First of all my thanks to Hans Bos who picked me up from Suvarnabhumi Airport and where I was once again a guest in his villa.
The following days in Pattaya were very pleasant. This time I spent the night at Piet (Malee Bar & Apartments) Soi 11, a great accommodation with neat rooms for an affordable price. The central location in Pattaya makes Malee an excellent choice. If I am in Pattaya again, I will definitely book with Piet again.
Elvis, not for all your problems
At the Tulip House in Jomtien I caught up with Colin 'Elvis' de Jong. Colin is, as always, busy helping Dutch people who are in trouble. And there are quite a few in Thailand. They usually know where to find Colin. Thanks to his contacts, Colin often succeeds in arranging a solution. But even he can't solve all the problems of this world, so a friendly request not to call Colin for every problem.
By the way, if you are looking for reliable advice on building, buying or renting a house, I can heartily recommend Colin de Jong. He has been active in the field of real estate for many years and knows the tricks of the trade like no other.
Rolling Stone Pam
After a short stay in Isaan, on to Hua Hin. There too I enjoyed the hospitality of Pim Hoonhout, the former fishmonger and Stones fan from the very beginning. Among other things, he showed us around the nurseries of the Royal Palace in Hua Hin. A place that you normally don't have easy access to.
A day trip through Hua Hin and Cha Am, organized by Pim, was more than worth it. Thank you too Pim!
Explorers
Many Dutch people living in Thailand are people with an adventurous streak and often special people with an equally special life story. It reminds me of days gone by when the Dutch people populated the world's seas in wooden ships and discovered exotic countries.
I started Thailandblog about a year ago and although it takes me a lot of time to maintain the blog, it has also brought me a lot. Like new friends and acquaintances. With some regularity I meet interesting people that I get to know thanks to the blog. This way I can continue to broaden my horizons and share my love for Thailand with others.
I'm already looking forward to my next one travel.
Peter, you are a nice man and welcome at all times
I also learned some nice things from you.
And so we learn from each other every day.
I am glad that Hua Hin came across very positively to you .
Holidays in Thailand always go by way too fast 🙁 I have to wait another 6 weeks before I can go that way again…
How was flying with Air Berlin? I hear mixed messages about it.
I flew with Air Berlin for the 4th time (2x return). But I have no complaints. A little less than EVA or China perhaps, but the difference is not very big. Excellent price-quality ratio. And you don't have to worry about them canceling flights. Which the others often have a hand in.
Flown once with LTU. Never again, simply because of distance between seats. Not an inch more than in a transavia aircraft. That's not a problem for a three-hour flight, but it is for an eleven-hour flight.
Depends where you live. Dusseldorf is not that far for me. By the way, the parking costs are included
Dusseldorf also hefty unless you book in advance.
That's not too bad. It depends how close you park. The last time paid 3 euros per day near the airport parking 5. So that was manageable after 30 days.
Alternatively, there is the train: From all over the Netherlands to Düsseldorf Airport from 19 euros each way (book in advance…)
I did once too. Didn't like it. The international train passes the airport but strangely enough does not stop there. You first have to go to Düsseldorf Central and then take another train (no connection) to the airport.
A switch is unfortunately necessary yes. When you do that at Duisburg (one station before Düsseldorf), there is a connection to the airport in 10 minutes. At the airport itself, you take the shuttle train to the terminals… It is indeed a bit more hassle, but you can reach the airport that way for an attractive price.
Okay, I didn't know about Duisburg. Good tip.
Unfortunately, from January 1, 2011 there is a flight tax in Germany ... that will make the tickets more expensive :-S
http://www.travelvalley.nl/Vliegen/846
What kind of problems are many Dutch people in than in Thailand?
Read the articles by Colin de Jong. It's usually about money. As a foreigner you do not have many rights in Thailand. So you have to arrange everything well in advance. Especially with houses in the name of Thai wife / girlfriend.
Welcome back. You can delight us again with fun and interesting stories.
Oh, I have enough topics for the next while.
Welcome back, I wish you had longer.
Well, it was a bit short. Well, I can't complain.