Reader question: Experiences with ASQ?

Beautiful time to relax completely within yourself, and a giant exercise in living in the here and now.

In hindsight, I really liked it. So I was well prepared 🙂 What I brought: HDMI cable to watch movies, packaged ground coffee and filters, tea bags, enough snacks, cup noodles, oatmeal for breakfast, washing powder for hand washing, water-filled dumbbells and other lightweight workout items. I was in a good hotel and the food was basically fine, but after about five days I started to get tired of it, the choices in dishes started to repeat themselves after a few days, so I was very happy with oatmeal and dried nuts / fruit eg Good luck!

Dear French,

It's a great way to unwind! Go experience it from the moment you step off the plane in Bangkok. The Thai have it all very well under control and don't be surprised how often you have to physically hand over your documents in Thailand for inspection. There have been at least 35 people with me and don't ask why and who was from which service, who physically took my papers from my hands to return them afterwards. Check carefully what you get back because sometimes they withhold a document. So make sure you have enough copies.

I am now in the last days of my quarantine and indeed as written: you are not allowed more than you are! On the other hand, who is fooling whom and who is doing it right? We in the Netherlands with 9182 new infections per day or the Thai with 3? Infections per day?

Bring enough reading material, Netflix, Apple TV+, take a ball with you to keep moving, do yoga, daily gymnastic exercises, your own music and enjoy your rest. Provide a regularity in the day and you will see that the days fly by. And focus on one beautiful thought…. After the 14 days of quarantine you are as free as a bird in a beautiful country with friendly people and a nice temperature. It is always better than the winter weather in the Netherlands and the upcoming even stricter measures to curb the virus in the Netherlands and the rest of Europe.

Oh yes, it sounds so incredibly Dutch and I hardly dare to tell you…..

If you have one: bring your Nespresso coffee machine with enough capsules…. You can spoil yourself a little bit in those 14 days…. However?

Good luck and enjoy!

Dear French,

I am now on my last day (departure from ASQ hotel tomorrow) and it has been 200% better than expected. Most important for me was having a spacious balcony (and the kitchen was also handy). It is so nice to wake up in the morning, open the sliding door and first relax on the balcony to drink coffee. It has the feeling of not being locked in.

And yes, it remains exciting until you are on the plane (read yesterday that someone could not come along because the vlgtg number was wrong on the CoE and he was refused, so check well in advance), but then let everything come over you , they organized everything perfectly here.

Most of the tips have already been given by the others. Bring enough snacks (such as cheese, sausage, etc., also brought Sinterklaas chocolate letters, hmmm!), a knife (because it was not in my hotel room either), a laptop (maybe an HDDI cable), etc. Whatever It's handy to have a VPN on your laptop with which you can watch Ziggo TV (otherwise I wouldn't have been able to see Max win yesterday!), etc. And just try to do the things you do at home, if necessary. your work (whether you work at home in the Netherlands or in an ASQ hotel makes little difference), for me it does not differ much from what I did in the Netherlands.

I feel like I'm more relaxed than ever now and I wouldn't be surprised if my blood pressure is lower now. The 2 weeks have passed faster than I could have imagined and tomorrow my wife will welcome me with a nice bottle of Jakob's Creek wine. And then first 3 days beach on Koh Lorn and then fly to Chiang Rai. Is not it nice?

I have been staying in Lohas Recidences hotel in Bangkok for 10 days now. A great hotel with good service, reasonably accommodating and flexible staff. Overall good service here.

The rooms are nice and big with a kitchen, microwave, washing machine/dryer, plates and cutlery etc. That appears not to be the case at many hotels. The food is fine but mostly Thai which I have no problem with. I often choose it consciously.

The internet via WiFi is good (70Mb/40Mb) but sometimes varies slightly during the day due to speed. Something I solved by connecting my own pocket router via an available LAN connection and setting up my own network. I now never have to log in again and can use an unlimited number of devices. For frequent travelers, this is really a tip!

Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, it is useful to take a knife with you, for example. For some hotels maybe a set of mepal plates. Light and yet the feel of pottery. Instead of the plastic trays in which the food is delivered.

Of course I have a laptop, books, a set of elastic fitness bands, extra coffee for the first few days (turned out not necessary here) the necessary savory and sweets, nuts, etc.

But what really gives me the most pleasure is a media box with all Dutch channels. Watched F1 yesterday and Discovery is a pretty good distraction 24/7. Don't assume that your hotel has enough international channels. Do you still have a Ziggo or KPN etc subscription in the Netherlands or can you use it via the app 😉 then that is super useful here. If necessary, with a VPN to simulate a connection in the Netherlands.

Have something to do. Even if only being active on social media and or communication apps.

I am fairly active on various ASQ facebook groups. Help others, get information yourself. Still having fun again. Like now.

Now 4 days to go. Tomorrow my last RT-PCR covid test and check out Friday morning from 6am.

To celebrate my freedom, I first stay in the center of Bangkok for one more day. Then collect my left behind and fly to Chiang Mai. I still have plenty to do there, such as extending my driving license (which expired last week) and the visa extension.

My motto for an ASQ. Don't just select by price. Cheap is often expensive. Look at the facilities in particular, read the reviews and find out for yourself what is really important to you. Once there you can't change anymore. Check-out is only possible after 15 days.