Who's Having The Most Fun?

[PeteC]

You know, reading some of these posts, ie "Adventuretours", I'm starting to become convinced that our part-year/tourist visitors have a hell of a lot more fun in LOS than us expats do? Is this just the thoughts of a crusty expat or, the result of not taking Benda 500 when I should have (trick question) or, perhaps being in the sun too long eating somtum?

I never do 1/10 of the stuff they are talking about. Some golf, some snorkling etc.,thats all. It's not age either, I don't think. It may be what ??? Pete

[Jaime]

I think you are right Pete. Although I am still a tourist when in LoS, I have been married to a Thai lady for a few years, made numerous often frequent visits, bought the holiday home and got past the sense of wonderment. The sense of normality that replaced it must be magnified even more so for you full-timers! The best holiday I ever had was my first trip to Thailand, on which I had sightseeing activities organised for almost every day. Second best was my second trip. After that, I was on the slippery slope to frequent visitor/ex-pat/farang husband cynicism! My glass is indeed half full!

[Farang]

'
Hua Hin is no different from - say – London. There are people repeatedly traveling to London to see the
sights the Londoners never see. I submit that of those living in London very few have visited the Cutty Sark,
Greenwich Observatory, Changing of the Guards, Mme Tussaurd’s, The British Museum, Big Ben,
The Aspley House, The Graveyard Wranglers’ and Dirty Harriet to name but a few.

Visiting Paradise might be more fun than living in one.

Woe, how blasé art thou as thy heavily feelest tediousness in ye Paradise, verily!
,

[caller]

'
Hua Hin is no different from - say – London. There are people repeatedly traveling to London to see the
sights the Londoners never see. I submit that of those living in London very few have visited the Cutty Sark,
Greenwich Observatory, Changing of the Guards, Mme Tussaurd’s, The British Museum, Big Ben,
The Aspley House, The Graveyard Wranglers’ and Dirty Harriet to name but a few.

Visiting Paradise might be more fun than living in one.

Woe, how blasé art thou as thy heavily feelest tediousness in ye Paradise, verily!
,

I've been to all of the above - once -, most when a kid, but have never heard of the last two! The two gems from the list being the British Musuem and the relatively unknown Aspley House (No. 1 London).

I personally think I'm jaded from seeing so many sights? At Phimai last August, I couldn't help but think, another ruin, another pile of rocks. As Jaime did, I saw the tourists places when I first arrived.

But I only made it to the floating market last year and for this cynic, it was one tourist trap to many!!!

I agree with Farang, when its on your doorstep.....

However, I'm gradually looking further afield when in Hua Hin. I Hate some of the local places - the elephant village in particular.

Maybe when you get to the expat stage, you've seen so much, done so much, that just experiencing daily life is enough? I've always got more of a buzz from walking around the streets just soaking in the atmosphere when in places where life is "lived on the street", so to speak, than the more sanitised places, such as Singapore, or KL.

[Guess]

'

The Graveyard Wranglers’ and Dirty Harriet to name but a few.

Woe, how blasé art thou as thy heavily feelest tediousness in ye Paradise, verily!
,

I reckon you made up the last two locations. Dirty Harriet is a second rate US soft porn movie.

It seems that the most popular attaraction to visitors to London nowadays is the Social Security Office.

[Farang]

,
Yes, you're right, I made them up. Perhaps that's the reason so few have seen them.
,

[Guess]

Farang,

Your nose is getting longer.

I reckon you have seen Dirty Harriet (the movie) but the name slipped into the "not neded to be recalled oftent" portion of your retentive grey matter only to slip (Freudian or otherwise) into your post when you were desperately thinking of a place name to invent.

I am now researching the origins of Graveyard Wranglers whose origins I suspect are similar. This sounds like the title of a 1970s US movie where the most interesting scene in the film is where somebody (propably female unless you have frequented cinemas in San Francisco in that era) gets her/his jeans removed on a gravestone.

[2dandan]

Guess,

Your knowledge of second rate US soft porn films is impressive. Dirty Harriett obviously left it's mark.

[richard]

To quote Freddie Mercury --- I've done it all

As a Thai expat for 5 years and a Zimbabwe expat for 5 years I feel 'I've done it all'. Oh course I haven't. Nobody has

My big buzz now (maybe it's age) is sitting close to the market in HH at 5am in the morning and sipping coffe and of course tea, people watching. My other passion is going to the wifes village north east of Kohn Kaen and soaking up real Thailand.

Done my bit in Bangkok and sometimes HH seems a sort of Scandinavian/German/Swiss tourist resort

No moans though

[richard]

Re the porn,

I guess you guys are all young to remember Debbie does Dallas

[richard]

Caller

I agree, as seen in my previous postings. Watching life go by is far more interesting. My Thai wife informs me that in the HH market they set up the vending at 2 am and close down at 9am. They are night shift workers but very interesting and content people and they make a pittace but in true Thai style are happy.

In Europe we spend so much time moaning about - hours, terms and conditions, money, etc

In my wife's village they work the paddies and sugar cane fields from 6am till 6pm. Go to bed at 7pm and rise at 5am. 7 days a week. I tried it one day (bare in mind I'm 61) and it nearly killed me!! Laid up for 2 days with backache and sunburn. I'd love to live there as we have a nice house (sorry she has a nice house) which cost FA. but at my age and with a health problem and no landlines so I can talk to you guys, it's currently a no-no

Let's see how it goes -- Maybe a good place to escape the coup!! - After all the rules there are different. What's a driving licence, what's a visa, police? what are they?

[flyboy]

I think it is safe to say that living in a place decreases the sense of urgency to do" things". One day we will get "a round tuit."
When you are on your once in a lifetime trip 2 or 3 week trip, you will see and do as much as possible in a short time and then go home exhausted to rest up for the next time..

[DawnHRD]

As Talk Talk said (it was them, wasn't it?) "Life is what you make it", or maybe that should just be " grab every experience you can". Since I've lived in Thailand I've had amazing (Thailand!) experiences. I've jumped from a plane 9,000 feet above Cha-am/Hua Hin, I've gone on a helicopter patrol to the border (not sure that was strictly official), I've met wonderful people and had the best & worst times of my life. I've also "acquired" a son. That's not even counting the HHDRC stuff.
I fully believe those of us who live here get a better deal than those who visit on holiday. We get to wake up here every day & experience whatever wonder or eccentricity Thailand has to offer. We're so lucky not to have to pack it all into 2 weeks!

[Big Boy]

Richard said:

In my wife's village they work the paddies and sugar cane fields from 6am till 6pm.

Well, I've played the same game in my wife's village in Ban Nong Seng. The only difference is that they are totally worked out by 7am, and simply sit around talking, eating, sleeping and doing anything else that comes naturally to a Thai until 6pm - unfortunately, hard work does not seem to be a natural trait to a Thai.

[flyboy]

Big Boy said: " unfortunately, hard work does not seem to be a natural trait to a Thai."

You make that sound like a bad thing!!!