THURSDAY 22nd MARCH:
Bus arrived at Pratas Bus Terminal on time at 21:50. What was supposed to be "Gold Class" bus turned out to be nothing special. Very posh seat with video screens but the seats were as hard as rock and did not recline. Still, the bus made good time arriving in Pattaya at 04:20.
No sooner got off the bus when, as usual, we were accosted by a taxi tout. Seeing as taxis seemed few and far between we took an interest. However, he handed us over to some other guy who took us over to a tatty pick-up truck. Anyway, the price we haggled seemed OK so we piled in and he roared down the strangely quiet Pattaya back streets to our hotel in Soi 10.
It was clearly way too early to consider checking-in so we just dumped the bags off and wandered down to Beach Road. Still pitch black at 05:00, we settled for a seat in a 24hr Macdonald's and went for coffees, Macs, etc for breakfast.
Back to the hotel and dossed in the lobby drinking more coffee until we were allowed into our room at 08:45. This was a blessing as normal check-in is 14:00.
First job was to catch up on some sleep as neither slept much on the uncomfy bus. By 12:30 both of us were up-and-about.
One infuriating thing that really bugged me is my leaving both camera chargers in Surin. How I missed packing them is a mystery. Mind you, our room in PDR is like a black-hole and things seem to disappear. Many a time I come across items left from a previous visit.
Time to get a few things organised here in Pattaya.
First: exchange some cash; £ to Baht.
Second: Book transport to Trat and ferry to Koh Mak on 25th.
Third: Sneak in a few beers on Beach Road.
All successfully achieved.
Back to the hotel to shower and change then out to meet a young lady, a mutual friend who is quite special. If it wasn't for this lady, Ann, I would not have met Aom my future wife and therein lies a tale which is not for this blog.
We met for dinner and chatted away, or at least the two girls did with me considerably sidelined.
Some general shots of Pattaya below:-
|  |
|  |
FRIDAY 23rd:
Decent night's sleep. This hotel doesn't have a restaurant but does have a food room-service. In the event, we popped over the road to a joint offering breakfast at 110Baht each. Very basic bland food so not impressed.
Rest of the morning spent changing more money and basic shopping. Caught a Baht-bus down Soi Bua Khao to the Friday Market. As usual extremely hot and stuffy in there. Picked up a couple T-shirts and some lady stuff to take back home.
A few mid-to-late afternoon beers then back to hotel to chill until time to go out on the town.
I've stayed in Pattaya many times over the years and lived there for 3 months. Going back there yet again was initially fun but after a couple of days the sleaze side of the city struck home. Walking Street, I now find, a bore. Back in 2011 I even worked in a go-go bar for a short spell so I reckon I know a lot of the way Pattaya's sub-culture works. All this before I met my wife who, thankfully, has not been involved in anything like go-go bars.
Had dinner in The Kitchen in Second Road; good food here.
However, we did pop into Beach Club (the new re-sited one). The reason for this is because one of Aom's cousins was working there. We only stayed long enough to buy her a drink, have a drink ourselves and chat. I think Aom was trying to make her cousin see the error of her ways. I reckon it fell on deaf ears.
I found Pattaya much quieter than in the past and noted quite a number of street bars empty and actually not-functioning; and that on a Friday night.
Gave up drinking beers by midnight and strolled back to the hotel. Maybe I'm getting old, or, more likely a case of 'been there, done it' many many times.
I find I (we) enjoy the daylight hours in Pattaya more than the night life. A couple of beers in mid to late afternoon during the "happy-hours" and watching the city life pass by (people watching) is more fun than sitting in a night bar with ear-splitting music preventing normal chatting to take place.
SATURDAY 24th:
Decided on breakfasting on Soi Bua Khao after yesterday's crap buffet breakfast. Much much better at Jolley's; good value and excellent coffee. Breakfast followed by a rather good foot massage on Second Road.
No alcohol today! Seeing as we'll probably drinking most days when we get to Ko Mak tomorrow.
In the afternoon we took a Bahtbus to the end of Beach Road and strolled down Walking Street and carried on walking and walking all the way to the top of Pratamnak Mountain. Actually it was a daft idea as both of us suffered badly from the heat; very uncomfortable. At the top we tried to cool off as best we could over some iced coffees. The thought of walking back to Second road? Well, stuff that I thought. We hung about and waited for a bike-taxi to take us back to Pattaya Tai and then a 'bus back to Soi 10. Horribly sweaty!
Spent last part of the afternoon dossing in the a/c in our room before going out for dinner at 17:30.
Picked up some basics for breakfast as we'll be up and about very early to be ready for our pick-up bus to Trat followed by the ferry over to Koh Mak.
ABOVE: Wat Phra Yai temple and a typical sunset on Beach Road.
