Preparing for an invasion of tourists …

Burning off along Mae Rhampung beach in Rayong, Thailand.

One advantage of being a traveller who decides to live in the same place for more than a matter of days or weeks, is that you get to witness local rituals.

I’ve spent a lot of time in Thailand, on and off, over the past few years, and  for the past few months I’ve been staying in a condo on the beach in Ban Phe, south of Bangkok. That has allowed me to see Thai people, and expatriate residents, come and go about their business and, in particular, gear up for the peak tourist season, which is nearly upon us.

Continue reading Preparing for an invasion of tourists …

On the (baht) buses …

My continuing adventures in Thailand’s Rayong province, where I am staying until November … 

Note to self: the yellow ones goes to Klaeng.

Today I went to Klaeng. I didn’t mean to go to Klaeng, but I did.I caught the “baht bus” from Mae Ramphung Beach to Sukhumvit, where I crossed to road and hailed another baht bus heading in the right direction. I said to the driver, “Ban Phe?”, my intended destination, but didn’t get any reaction. That’s OK, I thought. I probably said it incorrectly.

Continue reading On the (baht) buses …

I may have been wrong about Airbnb

A little while ago I wrote a post titled Five reasons why Airbnb is not really for me. As I write this, I am staying in an apartment on a beach in Thailand that I booked through Airbnb.

Things have been going so well, so far at least, that it seems that I have some explaining to do.

Continue reading I may have been wrong about Airbnb