Thailand: My First Night in Pattaya

It was seven-ish and I was sitting in a nice-enough room overlooking the front entrance to the pub above which I had just moved in. The pub was the Pig and Whistle on Soi 7 in Pattaya. Across the way was a big hole, which they were hoping to construct a hotel in and next door to that, just opposite me, was a tiny bar with one lady sitting on a stool outside it. Not that there was a wall there, it was open on two sides. The Soi was lovely and peaceful, I thought. I also thought that I might go and sit in that little bar and talk to that woman, if my friend was late, because I would surely see him arrive from two metres away, the width of the Soi.

So, I went to the bar in the pub at 19:15 to await my friend who said he would meet me at 20:00. It was much busier than thirty minutes earlier but not noisy and I sat at the bar. The first thing a barmaid did was say hello, give me a menu and step back. I did not really want to eat, I only wanted a beer as I presumed we would be dining together later, but I wanted to read the menu anyway.

‘A pint of Boddington’s’, I said. It arrived and the girl began laying a setting for me. I tried to explain that I was not hungry, but it was no good. Like in Spain, most people eat and drink at the same time. All the while the girl was smiling at me. Then she said: ‘You live upstairs? My name Charli. What you want to eat?’. So, I gave in and ordered something and rice.

‘You first time in Thailand? You no can eat. Too spicy’, she said with a grin. ‘Oh’, I replied, ‘but I want to try. ‘I put only 50-50 for you’, she said and went.

I battled my way through that meal and it took a Boddingtons and a bottle of water. Charli had been accurate, it was too hot for first-time foreigners and she had reduced the chilis by 50%. I have always heeded a Thai’s guidance on food ever since.

I changed seat to by the window to see what was happening as it was dark by 19:30 and I was curious. Within thirty minutes Soi 7 had changed completely. I could see hundreds of ladies and tourists milling about. I wanted to go out and join in or at least sit in the quiet bar across the way, but I’m ashamed to say that I was too scared, so I sat put, rivetted to the Pig like a rabbit in a hunter’s beam.

My friend walked in on time and after we had been chatting for an hour, he said: ‘Drink up, I have someone I want you to meet’. This was it, we were going into that mele. A waitress opened the door for us and the racket and the heat were terrific. Particularly the noise. Every metre at least two or three girls would yell: ‘Hello, sexy man, you want a drink’. Trying to say no courteously to each call was out of the question, so I just stuck close by to my pal.

Luckily, we only had about fifty metres to stroll and we sat down in another bar. My friend said hello to several women and then said, this a girl I have been going out with for some time. I was flabbergasted as I had never heard him talk about her, ever. She was gorgeous, but could not speak English, so I sat in the pandemonium in silence. Not for long through, as my friend said, I have a blind date for you and he introduced another girl to me who was equally beautiful, but with whom I could speak a little. She was captivating and I was captivated. The pandemonium seemed to pass away, but it was only because I was concentrating on my new friend. The four of us had the best time and the best food I had ever had in my forty-nine years of existence.

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9 Hot Tips On Making Disney World More Affordable

On every vacation we are looking not only to spend money but to save money too. This is no different when we go to Disneyland. A single day at Disneyland can really put a deep whole in your pocket so how can we ensure this does not happen and allow us to make our vacation more affordable? Here are 9 excellent pointers to help you out.

* Get yourself a Disney Rewards credit card. When you use the card you are rewarded with points that are redeemable towards various Disney goodies such as the cost of the hotel, theme park rides, Disney merchandise and more. Having the Disney credit card is a great starting point for any Disney fan.

* Visit off-peak. If possible try to visit Disney World at off-peak times. Such times are when the kids are at school. Obviously this is going to be difficult if you are taking your own kids so its not practical for all. But its worth keeping in mind that crowd levels and visitor numbers are far reduced at off-peak times.

* Get yourself an annual pass. If you plan on visiting Disney World more than once in the year then its good going getting your hands on an annual pass.

* Register your birthday on the Disney website. If you register your birthday on the Disney website you are entitled to a free visit to the theme park that you wish, regardless of which state or country you are from. It will be mailed out to you after you register and registration is entirely free.

* Relax in a Disney World hotel. This may seem like its going to be more expensive than if you were to lodge elsewhere but when you take into account the amount of money you save on traveling back and forth each day and the amount of time too, it starts to make some sense. Not only that, if you are to lodge in a Disney World hotel you are entitled to free travel on their coaches, on their boats and on their monorail service as well as pick-up and put-down to the airport. Further, you are also entitled to take advantage of their extended opening hours, which is only available to those booked into Disneyland hotels.

* Like the thought of camping outdoors? If so, why not use one of the Disney camping sites. You can take your own camper van or tent and save yourself a lot of money while having great fun too!

* Make your food purchases before you enter the theme park. May seem a bit too much effort but when you consider that even snacks and soft drinks when purchased in the theme park will soon add up to a decent sum of money then it does make sense to make a few purchases at a grocery store before you enter the theme park for the day.

* Have a look at the Disneyland website. Keeping an eye on the website means you will pick up various tips from the experts about good times to visit the theme parks. You can also be fortunate to get some tickets at great discount prices too, just by visiting the website often.

* Company discounts. With some companies other than Disney itself, you are entitled to a variety of discounts. For example, if you are with the AAA this will get you a number of discounts from Disneyland.

The Disney credit card is a great card all round. The Disney rewards card is an ideal compliment to your Disney World trip so check out just how much it can help you enhance your Disney trip even more!

Gay Tours to Bhutan

Tucked between Tibet and India in a remote region of the Himalayan Mountains, lies a tiny Buddhist kingdom called Bhutan. Visitors to this spiritually and culturally-rich country will find a simpler way of life that is largely unaltered by Western culture and modern attitudes. Every aspect of life in Bhutanese villages and towns is steeped in the age-old traditions, beliefs, customs and practices of Buddhism, which is the basis of this countrys conservative, traditional way of life.

To this end, the number of tour groups and tourists allowed to visit Bhutan each year is limited. While Bhutanese culture is very conservative and traditional, the warm, friendly Bhutanese people welcome gay travel tours, just as they would any other guest to their country. Due to the limited tourism allowed, anyone who has the opportunity to travel to this mystical mountain kingdom should take full advantage of experiencing all that the country of Bhutan has to offer.

There is not any scene to speak of in Bhutan, which means that a gay vacation planned to this majestic mountainous region would certainly not be for the purpose of seeking out and experiencing LGBT life in a different culture. This is not to say that there is not same-gender intimacy in Bhutan; in fact, it is a common and accepted occurrence. However, there are no words for gay, lesbian or bisexual in the languages of this region and ones identity is not influenced by sexual behavior.

There is a noted level of bisexual behavior among men, most of who are either married to women or monastic monks, and this is not considered taboo. There is technically a very old law on the books in Bhutan that states that homosexual activity is punishable by imprisonment with the possibility of a life sentence; however, most residents are not even aware of this law and there are no records of it ever being enforced.

Gay travel to Bhutan allows an opportunity to experience a culture that is largely untouched by the outside world and is the ideal setting for a spiritual awakening or renewal. From hiking to visiting monasteries and exploring ancient villages, Bhutan gay vacations are unlike anything you will experience anywhere else in the world.

To truly experience Bhutan, visit this majestic land as part of organized gay travel tours, which will ensure that you have the opportunity to fully discover this beautiful, spiritual country, while respecting the local culture and traditions.

Experience Aboriginal Australia

No trip to Australia is complete without an understanding of the Aboriginal Culture

Aboriginal (or Aborigine) means Indigenous to Australia. They were the sole inhabiters of Australia before it was occupied by the British and other Europeans

There were over 300,000 Aboriginals in Australia before the settlers arrived. With them, they brought Old World Diseases which simply wiped out thousands of Aboriginals. As well as this, they were not given any rights to the land which pushed them out.

Nowadays, Aborigines account for just 3% of the Australian population and many suffer from alcohol and poor health problems. But there are pockets within Australia where you can still see their old values and traditions which are very interesting indeed. There are certain places, such as Ayers Rock, that are very sacred to the Aboriginal community. These are key places to learn more about Aboriginal culture and beliefs.

Music and art are two key elements of the Aboriginal culture. The didgeridoo is one of the most well known instruments but is in fact only really used by those from the East of Australia. The clapping sticks are in fact more well known.

Rock Art is the oldest of the Aboriginal Arts and can be found in places such as Ayers Rock and Kakadu National Parks as these are sacred Aboriginal lands. It is the dot paintings that are particularly popular with tourists and these are generally easy to find throughout Australia.

Where To Experience Aboriginal Australia

There are lots of places you can go to learn about the Aboriginal Culture. There is not room in this article to explore them all. Arnhem Land which is near Darwin in the top end of Australia is in my opinion the best place to go. Numbers are restricted to this sacred area so you can guarantee a less touristy approach. You really do get to appreciate the real culture and see real Aboriginals dot painting and making crafts. You can easily incorporate a day trip here as part of your trip to Darwin or Kakadu National Park and I highly recommend it. Remember that this area has defined seasons so only come here between May and October.

If Darwin is not on your to do list then consider an Aboriginal experience in one of the more visited areas such as Sydney. Two of the best experiences are The Blue Mountains Walkabout Tour or The Rocks Half Day Dreaming Tour. The second is taken by an Aboriginal Elder called Margaret Campbell and the tour is authentic and very interesting.

As the Aboriginals would say, lets go Walkabout. Discover Aboriginal Australia and see Australia in a whole new light.

An Introduction to Comfort Suites Hotel’s 1951 West Green Bay Restaurant

Green Bay is becoming one of the fastest developing cities in Wisconsin. There is life to the city from morning ’til night. It is not hard to find a Green Bay restaurant anytime you want. The city boasts of a night life, so people can find all sorts of dining establishments even at night. This is on top of the nightclubs, bars and clubs. Indeed, this Wisconsin city is fast becoming one of the most exciting places in the state.

You will find really good restaurants here. For instance, if you are craving for American food, you can always drop by Cosmopolitan Suites and check out their 1951 West Restaurant. So, if you feel like spending cash on a really great meal, you can always check out this restaurant.

You and your friends, relatives or business associates will definitely enjoy a meal at any of these dining establishments. You will find all sorts of dishes in these restaurants’ menus. The prices also range from the cheapest to the priciest, depending on the quality of service and food. Regardless of your choice, however, you will find amazing selections of appetizers, main courses, deserts and spirits.

Every now and then, people would find themselves dining at all-American restaurants. Of course, if they are staying at Comfort Suites, they could easily visit 1951 West Restaurant. Although there are many restaurants in the area that offer relatively good food, this is one of the best places to visit if you would like to feel at home.

The restaurant can accommodate large group sizes. Of course, there are other Green Bay restaurants that offer the same, but this one definitely offers more than seats. You can definitely bring your family along on your trip, stay at Comfort Suites, and dine at 1951 West.

The restaurant can seat up to 9 people, so you can definitely bring your relatives and friends with you. They also have the Sterling room where you bring up to 40 guests along with you for luncheon or dinner. This is definitely the place to be.

Among many of Green Bay restaurants, Comfort Suites’ dining establishment is definitely not an ordinary American restaurant. You will definitely enjoy the old Chicago ambiance. The whole restaurant is inviting and casual.

The minute you walk in, you would get the impression that there is some pride that has been taken in this place. If you want to just have a really good dining experience, this is it. It cannot get better than this.