South America Visitor Bureau » travel tips http://samericavb.com Thu, 09 Sep 2010 14:51:11 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Thailand: My First Night in Pattaya http://samericavb.com/2010/01/thailand-my-first-night-in-pattaya/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=thailand-my-first-night-in-pattaya http://samericavb.com/2010/01/thailand-my-first-night-in-pattaya/#comments Fri, 08 Jan 2010 11:48:53 +0000 Owen Jones http://samericavb.com/2010/01/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, right opposite me, was a small 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 nice 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 definitely 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 arrive 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 assumed we would be eating together later, but I wanted to read the menu anyway.

‘A pint of Boddington’s', I said. It arrived and the girl started laying a place for me. I tried to say 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 struggled through that meal and it took a Boddingtons and a bottle of water. Charli had been correct, it was too hot for first-time foreigners and she had reduced the chilis by 50%. I have always heeded a Thai’s counsel 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 talking 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 tremendous. Particularly the din. Every metre at least two or three girls would shout: ‘Hello, sexy man, you want a drink’. Trying to say no courteously to each invitation was out of the question, so I just stuck close to my pal.

Fortunately, we only had about fifty metres to walk and we sat down in another bar. My friend said hello to several ladies and then said, this a girl I have been going out with for some time. I was astounded as I had never heard him talk about her, ever. She was gorgeous, but could not speak English, so I sat in the din 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 din seemed to pass away, but it was only because I was listening to 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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]]> http://samericavb.com/2010/01/thailand-my-first-night-in-pattaya/feed/ 0 Trains In Seattle and Train Sets http://samericavb.com/2009/12/trains-in-seattle-and-train-sets/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=trains-in-seattle-and-train-sets http://samericavb.com/2009/12/trains-in-seattle-and-train-sets/#comments Fri, 25 Dec 2009 15:35:29 +0000 Owen Jones http://samericavb.com/2009/12/trains-in-seattle-and-train-sets/ Boys and girls of all ages like trains and train sets. They have played a vital part in the history of this country and Seattle, Washington and the Northwest in particular. In fact, the roles of trains in this part of the country have in the past been so critical that there are a couple of museums dedicated to them. Trains were essential supply routes for the people here for many years. While their importance seems to be diminishing in today’s society, their importance throughout the history of our country remains.

If you truly are a train enthusiast, then it should not be difficult to talk you into stopping by Seattle’s Train Center before and after touring the museums devoted to trains and their vital role in history. The Train Center offers a wide selection of model train parts and pieces that would make excellent additions to your train set or a great beginning for a train set for you or your kids.

After you’ve whetted your appetite for trains and gotten your child all excited about them, it is time to take a walk back in time to the Northwest Railway Museum. There you can learn about railway history or even decide to take a ride on one of the trains that departs on several trips throughout the day. Most of the excursions are 65-75 minutes long and are a remarkable treat for young and old alike. Perhaps the greatest thing about this museum is that its main purpose is to educate the public about the important function that railroads had in the development of this part of the country.

If you’re really interested in sharing your affection for trains with the ones you love, you may think about taking a trip on the Spirit of Washington Dinner Train. This is a fantastic way to not only get the experience of riding the rails but to take in some of the beautiful Washington scenery and have a gourmet meal in the process. During the months of November through to April up to two children may ride free with a paying adult.

There are certain restrictions on the type of seating, but it is a great way to get the event at a vastly reduced price. There are also special events such as Murder Mystery Trains and Magic and Illusion shows in addition to certain holiday events as well. Be sure to check out what is going on while you are visiting Seattle and see if this is something that might interest you and your family.

If you are up for a not so short drive to Pasco (about three and a half hours from Seattle), you might find the Washington State Railroads Historical Society Museum well worth the journey. Be sure to remember that the museum is only open on Saturday and that the hours are restricted so this is a journey you need to plan in advance. The greatest thing about this museum to me is the fact that there are lovely little stories, like the blackboard that recorded the first snowfall at the depot each year and others such as this.

It is the little stories that do not necessarily make history that do make long-lasting impressions and I am happy to see this particular story is being shared. Just bear in mind, when visiting any of these depots, museums, and train excursions that you definitely must bring your inner child with you in order to enjoy them as you should.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a lot of topics, but is presently involved with train sets for kids. If you would like to know more about train sets for kids, please go over to our website for some great offers.

]]> http://samericavb.com/2009/12/trains-in-seattle-and-train-sets/feed/ 0 The Advantages Of The Razor Scooter http://samericavb.com/2009/12/the-advantages-of-the-razor-scooter/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-advantages-of-the-razor-scooter http://samericavb.com/2009/12/the-advantages-of-the-razor-scooter/#comments Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:01:15 +0000 Owen Jones http://samericavb.com/2009/12/the-advantages-of-the-razor-scooter/ The Razor scooter is a fantastic suggestion for everybody wanting to stay healthy. These days loads of people are office-bound and we all appear to have a reduced amount of time for simply going out for a stroll, which is the age-old therapy for gaining a few pounds. The Razor scooter can assist you here.

How frequently have you said to yourself, ‘I haven’t got time to walk’ or ‘I can’t be bothered to walk’ and then have jumped in the automobile instead? But what if you had a Razor scooter handy? You could simply scooter down to the store or the park. You could take the dog for more walks and at a snappier speed too, something your dog will surely be thankful for.

The Razor A series or its bigger siblings, the Razor Pro or Razor Cruiser, are not pricey, costing between $40 and $60, cheaper still at Amazon or eBay, yet they will quickly save you hundreds of dollars on fuel. After all, starting a vehicle is typically the most expensive part of a short trip.

The Razor scooter is also very versatile. Weighing in at approximately six pounds, anybody could carry it without difficulty up or down a couple of stairs or lift it in or out of the trunk of a car. But not only that, it folds up too, so that the whole scooter is only a couple of feet long by six inches high by six inches wide. It will without difficulty fit in a passage sideboard or the boot of a car.

Your Razor scooter could be utilized in many ways to save you money and keep you trimmer. For example, if you need a loaf of bread, you could hop on your scooter. You could take you dog to the park. You could scooter with your children ‘in a pack’. You could put a Razor scooter in the trunk of your car and scooter the last half a mile into college. And every time you get on that scooter, you are burning not petroleum but fat!

Think of it that way. You are saving energy and money and burning your surplus calories at the same time. You are also exercising your legs and raising your metabolism and heart rate too. That is everything the bank manager and the doctor advised all wound into one . And you will be in first-rank company too.

Do you know who else’s children ride Razor scooters? Well, there’s Al Pacino’s twins for a start. Now, Al Pacino is not short of a few dollars, I’m sure, so you can be assured that he’s going to be looking for the finest for his kids, isn’t he? And Lisa Kudrow and her son. And Liv and Cal, offspring of Julianne Moore and Bart Freundlich. You would be forgiven for saying, ‘Aw well, they got theirs for nothing!’ and that may be true, but at approximately $40 who cares?

The advantages in saved motor fuel and increased exercise make the Razor scooter a must-have necessity in my eyes. So, take another look at the Razor scooter and keep in mind that someone’s birthday is coming up in a little while.

If you would like to know more about Razor scooter spares or Razor scooter wheels or if you would like to buy a discounted scooter, visit our web site at http://razorascooter.com

]]> http://samericavb.com/2009/12/the-advantages-of-the-razor-scooter/feed/ 0 Thailand – How I First Came Here http://samericavb.com/2009/12/thailand-how-i-first-came-here/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=thailand-how-i-first-came-here http://samericavb.com/2009/12/thailand-how-i-first-came-here/#comments Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:29:35 +0000 Owen Jones http://samericavb.com/2009/12/thailand-how-i-first-came-here/ I first came to Thailand in 2004 and I came here more of less by accident. I had travelled a lot in Europe: Russia, Western Europe, Scandinavia, North Africa and north South America, but I had never found the time to travel to Asia.

One night, I was chatting to a friend who had travelled a great deal throughout the world and he was telling me about his favourite country, to where he had been returning year after year for fourteen years. Knowing the man’s experience as a traveller, I was very taken aback to hear that he had been choosing to go to the same location in Asia for fourteen years.

I just had to ask him which part of vast Asia held such an attraction for him and he said Thailand. I knew practically nothing about Thailand, except that I had had a few meals at a near-by Thai restaurant over the years. I also knew from collecting stamps as a boy that it used to be called Siam. Anyway, my friend asked me if I’d like to go. I said that I would ‘one day’ and meant it.

He surprised me by stating that he was going to Thailand for a month soon and that I was welcome to go with him, if I wanted. I replied that I had a couple of jazz festivals to go to soon and maybe I would, if there was at least a month between them and if I could get a flight and if… I could hear myself putting him off, but I did not understand why I was delaying.

A couple of hours later, I went home and being an avid Internet surfer, I checked out a bit about Thailand on the travel brochure sites. It looked truly fantastic. The prices were good too except for the flights. Hotels were cheap to reasonable and food and drinks prices were low compared to where I lived. So, I checked the dates of the two Jazz festivals and they were thirty-three days apart. Now for the flight. I spent well into the next morning checking flights and found one for the day after the first festival leaving from our local airport. It was not the cheapest flight, but it gave me more time.

In a reckless moment, I booked it there and then online. I then found an inn with rooms to let online that my friend had said he went to on quiz evenings and thought that they would be open by now serving breakfasts. I sent them an email and a reply came back twenty minutes later. I had been lucky again. The boss was in the middle of checking yesterday’s figures, when he saw my email come through. However, not sure of his Internet ability, he asked me to phone him right away. I checked my watch, it was still 4AM so I phoned.

He accepted my booking on trust and so I did not have to make a payment. I had heard about Thailand, made up my mind to go and booked the flight and room all within five hours and I could not wait for nine o’clock to come to notify my friend that I would be going too.

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