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Loving Pattaya life 2016 (B)

August 3, 2016 by David Herd

This is not a travel blog just my personal photo collection from the 2nd half of 2016.

Another birthday rolls around July 7.

Loving Pattaya life 2016

Loving Pattaya life 2016

 Loving Pattaya life 2016 has seen me spend all year here, the quietest travel year I have had this century. I over spent in the last 2 or 3 years so I thought I should pull my horns in. 🙂

I spent 5 days in Koh Samui in June, 2 weeks in Australia in August and a great trip to Japan in October.

Some of the usual suspects

Loving Pattaya life 2016

Greg, Hamish & John helped me celebrate at the Mantra.

A year living in Pattaya seems like about 6 months, time just seems to fly.

Great beach shot August 4th at 7am

Loving Pattaya life 2016

 

All the boats are waiting for the hordes of Chinese tourists.

And here they come in their thousands

Loving Pattaya life 2016

The buses roll into Beach Road of a morning and the tourists flock to the boats.

Tony & Nikki Murphy at Signature Steak & Seafood.

Loving Pattaya life 2016

The Murphy’s spent a week in Pattaya then 3 nights in Mae Pim before flying back to Australia.

Visitors from San Diego

Loving Pattaya life 2016

It was great to catch up with Paul, Eileen, Parker & Elle in Pattaya as part of their 9 week Asian holiday with included Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Koh Samui, Koh Samet & Danang. 

Seagulls in Pattaya?

Loving Pattaya life 2016

 

Here is a sculpture on Beach Rd showing a flock of seagulls, yet to this day I have never seen a seagull in Pattaya. 🙂

Here comes the rain

Loving Pattaya life 2016

I love seeing the black clouds roll in over Pattaya.

The “odd couple” Larry Krausz & Steven Reade

Loving Pattaya life 2016

Steve is a great mate of Larry’s from the Gold Coast. Terrific news for movie goers which vastly overshadows the recent Brangelina bullshit, the “odd couple” Larry Krausz & Steven Reade have been signed by BangBros, the largest porn studio in the world, to star in a remake of the 1988 movie Twins, which stared Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. See if you can pick who will play DeVito. 🙂

The more thigs change the more they stay the same

Loving Pattaya life 2016

After many years the Cherry bar on Soi 3 & 2nd Rd has been sold and is now Billabong 2.

When can we have some fun?

Loving Pattaya life 2016

Every night you go out in Pattaya the fun starts.

For a discounted hotel rate with free WiFi in Pattaya or anywhere in the world, just book through THIS LINK

Starbucks

Loving Pattaya life 2016

Opened in September at the “Bay” which is between Soi 5 & 6 on Beach Rd.

Good coffee & happy staff

Loving Pattaya life 2016

They are the first to open at the Bay, next will be McDonalds.

Stunning November sunset

Loving Pattaya life 2016

 

So many great sunsets from my balcony.  

My new home

Loving Pattaya life 2016

 On November 1st after 4.5 years I moved from the 17th floor in Markland to the 20th, does that mean I coming up in the world?

The usual suspects

Loving Pattaya life 2016

Jim’s Burgers is a great place for a casual dinner with friends, I’m with Hamish, Jonathon & Matt.

Delicious

Loving Pattaya life 2016

Lots of varieties & you can order small or large.

One of my massage girls

Loving Pattaya life 2016

Used to be a waitress in Chamiko in Soi 3, now she works at a massage parlour in Soi 3 & sometimes gives me a reasonable foot massage.

Spectacular clouds over Koh Larn

Loving Pattaya life 2016

These days I seem to be obsessed with taking photos of clouds & sunsets. 🙂

October in Japan

Loving Pattaya life 2016

 I m with my friend Kayo in a Spanish restaurant in Tokyo. I purchased a two week ticket on the Shinkansen or bullet train, then after 3 nights in Tokyo I travelled to 6 interesting Japanese cities, includung Kanazawa, Hiroshima, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Nagasaki & Fukuoka

I arrived back in Pattaya on Ocober 28th & the following day my good friend Larry Krausz was rushed to Bangkok Pattaya hospital after suffering a major stroke, now 5 weeks later on December 5th he is still in a serious condition in the intensive care ward.

Ross & Bryce arrive from Australia

Loving Pattaya life 2016

The boys came over for a few days to visit Larry. 

Centara Grand

Loving Pattaya life 2016

 

After a couple of cold beers at Centara Grand and a Pattaya cop working security wanted to throw us out. I lay the blame 100% on Pothole aka John David Martin who was dressed like a local bum & showing off his silly tattoos. 🙂

Pothole & sons + Kayo.

Loving Pattaya life 2016

Tate is Pothole’s eldest son, he arrived in Thailand from Australia to celebrate Xmas & to meet his 2 half brothers Tyrone & Tiger. Notice for some strange reason known only to Pothole, all his children including daughter Tamara have to have a first name starting with the letter T. Just another one of his many offbeat strange quirks. 🙂 The lovely Japanese girl in the photo is my friend Kayo from Tokyo.

Shopping for a dress in Soi 6

Loving Pattaya life 2016

Even though Soi 6 is one of the wildest streets in Pattaya there is still time for some quiet shopping. 🙂 

Soi Diana redhead.

Loving Pattaya life 2016

 

A very sweet girl from Area 51, no wonder I’m Loving Pattaya life 2016′

On the subject of Soi 6

Loving Pattaya life 2016

Here is Geoff from Australia, a fanatical Soi 6 supporter. We are at Leckerle in Soi 33 Naklua with his ex fiance Nana for a terrific meal & lots of wine.

Xmas Day with Geoff & Nana

Loving Pattaya life 2016

We started with a bottle of French Champagne on my balcony.

Lunch at Surf & Turf  & Loving Pattaya life 2016

Loving Pattaya life 2016

A great location on the beach at Wongamat. Kayo flew from Tokyo to spend 10 days in Thailand before heading to Australia.

Two nights in Bangkok

Loving Pattaya life 2016

 

December 29th took Pothole & Yogurt to Cheap Charles before checking out Brewski a new sky bar at the Radisson Blu.

New Years Eve in Pattaya

Loving Pattaya life 2016

Steve “Jumbo” Reade having a ball at the Atlantic Bar & Loving Pattaya life 2016.

 Atlantic girls

Loving Pattaya life 2016

They all looked terrific, dressed to kill. 🙂

Meet the gorgeous Katie.

Loving Pattaya life 2016

 A very happy lady from Billabong 2.

Here’s Pothole dressed in his Jaffa outfit.

Loving Pattaya life 2016

 Anything to attract attention. 🙂

Farewell to an old friend

Loving Pattaya life 2016

Larry Krausz, a friend for around 30 years suffered a major stroke on October 28. After 2 months in the Bangkok Pattaya hospital on life support he was transported to Australia by a hospital Leer jet, thanks to his Medibank travel insurance. After a month his life support was removed & he passed away peacefully.

It’s now 2017 and here is Glenn Frey to tell you exactly how I feel today.

For a discounted hotel rate with free WiFi in Pattaya or anywhere in the world, just book through THIS LINK

 

 Soi Cowboy                  Nana Plaza                    Patpong

 Soi Cowboy (5)           e1274c0c-cf4d-4406-b5dc-d9e8071e382e            8993ef02-ccf3-46a7-8b6d-fc11af9d93ad
 
  Please check out these fabulous posts
       Gold Coast                              Pattaya                          Cinque Terre
  bd96516a-84df-4ca0-86e6-c757cc9053d1          01a75360-9573-473f-acba-3a187f779b7f          e18b6c87-5adc-4a80-92cf-6c643ad130c1
 
Rio de Janeiro                  Singapore                    Eastern Europe
f044491e-69aa-4082-b49b-1ff33557d7d4          60e7d26d-1039-4dde-863d-62b66656ccbf          1bea4a99-cb07-4161-83ba-75c0ef2b63cc
    Bangkok Bars                         Tokyo                      Cape Town Safari
d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037          f5e9441a-4154-44e0-a362-18b662d40b48          2a2b79ea-bc5f-46e3-8448-2e71658eff14 
               Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book
                  through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
                                       Free Cancellation. 
Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
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 That’s all folks

1g Duck

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 7 photos

Weekend Bangkok May 2016

May 18, 2016 by David Herd

Via Vai Soi 8 Sukhumvit

Weekend Bangkok May 2016

Weekend Bangkok May 2016

 Weekend Bangkok May 2016 included visiting new restaurants, sky bars & shopping malls. It’s nice to have a break from Pattaya which is where I live 2 hours south of Bangkok.

Dinner at Via Vai

Weekend Bangkok May 2016

My friend Hamish Elton and I in Soi 8 eating Italian food which was ok without making you want to rush back.

Via Vai is opposite Monsoon which is one of my favourite Bangkok restaurants.

The Game sports bar

Weekend Bangkok May 2016

On Sukhumvit beside Nana station this bar has lots of screens showing all the sports. A separate smoking area overlooks the footpath which spares the drinkers inside the bar. The header to this post is a favourite shot of mine that was taken at “The Game”, I call it Minnesota Fats racking them up. 🙂

Beef stew at THE GAME.

Weekend Bangkok May 2016

At best it was barely average, next time I’ll try something different.

Now if it’s good food you want…..

Bangkok restaurant reviews

A terrific new Bangkok restaurant, the Pirate Chambre at Chidlom. Hard to find but worth the effort. The fabulous lamb shank was only B480.

Enjoying a red wine at Pirate Chambre

Bangkok restaurant reviews

Put this excellent restaurant on your bucket list.

 Signing the waiver

Weekend Bangkok May 2016

Sign before you ride, the guy didn’t last to long in the saddle, they just pump up the speed and it’s all over rover.

Hooters Bangkok Soi 4 Sukhumvit

When the Hooter’s girls saddle up it’s a much gentler ride.

Here is my hotel in Soi 11 Weekend Bangkok May 2016

Weekend Bangkok May 2016

Next door to the tailor is i-check inn, great value if you use this link to book.

Ribs at Tony Romas during Weekend Bangkok May 2016

Weekend Bangkok May 2016

Terminal 21 is where you will find Tony Roma and his ribs.

 The Sheraton on Sukhumvit and Terminal 21.

Weekend Bangkok May 2016

From Asoke station a walkways takes you straight into Terminal 21.

Bangkok at night

Asoke Bangkok at night

Asoke intersection

Weekend Bangkok May 2016

A very busy intersection, you can see the building where the Long Table sky bar Bangkok is located on the 25th floor of the Colomn serviced apartments in Soi 16 Asoke.

JW Marriott

Weekend Bangkok May 2016

A very good breakfast and the coffee is excellent. Plus I have a 20% discount card.

A guy I know gets preferential treatment

Weekend Bangkok May 2016

I showing the staff this photo next time I’m there and asking for the same serving of avocado. 🙂

I started with this shot and I’m going to finish with it.

Weekend Bangkok May 2016

Every now and then I take a photo I really like, this is one of those. It was taken at “The Game”, sports bar in Nana and I call it “Minnesota Fats racking them up.” 🙂

Late night street food

Weekend Bangkok May 2016

Quintessential late night Bangkok.

Thanks for checking out my Weekend Bangkok May 2016 photo blog.

When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

Bangkok Budget Sukhumvit Hotels

More photo blogs here;

Rio beach babes

Florianopolis Brazil 

Bangkok river ferry

Fabulous HCMC

Lyme Regis Jurassic coast

Hiroshima Japan

Sydney Harbour

The best Bangkok budget hotel I have ever stayed in.

            Checkout some more of my terrific blogs on the links below.         

 Soi Cowboy                  Nana Plaza                    Patpong

 Soi Cowboy (5)           e1274c0c-cf4d-4406-b5dc-d9e8071e382e            8993ef02-ccf3-46a7-8b6d-fc11af9d93ad

 
  Please check out these fabulous posts
       Gold Coast                              Pattaya                          Cinque Terre
bd96516a-84df-4ca0-86e6-c757cc9053d1          01a75360-9573-473f-acba-3a187f779b7f          e18b6c87-5adc-4a80-92cf-6c643ad130c1
 
Rio de Janeiro                  Singapore                    Eastern Europe
f044491e-69aa-4082-b49b-1ff33557d7d4          60e7d26d-1039-4dde-863d-62b66656ccbf          1bea4a99-cb07-4161-83ba-75c0ef2b63cc
    Bangkok Bars                         Tokyo                      Cape Town Safari
d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037          f5e9441a-4154-44e0-a362-18b662d40b48          2a2b79ea-bc5f-46e3-8448-2e71658eff14 
               Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book
                  through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
Free Cancellation. 
Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037          b1c99886-3940-4dda-b350-44c5e5c77e41
 
 That’s all folks

1g Duck

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 1 photo.

Pattaya life 2016 (A)

April 5, 2016 by David Herd

Markland Condo

Pattaya life 2016

Pattaya life 2016

Pattaya life 2016, this is my 5 year in this city by the beach. Why is it the older you get the faster time seems to go? The photo above is the coffee shop at the front of my condo where I go for a daily caffeine hit and sometimes a blueberry cheesecake to go with it. I have decided to slow down on my travel this year due to over spending in 2015. I have some smaller trips planned and another Japan visit in October.

In fact I purchased a two week ticket on the Shinkansen or bullet train, then after 3 nights in Tokyo I travelled to 6 interesting Japanese cities, includung Kanazawa, Hiroshima, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Nagasaki & Fukuoka

This is not a travel blog just a personal photo collection from the 1st half of 2016. Part 2 will commence July 1st.

Larry Krausz and Hamish Elton

Pattaya life 2016

I invited two of my friends over for dinner, roasted Australian lamb shanks with baked vegetables. Washed down with Australian red wine which I buy here for B300 ($12) for a 2 litre bottle.

Larry Krausz, a friend for around 30 years suffered a major stroke on October 28 2017. After 2 months in the Bangkok Pattaya hospital on life support he was transported to Australia by a hospital Leer jet, thanks to his Medibank travel insurance. After a further month his life support was removed & he passed away peacefully.

 Pattaya life 2016

Pattaya life 2016

This part of Pattaya always remains the same, an endless choice of girlie bars providing anything an ageing playboy could ever ask for.

The neon lights of Walking Street

Pattaya life 2016

Still the main Pattaya tourist attraction, however I would only visit 2 or 3 times a year, mainly when friends come from overseas.

Here are two Walking St addicts

Pattaya life 2016

Don’t take it the wrong way, Gordon Shanks from New York and Jonathan Whiting from Brisbane are only addicted to the bright lights, gorgeous girls and exotic locations all over the world.

Australian visitors

Pattaya life 2016

David Robertson on the right has been a friend for over 30 years, originally from Melbourne he moved to the Gold Coast about 40 years ago. His son Chris on the left is an Emirates pilot who lives in Dubai.

 Beach Road floods

More water on Beach Rd Pattaya than Songkran

A very common sight in Pattaya, this was February 16 after a short storm.

Mum Aroi at Naklua

Pattaya life 2016

A very popular Naklua restaurant specialising in live seafood. Very busy on weekends so try to visit during the week.

                   Pattaya life 2016      Pattaya life 2016

Because of the turnover  and the live product you can guarantee everything is fresh here.

Valentines day in Pattaya

Pattaya life 2016

The local council always find a reason to decorate the footpath on Beach Road.

I’m not sure these beach babes do much to decorate the area.

Pattaya life 2016

I actually have a photo blog dedicated to Babushkas in bikinis, just follow this link.

Holiday Inn

Pattaya life 2016

My brother Warren, John “Pothole” Martin and Larry Krausz enjoying pizza and red wine at the fabulous Holiday Inn on Beach Road. Use this link for a great room rate.

 At Mae Pim

Pattaya life 2016

  Beach Resort Mae Pim on the gulf of Thailand is only ninety minutes by car east of Pattaya, and 2 hours south of Bangkok. Beautiful white sand and clean water, and so quiet and peaceful after the noise & Madness of Pattaya.

Looks like a bomb site

Pattaya life 2016

A huge new shopping mall and hotel is being built opposite the Dolphin roundabout in North Pattaya. It will be the same brand as Terminal 21 at Asoke in Bangkok.

Dolphin roundabout Pattaya

Hooters comes to Pattaya

Pattaya life 2016

 Hooters Pattaya opening night was on New Years Eve 2015 so we decided to make it our first stop when seeing off the old and welcoming the new year.  It’s a great addition to Beach Road and naturally has many beautiful sexy babes on the staff. Both Thai & Russian as you can clearly see.

Hooters always seem to be promoting charity events etc to publicise their great venue, check out the charity bike wash here.

Bow and her Bonds

Pattaya life 2016

The gorgeous girlfriend of my friend Matt Harkness, an Adelaide guy who is living the dream in Pattaya. A local website held a contest to find “Miss Love Pattaya Thailand”, heats were held at “Planet Earth Beach Club” in Jomtien. Check out my photo blogs for lots of great Thai and Russian babes competing for the B100,000 first prize.

From my balcony

Pattaya life 2016

From my balcony June 19 and another perfect Pattaya day.

Sabai Wing Soi 1 North Pattaya

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Sabai Wing Soi 1, 3 swimming pools and nice rooms, 100 meters from BigC, great value at only $23 usd per night as of August 15. I live in the high-rise in the background, Markland. For a great room rate book here.

Cold beers, hot night

Pattaya life 2016

After dinner drinks with Todd & Hamish in Naklua Road.

Fraser’s at Jomtien

Pattaya life 2016

Quite a good sports bar on the left as you go down the hill into Jomtien, very good hamburgers.

Talking about Jomtien

Pattaya life 2016

In recent years it has improved out of sight, no longer is it a lazy beach side suburb of Pattaya. There are many new restaurants and hotels generally cheaper and quieter than Pattaya.

Natan’s at Jomtien

Pattaya life 2016

Put Naten’s on your bucket list, it is in my top 6 restaurants in Pattaya and Jomtien.               

Long Table Bangkok

Pattaya life 2016

I went to Bangkok 3 times in this first six months not just for a break from Pattaya but to check out lots of great places I have never been to. I was there in January, February and May.

When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

35981767253_ba59cec0f9_b

The best Bangkok budget hotel I have ever stayed in.

Pattaya life 2016

Pattaya life 2016

Pattaya life 2016, I have about 4 sometimes 5 foot massages every week, one of the great benefits of living in Thailand.

Cherry Bar Soi 3 & 2nd Road

Pattaya life 2016

Still my local watering hole, 7 minutes walk from my condo and down hill all the way home.

My drink of choice

Pattaya life 2016

I leave a bottle of JD at the Cherry Bar and pay B300 for the convenience of pouring my own.

New Thai restaurant in Soi 3

Pattaya life 2016

A small Thai restaurant has opened near the Cherry, very handy for me. The two dishes here cost B130 or $5 Australian dollars.

Geoff is back

Pattaya life 2016

Geoff Robinson from the Central Coast in NSW absolutely loves Thailand, here we are at the Cherry bar with his ex fiancée Nana.

Stocking up on vino

Pattaya life 2016

John Martin aka Pothole & I bought 7 cases of Australian wine. Each case holds 6 two litre bottles and the cost per bottle is only B350 or $10 usd.

From Pratumnak Hill

Pattaya life 2016

Notice the unfinished high-rise building, worked stopped nearly 2 years ago through some planning approval disputes.

Pattaya view point.

 


Big C being renovated

Pattaya life 2016

The shopping Mall closed down on May 1st for extensive renovations and will re-open around Xmas.

Soaked in the storm

Pattaya life 2016

Here I am at breakfast after being caught in the rain.

Four days in Koh Samui

Pattaya life 2016

John Martin aka Pothole & I had a quick trip to Koh Samui on June 20th. It has been 9 long years since my last visit.

Pothole & I at Koh Samui

Pattaya life 2016

There are so many more bars & restaurants now, BARS, BEACH, ROAD TRIP, RESTAURANTS, SHOPS.

Roland returns

Pattaya life 2016

Roland Bonnici my barrister friend from Sydney & I had a great dinner at Signature.

thanks for checking out my Pattaya life 2016 photo blog.                           

                 Here are some more posts to check out 

         Sydney                               Paris                                   Bangkok           
 497d0b6e-c0bd-4ba2-86be-c02100f050a8        65470622-d17a-4b90-bf97-2574df4c412d        1a2160c1-41f7-465a-954c-631e083eb229
          Tokyo                        Rio De Janeiro                        Budapest
f59e958e-8eaf-48b4-8e96-c291a0c13d1a        f044491e-69aa-4082-b49b-1ff33557d7d4        a6a948cd-f30a-49ea-a905-82be4d202cc9
           London                            Beijing                            Capetown
2246c6cf-5fa6-4fbe-ac30-b569253ad2a6        f65d714b-f44c-4b2e-9505-3511ebecbb80        4e82052a-24d0-41e1-ab84-10e8f27634d1
 
            Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you            
 book through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
                                                                 Plus free cancellation .
                                               Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
                                            d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037            01a75360-9573-473f-acba-3a187f779b7f
 

Slide show here.

That’s all folks

1g Duck

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 4 photos