2022 | Hello from the Five Star Vagabond

Pattaya, friends & food 2022

Pattaya, friends & food 2022 & life is very good. I’m told Australia is getting more expensive every few months as opposed to Thailand which remains very affordable.

This group of reprobates dining at L’Auberge from the right are Bill Edge from Airlie Beach, yours truly, Joergen Ulitza from Melbourne & finally John Martin, aka Pothole Bin Laden.

Beautiful fresh vegetables

While we are on the subject of food check out these delicious vegetables from Playa Bistro on the ground floor of my condo at Markland.

Rain damage September 6

Not unexpected as September is Pattaya’s wettest month.

Impossible to stop this

The rain pours down from 2nd road, jumps the Beach Rd footpath & carries away the sand. I have lived on Beach Rd for 11 years & it’s always been the same.

Check out the Pattaya webcam, just click here.

Here’s a smile to brighten your day

One of the lovely waitresses from Playa Bistro on the ground floor of Markland.

Bye bye Sabai Resort

Lots of memories from this hoel, my friends & I stayed there for over 12 years from 1998.

Peter Hobbs from Sydney

Peter has lived at 72 Wrights rd Drummoyne since 1983, I lived there for 6 years from 1979.

La Boulange Pattaya French Bakery

Situated on 3rd Rd near Big C extra, they make the best ham & salad rolls in Pattaya.

Four Australian lamb cutlets

From Big C extra at a cost of $40 AUD.

At L’Auberge with Brad Robbins from Townsville

Waiting for our French oysters. 🙂

Gillardeau nunber 3

Fabulous oysters from France, many thanks to the owner who gave us a 50% discount down to B900 or $36 AUD.

Heavy construction on 2nd rd.

This used to be a bowling alley, it’s na huge site which may end up as condos.

Drinks at Playa

A very nice Bistro & bar on the ground floor of my condo Markland, on the corner of Beach Rd & Soi 1.

Dinner at Playa

Prawn & asparagas.

Derek Pugh, a very old friend.

Derek & I worked together in the late 60s at MacDougals LTD, an office equipment company in Clarence St Sydney.

Derek, Ian Rich Paul Slaughter

I’m guessing this was around 2002.

Sadly we lost Richard yesterday, RIP.

Richard Blair is the big fellow in the middle, beside him is Ken Shelly. Here is a post from 2004 showing many more shots of Richard.

Here are some more posts to check out

Sydney Paris Bangkok

Tokyo Rio De Janeiro Budapest

London Beijing Capetown

Soapy Massage Pattaya Bangkok

Spectacular Bangkok Sky Bars

Fresh seafood Bangkok

Pattaya live webcam

Hawker Chan Hollys Coffee

Le Bordeaux Pattaya Restaurant

Atlantic Bar North Pattaya

Art of desert Pattaya

Breakfast Bake n’ Brew

Food review Pattaya 2020

Counter only started October 9 2022, prior to this date

This gallery contains 7 photos

Living in Pattaya 2022

Living in Pattaya 2024, this is my 13th year in this layback seaside city on the gulf of Thailand. Recently things have been much quieter than usual due to the world’s overreaction to the so called Covid-19 crisis.

The excellent photo above is owned by Robert Cameron, I hope he does not mind me using it.

The Space building

Located on Naklua Rd adjacent to the Dolphin roundabout.

View from Space.

Looking South.

Looking at Terminal 21

T21 is featured in the top left hand corner.

Chicken & cashews

$6 AUD at Sonja’s restaurant in Soi 4.

While we are on the subject of food

View the pictures →

This gallery contains 1 photo.

Living with Covid crisis 2022

May 10, 2022 by David Herd

Living with Covid crisis 2022

Living with Covid crisis 2022 has really not inconvinienced me at all, in fact I really enjoy the peace & quiet in Pattaya. I’m of the opinion the danger is grossly overrated, after all it’s just another form of influenza.

This photo blog covers the first 6 months of 2022.

North Pattaya beach

April 5th & the work continues.

Playa Bistro

Located on the ground floor of Markland Condo on the corner of Beach Rd & Soi 1.

Pancake at Playa

Absolutely delicious.

Tacos at Playa

Best I have eaten since Mexico in 1999.

While we are on the subject of food….

It doesn’t get much better than this. Lobster soup from the Longhorn Steakhouse.

Manicure & pedicure

Total cost including a $4 tip was $16.

Mango & sticky rice

An iconic Thai delicacy.

Oysters from France

Fine de Clare & Belon at L’Auberge.

Pothole & Yogurt

Aka John Martin & Joergen Ulitza enjoying drinks at the Atlantic bar.

Lots of businesses closed

If you walk north along 2nd Rd from Pattaya Klang to the roundabout you will be shocked by all the business closures.

Thai people can sleep anywhere

Anywhere & any time. 🙂

New hotel & shopping centre

Just north of the roundabout on Naklua Rd, they have named it Space.

Are these guys crazy or what?

Workplace health & safety does not exist in Thailand. 🙂

Kites for sale

I really like this photo of kids & kites. 🙂

Two of my favourite cars

Parked at A–One hotel, a Porsche & a Mercedes.

Here are my cars back in the 90s.

Life was good.

One of my regular breakfast destinations.

The Queen Victoria Inn in Soi 6.

It’s all about food

This delicious satay chicken was created at Sonja’s in Soi 4.

Ira Wettenstein from Connecticut

Happily now living in my building in Pattaya.

Drinks at Playa

This place is so convinient on the ground floor of my building.

Covid or no Covid, a girl has to eat. 🙂

One of my favourite photos.

Another fabulous sunset from my balcony

I’m so lucky to see these sunsets from my condo.

Thanks for visiting my Living with Covid crisis 2022 photo blog, I’ll add more shots up to June 30.

Check out these great photo blogs.

Rio beach babes

Florianopolis Brazil

Bangkok river ferry

Fabulous HCMC

Amazing World Food

Lyme Regis Jurassic coast

Hiroshima Japan

Sydney Harbour

Lake Como Lake Garda Italy

Pattaya live webcam

Counter only started May 12 2022

This gallery contains 3 photos

Food review Pattaya 2022

February 20, 2022 by David Herd

Food review Pattaya 2022

Food review Pattaya 2022 featuring my favourite restaurants in this city on the gulf of Thailand. The dish above was only $3 AUD at one of the local food courts.

This photo blog covers the first 6 months of 2022.

It’s all about oysters

Flown in fresh from France every week. These are Fine de Clare No 2. These oysters are finished for several weeks in shallow clay ponds where they acquire a superior quality shell to oysters grown in the open sea.

Belon oysters

The true Belon Oyster is culitivated in the Belon River, France and has the AOC protected name. Technically, only oysters from this region in France can be called Belon Oysters.

Two varieties

At L’Aberge, 6 Fin De Claire & 6 Belon. Belon Oysters have a world famous name and reputation. They are the European Flat species (Ostrea edulis).

Excellent fried rice

At Playa, the new restaurant on the ground floor of Markland, my condo building on Beach Road.

Waffles at Playa

I can’t resist a good desert. 🙂

Satay chicken at the Bistro

Without a doubt this is the best satay chicken I have ever tasted.

BJs sports bar in Soi 3.

Sukiyaki soup is excellent. 🙂

Lobster soup at the longhorn

As good as it gets.

MK Restaurants

Very good food at a low price, I am a regular customer at their Central Marina branch.

Fusillo Italian Restaurant

This is a very good restaurant that I often visited when it was on Naklua Road, sadly they have moved quite a distance down Soi 18 so it really isn’t convinient anymore.