Accomodations

by **rob3996** » April 12, 2007, 10:11 pm

I hear you buddy, by the way Vineland was down the road from me growing up. I was raised in Deptford. It is amazing that im talking to someone about Udon that is from my neck of the woods. What brought you to Udon? You must really like it there, I think that is great.

I will definintly touch base with you often before I leave - feel free to email me at rob3996@yahoo.com. I dont want my vacation to pass without meeting you or Rito. Both of you are obviously knowledgable about Udon. I really dont care to spend my vacation drinking beer and bagging chicks Pattaya style. I want to get a feel for it and plan more visits there. Take care Buddy. Rob R.

by **Prenders88** » April 13, 2007, 1:49 am

rob3996 wrote:Thanks Rto - for the link. Didnt think I would need anything extravagant. One thing I would like to ask of the forum members is to send me the top three things in their honest opinion that a new guy should see or do if in Udon for 12 days.

Examples:
1. Place to sightsee/visit
Nong Prajak Park/Udon Sunshine Orchid Farm/Udon Thani Museum/City Pillar Shrine (Go at Night to see it lit up)/Ban Hoy Market/
2. Restaurant to eat in
Too many to mention
3. Day trip to make
Nong Khai/Ban Chaing/Ubol Rattana Lake/Erawan Cave/Khum Chanod/Phu Phra Bat Park, just a few to get on with.
4. Best place to swim
Ubol Rattana Lake/Napali Swimming Pool/
5. Best place to run into board members
Irish Clock/Bars across the street from the Charoensri shopping complex AKA Farang Alley, a few bars on Prajak Road, and a few bars in Wattana Nuwong Road. The Beer Garden in the Night Market.
6. Best nightclub or entertainment venue
Climax, in the High Tech Centre.
7. Best place to shop - Imagine this would be the Shopping complex?
Bo Bay Clothes Market
I figure the replies will give me a pretty good start and keep me busy while in Udon. Thanks in advance. Rob R.

by TJ » April 13, 2007, 4:49 am

I've been spending a couple months in Udon Thani for the last two years. planning for my retirement. Maybe I can add to your notes.

The City Lodge is a five minute walk from the Irish Clock and I'm sure that you will make a visit or two. Food is good there. I've found the locals that stop for a few drinks at dusk to be a wealth of information. They invited me to join them for golf. One chap invited me to see his three million baht house and visit the housing development office. The drinks are reasonably priced and the conversation interesting.

Opposite the front of the Udon Thani Museum is a popular open-air Thai eatery called oyster hot pot. Just a nice cheap place for Thai food, nothing fancy. I favor the fried rice dishes.

While shopping in Charoensri shopping complex I suggest you try the very popular Sizzler's salad bar, located next to the cinimas or go to the street behind for a meal at the German restaurant. I recommend their roast pork and potato salad.

Too bad you don't have more time this trip to enjoy and assess the Udon Thani style of living. I'm sure your visit will be pleasant. I expect to be in Udon Thani in May, perhaps we'll bump into each other.

Tom

by **rob3996** » April 13, 2007, 7:18 am

Prenders & Tom - Thanks for the great info. Tom, I actually emailed the Irish Clock and the City Lodge the same day for Hotel info. The Irish Clock responded back so I decided to go with them.

I would love to take a month off but I dont want to burn up all my leave, my intentions are to try and visit every 8-9 months till I retire in 2012.

I have learned a ton of info by reading the posts, I need to visit and see for myself wha it is like there in Udon. I guess the only thing im not sure about is where I stand in 2012 at the age lf 45, from a Visa standpoint. My understanding is I can get a 60 day tourist - which can be extended for 30 days. Then I would have to vacate Thailand for 90 days. I try not to look into it too much cause the rules could change again in 5 years. For now 30 days w/passport suits me fine

.

Thanks to all of you for sharing your knowledge with me. Take care till next time.

by **Doc** » April 13, 2007, 7:21 am

True, between now and 2012 the Visa laws can change dramatically one way or the other - or not change at all. I wouldn't waste my time worrying about it all at this point in time.

by **rob3996** » April 13, 2007, 7:59 am

Thanks Doc - that makes sense..

by **oldfield** » April 13, 2007, 12:37 pm

If you retire at 45 then I guess you may be fairly fit and healthy, and therefore active.

Bear this in mind - a lot of the retirees here don't do much except drink away their retirement. If you are not into that scene then you will get very very bored within a year or two of living here.

There isn't a great deal to do here for the single, non-working man. For most of us who have families (and/or jobs), life is very full and rewarding, as I'm sure you have observed from reading the forum.

So I guess the 3 main preoccupations of Udon expats is:

Family,
Work, or
Alcohol

I wish you well, and I hope you enjoy Udon, but don't come here expecting much to do - you will be dissapointed.

by **Prenders88** » April 14, 2007, 1:29 am

I said it before on this forum, my friend of 16 years is the British Embassy Vice Consul in Pattaya, he told me the biggest killer is liver disease among the British Ex-pats in Chonburi province. A retirement on the piss.
If you've got a hobby you'll have the time to take care of it.

by **Galee** » April 14, 2007, 2:22 am

Prenders88 wrote:I said it before on this forum, my friend of 16 years is the British Embassy Vice Consul in Pattaya, he told me the biggest killer is liver disease among the British Ex-pats in Chonburi province. A retirement on the piss.

I can well believe that. It amazes me that you see blokes there, just sitting at a bar all day, looked bored stiff. There's got to be more to life and sitting in a bar looking at the bottom of a bottle.

by **BanPhu** » April 14, 2007, 4:10 am

Agree with Prenders answers above, also can take up Golf, Ten Pin Bowling (in the shopping complex), driving around stopping off where you feel like it for shopping, eating, laid back chatting. Favourite shopping place for me is the night market followed by a meal at one of the many eateries around or the Irish Clock for home comfort.

by **rob3996** » April 14, 2007, 5:59 am

To be honest with you Oldfield that suits me just fine. Its one of the reasons that I am considering Udon. I enjoy a beer from time to time but I am not into the drinking way of life. Last year when I was in Pattaya and bored after the fifth day I joined Tony's gym and used to laugh to myself when I would walk back to my hotel and on the way back see all the usual suspects belly up to the bar at high noon drinking the day away. I remember the first three days I was in Pattaya and I went out each night - by the fourth day I was spent. Im not a big drinker and yes I do take good care of myself. I am really hoping that by the time I retire Udon has a nice gym to get a good workout.

If I do live there and do get bored - which we all do from time to time then I can easily hop on a plane and visit somewhere else. I like to do the usual stuff, swimming, working out, bowling, going out to eat, having a beer, and I want to take up golf. I also like to lay around with nothing to do. So I think I will be OK. I do agree with alot of the other posters when it comes to drinking - Hard to understand why someone would want to drink their liver away. I will never get that bored. Rob R.

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