Patong2

So you can't have elephant rides or play with them on the beach anymore? So how is 500lb of daily feed goingb to be paid for? What happens to the elephants here now? Do you want to see "elephants steaks"on the menu boards? Be careful what you wish for

If I recall at the time, the difference between an RS which had to have a sunroof and the EL without sunroof was about a B100,000 and I felt paying extra for something which we have already found a problem and actually never used, in previous cars NZ was not a good idea. By the way, we reluctantly agreed to some coating which had to be a applied 4 times, 6 months apart. It has actually been very effective and definitely keeps the car sparkling and rarely does dirt accumulate. Our car is pearl white colour.

Hi Niltava We picked up our HRV- EL in February 23. Would have bought an RS but I won't buy a sunroof vehicle after having owned one. Can't see the point, the brightness coming in from the roof doesn't help my vision and one more thing to cause problems, rust etc. But we are delighted with our HRV-EL. Lovely to drive with excellent vision and good handling. Heaps of power even in Econ mode and Sport mode really sets you back in your seat. I thought the electric mode was a bit of a gimmick but my son had an ICE HRV in NZ and I really liked the driving position, handling etc and as the HRV in Thailand only came in Hybrid, I just went along with it and ordered it. The economy is outstanding, petrol wise and I live in Patong so it is all stop start traffic etc. Fun sitting at a standstill in traffic enjoying the aircon and not having the petrol engine running. Done about 10,500km absolutely trouble free of course (it is a Honda) I have enjoyed this EL so much I bought and picked up a ZRV in NZ in January and that is even better but not yet available in Thailand I understand.

That's a really bad night Xylophone. Hope you recover quickly and with no lasting effects. We all enjoy your posts and updates. Finding the traffic starting to ease a trifle in Patong but went down to Nai Harn for a meal last night and surprised to find not a lot of traffic but still lots of people on the pavements so I think retailers in Kata and Karon are still enjoying good sales.

On a whim after you after you mentioned it, we tried Le Bistrot last night. Impressed with the food, Very generous portions of very nicely cooked food. Will go back.

About 8.15am this morning a foreign looking guy and a girl, who may have been Thai, were rolling around in the small waves on Patong Beach this morning. Looked like a bit more than a heavy grope session. Certainly looked out of place at that time of the morning and there was a group of people including young kids about 70m away and others as well. A couple of Thai guys and myself had stopped and one of the Thai guys walked down and from the gestures, told them to stop with lots of pointing to other people on the beach etc. After a bit of back chat, they stopped and started to get out with the girl trying to adjust her clothes. It was the inappropiate time and place. i have no problem with sex, nudity and it would have been a boring life without trying sex on a beach, but this was not acceptable even to my very liberal views.

Unfortunately there are no up to date statistics on firearms crime in NZ and it is a very deliberate policy of the previous government to understate crime. However there are plenty of reports from last year, and when I was back there last month, there were daily occurrences of gangs using firearms. An armed carjacking within 200 meters of Govt house in Auckland went almost unnoticed in my suburb. Compare that with when I left school when most houses had guns and there was only a few murders in a whole year by any means. Try this article from last August. String of fatal shootings sees NZ reach half its annual gun deaths in 17 days https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300947528/string-of-fatal-shootings-sees-nz-reach-half-its-annual-gun-deaths-in-17-days

Not the issue. The issue was that despite extremely tight laws and penalties, random vehicle searches etc, gun crime in Northern Ireland was higher than any where we could find reliable figures for. As a matter of interest NZ changed its gun laws after an Australian terrorist who did not meet criteria for legal ownership tragically killed 51 people in Christchurch. Since the laws were changed there has been a huge increase in gun crime despite legal owners like myself surrendering, in my case valuable target rifles, as our govt told us it would reduce gun crime. What a load of rubbish and tragically police and civilians have died and been injured as more and more criminals carry guns in NZ and use them.

Envy you your planned trip. Used to do a yearly USA trip Montana down to Texas and wherever. Not being a US citizen I was ineligible to buy a gun and you are right some of those roads are real lonely and you would be a bit vulnerable if stranded. Highway 50 in Nevada we thoroughly enjoyed but we never saw another vehicle. Would have been more comfortable with my CZ 9mm than the can of Bear Spray we had.

I've shot competitively for over 60 years and plan to continue for a few more yet. Pistols, rifles and shotguns. Over that time I have met thousands of shooters and hunters. I cannot recall any of them ever being charged with a firearms offence. Criminals will always get guns no matter what the law. In the 1980's the toughest gun laws in the western world, that we could find, were in Northern Ireland and look how useless the law was. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:1980s_murders_in_Northern_Ireland

Unfortunately we can compare with our NZ experience. Bangkok Phuket Hospital was excellent for my 2 nights in January. My wife just attended a top private hospital in Auckland NZ, Mercy Ascot, and being a clean freak she thought the Bangkok Hospital was a better standard of cleanliness. To be fair, Mercy Ascot is an old hospital and there are wide staff shortages in NZ.

Sad about your friend Xylophone, but it sounds like a life well lived. Just add a note about the excellent care at Bangkok Phuket Hospital that I received. I was admitted on Jan 1st and spent 3 days there with an infection. Very painful and high fever. Immediately saw a doctor, had an ultrasound and was put on a drip within a couple of hours and admitted. Excellent care and very attentive nurses who seemed very competent. Had to go back for an IV each day and then antibiotics and now feel excellent. The standard of care I received matched and in some ways exceeded the care I received in a New Zealand private hospital. I have to fly back to NZ tomorrow so I wanted whatever was wrong fixed quickly and they certainly did that. Reassuring to stay here and know excellent health care is at hand if needed.

6000 bombs eh? Well it certainly isn't Genocide with only 12,000 dead is it? Genocide is bombing all the hospital compounds full of people.

There were 8 or so babies lying together on a table that had supposedly been taken out of incubators because there was no power to run the incubators, yet there was power to the room they were in. Bit like the shots of the outside of a hospital that had no water or fuel. The apartments in the background had washing hanging on the balcony of nearly every apartment. Truth is the First Casualty of War - a great book

Al Jazeera showing shots of babies with the incubators off because there is no power at Al Shifa hospital. But the lights are still on. The computers screens are turned on. But there is no power for babies incubators?

Cruise ship arrivals for those who are interested. Great being on the beach and watching them arrive around the southern headland and coming in to berth. Not so pleasant with all the passengers on shore but heck, we have Patong everyday and these poor passengers only get it for one day. Spectrum Of The Seas 4.819 passengers 28 Oct 2023 - 08:00 Spectrum Of The Seas 4.819 passengers 04 Nov 2023 - 08:00 Spectrum Of The Seas 4.819 passengers 11 Nov 2023 - 08:00 Resilient Lady 2.860 passengers 16 Nov 2023 - 09:00 Crystal Symphony 1.040 passengers 18 Nov 2023 - 08:00 Spectrum Of The Seas 4.819 passengers 18 Nov 2023 - 08:00 Celebrity Edge 3.373 passengers 23 Nov 2023 - 10:00 Spectrum Of The Seas 4.819 passengers 25 Nov 2023 - 08:00 Celebrity Millennium 2.590 passengers 02 Dec 2023 - 07:00 Spectrum Of The Seas 4.819 passengers 02 Dec 2023 - 08:00 Spectrum Of The Seas 4.819 passengers 10 Dec 2023 - 07:00 AIDAbella 2.500 passengers 11 Dec 2023 - 08:00 ms Westerdam 2.362 passengers 11 Dec 2023 - 08:00 Norwegian Jewel 2.866 passengers 13 Dec 2023 - 07:00 Spectrum Of The Seas 4.819 passengers 14 Dec 2023 - 08:00 Seven Seas Navigator 557 passengers 19 Dec 2023 - 08:00 Celebrity Millennium 2.590 passengers 19 Dec 2023 - 08:00 Seabourn Encore 638 passengers 20 Dec 2023 - 08:00 Spectrum Of The Seas 4.819 passengers 22 Dec 2023 - 07:00 Celebrity Millennium 2.590 passengers 25 Dec 2023 - 07:00

5 busloads of mainly chinese tourists disgorging onto the pavement outside the Best Western at 6.45am this morning. The pontoons are now set up in the bay so it appears the cruise ships will restart in the next few days. At least Jung Ceylon is nearly completely open so that will soak up some of their time. The local businesses certainly need more custom and I hope they get it. The large number of bored looking girls outside massage parlours, empty bars and restaurants all need a boost. The great thing about Patong is we can hop in the car and be away from the tourists in 5 minutes. If you haven't been on the newish concrete road on the left, at the top of Patong Hill going towards Kathu, you need to go up there. Great scenic shots looking down on our little town and the bay, world class. Then carry on over the top of the hill and keep right and you will end up back on the main road or turn left at the sharp corner at the bottom of the hill, drive through the elephant camp, turn right and come out at the back of Kathu. Very pleasant drive, albeit a bit steep in parts.

Thanks for the comprehensive update. and we'll try the restaurants I am back on Wednesday after freezing in NZ for a month. Patong may not be perfect it sure is better than many places.

Sorry, double posted

Yes that looks like the differences. The 17" wheels ride better than I thought and that is around the crap roads in Phuket. I'm back in NZ for a few weeks and are taking a ZRV out for a test drive this afternoon. Available in ICE or Hybrid. I'll look at the Hybrid model. There is a 6 month wait if I decide to get one. To confess I really don't know the difference between the HRV and ZRV but I only have a few days left so I booked a drive yesterday. I'll report back later

Picked up our EL HRV Hybrid without the sunroof in February 23 Delighted with it but would have happily bought the RS except for the stupid sunroof. The EL is very comfortable to drive, the switch between battery and ICE is seamless and we are getting incredible economy. In the crazy Patong traffic I feel very smug sitting quietly burning no petrol.

By locals I mean local city residents who are in the rate paying area for the council that runs the zoo. Las Vegas locals enjoy great discounts from casinos, shows etc because the businesses know they want the full time residents to support and attend the venues etc. Good business sense.

Not at this stage but NZ govt is trying to bring in Co Government which will effectively means one race will be getting advantages and prices over all others.

Not a big deal really The locals should get it cheaper, happens in Las Vegas too. Our local Zoo has differential pricing as locals subsidise the zoo in their rates. The biggest change is for New Zealanders living outside of Auckland who will now pay the same price as international visitors with ticket prices jumping from the current $24 to $35/adult and $20/child Aucklanders who purchase tickets on the day of their visit will now pay $29/adult and $16.50/child

All the info above is accurate and the process is not difficult. Just a word of caution, have a friend who converted from a retirement visa to a married visa last year and the extra paperwork, photos etc has annoyed him so much he is converting back to an ordinary retirement visa next application. He has been married and lived with his lovely wife for 15 years plus, so very stable relationship.