Pattaya - Dentist on the Way North Fall 2015

Please forgive my spelling and punctuation; I'm a plumber and not a English major. Just read and have fun. 

You can click on any of the pictures and they become larger.

September 9th, We finished covering everything and Prime Time Shuttle picked us up early for the scary ride to the airport. It was an "E" Ticket Ride. If you don't know what an "E" ticket ride is just ask someone that has been to Disneyland in the early days. 

We did have a man of the cloth with us so we felt a little better. 

We said goodbye to our bags. We are carrying about 63 kilograms of baggage, plus carry on, this trip. We probably have to pay 1,610 THB (about $46.00 USD) for extra baggage on the Thai Airline, Bangkok to Chiang Rai plane.

The plane ride from California to Bangkok was normal, The new 777 aircraft seems to be quieter and shaved off 1 1/2 hour of the 14 1/2 hour leg from Los Angeles to Taipei. 

I laughed as my Copper/Wear knee sleeve set off the scanners both in Los Angeles and Taipei.  In los Angeles the fellow ask me if I had a pin in my knee. I told him no so he did the screening for explosives. 

In Bangkok we moved right through immigrations and our bags were already on the luggage carousel.  Security had opened one of our bags but did not make to bad a mess. They were probably concerned with the 7 1/4" Milwaukee 18 volt circular saw with the 10 extra saw blades. We are glad they are protecting us. 

Jon was not at the Bangkok airport gate so we called him and met him outside the terminal. We got to the Sutus Court Hotel at around 4:00 AM. the lady at the desk just checked us in at the discounted rate of 900 THB (around $26.00 USD) a night. 

We showered and slept until about 4:00 PM. I woke up, showered and went to a meeting with some English speaking friends here.  It is now Friday September 11th. 

September 12th, We got up early, probably due to jet lag. We went and had breakfast at the local spot we like.

The sweet lady always makes something special for us.  It is a family operation and she does all the cooking. 

We laughed as Daeng even put some money on the money tree for the Temple. 

We then went shopping for fruit at the local market. 

It is Buddha Day so we stopped at the Temple and prayed, just in case. 

September 13th, It was a pretty quiet day. We did a little spa time.

Then we walked out the side entrance of the hotel and had a little breakfast.

I went to a noon meeting and had lunch with a friend, Dane, from the USA.

We had lunch on the 6th floor of the Central Festival. It is the Hippopotamus Restaurant. 

Great hamburger and view of the ocean.

September 14th, Daeng went out and got street food for breakfast. 

At noon I went to see Dr. Ken about having an implant put on the lower left side of my mouth. 

They took x-rays and we set up my appointment to do the implant tomorrow. 


September 15th, The implant went great, no pain and we even had a few laughs. 

Dr. Ken is a pro.

After the implant I walked down Soi 6 to the beach.

I had a cup of coffee from a street cart.

it was low tide so I walked on onto the sand.

I stopped on the way back to our hotel room and had a Subway sandwich. 

It was time for a nap. 

September 18th, We have just been eating and sleeping but today it was a great noon meeting as we talked about all the things that can screw up our lives and some things that will help us.

Then it was a hamburger at The Hippopotamus Restaurant on the 6th floor of Central Festival.

I am told that Central Festival is the largest beach side shopping mall in Asia.  Just CLICK HERE to read more. 

On the lower level, it was fun to listen to the girl giggling as the fish chewed on her feet. 

I did get a chance to do a meeting at Father Ray's Foundation.

I made it as one of the nineteen meetings to celebrate so I only have one more meeting to do the whole 19. 

I will do that one next month in Chiang Mai. 

Early tomorrow morning we are going to go visit some folks on the south side of Jomtien Beach to make sure they are okay after all the flooding.

Here is a video of some of the flooding here by our hotel a few days ago. CLICK HERE

September 19th, We got up early; left the hotel on the motorbike Daeng rented last night and had breakfast.

On the way, we stopped at the "Lookout Point" but at 7:00 AM it was still foggy.

We arrived at the small fishing village at high tide. 

We found our friend okay as she was already up with the kids.

We spent some time with our friend as she worked on the fishing nets. 

She said the flooding did not affect her family but did wash a few fishing boats out into the ocean.

We did have to get up so she could go help push her Dad's fishing boat off a sand bar.

We were happy to find out she and the family are doing well. 

She made Daeng happy by giving here some big shells.

We stopped for a selfie at the #1 Jomtien Beach marker. 

It was a fun morning.

September 21st, Our friend, Jude Luttrell, asked about the cost of braces so while at the dentist to have the stitches removed and asked "Tin" about braces.

First visit to have x-rays, clean teeth and check everything is 2,500 THB (about $75 USD).

If teeth are okay it is 2,500 THB for top and 2,500 THB for bottom, to install metal braces. The visit each month to adjust them is 1,000 THB (about $30 USD).

As for me, Dr. Ken removed the stitches and set up the appointment to make the crown on December 2nd. 

No charge for today, just pay the balance of 22,500 when the crown is installed.

Thanks Dr. Ken as the savings on this implant pays for this whole trip.

WE LOVE THAILAND! 

September 22nd, Today is a travel day. We had fun here in Pattaya, Thailand but are looking forward to making the trip north today.

Jon is picking us up at noon, 1 1/2 hour car ride to new Bangkok airport, check our 3 bags, pay the extra fee of 70 THB a kilogram over 40 kilograms and an hour and 20 minutes plane ride to Chiang Rai.Then another 50 kilometers to our home in Mae Sai.

We should be home by 6:00 PM today.

By the way, with the new Milwaukee saw, hammer drill, saw blades, battery packs and grinder, we are about 20 kilograms over in baggage, At 70 THB a kilogram, about $1.00 a pound, we will have to pay around 1,400 THB extra. That is around $46.00 USD.

If we shipped them ground Thai Postal Service, 3 day delivery, the postage would be 1,000 THB. We felt paying the difference was worth having them with us.

Here is a map to show you where we live in Mae Sai.

We will tell more about our adventures from Mae Sai.