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Doing Well By Doing Good. Or How to Enjoy Your Trip BEFORE It Starts
[QUOTE=11Bravo]It always amazes me when someone complains that it's so [I]time consuming[/I] to put in the effort to search, to read, when [B]I'm sure[/B] they have the time to punt. All too easy to take one minute to post a question rather than make the effort yourself.[/QUOTE]Maybe I'm odd, but I think the pre-trip research is fun.
On a cold boring night in Falangland, hot toddy close at hand, I read all the new reports in all of the Bangkok and Pattaya forums. I use my Google Fu to supplement what I read. The online maps help me locate places I've never been to before. The hotels and restaurants often have online photos or reviews. Clubs and bars have Facebook pages. And yes, I watch the videos. On another screen I have a Microsoft Word document open, so I can take notes or save links to particularly helpful reports.
I concede my systemic study might be a bit much for some guys. And I'm well aware that many of us are English Language Learners for whom the reading can be a heavy lift. But for me the research is a pleasant way to experience my holiday months in advance. When I run across a query from somebody who's done his due diligence, I'm happy to post something, and in doing so I can re-live past trips. Finally, when I touch down at BKK I don't need a complicated plan. My advance research allows me to go with the flow and take what comes, secure in the knowledge that I'm as familiar as I can be with the current state of play.
Bunky