2006 Bangkok Reports

It's expensive, but the steak restaurant in the JW is very good. You need to book ahead. [QUOTE=Old Thai Hand]I don't eat beef, so I don't know much about Steak restaurants. I do know from a friend that the quality of steak here is not that great, when compared to the States. However, there is a Steak and Rib place just past Silom on Rama IV across from Sam Yan MRT station, called The Roadhouse (not far from Patpong). That's the only place I know of downtown. The only other place I know of is Chokchai Steakhouse way over on Ladprao in Bangkapi district. Chokchai is run by the famous beef cattle farm of the same name in Korat.[/QUOTE]

There are two in Sukhumvit Soi 33.

Tenderloin, Australian style, and Livingstone's Steak House, with local and Argentinian Angus beef.


Giotto

[QUOTE=Traffic777] Are sleep pills effective? [/QUOTE]

I use a mild - but nevertheless presscription - pill called Sonata. It puts you to sleep for about four hours and you don't wake up groggy. Ask your doctor about it. You shouldn't sleep for more than six hours in a stretch on a plane because of the risk of deep vein thrombosis.

[QUOTE=Traffic777] What else to do on the plane? [/QUOTE] Depends on the carrier, but a lot have personal entertainment systems, even in economy class. Thai does on the JFK-BKK nonstop flight.

Evil

i buy zanax, which can be purchased at the end of soi cowboi, (make a left at the end of the soi, when coming from asoke.) they are "kinda" illegal, so you have to give the pharmacist the money, and come back the next day. i was worried at first i would never see the money or the drugs, the first time, but the guy is a stand up guy.
so i pop 1/2 of a zanax, a couple of glasses of wine, push the button for lie flat, sleep 5 hours. get up [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord134][CodeWord134][/url], rinse, and repeat. suddenly, we are landing in 90 minutes, and i barely have time for the meal.
only way to go.

After finding a blank CD, burning the music for my Eden girl, and delivering same to the Eden club, I met my pal for a last lime juice at the biergarten. I had to check out by 3pm as the RP claimed to be fully booked (how does that work? for an additional 1k Baht, I could keep the room until 6?) Fully booked does not mean fully booked obviously.

No big deal to me, as I was heading to the airport at 3:30 in any case.

Took a last long look around and smiled. Amazing what good pre-trip research can do for you. I felt comfortable in BKK and was not surprised by anything.

My car to the airport was ready to go, so off I went. The traffic on Suk was not too bad (35 minutes to the expressway from soi 15) and too soon, I found myself at the airport. Check-in was painless, no problems with the departure tax and immigrations was swift.

The airport is just so damn bland. You could be in Paris CDG or anywhere else for that matter if it were not for the occasional icon and the fact that you are still surrounded by lovely TG´s. This is when it hit me. In a few short hours, I was no longer going to be surrounded by these lovelies! Crap.

Grabbed some free wi-fi Internet access at the airport to check on the world, then prepared to suffer yet another crap flight on Gulf Air. They did not let me down. It was as shitty as I thought it would be.

I am not exactly pining to return, as there is work to be done, and a life to lead, and for me, Thailand was only an escape for a week.

Different mindset, different surroundings. I wonder how I would do living in Thailand? It would just not be the same. Visiting, I had not a care in the world, an unrealistic expectation if you are working there. Good on those who manage it, I am not sure I could unless I was semi-retired. Likewise, I am not working and living for the day I return. Oh, I plan to come back, certainly, but it is not a life goal to return every x months.

So; no thefts, no problems really, one bout of Asian stomach, one crappy bargirl, and one million precious memories of a lovely place.
Not bad on balance I would say.

[QUOTE=Traffic777]It's an 18+ hour trip for most US flights. Not sleeping much the night before + ear plugs/eyemask + alcohol might knock you out for 8 hrs or so. Then what? Are sleep pills effective?
...listening to Thai lessons CD.[/QUOTE]

Benadryl, Actifed (or other antihistamine), over the counter sleepers work on some people, not on others. It could have the opposite reaction if you've never tried before (like making you hyper and awake).

The prescription meds like Sonata, Ambien are great and usually have very few side effects. Xanax (and others like it) can be a bit addicting, but a few times shouldn't be a problem.

Best advice is to try it several days before getting on the plane. For that matter, you can start sleep training the week before so you don't waste time when you get to your destination. My opinions. Cheers
-M

PS- listening to Thai lessons might do the trick too! haha :)

[QUOTE=Manfest]Benadryl, Actifed (or other antihistamine), over the counter sleepers work on some people, not on others. It could have the opposite reaction if you've never tried before (like making you hyper and awake).

The prescription meds like Sonata, Ambien are great and usually have very few side effects. Xanax (and others like it) can be a bit addicting, but a few times shouldn't be a problem.

Best advice is to try it several days before getting on the plane. For that matter, you can start sleep training the week before so you don't waste time when you get to your destination. My opinions. Cheers
-M

PS- listening to Thai lessons might do the trick too! haha :)[/QUOTE]

I'm with Manfest on trying the sleeping pills beforehand. I bought some so called sleeping pills for a flight before and they gave me the opposite effect in that I got wired and could not fall asleep at all. It was worse than if I had not taken them.

Xanax can be obtained via perscription from any doctor on the spot....It's not expensive at all, just say that you 'think too much' and cannot get to sleep due to nervousness in bangkok.

It is addicting.

A cheaper alternative [better in my opinion] is diazapam or valium. ANY pharmacisit will sell you diazapam 5mg pills for 2-10 baht a piece.

I take 10 mg as soon as I sit down on the plane and when I wake up they are serving food. I drink a glass of wine and it's lights out until we land.

The rolling stones recorded 'Mother's little helper' about the pill in the 60's.

I recommend going to a doctor and having a frank / honest conversation about what your pharmacuetical needs are. They will give you the honest info and you can then use that to find a pharmacist who knows his stuff. They laugh at me when I ask about things like "I have an 18 hour flight that I want to sleep through, yet when I wake up I don't want to be groggy"

Then they tell me how to do it.

[QUOTE=Traffic777]It's an 18+ hour trip for most US flights. Not sleeping much the night before + ear plugs/eyemask + alcohol might knock you out for 8 hrs or so. Then what? Are sleep pills effective?

What else to do on the plane? All I could think of is reading my guidebook and listening to Thai lessons CD.[/QUOTE]

Most intl flights have some sort of entertainment like movies and some music (but best to bring your own).

Suggest you pick up Benadryl (buy the generic as its dirt cheap) and dont need to see a doctor for this. It works for me. Try it before hand and if it dont work, then need Rx and get Ambien.
I dont agree with some as its best to avoid alcohol with any valium or xanax as some people have ended up in a coma ( brain dead) using the 2 together --your doctor can confirm this. You want just several hours sleep and not a permanent one. Dont happen often but it does happen on occasions. Better to be on the safe side.--IMO

PT

[QUOTE=Veterano]OTH, thanx for the report on italian restaurants, very helpful

How 'bout a great steak place in the Suk area?

Thanxs, oops, I mean thanks, for your input!

Veterano[/QUOTE]A unique meat-oriented food experience can be had at the Brazilian Churrascaria BBQ named Fogo Vivo just off the Chit Lom station, President Tower exit.

All-you-can-eat continuously rotating selection of grilled meats plus salad bar - go there Hungry. I haven't been back to Bangkok for 2 years now (sob), but it was great then, which was shortly after it had opened. Lunch was the best deal - slightly less selection for half the price of the Dinner service.

[url]http://www.fogovivo.com/[/url]

I use Lunesta (3mg) and alternatively, Ambien CR (be sure to get the CR as it is longer lasting ~ plain Ambien only puts you to sleep for three or 4 hours)

If you are like me and have a big meal on the plane before crashing, the CR is better as the Lunesta does NOT work on a full stomach

Whatever you do, do not confuse your Lunesta with your Levitra or you will be wide awake with a hard on for 18 hours!

Good luck ~ Veterano

[QUOTE=Old Thai Hand]Jesus, man, get the hell away from Pomodoro. It's crap!!! There are loads of Italian Restaurants in this city. It's one of my favorite foods. So, I know a lot of them.

This is just a sampling...

Pendolasco - far end of Sukhumvit soi 2
Little Italy - corner of soi 23 and Sukhumvit next to California Wow Fitness
Pan Pan - the closest to you would be Suk soi 19
La Gritta - Suk soi 19 (better than Pan Pan)
No. 43 Italian Bistro at Cape House Serviced Apartments - Lang Suan (opposite Central Chitlom)
Calderazzo - Lang Suan
Ma Be Ba - Lang Suan
Air Plane - Lang Suan
Angelini's- Shangri-la Hotel
Antonio's - Sukhumvit soi 31
Biscotti - Four Seasons, Rajadamri Road
Delacatezza - Sukhumvit soi 55
Duilio's - Sukhumvit soi 49 (one of my favorites - great pizzas and they deliver downtown)
ll Cielo - Dusit Thani Hotel - corner of Silom and Rama IV
Modapesce - Sukhumvit soi 53[/QUOTE]

My favorite is La Opera on Suk (I think) 39. If not, then either 37 or 41. It's the best I have found in BKK.

[QUOTE=Retired Army]My favorite is La Opera on Suk (I think) 39. If not, then either 37 or 41. It's the best I have found in BKK.[/QUOTE]L'Opera. Sukhumvit Soi 39. Recommended, my favorite, too.


Giotto

I hear Pizza Hut isn't bad. ;)
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Well, after a satisfying session with Miss Nymph from Giotto's Sports Bar, into the wee hours, and a refreshing long sleep, I went wandering down Suk, buying gifts and generally wandering. Made it as far as Biergarten in Soi 7. I cannot see how the renovations have improved the place - main difference is it now has a roof.

Other difference is that last time I was there (over a year ago), there were about 15 girls. Yesterday about 7pm there were about 50 girls, and many of them very very nice. (I don't know why the place gets a bad rap on this board). I had to head for the airport, so couldn't stay long, but will definitely check it out on my return trip in about 10 days.

[QUOTE=Traffic777]It's an 18+ hour trip for most US flights. Not sleeping much the night before + ear plugs/eyemask + alcohol might knock you out for 8 hrs or so. Then what? Are sleep pills effective?

What else to do on the plane? All I could think of is reading my guidebook and listening to Thai lessons CD.[/QUOTE]I have taken the JFK-Bkk 17 hour direct flight on Thai Airways twice this year, which leaves at about noon and arrives at 5:00 PM. Even though I am ordinarily not keen on being confined anywhere near this long a time, it goes suprisingly quickly. I do take 5 mg of valium that acts both as a sleep aid and as a muscle relaxant, so the cramped confines of economy do not feel as difficult to take. There are several meals and snacks offered during the flight, and this also breaks up the time. Like others have said, all the direct flights have the entertainment center/screen on the seat in front of you, and the movies and television shows that you can stop and start according to your wishes can take up a few hours. I sleep as much as I can, and when I arrive in Bkk, I have been able to hit the ground running, meeting friends for dinner that same night and not feeling unduly tired. It sounds intimidating to think or hear about a 17 hour flight, but take it from me - someone who dreads being bored or confined - it really does go by quite painlessly, and is not nearly as bad in practice as it appears in theory. Good luck and don't worry - have a great time thinking about all the incredidle adventures that you will have when you arrive!