My first experience with Airbnb... Can it be topped?
We had a plan to go back to Thailand for over a year,
... and this time we decided to make it a true vacation. Lot's of rest and relaxation; Great food and coffee.
We looked for over a month, at different hotels and Airbnb's that would be available for our 3-week vacation, and settled with this house far from the riff-raff surrounding the beach area of Pattaya.
Sure, it was a bit over-the-top. With 4 bedrooms, and enough entertaining space for a Greek wedding... But, things have been good lately with some Bitcoin investments, so we decided to splurge a bit.
The town itself is packed full of foreigners, 'massage parlors', bars and plenty of tourist traps. On my last trip to Chiang Mai we did a lot of the tourist stuff, so this time we stayed away. And happily so. To be honest, it seems that everywhere we turn, one of the locals are trying to take advantage of tourists-And I hate that. I noticed the same thing in the Philippines, (and I don't agree with it there either), but at least they aren't so aggressive.
A downside to having a beautiful Airbnb, is that I rarely want to venture out into the town. So, on the second day we arrived, we bought a taxi-trunks worth of groceries, and have been getting food delivered from a local restaurant named SIB.
Overall, this is a trip that I will always remember. I imagine that I will be spoiled afterward- How could I ever stay in anything other than a villa with a private pool? ^_- Hopefully... Bitcoin continues its rise up, and these vacations become the norm for me.
Have you all ever looked, or booked a place from Airbnb? I have seen some Beautiful houses for rent in Alaska, and Patagonia. (My two dream places, on my 'to-visit' list.)
Thanks for reading, and I appreciate all your support. I recently set-up my SteemVoter, and have put many of you in my list of rules. This ensures I don't miss any of your blogs while I am out and about.
I will make a blog post on SteemVoter soon ^_-
As I usually travel alone, I rather use "couchsurfing" and stay with locals. If you want to relax, airbnb is better, but if you want to experience some local specials (food, places to go,local habits...) , talk to them about their and yours travel history... than couchsurfing is way to go
I did almost as couch surfing, I call it friend's surfing lol (just being silly) but I have trust issues and I need privacy sometimes even when I travel it's hard for me to deal with stuff that makes me uncomfortable specially the bed lol
I don't mind paying extra because I don't need to sacrifice my comfort and I love my own space 😉
Thank you for the suggestion, am sure a lot of my steemian friends will read your comment and they'll have an idea about couch surfing. I signed up long time ago but never tried it. Kind of paranoid of some people who are on the loose lol kidding but not kidding 😉
Have a good one!
-Gil
haha, friend's surfing :D At first I had that "trust issues" also, but I see that every couchsurfer host just wants to have a good time and be social with someone from other region or country. And me as a guest, I can cycle through other country for days, while making good friendship with hosts. I am not so picky about comfort, so that is no problem for me :D Maybe this service is really not for paranoid people. I am the opposite from paranoid. Let's say....open, calm, sensible...something like that. It's hard to describe yourself into details :P
Well, good for you. As a woman, I do not feel the safety wherever I go, even my own home, lol Long story.
Am just paranoid (I guess most of the time) LOL
Well, lucky you! I wish I can do that "not so picky" but I have to make sacrifices in order for me to get my comforts.
You're right describing yourself to everyone can be overwhelming, I cannot even really describe my feelings.
Right now, it's the King's memorial day here in Thailand. I cannot even handle the emotions when I see sad people. It really kills me. I don't want to be like this. I am sure nobody wants to! LOL
Oohh well, what can I do? I guess I am just a human being, another number and will never be remembered LOL I got that from my books, so many books out there, they almost have the same message.
Btw, how are you today? I hope you are well. I hope everyone is feeling well.
Thank you for getting back at me, am sorry if it took me some time to wright you back, I was working and doing other stuff, so many stuff... I cannot discuss coz it's confidential. It's not really that important it's just a matter of life on Earth LOL..
Talk soon, @worldfinaces. I am following you now.
<3 Gil
haha, a matter of life on Earth, that really has no importance for me what's so ever :D I'm pretty good today, thank you. Lot of work, but I can handle it.
About your safety...well, some people really got problems with other people, and mostly it's just thing of undone business in the past or even resentment. And some people are just scared with "no real reason". That's not even so rare phenomenon, and its cause is mostly because of mental pressure when this person was a kid (up to the age of five).
Showing sadness is totally natural thing. Nothing you or anyone else should be ashamed of. There is no one on this mother Earth, that has not been sad once in his life.
I hope your sacrifices are worth of everything you went through, just to be in your comfort stage :)
And do not forget, your information is confidential :D
Wow , you chose yourself an impressive house!!!
What a marvellous vacation! How are you feeling these days!? We haven't spoken in a while!!!
x
Elli
Hi, Elena!
OMG I missed you so much! I am so sorry I have been busy and I haven't been able to visit your page. I will though, soon.
Remember those good old days, When I was so bored of Steemit I didn't know who to chat with and I would always hang out on your page and we would send each other letters longer than The Nile River hahaha!
I wish you are here right now. You will probably like this place. Am doing well much better if I have my friends here LOL they're all busy though ^_-
How's your trip? Where are you right now?
I added to my steem voter, I have a different list for each week, so you should get a 100% upvotes on some of the blogs, it depends on what time you will post it. I didn't tell you, I upvoted your two of your blogs that were more than 7 yrs old because I was in a rush because I was past my bed time LOL I had to use steem-voter because I don't want to miss my friends blogs.
I will tell you more about this soon. I am curious with your travels though ^_- let me know about it when you have time.
Love always, your dearest Friend
Gil XOXO <3
Looks like a great place. I know some places in Alaska if you ever go. I'm going to be in an Airbnb on Tuesday when I go to visit my daughter in Portland, Oregon.
I can't wait to go to Alaska and I'll make sure to stop in Oregon on my way through. ^_-
I look forward to seeing photos of your trip.
-Gil
So, how are you going to travel to the US? I thought most Filipinos couldn't travel to the U S.
Hey Mark,
You are right, it is VERY difficult for a Filipino, especially a younger female, to get a tourist visa to visit USA.
We will both be moving to South America next year, where she is free to travel without a visa, and will apply for a tourist visa at the US Consulate in Ecuador.
Since she is already abroad while applying, they don't hassle them as much.
Another easier way for Filipinos to get a US tourist visa, is to attempt to get a visa in Manila, to visit a cultural event in Guam. This would be the same 10-year USA tourist visa, that allows them to travel to mainland USA.
_Rob
That place looks so inviting though I'm wondering why you would bother to travel to Thailand only to stay confined in your Airbnb? Sounds like you could have stayed many other places if you wanted to just chill within your confines? It has been many years since I have visited Pattya, I bet it is almost the same as it was in the mid 80's.
I just read this now.
You caught my attention! I love when people ask me questions, I it makes me think.
Sadly I have to get back to you tomorrow when I wake up.
I have to put away all my gadgets except for Netflix and Ted Talks while I enjoy my tea... But this I will do after I finish my laundry 😉
Talk soon... ^_-
-Gilaine
WOWOWOWOW - what a place - and what a great price (from where I am, it is shown in € 311,- per night) this is unbelievable for the features:
10 guests - 4 bedrooms - 6 beds - 4 baths !!!! Get a bunch of friends together and it could cost you as little as € 32,- a person! Thank you for this great tip!
You're right about getting a bunch of friends to join this trip but all my friends are busy with their own thing 😊 it would have been more fun.
I am going to meet some new friends (bitcoin nerds) at the conference next week. So good luck to me 🤣
Which country are you from?
I am from Austria and a artist, and this would be ideal for our closely knit community of fellow visionary artists (across Europe). Right now I am going to Montreux Switzerland for a Art Fair I am in, and with much haggling I got a hotel room for € 100,- a night. I have a artist friend who spends his winters in Thailand - he owns a house there. But 'invading' his place with a whole gang would be out of the question, and this is soooo much nicer too!
I already shared this on Facebook, and ran it up the flag pole via email.
Ohh wow! I've seen a lot of photos of Austria. It's very beautiful there. I am so jealous! I wish I can fly there right now haha
Aw! I can be an artist? what do you think? hahaha I can hardly draw. I am good at drawing human sticks and oval head hahaha! Is that an artist? LOL
Almost everyone I chatted in the past few days are travelling! Wow! I really like it, actually I don't like it. I love it! ^_- Do you love traveling?
You paid (6118.07pesos) 100 Euro! That's really cheap! Can you send me a link of the place? I would love to visit the Montreux Switzerland! How long will you be there for? Are you traveling with your friends?
Oh I bet you have a lot of friends, a lot of artists do... (I just guess) I wish I have a friend here in Thailand, It'll be nice to really hang out with local friends and who can show you the locals and the best food in town.
Maybe I should also add him on facebook? LOL kidding!
Thank you for taking your time to write me back, I really appreciate it. I hope everything is well with you. Have fun with your travels!
Following you now ^_-
-Gil
Hi Gil,
about Montreux (I am going next month, Nov. 7 - but only 2 nights): here is my post about the event:
https://busy.org/art/@thermoplastic/visionary-artists-in-montreux - there are links to the event and the venue where it is held, as well as a video I had put together about the artists.
I live in Vienna, Austria, and Mercer has deemed it the most livable place in the world: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/feb/23/vienna-named-worlds-top-city-for-quality-of-life
Here is a guide to Vienna:
https://www.wien.info/en
here you would find hotels at reasonable rates:
http://www.vienna35.com/
Cheers 🤗 👩✈️ 🍻
PS: I am having problems with my Facebook accounts right now, I actually got 3, but the keep blocking one and the other all the time, so I never know what to recommend, but this is my main account which I can access on my cellphone, but not on my computer: https://www.facebook.com/otto.rapp
Hi Gilaine... How are you? For sure you're enjoying the foods there. I saw a lot of diff kinds of photo of your foods on your fb page... You guys having a perfect place there to stay, a villa and a private pool. Sarap naman diyan magloving-loving hehe :D
I haven't look or book place from Airbnb. I never did booking anyway, Barry did for me :) Anyway, I miss you! Ang tagal mong bumalik!
Enjoy you guys vacation! Xoxo
Gialine talaga? haha
am good! Amishu beb! Ohh I had great and bad experience with the food here, but so far so good. It was only the Indian food we went wot, never again will go back LOL.. I'd love to ea more Thai Food though, it'll only make sense to eat a lot of Thai food coz am in Thailand, right? haha
Today, am locked inside though haha, kindda of like a prisoner lol I don't mind I love this place, good thing it has it's own pool and extra rooms to isolate my self more lol
Bobby is working way too much, but I understand why, he wants to spoil me more LOL tomorrow we will go out because today everything is close here in Thailand because of the memorial of the KING.
How are you doing? Have you talked to @steemph yet? am quite busy, I have so many projects and people to talk to. It's giving me a headache. Not to mention, I have to babysit some stubborn minnows haha You know how I love the minnows, they're really fun to talk to and am learning a lot from them.
Tell Jovey and everyone in the team I sadi hello.
Love you! XOXO <3
It's Gilaine. You're my Gilaine haha
I am doing the same thing. Nothing much. Tomorrow I will be in Manila, will visit my sister and my little nephew... I haven't talked to anyone, you know me I don't talk that much. Anyway, I think every one is doing great.
That's great for you, having a private pool cuz you like swimming. hehe is there have sauna also like in your condo here? how bout Gym? you still do a workout? or too busy.
You're always busy, you don't TALK to me anymore on facebook. :( But I understand, you're an investor woman now, of course, you gotta do what you do and I'm proud of you. You love helping people, and I'm grateful to you and Rob, for supporting me here on Steemit. I am also thankful to Sir Terry, I got sometimes a higher value of vote from him :)
Jovey and I, sometimes go watching a movie and eating street foods Lol. I'm thinking what to do this coming Halloween. Will be back from Manila before Halloween. Remember the last time, we did the costumed party at Liv disco. haha. I hope Jovey not busy this time, so maybe we can do something.
Always take care. Loves you more! Xoxo <3
Wow! This place looks amazing! I don't think I would ever want to leave! haha I have not tried airbnb yet, but I have looked at their properties and they have some really fun options! Some really unusual houses too like ones made from earth or converted lighthouses, such adventures to be had! :D
I airbnb whenever possible... You are right about being over the top... You really need all those rooms? But hey, if you can afford it, why not.. I understand how locals can be pushy but i don't agree with them taking advantage of tourists. Like charging tourists triple the amount more than locals.
Wish to book with AirBnB but I still need to have credit card.waaa
You don't need two have a credit card, there's a prepaid debit master card. I have one from my BPI account. It's better than having credits 😉
Pretty! super sarap nga magbakasyon galore lalo pag may cash ka that you earned from investing in bitcoins. Ang bongga ng place ❤
Thank you for dropping by, @enjieneer!
Yes, it's really fun to travel. We have to explore the earth 🌎 thanks to bitcoin the possibility is
endless ❤️
Have you been in Thailand before? Do you invest in any coins?
I've never been to Thailand yet but if it permits, then I'll definitely travel there too. it's included in my travel list goals! ❤❤ I do invest in coins too before but sadly, I already lost track but I'm working on to invest again.