It will soon be vacation time. If you are looking to do something out of the ordinary but still not break the bank, you might consider southern Thailand as a destination. While its true that the airfare may be marginally more than a domestic trip, this is more than compensated for with the cost of excellent hotels and cheap, tasty food.

Southern Thailand has a number attractive and hospitable resort destinations. Hwa Hin and Cha Am are favored by the Thai Royal Family and the setting is very cosmopolitan with big hotel names ( with low prices compared to the North America and Europe). One can also expect a far higher standard of service and amenities that are really only found in Asia. Other  Thai  beach destinations include Ko Samui, Phuket Island and the Krabi pennisula. All of these may be accessed via the international gateways of Singapore, Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur.

Fly to Krabi via a low cost local airline such as Tiger Air from Singapore. Round trip from the gateway will be about $100 Round Trip ( one class of service, brand new A320′s).  In Krabi you can stay in the town or out at one of the island or penninsular resorts which are reached by boat. In town, a hotel similar to the standard of a Holiday Inn will cost you @ $30 a day double occupancy with breakfast. At the name resorts, expect to pay @ $60 a day with some meals. Meals at  local seafood restaurants ( the local lobster is legendary) will run as high as $10 if you can swing it. The food at street stalls is generally safe and delicious and can be bought for just a few Baht. Pad Thai, the national noodle dish which costs about $12 or so in Oklahoma, costs a dollar on the street in Krabi.

In addition to cheap lodging and food, Thailand’s coastal resorts offer a number of excursions which take the visitor up front and personal with exotic coastal islands, clear turquoise water for snorkeling and pristine white sand beaches. The entire trip to these distant and friendly lands will cost less than an excursion to Hawaii.

{ 2 comments }

Sunday will be Mothers Day my 29th as a mom and my 51st as a daughter. I had 39 years with my mother I feel very blessed to of had a wise older women for a mom something you don’t always appreciate in your youth. Now don’t get me wrong I knew she was smart and always ask her opinion on things and I wasn’t the only one on her passing many people told their stories of how her wisdom helped them. I also feel that having a good mom has helped me with my Real Estate whether it’s walking someone through the buying or selling process (mothering them) or having to tell someone how it needs to be done (experience).

So here are a few things she taught me.

Please and Thank you, when I was a kid those were the magic words.

Parenting isn’t a popularity contest.

Just because you think its right doesn’t mean the other person’s wrong.

It’s okay to voice your opinion.

A book can be a friend it can teach, comfort or just entertain.

Happy Mothers Day!

{ 0 comments }