After being here 4 months, 3 months on the waiting for visa status, 1 month extended awaiting approval. I now have the final 11 month stamp on my marriage visa.
So am now "officially" able to live here, not work, not yet, though not sure there's a real need to work at this point.
Our savings/house equity, are funding the building of our house and future financial needs just fine, and there's a little interest coming from those funds, but that will decrease as it is used for the build... But we have enough to last the 4.5 years until the pensions start to kick in. A bit more wouldnt hurt though, so hopefully I will get a few bob in book royalties.
My 1st 4 months have been quiet, there's no doubt, we're living a quiet comfortable life in a nice rented house, eating sensibly and not going out too much, though we do like to find nice places to eat, we've resisted the 5000bhat western style places.. We tend to eat locally and cheaply 2 or 3 times a week, and of course Jirawan is in her element cooking up food she picks up for comparativly nothing at the markets. Or just getting premade from the noodle bars.
I see a lot of expats complaining that Thailand isn't cheap any more.... I suspect they've not been home for a while :D prices may indeed have risen here over the years but they did so in spades back in their home country. Thailand is still cheap as chips as long as you get out of holiday spending mode as quick as possible.
I see a lot of expats complaining that Thailand isn't cheap any more.... I suspect they've not been home for a while :D prices may indeed have risen here over the years but they did so in spades back in their home country. Thailand is still cheap as chips as long as you get out of holiday spending mode as quick as possible.
The air quality though....oh thats pretty bad here. Yes we knew about it, yes we were all warned, but wow... somedays its like fog and its going to stay this way for a couple of weeks more at least, maybe a month...It has curtailed some of our trips to landmarks, walk abouts etc...but its also suuuper hot at the moment, temps up to 40-42 are hitting some days, so staying home in the air con room is wise..
But overall, my 1st 4 months have not been too overwhelming, I am failing miserably at learning Thai, and Jirawan isn't the best translator in the world, she tends to have conversations with people I want to ask questions about things, rather than just simple translate and reply... but she can't help chatting away to people. Her friendly nature finds a conversation in even the most mundane of interactions, she's not really interested in how high will the wall be, when the builder has a family story to tell :D
I can't wait for the rains to come and things to cool down and the air to clear, yes I also know those rains are apocalyptic in nature but its going to be wonderful to see and really smeel some fresh air.
Yes 1st 4 months, great, next 4 months, expecting rain, then looking forward to the cooler "winter" season where will will do a bit more exploring. Next year for sure though we're going to bug out and go south during the burning season... Condos in Hua Hin and places like that are cheap enough when we're no longer paying rent here.
