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#1
24-01-2006, 05:51
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Moving to Phuket
Thought I would celebrate my 1,000th post by starting a thread briefly detailing my experiences to date and keeping a little log of my first few months of living in Phuket.
I decided to do this in September last year after spending the last three years travelling to thaialnd about 4 or 5 times per year. I put my house on the market September 29th with the idea I would like to go and live in Thailand and then sold it within 2 hours, $hit the realisation of my idea was instant, I am actually going to live in Thailand. Sold my office in just over one week to a friend and have had a few ups and downs with this sale but it completes 1st Feb, I will invest the collective amounts from these sales offshore and the interest is my living income, heck I'm retiring at 48. Bought a two bed apartment for my sons, which with other Uk property investments keeps me in with the property market here. Decided to give away my business but retain another income stream from it, wow this has been the hardest part, lesson never give anything away because then people do not value what they are getting for free, This deal has switched potential beneficiaries 3 times the latest was literally today two days before I depart. My youngest decided to take a year out from his career as a pga pro golfer and come with me whilst the oldest is staying in the UK. Up until tonight this was really cool and I was fine but tonight I decided that cos I'm a bloke and we don't do sentimental that I would write him a letter detailing all my feelings in case I got all soppy when leaving and couldn't say the stuff I wanted too. Yep, got all sentimental writing the letter, let you know later how leaving your son behind feels like. Visa for Thailand was very easy to obtain although did give me a little worry as I sent the application off last monday, 10 days before departure, they recommend leaving until the last minute and that they will turn the application round in 24 hours. Nothing arrived by thursday last week 6 days before departure and no visa and more importantly no passports cos they had them. Telephoned the embassy, answered straight away, no stupid options thingy going on and confirmed they had sent them monday. Wow, little bit more concern, how come I've not got them? Wandered off to the local post office to ask if they had got them as my post had been redirected as I have sold my house, yep there they were - sorted. Just a note to any other would be expats, the Thai embassy is brilliant, easy to access, east to obtain and 24hour turn-around, how efficient is that? Everyday for the last two weeks I have kept jotting down on a things to do list, that however much I accomplish in a day grows longer at the end of the day, this indicates to me that some things will be left undone, to combat this I have given the power of attorney to my solicitor and my sister, also put my sis as signatory on anything that might need to be signed in my absence. So, visa, passport and luggage packed. Money required to be transferred tomorrow, bank accounts open all over the world for future access, tickets received. I am taking very little with me and you have to be ruthless with personal belongings, filled an attic with important stuff I might need someday or if I ever return and then had to figure on getting my extra bits to Thailand. Checked out Freight Forwarders and got quotes for about 50kg of stuff at a cost of £140 to Bangkok. But with stories from Sefton of how hard it was to get his stuff and how much duty/charges he had to pay decided to see if I could do a deal with Thai Air. Turned out they allow an extra 15kg per person if you are immigrating on top of the 20kg baggage allowance, so had to once again be a bit ruthless with getting rid of 20kg of things between us, but sorted Plan to stay in Bangers for 4/5 days and buy anything I havn't brought with me, because instead of flying to Phuket I am getting a lift from tiraks neighbour in his mini bus. Yes I know it takes 10/12 hours, I know its crazy but its not a cost thing, I will have a load of stuff and prefer, (call me over cautious), prefer to havemy stufft with me on the journey down and decided I can make it a two day trip and see some places on the way. Anyway enough to read in this post but at least I made it a long one to mark my 1,000th entry on the forum. A special thanks to all the BM's that have made reading this forum so interesting, to all the BM's I've met to date, to all those I will meet in the future, youv'e all contributed to making me decide to make this move, with the information provided and the comoraderie I have experienced and I'll keep this thread up with a few more posts letting you know how things turn out and what experiences I have along the way (oh yeah with the odd picture or two). Here's to seeing you all in MTB over the coming months!!
__________________
If I havn't done it already, then i'm gunna do it today. 
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#2
24-01-2006, 05:58
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well you certainly live up to your signature !!!
good luck and a happy life!!!!!!  i hope to see you in june at m.t.b.!!!
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#3
24-01-2006, 06:02
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Good on you man for making the move...I hope things all go well for you and you have a blast on this new adventure!!
__________________
A fool and his money are a girl's best friend.
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#4
24-01-2006, 06:05
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First of all congrats on the 1000 , will follow this thread closely to see how the journey goes and how things work out. Good to hear you're following your dream , and look forward to seeing you at Songkran.
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Member of Phuket Hash House Harriers
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#5
24-01-2006, 06:25
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Quote:
First off congrats on the 1k post...keep up the good work. Thanks also for posting about your experience, for so many people its a fantasy and few people actually take the plunge, it to me makes a statement about the person, I've finally figured out that's why so many of us get along...the nature of people who desire something different I think most of us look forward to hearing all about your experiences along the way, good and bad...no question it will be a good time....look forward to meeting you at mtb for songkran. Chok Dee
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J.K. Livin Heywood
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#7
24-01-2006, 06:39
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Well done on the 1000.
Best of luck with the move Dodger.....will read with interest your reports on how it all goes....bonus for me is that coz u will be in LOS full time, l will actually get 2 meet u next time l'm over
__________________
New HHplc Product Coming Soon...Watch This Space 
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#8
24-01-2006, 06:51
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Hi Dodger,
Congrats on the upcoming move to LOS. Hope all goes well with the move. Hope to see you there in April, prior, during, and post Songkran.
__________________
variety is the spice of life. I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy. Mav's a hasher, not a basher, Tell me it ain't so! Mav, he sits on ice, says it feels nice, enjoyed it so much, he did it twice.
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#11
24-01-2006, 07:19
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Well thought out
Hi Dodger,
Your plan seems very well thought out to me. By taking your time and leaving the door open for a return to the UK if it doesn't work out sounds very sensible. Also, keeping most of your assets and income stream offshore insulates your from the vagaries of the Thai economy. Good plan lad. I will be most interested to see what you do to fill in your time once you are over there as you appear to be a man who likes to keep his mind active. I couldn't leave my family behind so I will also be interested to hear how you cope with your sons so far away. All the best and I wouldn't mind catching up when I am over there next month. Steve.
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#12
24-01-2006, 08:01
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Dodge, perfect timing on the 1k mate.. Reckon you will do fine out here, you have a easy going attitude and tend to take things with a smail (or a big shit eating grin) and your plans look pretty solid to me..
Saw some signs on 2 bed Patoing places recently.. Still looking ?? Will jot down numbers if so and ask about a place I saw with pool access.. Looking forward to having a a cold beer with towns newest resident  !! C'mon thats gotta sound good doesnt it ??
__________________
Men have only 2 emotional states, hungry and horny.. So ladies, if you see me without an erection, make me a sandwich.
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#13
24-01-2006, 08:13
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Congrats on the 1k Dodger, how does it feel to be a "senior" member?
With regards to the move, good luck on living the dream old boy.  Will be monitoring your transistion. cheers, DD
__________________
"If it ain't slant I just can't"  DIE Bostonian Scum DIE 555555555555........ 
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#15
24-01-2006, 12:59
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Congratulations on your 1k milestone Dodger....I always enjoy reading your fun and informative posts
Good luck with your move, I'll be looking forward to reading about your experiences and hopefully meeting you again in March/April....you up for another BB shootout?
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#18
24-01-2006, 14:28
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Best Of Luck Dodger ..and Im Sure Ill Catch You And Young Duncan For A Beer Or 2 !!!!!!!!
Ij
__________________
ROLL ON OCTOBER........
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#20
24-01-2006, 18:26
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looking forward to seeing you out here for good. A genuine top bloke like yourself should have no problems settling here and you know where to come if you need any help/advice.
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#21
24-01-2006, 23:44
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Wow Dodger, that's what I call living the dream. Good luck with the move. Very inspirational post for me. I hope one day I can get to do the same. See you around MTB on my first tour to LOS in a few weeks. Hope we can chat about it over some brewskis.
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#22
24-01-2006, 23:51
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Well done dodger, good for you, i was sitting smiling all the way through your post, i am very happy for you.
just watch out at customs as most of your shirts are surely illegal see you sometime soon Simon
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#23
25-01-2006, 00:05
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Good news Dodger. Look forward to see you again.......Sounds like you have done all things right. Its important not to burn all the bridges as you never knows what the future will bring...... Have a safe flight and lets get pissed soon
Geir
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#24
25-01-2006, 01:20
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Wow, well done Dodger. Hope all goes well bloke.
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#25
25-01-2006, 01:38
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Congratulations on having the nerve to do it, I hope it goes well and would love to do the same myself one day.
What sort of visa did you get?
__________________
"God is dead"- Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900) "Nietzsche is dead"- God (1900)
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