Phuket

philly · #1 06-05-2005, 00:25

Anyone else gone to extreme measures to get an extra few weeks in LOS?

After coming back from Samui in December I've been gagging to get back out there but having used up all my holidays there was no way of getting back untill December this year.

Solution: Get a new job and have a month in LOS inbetween jobs.

So I handed my notice in with the company I've worked at for 5 years a month ago, got a job offer today told them I had to work a months notice and booked my flight for next Thursday. (Eva £370 from Heathrow)

I normally go to Samui but I'm going to go to Phuket for 5 days first this time.

I've got a few questions:

Anyone know what PS2 Bungalows are like?
Where's the best diving around Phuket? Recomend any Dive Schools?
Can you recomend any day trips to Phi Phi?
Do you know of any good bars for good house music?

I will be droping by to say hi to Nicke the first night there.

Thanks in advance.

IreMark · #2 06-05-2005, 00:46

Im quitting mine to go this Summer. Will worry about it when I return.

slimbag · #3 06-05-2005, 00:55

I'm saving up to retire early, by the way if any of you guys are a fund manager don't hesitate to pm me ...

magnusvv · #4 06-05-2005, 01:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by slimbag

I'm saving up to retire early, by the way if any of you guys are a fund manager don't hesitate to pm me ...

I wonder how many of us start thinking about this after a trip to LOS?

I do like this changing jobs to get more vacation time thing....maybe thats something I need to try myself.

Sirgezza · #5 06-05-2005, 02:04

Have you considered asking your employers if you can work part-time. I've cut my pay to 80% of a full time salary, in return for longer holidays. This way I've got 6 weeks off next January. Dependes on what work you do - I take time off when things are quiet and work full time when we are busy.

Sirgezza · #6 06-05-2005, 02:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by slimbag

I'm saving up to retire early, by the way if any of you guys are a fund manager don't hesitate to pm me ...

Send your money to me - I'll invest it very wisely

Gez

slimbag · #7 06-05-2005, 02:20

I'm not sure the bg's are the best investements

Keeping fingers crossed about the yuan peg, hope once it blows there won't be too much effect on the baht....

plahgat · #8 06-05-2005, 11:53

Hi Philly!
About the PS2 Bungalows:
I used to stay there in the middle of the nineties, back then a fanroom in a bungalow was 150 baht a night inkluding a fridge! It's situated back from the main rd in a garden so it's very quiet. Only "problem" was that there were two rooms in every bungalow, so if your neighbour was noisy you might have a problem!? It's also a long walk from Soi Bangla (30 min), although there are a few bars in the close vicinity, like Blue Elephant and Nicky's Handle bar.
Well that was back then! Nowadays they have expanded and also bought the place next door, so that they now even have a swimming-pool!
Prices has ofcourse also expanded upwards, I think you can get a fan-room for about 500 baht a night during low-season. Their aircon-rooms will be more expensive still. You can get all the information from there web-site at: www.ps2bungalow.com .

JayBee · #9 06-05-2005, 14:55

When I was in LOS in January, I received an email informing me that I could make over $30,000 on a very simple transaction, which would not require a great deal of work, but would require my presence. If I wanted the easy money, I would have to cut my holiday short and return to the US immediately.

It was not an easy decision. I had been almost one month, but was just getting comfortable. Even though it was hard, in the end there was really only one choice I could live with: F*ck the money!

I stayed two months more.

JayBee

magnusvv · #10 06-05-2005, 18:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by gez

Have you considered asking your employers if you can work part-time. I've cut my pay to 80% of a full time salary, in return for longer holidays. This way I've got 6 weeks off next January. Dependes on what work you do - I take time off when things are quiet and work full time when we are busy.

I was actually thinking of asking for some kind of trade, 2 extra work days / week in exchange for 1 more vacation day. I'm just a bit nervous since this is the kind of place that asks people to work weekends for nothing, if they know I have my weekends free to work, they will request my presence here more often.

dawsey · #11 07-05-2005, 01:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayBee

When I was in LOS in January, I received an email informing me that I could make over $30,000 on a very simple transaction, which would not require a great deal of work, but would require my presence. If I wanted the easy money, I would have to cut my holiday short and return to the US immediately.

It was not an easy decision. I had been almost one month, but was just getting comfortable. Even though it was hard, in the end there was really only one choice I could live with: F*ck the money!

I stayed two months more.

JayBee

Then you have far too much money
For 30k$ I would have flown home,done the deal and been back on the plane ASAP.What is a few days out of a holiday to make that kind of money. Jeez that would ensure an extra couple of months in LOS anyway.

JayBee · #12 07-05-2005, 04:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawsey

Then you have far too much money
For 30k$ I would have flown home,done the deal and been back on the plane ASAP.What is a few days out of a holiday to make that kind of money. Jeez that would ensure an extra couple of months in LOS anyway.

Not at all. The situaton was much more complicated than that. Although not a lot of work was involved, the transaction from start to finish would be a two month process. A few hours here and there to meet with principals and to make sure all was proceeding smoothly was all it would require, but it would require my presence to represent my clients and supervise the transaction.

Since I was already committed to other undertakings in April, a decision to return to the US would mean that I would be ending my holiday, and not returning until late in the year. Hopping back and forth was not an option. If it was that easy, then that is certainly what I would have done.

The bottom line for me was that you only live once. Sometimes time is more valuable than money!

JayBee

P.S. I did, in fact, still make $5,000 on the deal for referring the business to a competitor, which nearly paid for the extra two months in LOS. I hate to give business to a competitor, but better to get a piece of the pie. $5,000 for doing nothing is a lot better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, as we often say. Incidentally, the total I could have made was over $35,000 so my "loss," in terms of money not earned was approx. $30,000.