Epril and I hopped back on the motorcycle, and went in search of a proper breakfast food and found it (or a facsimile thereof) at a little backpacker guesthouse in the center of town. Still though, it was the Asian version of a Western breakfast, so the scrambled eggs were a plain omelet, and the sausages were deep-fried hot dogs, and the bacon were pieces of boiled ham. (If you live in Asia long enough, you learn to accept this as an unchangeable fact of life.)
A typical view of Penang: Tall apart-
ment buildings against a mountain
backdrop.After breakfast, Epril and I went to one of Penang's malls. I really don't know where the shopping malls are in Penang, but I drove to one I had noticed yesterday and went inside. However, this particular place must have been the "old mall" (i.e. the one that all the good stores have abandoned for the new joint across town), and all that was left were stalls selling discount jeans and plastic kitchenware.
From there, we took a quick ride around Georgetown, and then headed back to the hotel. We checked out of our room, and then went down to the lobby and chatted with the Danish fellow I mentioned yesterday for a while. Then, from boredom (checkout was at noontime, the visa service was picking us up at 3:00), Epril and I went out for ice cream. We went to a little local Muslim restaurant where they didn't have any ice cream, but the owner was nice enough to run to a nearby 7-11 and buy some for Epril. I opted for some of the food they were serving, which was an interesting dish: A deep fried block of bean curd in a candied cherry sauce.
We went back to the hotel and finished our waiting. The visa service picked us up, gave us back our passports with the new 60-day visas put in them, and dropped us off at the airport. We went through immigration without a problem, and I stopped at Duty Free and bought Epril some really nice perfume.
Our plane left a little late, but we had an otherwise uneventful 90-minute flight back to Bangkok.
A 60-day tourist visa (redacted) showing
the "don't come here no more" stamp,
given on the second, not third, visit
to the Thai consulate in Penang.When we got to the airport, I was walking along to immigration with a British fellow who was complaining about how he had a stamp on his visa that read, "Do not apply new visa Penang again." I told him that the Thai consulate in Penang had placed a limit on the number of visas they would issue to 3. He told me he was aware of that, but this was only his second trip. I checked my visa, and there it was — something I hadn't noticed before: A red stamp that said (only after 2 visa runs — not 3 — mind you) that I could not apply for any more visas at the Thai consulate in Penang.
It's not that big a deal: I am looking forward to doing visa runs with Epril all over Asia, from Singapore to Seoul, but this seemingly abrupt change in the rules does have me a little annoyed. Well, as I'm sure everybody knows: In Thailand, rules are meant to be changed.
It's not my problem anymore though: Epril and I are moving to The Philippines sometime next year, where long stays are much easier to accomplish.
6 comments:
was the move your I dea or her's? I am not trying to pry but you just met her. I know things are diffrent there than here. so, I am going to be nosy since I am a woman and all but why do you send $ to her family/ I guess I do not know the customs and things.
Good lick with all.
Sarah
PS. Hello Epril welcome the blog world. I hope you enjoy all the attention. It seems you are in good hand with Jil. Hope you are happy.
Sarah, fair questions:
The idea was mine. I've always pondered a move away from Pattaya to other parts of Thailand, but with the ever-stronger Baht making my dollars have less purchasing power; my continued failure to develop a really deep relationship with a Thai girl (or Thailand for that matter); and the general anti-expatriate atmosphere that has slowly been building over the past 3 years in Thailand has made me interested in a move away.
In addition, I do enjoy being with Epril and plan on staying with her for as long as she'll have me, I enjoy her family, and I enjoy Cagayan de Oro. The life there is easier and far less expensive, and there are fewer things there beckoning me to spend my time and money on. I'll be coming back to Pattaya to visit quite often, as all of my friends are here, but the Philippines is the next chapter.
The truth is, most of us expatriates are a mobile bunch, and a move to the Philippines is not that big a thing. It's the American equivalent of moving from New York City to Philadelphia.
As to why I send money to Epril's family, it is because they are poor. The 7 people in her family used to struggle to get by on less than $100 per month from Epril's father's job as a fisherman, and I tripled that. It's not that big a deal to me, but it means the world to them, and has changed their lives drastically for the better. It also makes Epril happy that her family is better off, and that they aren't struggling as much.
Epril would be happy to work at a job to send money to her family if I let her, but I prefer to have her around to keep me company rather than being gone 54 hours per week (the standard work week in Thailand). Therefore, since I am keeping her from earning the money she would otherwise send to her family, I am covering that obligation myself.
Hope that gives you a better understanding.
With the value of the dollar in Baht I think the PI is a great idea! Not sure if visa's are easier though. Sounds exciting I hope you are able to keep up your blog thier. Good luck and happy trails.
From Jakal.
Cool. That is nice of you. Now if only I could find someone to send me $ soI did not have to work and stay home with the kids.(haha) She is a very beautiful young woman. I hope it works out for the best for you.
Sarah
Best of luck to you on your pending move.
It is cool that you are happy with your new gf; nice to hear a happy relationship story for a change.
"cool" and "nice" are two words for your contribution to Epril's family/future but I will venture to say 'lucky' and 'deserving' that you met each other.
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