Ok, with the pub now open, a couple go beers under my belt and directions to the nearest chemist it’s time for the off. First step, cross the road and there is no other way than to go for it. My strategy, avoid the big stuff and hope the little stuff goes round me. It seems to work.

My route is just go round the block and hopefully find the all veggie Thai restaurant Phil mentioned somewhere on route. Just round the block turned out to be quite a stroll, and a noisy one at that. But more than the noise, you kind of expect that in a city, it was the smells. The open drainage covers do not have a pleasant odour and I’m guessing there is sewage going into these. And then there is the traffic fumes. But in amongst this were explosions laundry drying and food cooking. All in all quite a sensory experience.

So the route is Pattaya 3 to Pattaya Klang down to Pattaya Beach and back up Pattaya Tai. And what a route it was. As before there was every kind of shop and stall but now they were walking up. And it got busier as I moved down Central (Klang) towards the beach. And those damn taxis confused me too. At first I thought they were beeping their funny little horns because I, or someone else, was in the way. But no, they’re touting for business.

Having reached the beach road I was met with a packed sea view. The beach was covered in parasol covered loungers. And when I say parasols we’re talking the size of the pub umbrellas back home in the beer gardens. So big and tightly packed that most of the sand was in shade for the whole stretch, a shame as where the light did stray through the sand looked almost white. And the sea wasn’t much better with boats and ships and jet skis all over the place. Some of the boats, mainly out near the island, looked quite different. I’m guessing these are Thai boats.There were huge lines of buoy makers I assume to separate swimmers from the jet skis. I’m not quite sure what the marine life thought of it all but I didnt fancy taking a dip.

Moving on down the Beach road there were quite a few hustlers of varying nationalities, age and genders all asking to a moment to take a survey. Then there were the suit sellers armed with their glossy portfolio.

By the end of Beach road the heat was starting to get to me, what is it they say about mad dogs and English men? So I headed on the last leg back up Pattaya Tai, trying to stay in the shade as much as possible. And no sign of the restaurant.

By the end of my little wander I was very hot, quite tired and having a near sensory meltdown with so much to take in. And this is out of season, a quite time as the locals put it. I headed for the house to chill for a while. Then after more sun block and a few bottles of water I headed to the Roo for a beer and to meet Phil who would be home from work shortly.

Then I guess my Pattaya insight will deepen as the night beckons.