Living Like a Thai Day 8: Going AWOL

Written on June 8, 2011 by in Living in Thailand, Thai life

Table of contents for Living Like a Thai

  1. Living Like a Thai
  2. Living Like a Thai Day 1: The 200 Baht a Day Challenge
  3. Living Like a Thai Day 2: Losing Money in My Sleep
  4. Living Like a Thai Day 4: Pee Baa Falang
  5. Living Like a Thai Day 5: It’s a Wash
  6. Living Like a Thai Day 6: The Frugal Tightwad
  7. Living Like a Thai Day 7: I’m Bored
  8. Living Like a Thai Day 8: Going AWOL
  9. Living Like a Thai Day 9: Falling Down That Mountain
  10. Living Like a Thai Day 10: The Belt Tightening Begins
  11. Living Like a Thai Day 11: Tofu, Really?
  12. Living Like A Thai Day 12: Going Native, Almost
  13. Living Like a Thai Day 13: Lunch with the Ladies
  14. Living Like a Thai Day 14: The Late Edition or Quiet Be
  15. Living Like a Thai Day 15: Halfway there!
  16. Living Like a Thai Day 16: Beer & Vegetables
  17. Living Like a Thai Day 17: Red Moon Eclipse Edition
  18. Living Like a Thai Day 18: Once in a Blue Moon
  19. Living Like a Thai Days 19 & 20: Ringing the Bell
  20. Living Like a Thai Days 21 & 22: Aircon Down Pigs Cooking
  21. Living Like a Thai Day 23: Put a Fork in it…I’m Done

Going AWOL in Thailand

Living Like a Thai The AWOL Edition

Today I’ve been good budget wise, well, I’ve been good up to this this writing as of 5:30pm. The past 7 days have gone well I think but there has been way too much staying in and being good. Now it’s time to try my hand at going out on my Thai budget. This has been coming for a few days and I pretty much knew yesterday that I was going out tonight.

Obviously I have to adjust my going out behavior to accommodate my meager Thai budget, and since I have been good the past few days I am giving myself a budget of 200 baht for the evening.  Obviously my budget means I won’t be drinking my normal Jack and Cokes because at 100 baht a pop it will be an early evening so I will be sipping the cheaper 55 baht beers and hoping that a particular bar owner takes pity on me and buys a few rounds.

Luckily I have just the bar owner in mind and just the bar…Rick knows the place I am talking about. Have you ever seen the T.V. show Cheers? Well, if you have you will be familiar with the character Norm. Lets just say that my bar stool is actually a corner booth and everyone that works in the place, including the daytime cleaning lady, knows my name…sadly, I am Norm. Actually it’s not so sad :)

So, I will be going out this evening and seeing if my self control and willpower will allow me to have a couple of beers and some laughs with friends without blowing my budget in one night.

As for my budget so far today the only purchase I have made is 2 water re-fills at 10 baht ( $.34 ). For breakfast I had my last banana and mangosteen and for a late lunch I had…what else but noodles.

This post will be continued tomorrow with a full accounting of the nights spend…fingers crossed I will be a good boy and stick to my budget.

 

talensig
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7 Comments - Leave a comment!
7 Responses to Living Like a Thai Day 8: Going AWOL
  1. HowieD
    June 8, 2011 | 7:17 pm

    Hi Talen,
    Have a good night !
    Be careful with those noodles. I’ve heard they can leave wax deposits in your stomach if you eat them over a long period of time. A month should be okay though.
    Love the website.
    Cheers,
    HowieD
    Melbourne, Australia.

  2. Joe
    June 8, 2011 | 7:34 pm

    Fascinating adventure !

    I am riveted to this series. Must get my daily updates !

  3. SiamRick
    June 8, 2011 | 7:42 pm

    Heh, heh, I know where you’re going and there’s just too many temptations, ahem. Good luck on that, buddy! Maybe you should try New Plaza instead. Very, very cheap, but I don’t have to tell you that since you took me there.

    Just a health note: I am reminded of Morgan Spurlock’s documentary of a month-long diet of McD. You’re eating a lot of salt, MSG, cheap noodles, very little meat, low grade fry oil, etc. You might not feel so good at the end. You may need a meat/vegetable infusion for a few days afterward. And if you lose weight too fast, you may find yourself gorging for a few days. Easy does it! Just a frinedly reminder.

  4. DaveD
    June 8, 2011 | 10:10 pm

    just put blinders on tonight and maybe snow mittens , what you cannot see or feel you will not want :)
    I think you are playing this wrong, living cheap does not mean living like a hermit , you need to get out , bring some ice water, get some bananas when hungry and be around people.

    Good Luck tonight….

  5. Paul Garrigan
    June 9, 2011 | 12:40 pm

    This is a great series Talen. I hope your night out went well. Be careful not to tip to too much; your generosity could mean nothing to eat for a week:)

  6. Lani
    June 10, 2011 | 10:04 am

    are you losing weight yet?

    • Talen
      June 10, 2011 | 2:33 pm

      I definitely feel like I am and pants feel a little looser but I won’t know for sure till the end of the month when I weigh myself.