Scottish funnyman living between Thailand and Vietnam

Yes please keep a blog! It's up to you whether you start a new post or carry on with it here.

BUBBADOG14 wrote: Yes please keep a blog! It's up to you whether you start a new post or carry on with it here.

Okay, until someone suggests a better place to blog I'll just keep posting on here.



I've been back in Chiang Mai since Tuesday, and I have decided to track my expenses for a month. The goal is to spend less than 42000 Baht, which is 1000 pounds. I know it's a very achievable goal as I've met other expats who budget between 30000-35000.

I could have saved myself some money by renting a studio apartment a little further out from the nicest part of town for 5000 baht, but I have instead chose to live in a one bedroom apartment with a separate living area in the nicest area for 11000 baht, which is about 270 pounds.

Thai food is really cheap here, you could easily fill your stomach for 1 pound. Western food in't as cheap, but still a big discount compared to back home. A great thing about doing stand-up is that the owner of a bistro that hosts an open mic nights gives me a free burger for performing, so that's a nice perk.

Other main expenses are the gym, which is 1000 baht/month and other standard things like haircuts, shaves, body wax (don't judge!)

I have savings and I'm making enough out here to justify spending 50000 or even 60000 in a month, but I would like to keep it under 42000 to prove what an amazing life you can life out here for less than 1000 pounds.

Your very good a saving money, me I would go crazy and have clothes made and eat at nice restaurants! I remember when I was in Thailand I loved the Tai green curry's, I would be eating loads of nice food like that and having plenty of drinks! I would be out of pocket by the end of the week!! Thanks for posting loving reading about your adventures out there, please post more can't wait till your next!!

BUBBADOG14 wrote: Your very good a saving money, me I would go crazy and have clothes made and eat at nice restaurants! I remember when I was in Thailand I loved the Tai green curry's, I would be eating loads of nice food like that and having plenty of drinks! I would be out of pocket by the end of the week!! Thanks for posting loving reading about your adventures out there, please post more can't wait till your next!!

One of my favourite things about Chiang Mai is that it's significantly cheaper than Bangkok and especially the touristy Islands like Phuket and Ko Samui. In Chiang Mai, it would be very difficult to spend 2000 pounds in one month here, unless you bought a Swiss watch or went on a shopping spree in the designer clothes stores at a mall.

I pay less than 270 pounds/month for an apartment in the nicest area of Chiang Mai. The most expensive apartment I've seen here was the equivalent of 900 pounds and it was a two bedroom with a private hot tub on the balcony. Outside of the city in the residential areas you can get a 4 bedroom Villa for 1200 pounds, but who would rent that on their own? Surely 3 or 4 people would just split the rent. Alcohol is cheaper here as well. I don't drink much but you can get a "bucket" here for about 6 pounds. And because they hand pour here, a bucket with 4 shouts of alcohol here is closer to 10 or 12 back home



Been hitting the gym the past few days. I don't drive and back home I wasn't within walking distance of any gym, here I'm less than 10 minutes away from (at least) three, so I feel I should take advantage of that. Besides that, just been working a lot. Also got another comedy spot booked up for April 6th, so that'll give me plenty time to be well rehearsed and prepared. I may try and get another spot at this other open mic night at a place I've never been to before that, if their line up isn't already fully booked.




More fun soon

Hi guys, thought I might as well let you know about my wordpress blog. There will be content posted on that site that I won't put in this thread


I had another German lesson today. It's always good fun and significantly more helpful to get a lesson one on one with native speaker. We dissected some of my favourite German Hip-hop songs. I learned the translations of a lot of new words and expressions and it was just a really good time.

I also went to a optometrist to get my glasses fixed. I walked into the shop and explained to the man that the frame was loose on one side of my glasses and I handed them over for him to inspect. After about twenty minutes of him sat at his desk making countless tweaks with his screwdriver, he finally wiped the sweat off his forehead and handed me my fully repaired glasses.

He wouldn't accept any money for his work, not even the 200 baht (5 pounds) I strenuously tried handing over after he said I didn't owe him anything. Thai people will never cease to amaze me with their kindness.



More fun soon

Thai people are totally amazing! When we where there we went to this café for breakfast and I asked for cereal with soy milk and Banana's they didn't have any Banana's so rather than just say that the wife of the owner walked down to the market and brought me back some fresh Banana's for my cereal! You wouldn't get that in the U.K!!