by Ariyada
Husband: Gary.
Children: Lisann 8, Jorin 6.
Present address: Thai Garden Resort (for the past 1
1/2 years).
Occupation: Housewife and mother.
Hobby’s: Pottery, cross-stitching, teddy-bear and
porcelain dolls, making ribbon embroidery, furniture restoration and everything
involving handicrafts.
Sports: Golf - at least three times a week.
Stay in Pattaya: For at least another two years.
Plans for future traveling: England. Her ancestors are from
there and she’s dying to visit the country.
What she likes about Pattaya: Shopping, golf courses, the
many various kinds of sports, entertainment for everyone, the friendliness of
Thai people, walking around without being bothered by anyone (which isn’t be
possible in Australia), schools for her children, her new friends, and pubs -
especially the “Moon River”.
What she doesn’t like about Pattaya: Certain avenues in
shopping centers, using taxis, two tier pricing (different prices for ‘Farangs’
and Thais), rubbish on the streets, traffic, outdoor bars, and seeing a man
kissing a man in front of children.
What she thinks about life in general in Pattaya: “At the
beginning it was quite a ‘culture shock’ - but one gets used to it. It’s very
different to Australia. It starts with the infrastructure and ends with,
sometimes, offending scenes between tourists and their ‘mates’. If you have
children, you’ve got to explain a lot to them.”
“Also, women who come to Pattaya for the first time have to
be very confident of themselves to stand the “competition” of those many,
different and beautiful girls around here. But it’s always a matter of how a
woman feels about herself. I have no problems with it. Though I am looking
forward to going back home to Adelaide, I miss my family very much, I grew fond
of certain things in Thailand. I am sure as soon as I get back to Australia, I
will start missing Pattaya. The solution? Come back for vacation as often as
possible.”
