| Retire at 54 years of age and be happier? | | | | level was back to where it was before and we |
| Well aged 54 and separated from my wife and | | | | could do nothing but wait. |
| seeing my friends gain weight and have health | | | | The day before the tsunami hit we were on a |
| problems made me think. I was gaining weight | | | | boat cruise to Phi Phi Islands. Two days before |
| also, I was not happy with the direction my life | | | | the tsunami hit we rented motor boats at the |
| was headed, so what can I do? I starting thinking | | | | beach. If this had happened a day earlier or at a |
| of the alternatives. | | | | different time then you would not be reading this |
| Retirement? No one wants to talk about it or | | | | article. |
| even think about. Perhaps it makes us feel older if | | | | When the water level receded and it deemed |
| we do that. So years go by and things do not | | | | safe we re-entered our hotel lobby to find a |
| change. We do the same things, eat the same | | | | young boy who was in the pool when the tsunami |
| foods until the doctor tells us to make some | | | | hit lying of the floor with someone trying to |
| changes, and we carry on like we will live forever. | | | | resuscitate him. Unfortunately the boy did not |
| Unfortunately we won't live forever and we | | | | make it. The hotel staff were totally unprepared. |
| should be thinking of retirement before we kick | | | | Nice people as they are they did not have a clue |
| the bucket. After all what did you work all those | | | | what to do. Guests were yelling out, Call a Doctor, |
| years for anyways? | | | | Have you called a Doctor? The hotel staff smiled |
| Well to cut to the chase I was thinking of going | | | | politely but either did not understand or were |
| to the Dominican Republic to live. But after going | | | | unable to reach anyone. |
| there twice I found that the power was unreliable, | | | | When we approached our room we found it was |
| there were safety concerns, doctors and dentists | | | | devastated. The outside window smashed by the |
| were not easily accessible and it was pricey. | | | | water, the door broken, mattress and furniture |
| With time on my hands I sat in front of my | | | | upside down and the room inaccessible. |
| computer and did some research. and discovered | | | | Hotel guests were taken to higher ground by |
| that Thailand was a popular retirement destination. | | | | buses and trucks. We sat by the roadside on |
| In fact I read that Chiang Mai was the most | | | | higher ground waiting. The hotels found alternate |
| popular retirement destination in all of South East | | | | accommodations in nearby Phuket which was |
| Asia. | | | | about one half drive away from Patong. We left |
| Hundreds of hours of research later by | | | | the others who sat by the roadside and went to |
| methodical, planner George and he has come up | | | | some hillside shacks where Wan was able to |
| with the best retirement country and also the | | | | greet the people, speak their language and explain |
| best retirement city in all of South East Asia and | | | | the situation. They offered us refreshments and a |
| perhaps the world. Chiang Mai, a city of several | | | | place to lay down and wait. |
| hundred thousand inhabitants. Located about 420 | | | | Only when we reached the airport a day later did |
| miles north of Bangkok and less polluted, less | | | | we realize the true extent of the devastation. |
| expensive, and with less traffic than Bangkok and | | | | There were tourists at the airport with cuts, |
| also cooler than Bangkok. Chiang Mai, unknown to | | | | bandages, broken bones but worse yet there |
| most of North Americans yet visited by hundreds | | | | were many people unaccounted for. |
| of thousands of tourists yearly, and home to | | | | Wan and I were unhurt but learned something |
| thousands of foreigners who have visited there, | | | | about each other through the experience. We |
| found it to their liking and decided to make this | | | | showed how we react in emergencies and also |
| their new home. | | | | we learned something about hotels and Thai |
| I arrived in Bangkok on Nov. 23, 2004 and that is | | | | people. After writing to hotel management at the |
| where we will start our real life experiences, | | | | Patong Merlin hotel on at least 6 occasions to that |
| adventures and misadventures. | | | | location and to their sister Phuket hotel which was |
| After the tiring trip I decided to stay over a few | | | | undamaged by the tsunami we received one reply |
| nights in Bangkok. Then well rested I was ready | | | | after 5 weeks. They did not try to clean any of |
| to continue onwards to Chiang Mai. | | | | the clothes left behind, did not try to return any |
| A quick one hour plane flight or a relaxing 13 | | | | of the contents, did not even try to contact us |
| hours train ride which one was it to be? With the | | | | with a letter or e-mail saying sorry about this |
| extra luggage I was bringing including computer | | | | experience. We stayed there for a week at $100 |
| and golf clubs I decided on the train. The bumpy | | | | U.S. a night and will never stay in a Merlin hotel |
| ride in a very comfortable reclining seat (2nd class | | | | again. |
| A/C) set me back all of $15 dollar U.S. and this | | | | Would it have been handled differently or better in |
| included two meals, a refreshment and a pastry. | | | | North America? |
| It was a bumpy ride with little to see but the | | | | Well a one hour flight back to Bangkok for some |
| forest. But I had all my luggage aboard, no extra | | | | shopping and then the short one hour flight back |
| charge, and the bumpy ride was just what my | | | | to Chiang Mai, my new home. |
| legs needed for their circulation. | | | | Now life is different. Wan and I live in her |
| My research enabled me to be well prepared for | | | | townhouse with her daughter and mother. Her |
| my journey and I am not one to leave things to | | | | husband passed away and she has been the one |
| chance. Things went as planned and I arrived at | | | | they rely on. Wan has a beauty salon downstairs |
| Chiang Mai train station and had reserved a room | | | | in her townhouse. |
| for 21 days at the Bossotel Inn which was | | | | What is different now? |
| directly across the road from the train station. | | | | Well I have learned how to live here on less. |
| Like a normal tourist eh? Yes, I am Canadian how | | | | There are accommodations to be had here from |
| did you know? | | | | $80 a MONTH and excellent accommodations can |
| I think in total I spent something in the | | | | be had for $200 U.S. a month. By excellent I |
| neighborhood of 600 hours of research on the | | | | mean similar to a hotel room, TV with cable or |
| internet and I learned what I could but there was | | | | satellite, pool, restaurant on site and in a good |
| more, much more to learn. | | | | location with twice weekly or weekly cleaning. |
| I lived like a tourist at first living in a hotel, eating | | | | I eat Thai food now with chicken wings, French |
| my meals there. I played pool before breakfast at | | | | fries, and some homemade potato soap several |
| a snooker establishment behind the hotel. After | | | | times a week. I read that Thai's can make |
| breakfast TV was the norm and then later in the | | | | anything taste delicious. That is TRUE. |
| day I would walk to the Night Bazaar shopping | | | | They use fresh ingredients in their cooking. There |
| and tourist district about 30 minutes away. The | | | | are many farms nearby and the produce from |
| walk there was good exercise, it gave me a | | | | fruits, to vegetables is abundant year around and |
| chance to see the people and businesses along | | | | very cheap. There is also a fantastic selection of |
| the way and get familiar with the city. Walk, look | | | | seafood's to pick from. You can buy the seafood |
| around, pop into O'Malley's pub for a cool drink | | | | from the market or from a large grocery store |
| and to meet Scot, a fellow Canadian, and the | | | | where the selection is varied and fresh. If you |
| owner. | | | | want you can pick out a live fish, continue with |
| The hotel rate was $16U.S. a night with taxes and | | | | your shopping and when you are checking out |
| breakfast included. I wanted to stay in a serviced | | | | pick up your cooked fish to take home for dinner |
| apartment later but did not want to book it until I | | | | or lunch. |
| had seen it first. I was favorably impressed when | | | | I recently bought pineapples at the large grocery |
| I visited the apartment and proceeded to book it. | | | | store. Large, fresh, mouth watering pineapples. |
| So three weeks at the hotel and then on to the | | | | Ten baht each or .25 cents U.S. each. They will |
| serviced apartment which would run about $250 a | | | | cut if for you and put it on styrofoam with |
| month with utilities and water included, and | | | | cellophane wrapping for free. |
| breakfast extra. The apartment had internet | | | | Back to the cooking. The reason Thai food is so |
| available in the rooms at an extra fee, or internet | | | | delicious is partly the freshness of the ingredients |
| on site, massage spa on site, rooftop pool, | | | | but mainly the sauces. Simple cooked rice with |
| motorcycle rental, beauty salon and restaurant | | | | fried vegetables becomes a delicious meal with |
| which had entertainment in the evenings. The TV | | | | the right sauce added. Something to watch out |
| has a large selection of channels by way of | | | | for if you do visit here. Two small bowls are |
| satellite, there was free parking on site, and a | | | | presented with many of the meals. One has a |
| great location near the Central Mall. So it had it all | | | | green paste/sauce and the other a red colored |
| Other retirees recommend staying in a condo or | | | | paste/sauce. These are added to fish or meat by |
| serviced apartment for 6 months or more to get | | | | way of dipping or by placing a small amount on a |
| familiar with the city before proceeding with any | | | | tablespoon from the bowl and then on to your |
| sort of long term rental arrangements. | | | | food. WATCH OUT!!!! The red is spicy hot and |
| I met a lovely lady name Nichaya. She was a | | | | should be added in measured quantities. The green |
| hairdresser during the day and my tour guide, | | | | should not be added at all unless you are Thai or |
| companion, means of transportation during the | | | | Mexican in my opinion. The green one is the |
| evenings. Although I weigh more than twice her | | | | hottest of the two and can make you perspire, |
| weight we rode around town on her motorbike. | | | | reach quickly for a glass of water and visit the |
| Her driving the motorbike and me on back. This | | | | washroom in the middle of the night and not to |
| may seem odd but it is not uncommon. Unless | | | | brush your teeth. |
| you know the city and really know how to drive | | | | Fantastic food and bargain prices. |
| a motorcycle you shouldn't. These motorcycles | | | | Great accommodations and bargain prices. |
| are 100 and 110 cc engines which means they are | | | | Friendly people who go out of their way to make |
| not powerful but they are very economical in | | | | you feel at home. |
| terms of fuel. We could drive around all week all | | | | So many things to do that I can not even list |
| over town for only $2 U.S. in diesel fuel. | | | | them all. |
| To learn more about living in Chiang Mai one has | | | | Cable TV with 54 channels for $8.25 U.S. a month. |
| to live with the people. Find out what they eat, | | | | Installation cost of cable was around $7 U.S. and |
| where they shop, what they do daily. | | | | $2.50 extra for the second TV. Internet and |
| By this time Nichaya or Wan her nickname which | | | | telephone for about $20 U.S. a month total . |
| everyone has here and I were becoming very | | | | People work hard. Many have their own |
| close and fond of each other. I invited here to | | | | businesses and work 16 hour days 7 days a |
| Patong a beach resort for a weeks holiday. She | | | | week. |
| refused but each day I would ask again. Finally | | | | The business may consist of setting up a table |
| she relented and agreed. Have any of you heard | | | | and a few chairs and selling noodles, cooked |
| of the December, 2004 tsuanmi? Well guess | | | | meat, fruits or a small convenience store with |
| where I was at the time? Right. Right there. | | | | home cooked foods on the side. |
| The tsunami hit a few days before we were | | | | I see the parents take their children to school |
| scheduled to return to Chiang Mai. We lost a | | | | which is expensive here. About 80,000 baht or |
| camera, some clothing, some pictures but found | | | | $2,000 U.S. per year for schooling, clothing and |
| each other. She handled the situation calmly and | | | | textbooks for a 7 year old. They teach the |
| we were unharmed. In case you are interested | | | | children English even at this age. The parents have |
| this is what happened. | | | | to work damm hard to pay for the schooling but |
| Tremor about 3 a.m. Woke me up and I | | | | they are doing this in hopes of their children |
| wondered whether it was an earthquake. Around | | | | obtaining good jobs and having a better life with |
| 4:30 a.m. another tremor. Awakened me again. At | | | | more to look forward to. |
| around 7 a.m. a large boom sounded like a | | | | Cats and dogs here are numerous. Just about |
| shotgun blast and then a minute later another | | | | everyone in our neighborhood has either a cat or |
| such loud boom. | | | | dog or both. Our neighbor has 6 cats plus 2 |
| I thought it may be terrorists out by the pool | | | | kittens and he does not have a fulltime job. It is |
| area and I recommended staying in the room. | | | | difficult for him but I know he loves the cats. He |
| Nichaya told me to get out of the room. We | | | | has offered to give us a few but we do not have |
| grabbed a few valuables, passport and ran out of | | | | the space. |
| the hotel. Our hotel room was on the lower level | | | | So to sum things up. It isn't perfect here. You can |
| facing the pool area which is about 6 feet lower | | | | find something to complain about if you look hard |
| than the lobby area of the hotel. We ran by the | | | | enough but for me it is as close to perfection as I |
| pool, up the stairs to the lobby and out the front | | | | will find. |
| entrance. Just as we crossed the road water | | | | I can tell you about one or two things that I do |
| gushed out from the hotel and on to the street. | | | | not like and I could tell you about the hundred |
| So the water level needed to be at least 6 feet | | | | things I like. I am a picky person so if I like it here |
| high just to reach the lobby area. Motorcycles, | | | | and have very little or nothing to complain about |
| vehicles were being carried down the streets in all | | | | then I am sure others will love it here also. |
| directions by the sudden gush of water. We were | | | | So enamored by Chiang Mai am I that I have |
| on higher ground across the street and took off | | | | created a website to help other retire here. First |
| our shoes and I rolled up my pants. | | | | to come here on vacation and then to retire here. |
| After an hour or so the water level began to | | | | If you want you can retire here on less than that, |
| recede. It was about this time when a motorcycle | | | | but to live a comfortable life here that is all that it |
| policeman drove by and alerted everyone that | | | | takes. |
| there would be another wave coming shortly. He | | | | Visit our website for Thai foods and recipes, to |
| was right. Another similar wave went through the | | | | learn more about living here, and to see pictures |
| lobby and on to the streets again. Now the water | | | | of Chiang Mai. |