#  >  > Travellers Tales in Thailand and Asia >  >  > Thailands Travellers Tales >  >  Look to the East (through the lens of my new Nikon)

## chitown

Just some photos taken with my new toy from a recent trip to the Eastern Sea Board - Pattaya, Sattahip and Sai Kaew Beach.

Arriving in Pattaya!

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## chitown

2 photos (one day and one night) from the Vantage Point lookout in Pattaya.

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## chitown

Million Stones Park is a touristy spot you can go to for 300 baht if you are a farang and 120 baht if you are Thai. I know that 300 baht is not much, but the double pricing in Thailand gets old as I live here. This bird would not accept my Thai married Visa in my passport as proof that I reside here so I snapped a picture of her "stealing" 300 baht from me!  :Smile:

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## chitown

Out of respect for the ole' Thai flag waving in the wind, I did not put a fight over 300 baht......

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## chitown

For 300 baht, you get to see a croc show, some giant catfish, some caged up animals and some old rocks and some flowers. Hardly worth the 420 baht to get in for the 2 of us.  :Sad:

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## chitown

We got out of there and I met DD over at the Sea Falcon Resort.

We both took some pics of this guy jetting about on the waves.

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## chitown

Nightfall was approaching so DD left and took the nice weather with him.  :Sad: 

Not sure if he did not like the sam-ich I bought him and he cursed the nice weather or it was just another rainy season evening.......

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## chitown

The next day we went to Khao Chee Jun. This is a golden Buddha in the side of a mountain just outside of Pattaya. I have heard two stories. One that is the etching is made entirely of real gold and the second story is that just the nipples are made of gold. Either way the place is guarded by the Navy, so don't think of going and stealing the nipples.  :Razz:

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## chitown

Nearby this Buddha, I located another one of my favorite tourists attractions - a farang diner!!! I new by the name Mc's Diner! Inside I found David from England and he whipped us up some burgers, fries and cokes for 350 baht. David has the diner, a campground, an ATV park, elephant treking, carriages pulled by ponies and a tour company. He located a stones throw from Khao Chee Jun and just before the Silver Lake Vineyard. Mc's Diner : 089-888-4340 and 089-990-0937.

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## chitown

The Silver Lake Vineyard is a nice spot to eat, take some photos and check out some flowers and grape vines.

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## chitown

Off to the beaches.

We started at Jomtien Beach

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## chitown

Stopped at Golden Beach near the Sea Falcon Resort.

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## jandajoy

Smashing photos. Thanks. Did you not find the chips at Daves somewhat less than perfect? Top spot, shit chips.

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## chitown

We ended the beach excursions spending half a day at Sai Khao beach in Sattahip.

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## chitown

It was fun to see the Chinese tourists capsize in 2 inches of water!!  :rofl:

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## daveboy

Very nice but where are all the loose women?

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## chitown

Sorry mate. 

It was a family trip!

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## BosseO

Really nice pictures, which model of Nikon are you using?

NPU (Nikon Professional User).

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## chitown

D40X with Nikkor VR lens. 

I had a Coolpix L1 which I gave to my wife.

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## sabang

I live 2km from the Crocodile Farm Chi- U should've PM'd!
Great shots- seems like a snazzy camera.

Incidentally- are they selling wine from this silver lake vineyard yet?

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## Travelmate

excellent pictures

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## sunderlandstephen

Very nice pics

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## Chong Boy

> We both took some pics of this guy jetting about on the waves.


Great pics, nice camera! Is it a big camera or a little compact one.

You didn't see anyone doing this on the beach in a buggy did you?
Worst thing about Thailand is I cant find a decent place to go kite buggying  :Sad:

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## PeterP

"Sai Khao beach in Sattahip" Where exactly is this. I find Sattahip very difficult as I keep being waved away by the Military. Does anyone know which beaches you can get to and how? Preferably show on a map. Thank you. Peter

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## chitown

> "Sai Khao beach in Sattahip" Where exactly is this. I find Sattahip very difficult as I keep being waved away by the Military. Does anyone know which beaches you can get to and how? Preferably show on a map. Thank you. Peter



When you are coming form Pattaya, Sai Khao beach is before the military base. There are military guards at Sai Khao, but you just have to get a pass from the small office before the checkpoint. Those midget military police will try to flex their muscle when you park to get your pass and return it by directing you here and there and telling you where you should park. A bit arrogant, but they gave up when I combined Dutch, English, German and French into the same sentence and I kept telling them I was off to Pattaya and smiled and laughed at them. Finally they got fed up and walked away!  :Smile: 

When all else fails when you are trying to find Sai Khao or any place in Thailand, have your lady stop and ask a motorsai taxi for directions. If they know where it is, you will have a 50% of finding it. If they don't know where it is, they will still give you directions and you have a 100% chance of getting lost!

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## racefan

> Million Stones Park is a touristy spot you can go to for 300 baht if you are a farang and 120 baht if you are Thai. I know that 300 baht is not much, but the double pricing in Thailand gets old as I live here. This bird would not accept my Thai married Visa in my passport as proof that I reside here so I snapped a picture of her "stealing" 300 baht from me!


 
Surely you have a Thai drivers licence?

I have been to the park several times when various friends and relatives come over for hoilday and have always been charged Thai price on production of Thai licence.

Also works at Nong Nuch tropical gardens.

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## chitown

I have an international license that I continually doctor to keep it up to date.  :Smile:

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## cimboc

Some nice pic's mate... as per usual  :Biggthumpup:

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## flash

I have a Nikon D40x as well, I love it. works well and the battery life is great, i can take over 1000 pictures on one charge

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## Skydisc

[quote=chitown;659634]Million Stones Park is a touristy spot you can go to for 300 baht if you are a farang and 120 baht if you are Thai. I know that 300 baht is not much, but the double pricing in Thailand gets old as I live here. This bird would not accept my Thai married Visa in my passport as proof that I reside here so I snapped a picture of her "stealing" 300 baht from me!  :Smile: 

I don't know if you know it but we are extremely rich compared to the Thai people. That's why others have to pay more. When they charge less for our tickets, the price for the 'not realy rich' Thai people has to be more expensive and that's what they don't want.
So let it be and pay this higher price and think about this reason.
Have a nice time in this beautiful and polite country.

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## jandajoy

> I don't know if you know it but we are extremely rich compared to the Thai people. That's why others have to pay more. When they charge less for our tickets, the price for the 'not realy rich' Thai people has to be more expensive and that's what they don't want. So let it be and pay this higher price and think about this reason. Have a nice time in this beautiful and polite country.


You have got to be taking the piss.  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:

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## chitown

[quote=Skydisc;668953]


> Million Stones Park is a touristy spot you can go to for 300 baht if you are a farang and 120 baht if you are Thai. I know that 300 baht is not much, but the double pricing in Thailand gets old as I live here. This bird would not accept my Thai married Visa in my passport as proof that I reside here so I snapped a picture of her "stealing" 300 baht from me! 
> 
> I don't know if you know it but we are extremely rich compared to the Thai people. That's why others have to pay more. When they charge less for our tickets, the price for the 'not realy rich' Thai people has to be more expensive and that's what they don't want.
> So let it be and pay this higher price and think about this reason.
> Have a nice time in this beautiful and polite country.



I don't know if you know this or not, but there are more Mercedes owned per capita in Thailand than anywhere in Asia. 

So the rich Thais that come to America and go to say Disney Land or Six Flags should pay 5 to 10 times the price that I pay. Or maybe they want to buy a meal at a nice steak house and they are given the Thai price and the the steak is $80 instead of $25.  :Confused: 

I think not. Where I come from it is discrimination. 

Like a basket I went to buy to fill with fruit for my buddies wife that was in the hospital. The guy tells me 180 baht. My wife goes to the shop about an hour later and buys it for 45 baht. 

If that is what you like, I suggest you bend over, sprinkle some prickly heat powder on your bum and let some guy dry hump you in this "polite" country.

I have spent more time shuffling through immigration at Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi than you have spent in the whole country. 

So after you get ripped off and cheated a few times, then you will understand. or maybe you it will turn you on, not sure.......

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## lamangaharry

[quote=Skydisc;668953]


> Million Stones Park is a touristy spot you can go to for 300 baht if you are a farang and 120 baht if you are Thai. I know that 300 baht is not much, but the double pricing in Thailand gets old as I live here. This bird would not accept my Thai married Visa in my passport as proof that I reside here so I snapped a picture of her "stealing" 300 baht from me! 
> 
> I don't know if you know it but we are extremely rich compared to the Thai people. That's why others have to pay more. When they charge less for our tickets, the price for the 'not realy rich' Thai people has to be more expensive and that's what they don't want.
> So let it be and pay this higher price and think about this reason.
> Have a nice time in this beautiful and polite country.


Hope you are a fast learner, you have a lot to learn. Are you visiting/working in Thailand or living some where else.

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## Chong Boy

^^^'skydisc' , foking 'head in the sky' disc more like!  :rofl: 
What a pile of shite!

I don't mind paying a little extra than the average Thai but last year on a drive from Udon to Chiang Rai we stopped in nearly every national park to go to a waterfall or view point and the budget was spent way early when I had to pay 400 baht 3-4 times a day for a 2 hour visit.

Glad to see now they are capping it at 200 but we'll see if that happens!

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## sgoldieje

> The next day we went to Khao Chee Jun. This is a golden Buddha in the side of a mountain just outside of Pattaya. I have heard two stories. One that is the etching is made entirely of real gold and the second story is that just the nipples are made of gold. Either way the place is guarded by the Navy, so don't think of going and stealing the nipples.


There's only one nipple.  :Smile:   haha, anyways what nikon were you using?

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## johngal

really clear pictures show her your thai driving license if you have 1 if she wont accept that get your money back and walk

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## dirtydog

> haha, anyways what nikon were you using?





> D40X with Nikkor VR lens.


You don't read the threads do you.

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## Texpat

There's a nice drop zone about 1 km from that mountain face.

Called: what else, Buddah DZ.

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## Woodentop

> Incidentally- are they selling wine from this silver lake vineyard yet?


They used to sell just grape juice, but now they sell wine at Silverlake. :Smile:

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## MAG

Hi. As Peter P said. I also get waived of by the military in Sattahip when try to enter the beach.
It is very annoying not to find these beaches. Can some one who knows pleas go to Google Earth and post the coordinates.

PLEAS I´m drying out in Sattahip.

Mattias

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## Phuketrichard

i love my 18-200 VR lense.  YOu know they did a few polls on a camera forum and that lense came out as the one most recomended to take with ya when u dont want any hassles.

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## lovethai

yes Nikkor 18-200 is one of the best if u want 1 lens solution to all your needs. and Nikon just released new version of it which has a button to stop the lens zooming out and in by itself (lens creep).

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## 078489

The water is not so clean and beautiful here.

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## Phuketrichard

> yes Nikkor 18-200 is one of the best if u want 1 lens solution to all your needs. and Nikon just released new version of it which has a button to stop the lens zooming out and in by itself (lens creep).


 
GREAT!!! my old 28-200 had this and it it something that has pissed me off about the 18-200 vr lense

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## bobbysan124

Enjoyed the pics.

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## chitown

Haha I still laugh when I think of them sinking in shallow water!!




> It was fun to see the Chinese tourists capsize in 2 inches of water!!

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## Bower

Another good informative thread, thanks

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## Takeovers

Thanks for the pics.

I too would like to know which lens. VR means only it has an anti-shake built in. There are lots of Nikon lenses with that system.

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## chitown

AF-5 Nikkor 18 -55mm DX

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## Cujo

Nice pics Chi, looks like a good camera.

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## chitown

Thanks!!

We take pics every day with it. 

The battery life is terrific.

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## Phuketrichard

Cameras dont take pics, People do>

I have some old great shots shot with a pin hole camera but i do like my Nikons for the versititly of diferent lenses

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## WilliamBlake

I'm looking into buying a digital camera at the moment. How much was the Nikon D40x and does it have a video function?
Cheers.

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## Takeovers

> I'm looking into buying a digital camera at the moment.


If you go for NIKON, which I like a lot I would recommend to buy a Nikon with an AF-S DX 18-105/3,5-5,6 ED VR as a set lens. 

The  AF-5 Nikkor 18 -55mm is a good lens but the other one gives you much more tele capability and it is very good value for money. If you are planning to buy several more lenses the 18-55 is a good start but if you will probably stick to one lens then go for the 18-105.

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## WilliamBlake

I'll probably go with Nikon as I already have a few lenses from the analogue SLRs I used to use. Still no idea on price though. The new D3100 is about 25000 baht I think and has video capability. What's the deal with the D40x, does anyone know?

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## chitown

D40x is a great camera. I think at the time it was 21000 baht, but that has been a few years ago

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## WilliamBlake

No video mode then? Might opt for the new D3100. Thanks for the info guys.

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## chitown

No video and that is fine by me.

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## Takeovers

> I'll probably go with Nikon as I already have a few lenses from the analogue SLRs I used to use.


Those lenses have autofocus probably but no own autofocus motor. The entry level cameras today don't have their own motor any more. They rely on motors in the lens.
To use those lenses you need probably the D90 or look specifically for that autofocus motor in the specs. If you have good lenses it is well worth to invest a little more into the camera body.

For good video including autofocus you are looking for a D7000 or equally new. The older ones including the D90 have video but no autofocus for video.

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## porno frank

Some real cool pics of tland.

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## Phuketrichard

if ur going to buy ONE nikor lense get the 18-200 vr. its costly  about $600 but well worth it,. Usually it is the only lens i carry
as far as cameras look at the 3100
Nikon D3100 Hands-on Preview: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography Review if u wnat entry level ( it repalces the D40) 

 or is u have spare $1,300 or so go for the new 7000

Nikon D7000 Hands-on Preview: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography Review

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## WilliamBlake

Thanks for all the info guys! I just checked out the Nikon D3100 and guess what? It has video capability for all of a whopping 10 minutes. Not really what I'd hoped for. Any of you guys using a camcorder and have any recommendations?

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## cockneyboy187

been looking for a new nikon, thanks for the information

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