Things’ll be great when you’re….Downtown

As much as we love our school provided (and therefore totally free) apartment here in Nichada Thani, we’re starting to realize that we’re just a little too isolated out here in this gated community.

And thus, we are embarking on a new adventure: a quest to find a spacious, yet reasonably priced, 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a balcony in downtown Bangkok – not as easy as it sounds. There is an ever-expanding list of beautiful (and not-so-beautiful) apartments on the Thailand section of Craig’s List, which has been my starting point, but I think it’s going to take a lot of time and effort to find just the right apartment in just the right location.

The problem is that now that we’ve decided we want to move downtown, we want to start looking. But, it appears that there are so many apartments available all the time that when I called a few places today, they were kind of shocked that I was looking now for a move in June. Most recommended that we start looking in May! For such an anxious planner, it’s going to be a difficult few months for me to wait to really start looking.

For now, I think we have to start thinking about where we want to live, and developing a list of must-have’s for our new place so we’re prepared when we finally get our chance to go out on the town!

Here’s what I’m thinking so far for apartment requirements – in order of importance:

• Close to the expressway and BTS so we can get to work easily – we’re thinking Chitlom or Rajadamri, or maybe Silom right now
• Minimum 2 bedroom, 2 bath, but would be great if we could get a 3 bedroom.
• Full kitchen (stove, oven, fridge and plenty of counter space)
• 2 bedrooms don’t share a wall (ie: they are separated by a hallway, bathroom or closet)
• Washer and dryer
• Balcony or at least large windows
• Partially furnished – now that we have so much of our own stuff, why pay for someone elses?
• Aircon that lets you adjust to the actual temperature (not just on/off)
• Newer building, if possible

What do you think? How much are we talking for this fabulous (and currently, totally imaginary) pad? Anyone know of the perfect place for a couple where one works out by Cheangwattana and the other on Sukhumvit Soi 49?

What’s the secret to finding the perfect apartment in Bangkok?

Image from: http://www.bangkokhousing.net/UserFiles/bangkok(2).jpg

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Qatar Calling

Just one week from today I will be traveling to Doha, Qatar as an educational consultant!

I’m still somewhat in shock (and of course honored and flattered) to be asked by one of my edublogging colleagues, Julie Lindsay of Qatar Academy, to come out to QA and work with her faculty for 2 whole days of 21st Century Literacy training. I’ve always heard of this mythical job where people pay you to come out and tell other people what to do…. It all sounds quite perfect to me!

I guess that explains why this, my personal blog, has been a little lacking as of late. Things are going rather well at work and every time I open my laptop, exciting work things seem to be popping up. Which is all well and good, but I think at some point I’m going to have to get myself one of those things, what do they call them? Oh yes, a personal life.

For now, I will be satisfied with my big adventure to Doha (although that, of course, is also for work) – yet another entirely new country for me, and even better, a city that is now home to 2 fabulous friends from KL last year, Mairin and Jabiz!

I have to admit, though, that I have absolutely no idea what to do with my precious few free hours in the capital of Qatar. I’ve been to the United Arab Emirates, but no other countries on the Arabian Peninsula. Anyone have any advice?

Image from: http://www.expressionsholidays.co.uk/ResPic/WW%20Regions/Qatar%20Corniche.jpg

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