Atul Joshi

@bkkdude @Ajarncom I’m joining the club. On the to do list for 1.5 decades.

@Ajarncom I went to Thailand and never saw Jim Thomson House 😆 not even once in over 4 decades. Dunno if this is relevant.

Travel memories are emotional, not checklist-based. That’s why so many “Top 20 Must-See” lists disappoint people. They treat travel like collecting Pokemon badges. Cathedral. Museum. Palace. Next. But the best parts of travel are often the bits that would never make the list: - sitting in a park watching a couple of old guys play chess - wandering into a dodgy neighbourhood - discovering a bakery by accident - taking a local bus just to see where it goes - finding a side street that captures the entire mood of the city better than any landmark ever could The more desperately people try to tick off everything in a city, the less they actually experience it. Great trips happen when you stop trying to conquer a place and just allow it to surprise you. Agreed?

@Ajarncom 😃. They must have seen your posts on airport experiences.

Almaty airport security 🇰🇿 Belt, wristwatch, sneakers, power bank, laptop, laptop open, laptop actually switched on. 🤪 I thought we were moving away from all this. I wouldn't mind but the immigration officer had literally just gone over my info page with a magnifying glass.

@samutsakhonjeff @Ajarncom Wow. Nice to know of the double standards.

@atuleo @Ajarncom America, Canada, European countries are more desirable countries. India is still mostly a third world country. Why make it difficult.

I don't see many tweets mentioning how much more difficult obtaining Indian visas has become for Thai tourists over the past couple of years.

@samutsakhonjeff @Ajarncom I would suggest all of you to just look at your own countries requirements for an Indian to apply visa. Then make a comparison. Do not compare it with the free pass you are used to due to a western passport.

@Ajarncom @atuleo Indian visa has always been one of the longest wait times & always painfully frustrating. Traveling there 9-10 times for business. Being from Canada, so both Commonwealth countries it should be easy. I needed a visa for Australia. Found out at checkin. Got it in 20 minutes. ✔️

@asiapac001 @samutsakhonjeff @Ajarncom It is same or slightly less troublesome than UK, EU & European visa. What it does not offer is any privileges to any of the western/White boys countries which I think is the sore point here. As for Thais, I do feel their pain but it is same for all countries.

@samutsakhonjeff @Ajarncom @atuleo Visas for India have always been a pain in the proverbial

@Ajarncom @philipbkk Getting a passport check before entering is a norm at Indian airports. If systems which are in place feel like a hassle, try being a brown boy applying for visa in EU/UK/US. Also when compared to Heathrow / BKK immigration & baggage handling is surely much better.

@philipbkk Honestly, this white boy with a UK passport will believe there's such a thing as a hassle-free Indian airport when I experience it.

Anything... absolutely anything can happen at an Indian airport. I remember two uniformed guys checking my passport and paperwork in front of Lucknow departures... before I'd even entered the building. Then when I checked in my suitcase and turned around to head to security and immigration, the SAME two officers asked to see my passport and paperwork. I couldn't resist asking them what might have changed in the space of 50 metres. But I could see from their expressions that I ought to just keep quiet and comply. Indian airports are the most mentally challenging places on earth. They'll push you right to the very edge.

@ananyashasau @rohini_express Many times. Which world are you living?

Is there even a single person in India whose passport was made without paying a bribe? 😭 Are any of you here that lucky? And if not, how much did you have to pay?

@Ajarncom The D5 Miracle is good option as it has live kitchen & has much better food options than others. Also centrally located for main terminal

The walk-in rate for the first class Coral Lounge at Swampy is now 3,700 Baht. No one is paying that though. I got us in for free with Master Card travel pass and I bet many Thai bank customers get at least 50% off. I wouldn't pay more than 1200 for the Coral / Miracle stuff.

@shayanwonders Try Rayong & Chantaburi if you want to avoid crowds.

Going to Pattaya for the nth to the nth time because everything else is too far or expensive for this long weekend.

@Ajarncom Very insightful. May you get some more good travelling experiences. Happy birthday.

I’m 62 today. But I’m not fishing around for happy birthdays. Honestly, I’m not. I posted this same tweet last year and I think it's worth repeating. The past 12 months have gone by in the blink of an eye. I suspect the remaining years will go even faster. A great mate of mine calls your sixties the “last guaranteed decade”. Not in a dramatic way - just maybe the last one where you can expect to be fit enough to get out there and do things. That same great mate of mine turned 65 recently - and he’s currently at home recovering from an emergency triple heart bypass. If you’re younger and reading this - I'm begging you to do your travelling now. Don’t wait. Find the money from somewhere and just do it. “Retire and see the world” is one of the biggest cons we were ever sold. Because it’s not about how long you live. It’s about how long you’re able. I can already feel my own wanderlust fading. Travel’s become more pfaff than pleasure. And that’s where investment v reward really kicks in. When you’re younger, you chase the reward - new places, new experiences, a bit of chaos. As you get older, you start counting the cost - time, energy, hassle - and whether it’s actually worth it. It's just a natural part of ageing I guess. You don’t stop doing things. You just stop doing things that don’t justify the effort. It’s like your brain turns you into a slightly grumpy but much wiser accountant. I noticed this change in my parents in their late sixties. Travelling became too much like hard work. Now in their mid-80s, they haven’t been on a plane in years. I’ve seen it happen to plenty of others as well. Yes, we’ve all had an Uncle Frank who was still travelling the world in his seventies. But the truth is, Uncle Franks are in a small minority. Travel now while you have the chance. Travel isn’t a young man’s game - but I’m convinced it’s a younger man’s game.

This could be highest run scoring day in IPL history across 2 games. @bhogleharsha @RaviShastriOfc @GabbbarSingh

@khyatimaloo Option 2 with further detailing it to post Diwali only as pre-diwali preps are as important as main festivities in many households. Post is when mind is free to relax on a vacay.

Finally locking the second group trip for 2026. Still torn between two countries… but I’ll get there. ✨ Need some honest traveller input, would you rather 1. Travel during Diwali (Diwali dates included) 2. Travel around Diwali (before/after, avoiding the dates) Trying to understand traveller psychology here. What would you pick?

@philipbkk Where is this?

Banana Leaf Meals 🤌🏼….Bamboo Mutton Biryani and Mutton Varuval with assorted veggies and chutney

@chiragbarjatya Don’t visit from March to Sept. if 3/4 day trip, easy to ruin due to weather.

People who have been to Bangkok, Thailand: what's one tip you can share before someone visits? Just 1-2 tips, not much.

@onlyfourlando @F1 will now ensure that these views are not available next year or double the price.

The way you can see most of the track from this view!!!

Was an epic game today. Hard luck Pommies. @Ajarncom. Hope you could watch the game.

@Ajarncom - hope you are aware that icc.tv is telecasting all the t-20 World Cup games in Thailand for free. Just need to register. Telecast is good sans advertisement. Today should be good & Go men in blue @philipbkk @sathwik77

@bkkdude @philipbkk Also please visit Peter Cat & Arsalan

@philipbkk Wow 🤩. Indian Coffee House next?

Mocambo -Khush Hua 👌🏻 Chicken Orientale A La Mocambo and Tutti Frutti and add to that some wonderful history and heritage of Kolkata’s dining scene

@veenavenugopal Wow. That’s very lucky. Once in a lifetime kind of day.

What. a. day! 10 hours spent watching 2 epic matches in the stadium. Absolute banger!