It doesn’t seem that long ago when I was writing my last ‘Fears’ post, just a year ago. Time doesn’t half pass us by fast.
I have been quite ill over the last 24 hours, and able to comment, vote but not write.
I think it might have been food poisoning but where I got it from, I couldn’t tell you.
The last time I was throwing up in the toilet was in Ilford London in 2007, whilst alone in a hotel room after being poisoned by some dodgy chicken from Sainsbury’s.
The next day I stubbornly went to work by train but didn't arrive. I managed the Ilford – Stratford train and then threw up all over station gaining both sympathetic and horrified looks.
Source
...'Stratford Station, thankfully Barf free.., it doesn't hold great memories for me'...
I don’t get sick often as I’m careful what I eat, which brings me to my first fear.
The Food – Especially this stuff you call ‘street food’. From what I read from others, it’s the thing to try and I will... but not unless someone else has proven to me no ill effects have happened in the last 12 hours from a particular street vendor.
Source
...'it looks great but dare I take the gamble having a stomach that has the constitution of a paper bag?'...
We have only a few days to enjoy the event, and disposing of food poisoning for me takes 24 hours. I can’t take that gamble.
The Journey – I loathe plane travel. Not the fear of crashing and dying (though that is always on your mind), it’s the sheer boredom of a long haul.
My journey is split as the first leg is to Helsinki and the long haul via Finnair to Bangkok. I’m not looking forward to the flight at all.
I have back problems, so will probably try and get an aisle seat so I can mooch around the plane a little. Sitting all the time is not good for us.
Jet Lag - Again this is related to travelling and not the event. I suffer from it very badly going EAST across the world.
Source
...'supposedly there are pills to alleviate the 'lag, I'm not so sure'...
That is the journey outward. For this reason, I will be arriving late on the 4th of November, with a little time to recover for the start.
From what I read Melatonin pills help with Jet Lag. Does anyone have any experience bad or good of using these?
The Lack of People - STEEM is 13c, last year at this time it was around 95c. How many people are attending SteemFest this year? Krakow hosted several hundred.
Source
...'empty rooms..., we will have none of this I hope!'...
Only @roelandp will have information about numbers. Some may ad-hoc attend in the final few days. I hope it's like last year and there is enough interest.
I am looking forward to meeting the Asian community of STEEM users. I am married to a Filipina so have connections to this part of the world.
Beer Nights - I won't be going on nightly drinking sessions, even if you drag me as my body is not fond of beer, though I can handle a couple at the most.
Having a hangover is not my idea of fun, so you can call me boring all you like but it will be water off a ducks back.
@goblinknackers can cover my spot for the serious drinking sessions, that’s more his thing.
My Lack of Confidence - This is my last fear and not as prevalent as I feel it to be as one year ago. Saying this I am not a confident person when it comes to socialising.
If I make a connection with you, you may find I won’t stop chattering. There needs to be a mutual interest as I’m not one for small talk.
There were several times I found myself at SteemFest 3 wandering around looking for people to talk to. It wasn't very comfortable but I know its of my own making. That's just how I am.
There can’t be many more Road to SteemFests now. I wonder if this is the last one?
See you in Bangkok, and please come talk to me.
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I have been in SE Asia for three years living on 80% street food. The trick is not to get anything out in the sun, and to look for crowds of locals. I have never been sick in all this time.
The bigger problem is dehydration for someone new to the tropics. You want to be drinking twice the amount of liquids you normally would. Not water, but juices or even electrolyte mix. Lack of salt and sugar did make me sick in my first weeks in Bangkok. I was in tthe ER and told to stop drinking only plain water. This helps.
Get a blow up or cushioned neck pillow for the plane trip and do your best to sleep. This is a good time for any kind of sleep aid if you have something like this.
If you are wandering around lonely, look for others in the corner alone and say hello.
That's all I got.
EXCEPT!
I won the conference fee, so I will be the old skinny white lady working the crowd as best I can instead of sitting out on the stoop.
See you there, my friend @slobberchops, and feel better soon!
Thanks for the tips, sleeping on planes is hard when they are cramped and your back is constantly hurting. Hope to see you there.
Well, yes, and hence the idea of some type of sleep aid or muscle relaxer for the trip, @slobberchops. Pacing the aisles for 12 hours is not a good way to go.
FYI - All pharmacies in central Bangkok have English speaking and Western trained professional staff. They are on almost any street you walk on and at the airport. If you are hurting, go in to any one of them and tell them what's up.
They will sell you narcotics or prednisone otc for very, very cheap - 10 - 20 pills usually. They do not do this for anyone off the street, but a Westerner in obvious pain, they will help.
There is no advil or aspirin in this region but they have panadol/tylenol in packs of 20 for cheap.
If you use magnesium oil for pain, bring it with you. It can get rid of cramps on the plane. This is very expensive here if you can find it.
OR
Go to the plane galley and get fruit juice, water and salt for cramps. They will give it free on a plane. I often need it.
I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, so completely know how you feel.
Congratulations @slobberchops!
Your post was mentioned in the Steem Hit Parade in the following category:
How can you be not confident with face like your profile picture?
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Ha.. I'll scare you to death with that face!!
🤐
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Says the guy who goes snooping around in spooky derelict buildings!!!
Can't wait to see
my teayou !!😂Ah yes.. the tea.. I still need to go get it as well as umpteen other things!
You're a star!!!
Writing from my couch under a blanket with gingertea, a decent fever, and no breath at all I know the feeling of not being very optimal in health before my upcoming flight next week.
Yeah the streetfood is something else. You have to be picky with what you get, but really do try some different flavors! I am also curious how many people will be here, difficult to say...hoping on good numbers though!
We will see us there and have a normal talk like normal people do ;)
Ack.. get better, seems there's a few ill people around here now.
You are going to be there before day 4 this time... right? ;)
yeah...I work in pediatrics...it was a matter of time before the bugs found me hahaha..it will get better!
And yeah! It actually is looking like I will arriving sort of in time! Welll uhhh...I am in Thailand before..havent booked my flight from the south to bangkok as yet, but that will totally work out! :D
I'll be at the main hotel.. prince something. Last time there were two main ones., but no confusion this time around. Will see you in a week and a bit!
STEEMFEST all the way! Bangkok are you ready??
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LOL, not really... are you going?
Nice post. Myself traveling Vietnam and Thailand for 25 days, this December. On the run, absolutely no schedule of events. So I will anxiously monitor your live posts for cool and interesting adventures that you will document.
Do not leave out any details.
Respect ✊
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Shame you cant come by, would be good to meet you.
Fly the flag for the UK Steemians SC.
I think there is only a handful of Brits going this time - must be Brexit and all that jazz.
If I was going I would have the same fears as you. Although it sounds like you have got double my beer capacity. Just one and I'm going wild in the aisles...
I have to be careful with beer. I like the stuff but the feeling unfortunately is not reciprocal. Is there anyone else going from the UK besides myself, @goblinknackers and @revisesocilogy?
I am guessing Matt @starkerz and Dylan @anarcotech are going.
Not heard of anyone else going from the UK. Maybe @ezzy and @rea - I think they are among the small group of people who have been to all the SteemFests so far. Although both have stopped posting in the past month...
Ah yes, I keep forgetting about @starkerz.. he said he might go... which means he will go... :)
I know the names of the others, @rea I saw in Krakow but didn't know her then. The name being short was in a large typeface.. easier to see on those badges!
I will look forward to regular updates and reports.
Maybe you can grab all the Brits together for a TeamGB selfie (I think they will all fit in an arms length pic easy enough 😀).
Yes, I think we can manage one of those!
I hope it will be a great trip for you. Have you been to Bangkok? That could be a treat in itself. I guess you just have to be a little careful with the food. Make sure it is well cooked. I also hope there will be a good crowd there. It may well be a different mix this time, but you should see some familiar faces.
Never been, I'm trying to figure out how to get to the hotel.. considering we arrive during rush hour. I know what the roads are like in SE Asian cities.
There's the train.. but it may be dark and wont take us right to the hotel. Might have to be a metered taxi.
Take the train to the end of the line, and then the taxi sand is right there when you get off the train. You are only a few minutes from the hotel at that point. The train is half the time of a taxi in rush hour, if not even better than that, @slobberchops. The train entrance is well marked and directly attached to the airport. So much better than a taxi the whole way.
Wish I had known, we already booked and paid for a taxi. Oh well...
Wish I had known, we
Already booked and paid for
A taxi. Oh well...
- slobberchops
I'm a bot. I detect haiku.
Maybe ask the locals on Steem. Has anyone done a guide to getting around?
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Ugh I wish I could make it. I'll be in Bangkok in April or May though. :(
You should thank God you don't have Acrophobia or Aquaphobia or Claustrophobia!
I’m a bit leery about street food too but hopefully sticking to things that have been cooked and staying away from raw stuff will do the trick. Also not looking forward to the long flight. I’m doing Minneapolis —> Seattle —> Seoul —> Bangkok, something like 26+ hours including layovers. Hoping that the Pacific leg isn’t too brutal.
I’ll be that tall socially-awkward guy who’s going to buy at least one of your beers.
Will see you there, you should be easy to spot!
Those seem like some pretty decent fears. I agree with you on the flying thing. Mostly for me it is the tight spaces and the way they herd you in like cattle. I don't worry about crashing so much, but being stuffed in a tin can is kind of horrible. Good luck with everything! I wish I was able to attend.
Maybe one day we will meet, though it wont be in North America. As I told you before, I'm not longer welcome.
Street food in Bangkok is so amazing and far safer than anything in restaurants IMO. If you can watch them cook it in front of you then you know it's fresh and steaming hot. Make sure you go to places full of locals. My favourite staple was always noodle soup.. I still dream about it now. So Jealous!!! enjoy
I will give it a go, thanks for the tips!
I'll be curious on how this trip turns out for you. I haven't read anyone elses fears but yours sound like mine if I were to go.
I'll be curious on how this trip turns out for you. I haven't read anyone else's fears but yours sound like mine if I were to go...food sickness is the worst!
I'm over that now.., and I love thai food with all it's exotic spices. Will have to see how it goes.
No nightly drinking. No wild Street food. Boo hiss on you young man!!
I know what you mean about the wandering about looking for someone to talk to at times. I was like that at sf1
I was always a poor drinker when young. 3.5 pints is honestly the most I have ever consumed. The room started spinning and my guts were all over the floor.
I'm just not built for the stuff. The recent food experience has put my guard up even more about the street food. I'll probably still try a little and I know @detlev will make me drink some.
If beer gives fear then wine is the answer!
Aghhh... no, that's even worse especially the red stuff. There is hope if I can find Hoegaarden beer. Now that stuff doesn't give me an acid reflux problems.
Hoegarden is quite nice!
You are right to be careful of am upset tummy though. That would really put a dampener on things!