bumblebee Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 During my strolls around town and environs I notice day in day out the same people sunbathing for hours. There is one woman in particular who can be found at the section of beach at the end of Pattaya Klang who resembles an old wrinkly leather bag. Maybe she needs the sun for medical reasons, but like the others I see, they don't seem to be getting any darker. Now no doubt some people enjoy the heat on their skin, but I find anything over 5 minutes exposure to the direct sun here too much. I cannot imagine how people can sit out in it for hours cooking away. I used to it when I was younger, suffering in a pool of sweat to get the desired tan to attract the ladies, those who know me have seen the wrinkles to show for it, but with all the health warning these days I have done a complete 360 with my attitude to the sun. So how about you guys, sun worshipers or not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globetrotter Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I don't for 2 main reasons : I'm a very pastey bugger (a product of my Irish heritage ) so I don't tan anyway (just burn to a crisp) and the other reason is frankly I just find it too boring 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaiDee Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Loved it from about 18 to 40. Bear in mind New England summers are quite short, so we would soak up the rays while we had the warm weather. For many years, including the first ten or so that I came to Thailand, one of my favorite things was to sit by a pool or at the beach with a book and the Ipod and just collect the rays. Kinda got sick of it a few years back and wouldn't even consider it today, if I am at the beach or by a pool I will always be in the shade. Also had a large melanoma growth removed from my chest last fall, just in case I needed any more convincing that sun worship is really bad for you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sustra Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I agree that is boring and not very healthy...cannot more then 30 minutes and in thailand the sun puts me down and gives me vertigos.....too strong and direct, as i am living on the beach in italy i will sunbath a little here during summertime..but i guess in Thailand i prefer the tunning of the moon!!!!! i adore low season with those heavy afternoon rains...infact when i come back from my holidays.. everybody is telling me..."you are whiter then before..." fooling me ...they know probably i've not been a monk during holidays..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duke007 Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Frankly sunbathing bores the shit out of me, I have tried it several times by taking a book to read and listening to music but after 30 minutes Ive had enough The way I would get a Tan nowadays is by chilling on the Balcony or taking a Motorbike ride for an hour or so, taking in the sights such as Soi 6 in the afternoon for example Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumblebee Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share Posted March 11, 2014 Back home a tan was the thing to have in the 70s, 80s and 90s to show we had been away to the sun of course. I found the longer I spent in Thailand the more I began to think like the locals on this matter, that a dark tan looks loso and something to avoid. That's not my primary reason for dodging it these days, but when I see guys cooking all day on Beach Road or god forbid while sitting stripped to the waist in a bar/restaurant on Buakhao, Sois 7 and 8 I think for what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimslim Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I love lying on the beach at Jontiem every afternoon for a few hours just reading a book and relaxing . Its an integral part of my holiday and I need to get outside in daylight hours as much as possible . To lie all day in my room would depress me . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacman Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Living in the skin cancer capital of the world I avoid the sun these days. As a youngster I spent summer on the beach taking pride in the bronzed colour I turned every year. Today I have friends who have to get skin cancers burnt off their face every 3 months. Everyone I know has had skin cancers cut off, I have had about 12 removed & I am overdue another check up. Many of the old guys I know are getting their heads slowly cut away, each year another part of their ear or nose or skin is being removed in an effort to keep skin cancer at bay. The only people I see here today who have that deep burnt skin colour are tourists who flock to the beach. Most of them are English, they love the sun & we try to help them in any way possible. A free bus service is provided for all Poms going to the beach... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xyzzy Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I'm a very white white boy so have always avoided the sun as much as possible as I burn easily. Plus these days I live at 5000+ feet elevation. BB how do you protect yourself on your notorious long walks? I use spray on Coppertone Sport at home. Reqular sunscreen doesn't compare to that stuff for staying power but it takes some effort to remove. But I didn't bring any with me this trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumblebee Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 BB how do you protect yourself on your notorious long walks? . Well for starters I always wear a cap now when in direct sunlight and often times one of those Khmer scarfs to protect my neck. I try to keep to the shady side of the street (insert joke here) and it is surprisingly easy to keep out of the sun in most places around town. I do tend to overlook sun screen on my arms, feet, ears and face, I keep meaning to put it on but as i am not in the habit more times than not I forget. Funny to hear my walks are now notorious, sounds like KenW has had a word in your ear. I remember him panting for breath while we took a break on the Mekong 2 years back, there again he may have been thinking of the Rainbow cabaret later that evening and that brought it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williethepimp Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 No matter how long i stay in the sun,i can't get my face to turn from lobster red to fashionable golden brown...ive tried every sun cream there is,oil of coconut and oil of palm,sun cream factors 15-50,,,,,i can't go brown,so i no longer try....i dont sunbathe,and i dont use creams anymore(i've reached the "fuck it" stage).....Skin cancer does worry me,so i should be more careful i suppose........ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duke007 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Well for starters I always wear a cap now when in direct sunlight and often times one of those Khmer scarfs to protect my neck. I try to keep to the shady side of the street (insert joke here) and it is surprisingly easy to keep out of the sun in most places around town. I do tend to overlook sun screen on my arms, feet, ears and face, I keep meaning to put it on but as i am not in the habit more times than not I forget. yeah, Ive seen you a few times walking around Patt-a-ya BB 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenW Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Well yes bb, my friend, well I remember your notorious "strolls." I seem to vaguely recall in some thread or other referring to them as bb's boot camp forced marches. Ha! Never mind Mate, they were good days. Always seemed to end up at happy hour on the quay and the fabulous Italian place whose name now I forget. (Best Italian in SEAsia in my opinion, but that's by the by.) Like so many others have intimated I too drew the short straw in DNA when it came to skin (and other features), 4 cancers removed thus far, always out these days in long sleeves, long duds, hat, shades, sun cream. All up I'd much rather be inside eating & drinking. And of course oompitty oom to ooom um. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garrydirty Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I do enjoy a health glow with a tan and as I work outside here in the UK i tan easy if the weather is good I don't mind lying on the beach as long as I have some company with me I spent 3 days over in Koh Larn last trip and it was great to hire a bike and take my girl with me and find a nice quiet beach so I would rather be on an island somewhere in LOS than on the beach in Patts just popping over there for 3 days was heaven and was great to chill out with her.....just took it all in and it was magic.... stayed in a lovely place which had little bungalows think it was called The Kiang Dow Resort lovely place they bring ur breakfast to ur porch in the morning and place it on the table good service .... Regards Garry 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumblebee Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share Posted March 13, 2014 Well yes bb, my friend, well I remember your notorious "strolls." I seem to vaguely recall in some thread or other referring to them as bb's boot camp forced marches. Ha! Never mind Mate, they were good days. Always seemed to end up at happy hour on the quay and the fabulous Italian place whose name now I forget. (Best Italian in SEAsia in my opinion, but that's by the by.) The Dolce Vita is the restaurant Ken. Perfectly located for a fine meal before the short stroll to Rainbow at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomcat Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 White guys need at least 15 mins a day in the Sun between 11 and 3 to get Vitimin D ..there are big problems now with kids getting bone problems etc etc to to lack of sun. Weak winter sun lite gives less rays and thats why in LOS i try to get my 20 mins worth every day in shorts and T shirt... but frying on the beach ... no way .. im of fair skin Celtic/Anglo stock and Lobster up very quickly I think up to 11 and after 3pm its better to lounge around on the beach if you like a long stretch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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