what facilities are at Nong Nooch?

[elHoagie]

We're trying to decide exactly what to pack, but we can't find any information online about what's available at Nong Nooch... For anyone who's been there, is there wireless? Pool? Exercise room? Anything else that's important? Thanks!

[bgl]

Jack,

I am alerting Paul Craft to your thread. He was there earlier this year and is probably the one who is most qualified to answer your questions. And about a pool - I checked the IPS website for Biennial info (I know, novel concept! ) and there's a photo from Nong Nooch. I see a good amount of blue. I'm guessing it's a pool. Or two! Sorry about the tiny photo, but it's tiny on the website.

Bo-Göran

[elHoagie]

Cool, thanks Bo!

[Licuala]

Hey Jack,

As you can tell from the photo Bo put up above, there is a HUGE pool facility. When I was there in February, there was no wireless, but plans had been completed to install that throughout the hotels this summer wo it would be available for the biennial. I saw no exercise room, and kind of doubt that there is any.

Let me know if there is any other questions I might be able to answer.

pablo

[elHoagie]

Thanks Paul!

[Licuala]

Jack,

I got a response that wireless is now available in all rooms at Nong Nooch. You have to buy a card to use it, but they are looking into making it available at no charge for all biennial attendees.

see you soon!

[elHoagie]

That's great news, thanks!

[paulgila]

that would be awesome! thanks bo & paul for filling us in!

[Annika]

Great info- huge pool facility & wifi (at no extra cost especially) sound great!

[KONADANTOM]

Aloha Jack - great to see that el and la hoagies will be there in Thailand - will you be bringing your nice Sony camera? I wanted to add info from another Palm Talk thread that others (like me) might have missed seeing. Some Palm Talk members say they are bringing universal adaptors so they can recharge camera batteries, cell phones, etc. in Thailand. I don't have an adaptor so looked online at Amazon.com and see there are many different choices - I was not sure which one I might need but it is already too late for me to get delivery since I leave for Thailand in two days. If I find that I need a universal adaptor in Thailand I'm hoping that there will be convenient places to buy them.

[Trópico]

Hola Dani,

The universal adaptor should be available at your local Best Buy, luggage store (like Samsonite, Travelpro, Wilsons Leather), or (I haven't checked yet) your local department store.

There are essentially two types of adaptors. One is merely the adaptor, which converts the type outlet into the two or three prong that our appliances or charger uses, and the other is the converter, which has a built in step down transformer that can convert 220 Vrms-ac to 110 Vrms-ac. Thailand uses 220 V I heard, and we use 110 V.

I bought an All-in-one Adapter Converter Combo (Dynex) from Best Buy.

In my battery charger case, I just need to use the adapter only (not the converter) since it runs on both 110 V and 220 V. Another consideration is to not exceed the power rating of the converter. Converters are picky and if not used properly can cause your appliance to malfunction.

Two days is too short for delivery, considering Monday is a holiday. I take you are going to the pre-biennial? If you are, see you in three days!

[Kim]

Dan, you can probably get one in the airport at an electronics store, or certainly in the city once you arrive. I arrived in the Canary Islands without one, and easily found an adaptor in a camera/phone/gadget shop.

I have both kinds described by Frank, but the larger, blocky converter doesn't always fit into a recessed circle surrounding the two holes where the prongs would be inserted into the outlet. The smaller one is merely an adaptor, but it's been fine for charging my phone, computer and camera battery charger. Or maybe I've been lucky... One annoyance: it is so lightweight that when I plug something into it, it wants to fall out of the electrical outlet.

I look forward to seeing you again in Thailand!

[Cindy Adair]

I know only what I could read about such things, but ended up with this one. I guess I'll find out if I like it after this trip! http://www.walkabout...r.com/elect.htm

[KONADANTOM]

Mahalo Kim and Gracias Frank for the feedback on the converter – Kim’s photo is helpful so I know what to look for since I don’t speak Thai

Frank, I’ll be going on the Pre-Tour and look forward to meeting you – I’m a short guy with very short gray hair, and do not feel like I’m 60 years old unless I’m looking in a mirror when I see the face of my grandfather looking back at me J

[Kim]

Paul, can you confirm the free wifi is operative for Mac? I remember hauling my computer down to Brazil, but the internet in the hotel did not function for my computer.

[Trópico]

A word of caution on travel converters:

Do not connect single voltage (110V only) gadgets containing electronic circuits inside, or a malfunction/damage will occur!

First, make sure your converter is designed to handle those appliances.

Most of today's electronic appliances (ipads, iphones, camera battery chargers) offer dual voltage input operation (110V / 220V). These should work fine in Thailand when using an adaptor only. If you have a combo converter/adaptor like me, use the adaptor (NOT converter) feature only.

In my earlier post I should have pointed out that some converter designs (mostly under 50W load) use a step down transformer. Step down transformers for higher power (>50W) overseas voltage conversion are more expensive, bulkier, heavier, but do proper conversion of the sine wave (outputs the correct amplitude, frequency (60Hz)).

To keep the light traveler light, converters that need >50W of load power are transformer-less and as a result use solid state switches to do a simpler yet dirtier conversion, literally "cutting corners" (chopping down the AC) to achieve roughly 110Vrms output voltage, but still at 50 Hz frequency. These are typically for appliances that do not contain electronic circuits inside, that consist only of heating elements or motors. Electronic circuits demand a clean input sinewave, not a highly distorted one for proper operation.

If your converter uses the latter technique of chopping down the AC, do not connect appliances which contain any type of electronic circuits, this includes light emitting diodes (LED).

This is why most people give horrible reviews to all these types of adaptors/converters, because they do not know their proper use, then zap! there goes their priced gadget, converter, and all.

I know, it's all very confusing, but I'm starting to understand them more, and will err on the safe side.

[Licuala]

I have just checked into the Grand Four Wings Hotel and I must say, it is a really nice new hotel!

Concerning the outlets, they take either the rounded prongs or the flat prongs like we use in the States. I have learned that is the same at all the places we will be staying. The current is 220, but for charging things like computers, phones, ipads and the like, no converter is needed as long as your charger for these devices says something to the effect "input 100 - 240V" I learned the last time here that it was no problem charging devices as long as such verbage is on your charger. Things like hairdryers, electric toothbrushes and the like will require a converter, however there are hairdryers in every hotel we are staying at. I have an ipad, a laptop, an ipod, digital camera with rechargeable battery, and my smart phone and all can be charged with no converter or adapter......................... Gad, I just realized what a gadget geek I really am! Just be sure to check your device charger to be absolutely sure you do not need a converter. It looks like the round prong adapters are not necessary at all.

There is free WiFi at the Grand Four Wings Hotel. There is WiFi at Nong Nooch, but it is still not determined whether it will be free for our group. It is all brand new there and if I find out in the next couple days that it is going to be free, or you will have to pay for it, I will post here.

Paul

[bgl]

Paul,

Wow, some people get started early with all the fun! I'm still stuck here in Hawaii! Well, not exactly and I WILL be on my way fairly soon. Thanks a lot for all the useful info and see you and everybody else very soon.

Bo-Göran

[BS Man about Palms]

I am trying to find the info that was posted about the need for a small overnight bag for the first night as we will not have our main luggage? (between grand four wings and Nongnooch)

Also the reference for long pants and closed shoes? for the habitat walk?

For some reason I cannot locate this info again... any ideas or info regarding it??

Thanks

BS man

[PALM MOD]

I am trying to find the info that was posted about the need for a small overnight bag for the first night as we will not have our main luggage? (between grand four wings and Nongnooch)

Also the reference for long pants and closed shoes? for the habitat walk?

For some reason I cannot locate this info again... any ideas or info regarding it??

Thanks

BS man

Bill,

Have you checked the IPS site? Here is one page from there with quite a bit of info and links.

http://www.palms.org/biennial_2012.cfm

[BS Man about Palms]

Thanks Dean, I looked there too and cannot find... Do you have an area for deleted threads? I wonder if one accidently got deleted.. I remember Bo mentioning having to have a small over night bag for the second night... now all info for that is gone.. same with the clothing info.. ??

[PALM MOD]

Thanks Dean, I looked there too and cannot find... Do you have an area for deleted threads? I wonder if one accidently got deleted.. I remember Bo mentioning having to have a small over night bag for the second night... now all info for that is gone.. same with the clothing info.. ??

Bill,

No threads/posts pertaining to the Biennial have been deleted.

[BS Man about Palms]

Oops... Thanks and Sorry Dean, was talking with my Bunkmate Palmgrover and he said it was an email from Jim Cain... Sure enough.. I KNEW I read it somewhere.... just not on Palmtalk!