I made a post a while back called “Visa Runs: The Long-term Expat Headache Explained,” and I realize people may be counting on this information as they try to make Thailand their home, so I thought it my responsibility to include an update due to some big changes in the way visas are being handled.

One of the things that hit me with the biggest sense of freedom when I stepped into this country is the most popular mode of transportation here—a lifestyle in itself. The motorbikes. While not the rip-roaring hogs you see (and HEAR) in America, there is still something extremely liberating about cruising around everywhere you go on a motorcycle.

One of the biggest headaches for someone living in or traveling for extended periods in Thailand is the dreaded visa run. Even with a dismal economy and political turmoil turning away travelers in the droves, Thai officials have not seem to got it in their skulls that making it more difficult for travelers and expats to stay is in their country’s best interest.

Traveling around Bangkok can be intimidating for the new visitor. The city is large, the streets are convoluted, and the traffic jams are notoriously slow. However, getting around the city doesn’t have to be a headache. Rather, it can be an adventure unto itself.