Bangkok Trip (20/10/11 - 25/10/11)

 Bangkok 20/10/11 - 25/10/11

1. Taxi from airport - take taxi at the bottom level for metered taxi rather than airport limousine, much cheaper. But another thing you all don't know is that, should ask the driver to use meter. This round, the driver asked me: You want to use meter or flat rate? Lagi tell me it's the same. I know it's not the same and meter is cheaper because the hotel I stay is also near Phrom Phrong station so should be < THB300. But I just let him use flat rate, i.e. THB400. There are two of us so doesn't matter lah, let him untung a bit lah. I think that is why last time my UFM classmates were charged THB450 while I was only charged THB280. Because my taxi driver used meter while theirs don't.

2. Reached Check Inn Phrom Phong, something like apartment suite, but small and a bit old. Overall is OK if not 'yim chim' but I won't really recommend it if you really want good facilities. But the rate is cheap la, ~RM115 for 5 days because I booked through Agoda.com. But I like the staff there. Because it's small, you feel closer to them and imagine my surprise when the manager can speak Mandarin and is a very tall and handsome Thai young guy. I was mesmerised by his 'handsome'ness. Especially his eyes, really knows how to 'fang dian'. The staffs there are helpful, handsome and pretty. I like the people there. I thought wanna take picture with the 'shuai ge' but better don't be so 'hiao'. I didn't bring laptop but hotel got 2 PCs, just nice for us to use and luckily no other hotel guests use the PCs. So that's why I can online.

3. Some of the updates you can see through my FB, posted when I was still in Bangkok. My first tour was to Chao Phraya river. Was worried about the flood but we decided to check out the river water condition. If really cannot, then decide to take taxi to Grand Palace and other Wats. Luck was on our side, although water level is high the boats are still operating. But up until now, I still don't know whether it's a one-way or two-way plying route. Logically, should be two-way but I hardly see any boat coming against our direction. So it remains a mystery to me. But I must really count myself lucky because 2 days after that, the river cruise operation was halted.

4. Went to Grand Palace and as usual, lots of tourist. Very hot. One thing I did wrongly was I forgot to take camera from my brother so I was without camera. I can't experiment with my camera and luckily my friend let me play with her camera awhile. Come back here I am dark like hell. You know why I know? Because now I have different skin tones on my body, much more than during the Ancient City trip back in July 2011. I loved Wat Arun. I wished to stay up there for long time but can't because the boat crossing the river closes at 6pm. When we went back to Tha Tien pier (across Wat Arun), the pier was already flooded slightly. Count myself lucky.

5. Wat Pho I feel like so-so only. Maybe that time not enough battery already since the weather is so so hot. Went to Chinatown and was slightly disappointed because it wasn't like what I was expecting. But it's big lah. Nothing too special about it if you ask me. I don't like that place. Seemed too busy. Perhaps also because we met an unscrupulous tuk-tuk driver to Chinatown and a conman when walking from Grand Palace to Wat Pho. Oh, but there is one feature I like about Wat Pho. I like the part where you put one coin each into the long lines of bowl. Very cute, at first I thought there was a construction going on because you can constantly hear the 'ting ting' sound made when coins fall into the bowls. When I walk to the other side of the Sleeping Buddha, then only I know it's the coins.

6. Visited MBK, Chatucak and JJ Mall. Bought a one day BTS pass, on which date I forgot already. So we utilized our day pass kaw kaw. We decided to visit Patpong, wanting to see what is so special about that. My advice... better don't go. Sellers are dishonest, marking up the price like nobody's business. When you bargain for lower price, they pulled long face like very 'bo kam muan' and worse still, they will scold you or pull you if you walk away after asking price or asking for discount. We totally don't like the atmostphere there. Lagi got people sell porn DVD and asked me want to buy or not. Cilaka betul!

7. Walked the area of Central World and again met conman. Either I wear betul-betul like foreigner or my face looked like stupid enough to be conned. Friend bought very cheap sports shoes during the promotion period there. Real worth it. 2 Nikes and 1 New Balance at ~RM450. Real good promotion man! Went to Platinum and Pratunam. Really rambang mata there man. They are wholesale centres, where most of the stuffs there are sold in bulk at very cheap price. Lucky I don't have enough money already, if not sure I sapu more. Now I know what it feels like to shop. Really crazy ah! Also went to Siam Paragon. We were a bit tired towards the end of the day and we didn't explore too much there. It's very beautiful especially the water fountain there. We didn't visit the Ocean Water Park though. Ticket so damn expensive, beh tahan.

8. Went to Bangkok Arts and Cultural Centre, just opposite MBK. Ngam ngam got painting exhibition and also got mime show. I like that particular day. It's not in our itinerary but I really like the free and easy feel lah. Just don't know my friend enjoy or not because she didn't talk much. But don't care lah. If not happy, direct tell me. If you don't tell me, I assume everything is OK.

9. Planned to watch the famous 'Calypso Cabaret' ladyboy show in Asia Hotel but ticket was priced at THB1200. Super expensive if you buy direct from Asia Hotel. And since I forgot to bring the name card of Ms Bond, a tour guide in Bangkok, we didn't watch. Ms Bond told us last time that if we book through tour agent, will be cheaper, only about THB600.

10. On our last day, I realized that the 5th floor of Emporium, where the food courts are located, are so fun to explore, especially with the different international food around. Last time we don't know how to walk so that's why we didn't find it interesting. No wonder the Philippines team like to go to Emporium for dinner last time. I had a lot of Thai milk tea in Bangkok during this trip. Just felt like it.

11. I found fried insects sold in front of the 50, 60, 70 THB shop accidentally while strolling the street at night. The man was selling them on a stall attached to a motorbike. Imagine how happy and excited I was! I bought 2 of each insect, for me and my friend. I am really grateful to go for the trip with this friend, because she willingly accompanied me to do those stupid stupid stuffs. We ate fried grasshopper, larvae and cricket together. Dare not eat cockroach and frog though. Geli! Uwekk! Also visited the Benjasiri Queen's Park again. All the posters of Yingluck and Abhisit had been taken down already. Of course also brought my friend to Naraya. Didn't buy too much though. Patterns are still the same, nothing much different.

12. We went to 7-11 to find mineral water and were looking to buy the famous Mama noodles especially its pork flavored noodles and were surprised that we couldn't find it. I was thinking "Wah, Thai people so healthy one meh? They don't eat one ah?". Later on only it occurred to me that people had been stockpiling the dry foodstuff in order to prepare for the flood situation. So blur of me!

13. The situation in Bangkok airport is the same when we reached or leave Bangkok, very crowded! I guess when we reached Bangkok, most people are like us, not too worried about Bangkok flood situation. But by the time we wanted to leave Bangkok, many people started to panic and wanted to leave Bangkok as fast as they can, because the AirAsia counter is jammed and packed. Long queue for each line.

Nevertheless I really count myself lucky because now the Bangkok flood situation is very bad. And I do hope it won't get much more worse than now because I like Thai people. They are humble and down to Earth. Especially my Thai friend, Ms Lek and Tom.

No pictures posted on FB yet because I didn't bring camera and the stupid me forgot to bring hard disk to save them from Yong's camera. But I still managed to write such a lengthy post. Seemed like my memory is not too bad, haha! I think you will either give up reading this till the end or you will curse me by the time you finished this, since it's so long. But I think the second option is more likely than the first one :)