now that photobucket is back online, i guess it's time for me to blog about the bangkok trip.
well, living for a good 20 going 21 years, i've never board a plane before. let alone going overseas with friends and later in the week, alone. i can say there's quite alot of first time being broken over here.
it's my first time on a plane
it's my first time overseas with friends
it's my first time alone overseas
it's my first time having other countries' chop on my passport other than malaysia.
when in the transit area, we walked around abit. so we went around looking at those DFS stores. 2 particular things caught our eyes. which is the ever HUGE MARLBORO cigarettes and the absolut 100.
look out the size of that thing compared to my ezlink card!
anyway, i bought one absolut 100 before i leave the arriving lounge. okay, back to the post.
airasia's flight was alright. not very used to the pressure and thus having itchy left eye. but the thing is, it's only my left eye and not both eyes. weird though. i thought it's just me but when i ask ridzwan, he mentioned he had similar problems. when we reached bangkok, it's already 1.45am thailand time. initially we were thinking of going to hard rock cafe, but it's too late cause it closes at 2am. so we checked in to our hotel, asia hotel.
HELLO room 911so basically we went to the nearby 7-11 store to get some instant noodles just to fill our stomach for the night but it was not enough. we called in.... the ROOM SERVICE.
my pork chop wasn't all fantastic. ridzwan claims that his friend chicken is damn nice but i find it so so. with 2 glass of magaritas, all for just $38! the thing is, i know liquor are cheap in thailand, but there's no need for so much alcohol in the magaritas! like seriously, 3/4 of the mix was tequila. and i absolutely hate tequila, don't ask me why. just hate it.
watched xxx(as in the movie triple X and not porn). both of us just doze off.
next morning woke up rather early despite of sleeping late from the movie. prepared and off we went shopping.
took the *don't know if i got it right* Bangkok Train Service(BTS).
that's the name of the train station that's linked to our hotel.
the fares of the BTS is like so cheap? 15baht for a short service. longest service also only 40baht. which is lie, 75cents for short service and $1.60 for long service.
first stop.
siam paragon
similar to singapore's paragon, nothing much to see. things are priced similar to singapore's paragon.
we went over to siam centre to grab a cup of mocha and cappucino before we move on to siam discovery centre. sort of like our local's PS, but smaller version. it's got a guitar store in there. i was amazed by the range of BC Rich guitars they offer. all warlock models but different designs. like more variety than davis.
that's like only half of what they offered. they only allow me to take 1 photo.
next, went to the largest shopping centre in Bangkok. the MBK.
picture this. 2 guys going in there and went on a shopping frenzy. imagine if we were with girl. i would want to know what the scene will be like. even we guys, were spoilt for choice, thinking of what to buy, what to get. comparing here and there. we spent like a good 5 hours in there trying to get most of the stuff we wanted there. bought alot of stuff like t-shirts, lighters, socks and handphone accesories. just to name a few. by the time we went back to the hotel, the sun is already setting.
we went for a swim before we head off to hard rock cafe(HRC).
just before i go into hard rock cafe..
took this photo before we head off to HRC. ridzwan was like saying, 'eh, still got chandelier, not bad. take photo, let them know that at least the hotel we stay in not that low class'.
went in there, the atmosphere was good. basically everything's just like brewerkz. ridzwan had Fish n Chips while a had ribs.
here's the ribs!
under happy hour, the house pour beers and house pour liquor are 1 for 1. so you can see both of us have 2 drinks each on the table. as usual, the amount of liquor in the mix is still a killer. had vodka with 7up. after dinner, went back and therefore ends the first day.
2nd day, early in the morning, was awaken by some national anthem like song so we are like wondering what the hell is that. comes out, it's a church. think it's some church college or something. but too bad, the picture of the church was taken in the night. can't really see the full details of it.
our goal is to go to this place call Big C market. along the way, saw a few interesting stuff, mostly random photos i would say. some architecture in bangkok is really quite nice.
i didn't know taksin have supporters in singapore?
just so to let you know, the orange and purple opaque lift design is sony ericsson. damn cool, just so happens that ridzwan and i are using sony ericsson phone too. just when i was going to take another photo, a security guard came to me and said, no taking of photos. ridzwan saw the guy walking towards me but never warn me. instead he stood at one corner and watch the damn show. na bei.
so we left the building and alas, Big C supermarket.
well, inside is really nothing. the whole building is just a supermarket. like singapore's carrefour but stretched over 4 levels. other than that? nothing. so we went back to siam area again for mocha and cappucino.
can you read?! it says mocha and cappucinosince we got nothing to do in the afternoon, we went online to see if JJ market(chatuchak weekend market) will be open on friday evening. the internet site say it will be BUT this is what we've got........
nothing at all!! but i can say that place from the interactive map, is small. but the whole area is just darn huge. it took us like 20 mins to walk from one exit to another exit. it's smelly as hell inside, the air inside is filled with dust. had to have 2 bottles of water to cleanse our breathing system.
although the walk in the park was nice.
we went back empty handed. went for a swim and i have a sudden craving for donuts, but just can't remember where i saw the shop. so we walk to and fro from our hotel to siam. settled our dinner by buying food from 7-11.
on the way while exiting the hotel, at the hotel restaurant, there's this elvis imitator, but i can't seems to make out what he's doing. he just dress to look like elvis?
walked pass a fucking eerie drainage. i thought i can capture something like a ghost or something. can't seems to make out something though.
this is on the left side
and this is on the right sideif you see something abnormal, tag me!
went back to hotel and ridzwan went for a massage. since it's his last day in bangkok, he say he wants to enjoy.
he came back, watched night in at museum on HBO and both of just doze off yet again.
the next morning, as his flight's at 9am. he have to leave at like 6am in the morning to the airport. i woke up to see if everything's alright, before he leave and i went back to bed. woke up like 9am in the morning, slacked abit. was going through this soduku and word game on the thai papers.
packed my stuff, had breakfast and checked out. later, boarded a taxi to another place called khaosan, checked into my room.
HELLO room 304the room is small but cosy.
not as bad as i expected. went for lunch, walked around abit when i saw this all mobile ATM machine. it will be there in the morning and afternoon and gone at night. and what's more? it's UOB.
how cool is that? but too bad, i don't have much money in my UOB account cause all my pay goes to my POSB account.
breakfast was included for my stay so i would have breakfast everyday at the cafe in the hotel. while you are having breakfast, they will be showing movies.
either that, you can pick up the local papers to read. and guess what i stumbled upon on the local classified ads.
a fucking sex change for only US$1625?! that's like fucking cheap. taking a look closer, it's done at some polyclinic! i didn't know polyclinic there can do wonders.
WOW.
so basically for those few days. i was basically alone, spending most of the time alone reading papers, watching movies. since i'm running low on thai baht and the taxi there is damn cheap, for a couple of days, i took taxi back to siam HRC for dinner. paid by mastercard so everything would be charged to my card rather than paying cash.
and did i mention, the steak knife there is ubber huge.
look at the size of that thing compared to the fork.
the pity thing is, when with ridzwan, we didn't stay long enough for the live band to perform. that's like so sad for ridzwan. i like the atmosphere over there, that's why i went back for a couple of times at night.. alone though.
pardon the picture quality though.
on the last day, which REALLY a redundant day. i was supposed to check out at 12noon. in which i did. my flight was at 6.50pm. so i'm thinking if i can check out at a later time like say, 2pm.
'You have to pay additional 200baht to extend your check out time,' say the receptionist.
Na bei, extend check out time also need to pay. so i waived it off. i check out zhun zhun at 12noon. that makes me left with nothing to do for like, hmm.... 7 hours? so i bought a 'learn thai' book, ordering a bottle of chang beer while i wait for the airport express bus to come by. HUGE mistake to order the chang beer. when i boarded the bus, i was that high tide, UNTIL like say 5 minutes into the journey, HIGH TIDE COME. basket, i have to bear it throughout the whole 1 hour journey. while half way through the journey, i think there's a fire happening somewhere.
i reach airport, do nothing but wait and wait and wait. do nothing but still.. wait. luckily, i bought a guitar magazine before i board the bus.
at the transit areawas expecting like, hey, it's a wednesday night flight, shouldn't have much people. WRONG AGAIN. the whole flight was full. what's more? half of them are CHEENAs. the way they present themselves are just so inappropriate. running to the gate, running into the plane. chit chatting so loudly, across my face somemore. fucking RUDE. kept calling for service in the plane. despite having tremors mid air, they still insist on going to toilet rather than sitting on their seat despite numerous warnings by the captain. absolutely PISSED, from the look on one of the stewardess.
when i reach singapore, went to the DFS. bought an absolut 100 and 3 bottles of heineken. then my dad came to fetch me home. on the way, went to stadium walk's waterfront restaurant to have a simple supper with my dad. it's been such a long time since i had a heart to heart chat with my dad. love him to bits. he helped me alot on my payments for my hotel and exchanging of currency.
and this thus ends my bangkok trip. a few things to note though, if you are going to thailand for a vacation. the taxi over there, heard from one of my friend in bangkok, if they quote you to bring you to 1 place, they are ripping you off. ask them to go by the taxi meters. i got ripped off twice. was quoted 300 baht, but actually the trip's only like 65baht. fuckers.
wow, i believe this is the longest post i've did, ever. took my like 5 hours. cumulative effort though.
and i think right now, ying ting's at bangkok enjoying herself now.
Lucien Lau
