Amazing Bangkok Trip

this is going to be a long post. I am trying to remember as much details as possible . It started during April 2010 when Peekae and karun came down to Malaysia for BC Training at True Fitness, we got to know each other better and was skyping for months after they went back to Thailand. Myself and Peekae was talking about food as both of us loves eating.I was telling Peekae that I need a holiday and he suggest I head to Bkk as they would take me for good food and lots of fun! I dare not plan ahead as red shirt was still striking during that time. Situation was really tense in Thailand. Well about 2 weeks after Thailand red shirt situation finally came to an end, I made a decision to travel to Thailand. Lorraine was a great sports and promise to accompany me as it will be her first visit. For me, this will be my 3rd visit. my first and second visit was more than 10 years ago. So I did some research before made booking of Airline and hotel. Facebook is indeed amazing as i had a lot of great suggestion and feedback there. Where to go, where to stay, what to eat, etc.....thanks to a gym friend of my Kin Kok that suggested we stay in Asia Hotel and Karun for telling me to book through http://www.agoda.com/ where you get really cheap rates for participating hotels all around the world. I also did a checking on what an and cannot be brought in hand carry luggage and also visited doctor for medical supply as 10 out of 8 Friends that went there end up having food poisoning.So all booking were made somewhere at the end of June and I was waiting for the day to come. Trip was set from 23rd - 26th July. I had inform Peekae and Karun and they will be our tour guide for all 4 days. I leave the entire trip planning to them with specific request that we would like to get some muay thai and MMA gear and Cheap NIKE !

So the day has finally arrived, the day before I board, I could not even sleep! i was excited and anxious at the same time as it has been a long time since i last travel and board a plan. Mom , relatives,alex and friends wish me a wonderful time before i board and i decided to take their blessing, be strong and enjoy my well deserved trip

Woke up at 5am on 23rd July as taxi is coming at 6am, checking in at 7am for our 9am flight on MH784. We paid about RM500 for per person for 2 way flight. it was actually on promotion. during the time that we booked, thai air ways and Air asia was more expensive. BUt after we book, AIr Asia had a promotion where the fees are 50% lesser. Well , is ok as MAS is still our preferred airline. So I was extremely anxious right before boarding. But still i stay focus and decided to think on how much I am going to enjoy at BKK.

PIcture: Checking in our luggage

Picture: Waiting for boarding at KLIA Kopitiam. So after 2 hours of a smooth flight, we finally arrive. I was so excited that all the anxiety was over. I am glad i decided to board the plane! Ride was smooth and all was good.

ONly 1 handsome Thai boy (karun) came to pick us up at the air port as peekae has some work to settle. we were excited to see Karun, gave this big little boy a big hug. Karun's time is flexible as he works for his dad and so happen that all 4 days when we were there, its Thai public holiday. After picking us up, we then went to pick up Peekae at his condo. Next we check into Asia Hotel. Review from friends that the pros of Asia hotel was the strategic location where the BTS was connected to the hotel. Cons will be the rooms are old and staff do not speak english. But it took us with a surprise, hotel was nice, staff are friendly and they do speak english. They just renovated the hotel room and wow it was simple and nice! for Rm100 a night, totally worthid!

picture: our room - 841

As expected, bkk was jam jam jam but ironic enough you dont hear much horning. Every one is just patiently jamming! Day 1 lunch was near Suan Lum night market. My very first meal in Thailand! It was a restaurant specializing in chicken.

picture: the boys trying to be cute

picture: among all the below dishes we order, my own opinion, the chicken was the least satisfying one. It was nice, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside just that other dishes are so much more outstanding. picture: below is som tam with sea food and salted egg. Its sour and refreshing. I love this one! very very very good!picture: pork, was pk favourite . haha this dish was good too. i was not much of a pork fan so we gave peekae the privileged to finish the dish. we had a dish of vege too and it was awesome! veges are so fresh and crispy! love it! After lunch we head to Lumpini stadium to get MMA and muay thai gear. initially the planning (while on skype) was to head to all the malls and lastly to Lumpini stadium. But I told peekae that one of our main goal was to get the gears hence its better to head to lumpini first. So here we are! at Twins and Kings shop! both Thailand local brand. Stuff are good. i got shirts for alex and the team here. i guess the weather was on our side. it was raining season but while we were there the only time it rains was while we are shopping insie the lumpini shop. once we are done, the rains stopped. i also found out peekae speaks fluent french. as there were french tourist in the shop and he was helping the shopkeeper to translate. 8 years in club med around the world paid off.After Lumpini we head to MBK Mall, Siam Discovery , Siam Center and SIam Paragon for NIKE. Designs and price are similar to Malaysia hence only Lorraine got a NIke boxing shorts which i think is not available in MAS. i enjoy SIam Paragon, it is like pavilion in KL except much better! i actually felt at home there as most thais there are chinese. so it was no different.it was alot of walking and we were all looking forward for dinner.

Picture: Day 1 Dinner Restaurant Jae Ooh . We had the salted sea bass. it was good.

Picture: chinese siew yoke. PIcture: Pork in herbal soupPIcture: chicken and vegAfter dinner Karun brought us side seeing in the car, around bkk city. ex planing what are the buildings and where the red shirt protested few months ago and the damage they made. We then head back to the hotel about 10pm. I thought i was going to be extremely tired as i did not sleep at all the day before. but no, i was full of energy ont he first day. we went to bed about 12pm. Lorraine was sound asleep, but i have a problem getting used to new environment, hence, i automatically woke up around 3.30am. switching on the tv and volleyball was on! my favourite! then i when back to sleep again, on and off till about 6.am.

Day 2. we head down for hotel breakfast at 7am. food was ok. love their waffle the most.Karun promise to come get us around 10.30am hence before that we took the opportunity to walk inside the hotel visiting the pool and gym and outside the hotel and took some snap shots on the hawkers along the street and also the tut tut. later we walk to Siam paragon and went to True Cafe to go online while i upload part of some pictures on FB and also to the art center, you see the big chair below? its outside the art gallery.we then took BTS back to Asia hotel . Karun came to pick us at 10.30 as we are meeting peekae at esplanet mall after his class around 11.30am.

at esplanet, we out MR. M with thai gesture:) love it. and we tried pork burger!something you dont get in MAS.after meeting up with peekae innitiaally our plan while on skype was to go to Amphawa market( floating market) but last minute they change plan, instead we took a 2 hr drive to Pattaya ! karun says there will be more things we like there. So while on the way to pattaya, we stop at a temple where there are fishes, we fed the fishes bread , the fished were all fat and well fat. when ever you throw a piece of bread, the fishes will come rushing to eat them and splash water to those that feed them. haha it was fun! to the thais feeding the fish is like doing good and giving back. hence with all our pleasure.after that, still on the way to pattaya, at siratcha we stop by a port for lunch. it looks similar to port klang . nice view, windy...food was nothing less then awesome! we were serve by 2 she male . we sat their chatting, we love it so much , almost reluctant to get up and continue the journey .after lunch we tooka short drive up to the hill, where you get to see pattaya view. lovely place.we then took about another 45min drive to outlet city! omg! all nike, quick silver, adidas, esprit to name a few was 30-70% off! i got a roxy surf pants for only RM47! amazing! i will definately be back for more. we did not have much time to visit all shop. just focusing on NIke only and then a 30min at Quick Silver. after that we head back to hotel. the boys drop us off at hotel around 9pm.

myself and lorraine then head to siam paragon for Kha Moo! beef stew rice. omg! is was very very very good! i love it! i dont like pork but this i like. padthai on the other hand was rather sweet. so not my favourite. later we head back to the hotel to upload day 2 pictures and head to bed around 12. so the first day i woke up 3.30am, second day i woke up 4.30am ...haha getting more used to the environment. again, watching volleyball game.Day 3: the plan was to meet peekae at on nut station. we meet him at tesco and we head to supermarket to get peekae's weekly fruit supply. then we head back to his condo to chill while he pass us some nike stuff. then karun came pick us up and we head to sukhumvit gym to join peekae's bc class. before that myself and lorraine went to a thai food expo inbetween siam discovery and siam paragon. some pictures below.picture: at peekae's house. after class karun had to leave for a friend's wedding. the 3 of us then head for lunch at love scene restaurant. the light is kinda deem hence i did not took any food pic. food was good too!after lunch we head to siam paragon starbucks to chill and talk about some gx stuff then head back to the hotel. 3 of us chat on bed for about 2 hr, and about 8pm we head out again to Khao san! the back packers place! before that peekae was asking if we would want to go for massage, khao san or yaorawat(china town) . well, we were not realy eager for massage. and on the first day we did took went side seeing at china town , so out dicision was to head to khao san! and we made the right choice! i love that place! well in chiana town you get to buy souvenir and have shark fin and bird nest. but in khao san, you get to see tones of forenigners and pubs, and cheap clothes! i love it and will definately be back!
picture: below is a milk cafe near khao san. it was the 2nd time we went there but we did not get a chance to have any milk as the cafe was too pack.

so dinner around sao ching cha. very good!love the clear tom yam soup.

after dinner we took a walk to another night market near where the red shirt protest. but we dare not get anything there as according to peekae, most stuff there are stolen stuff or from dead people. so.....better not. we then took awalk to grand palace and thai military office. after that we head back to hotel, again, chat and karun came pick peekae up around 12pm. i got use to the hotel now that i only woke up at 6pm, and that is because the alarm rang. haha. but then we had to get ready to head to air port and waiting for karun to pick us up. i also got to know the night before there ws a bombing near where we stay, but surprisingly i was scare but at the same time glad that we are ok through out the trip. No food poisoning. Thai international airport was awesome. the amount of stuff to shop! 2 hrs in the air port is not enough! and so......we brought back great memories. cant wait for the next trip back!