Bangkok - Day 1

Note: Photos in this entry are taken with LG Viewty, unless otherwise stated .

I've been planning this trip with my aunt since June. It was between Bangkok, Bali and Australia. But after considering the lack of halal food in Bali and the cost to get to Adelaide/Sydney, I decided on Bangkok/Pattaya instead. Since it was our first time in Bangkok, we sign up with a tour agency to settle our air tickets, accommodation, etc (which we found out later was a bad idea and a waste of time! More on that later). I was hoping to use Air Asia or Tiger Airways since I've never flown budget before. Ok, I lied. The only time I board one was on Valuair to Perth, and surprisingly they serve food on board and you don't have to pay for it on board. But they have since ceased operation to that country.

So we got Thai Airways instead. It was my first time on Thai and I love their services. And not to mention cute male cabin crew. HAHAHAHAHA! Anyway they only serve one type of Halal food. Boring. But I love the sashimi! I hate the Briyani rice though. Taste like tap water.


So the moment we landed, we had to transfer to a bus that would send us to the terminal. Damn, I feel so low class. Even Air Asia had an aerobridge. But the plane we were on didn't have aerobridge. So we had to walk on the stupid tarmac to the bus. Hate it. It was damn hot that day.






Anyway, did I mention the airport is so damn huuuuuuuugeeeeeee!! I got to experience this first hand when the tour guide met us on the other side of the airport. It would be a wonderful workout if I were wearing a gym attire, but not in the outfit I was in. So after we met the tour guide, we were hurried into an awaiting car. The moment we drove off from the airport, we were greeted with photos of their King pasted all over the city. We were impressed with the nation's loyalty to their King. We also found out from our driver that it was Buddha Day that day and so it was a public holiday for the next two days. Our driver's name was Alex btw (though he pronounced it as Alek. LOL!). So he was the first of the many adventures my aunt and I will soon experience in Thailand.

The first adventure:

Alex got pulled over by the traffic police. Our first encounter with Thailand's law. Guess what? Alex was driving on an expired road tax! And the moment we saw the traffic police, this image from the Bangkok Post came to mind:





It says

"A policeman collects discarded plastic items, which he will sell for extra income, from in front of Government House, near the People's Alliance for Democracy rally site on Ratchadamnoen avenue."

I find this extremely funny. Just how much are the traffic police paid until he had to resort to such means? I remember telling my aunt how good looking some of the girls and guys are. Had they known how to speak English, they could use their good looks to sign up as a cabin crew and not slog their ass off for a few dollars.

Anyway since we signed up to a tour agency, we were sent to a Gems and Jewellery store, just like what a normal tour agency would do. We first were shown a workshop to see how they made the jewellery. The details were so intricate that I feel the price tag that goes along with the jewellery is just. Of course most of the jewellery on display were beyond what my family can afford, some goes into the thousands. But being in the store and looking at all the magnificent jewels is just amazing! I hope to bring my boyfriend here one day (that is if he has the money. HAHAHAHA! Insya Allah eh?)...

So it was almost 3pm when we checked into Ibis Siam Hotel. It is a small cosy hotel in the middle of a busy street and quite near to the city. No bellboy. They serve American buffet for breakfast, and they have this 24 hour take away meals. So you have to grab your own food from the kitchen. HAHA! Well, you get what you paid for. Great service though. Friendly staff. Would recommend this to anyone travelling on a budget but would not want to stay in a backpackers hotel. At just S$80 a night, I still think its a bargain. Before you leave the hotel to do some exploring, make sure you ask for the hotel's namecard. Just in case!!

In front of the hotel is a bus stop. So it was easy for guests to travel to the city. One thing I don't like is the touting cabs in front of the hotel. The hotel did warn its guests not to take those cabs. These cabs will charge you one flat rate. A normal taxi ride to the city costs 50 baht (S$2), with 35 baht as the starting rate. But these illegal cabs charge you 150 baht (S$6). If they do such a thing, I'd suggest you take a tuk tuk instead. But beware of 2 things though!

1. Before boarding any taxi, make sure you ask them to switch on the fare meter!! It was a lesson I learnt on my last night in Bangkok that made me hate Bangkok Taxi so much! (More on that later)



2. The tuk tuk may ask for 20 baht (which is 80 cents Singapore). However, they will do a detour and bring you elsewhere. Unless you're not pressed for time, then by all means. Otherwise, flag down a taxi meter.

On the first day, I decided to take the BTS (Skytrain) from the nearby hotel to get to Platinum Mall. Why I chose to go to Platinum Mall and not MBK? Well, it was the only store I know that has clothes and shoes that fits me.

I know it will be a long walk to get there from the hotel, but what the forumers didn't mention is the lack of escalators. After all the walking, we had to climb stairs that were in dire need of repairs and on top of that, you have to walk a further 5 minutes to get to the train station. And for 20 baht (80 cents) I took the train to Ratchatewi station. It was at this point when I realise I lost the freaking map!!!!!!!!!!!! We had to rely on the friendly people of Thailand to show us the direction to Platinum Mall.

It was a good 40 minutes walk, and by the time we reached Platinum Mall we had an hour left to source for clothes etc. I bought 2 pair of jeans and a blouse for S$32. But the quality of material is something to be desired. Then I soon realise Thailand's cheap clothes are all made from lousy material. Left Platinum Mall in a hurry to meet our tour guide at the hotel.

It was at this time, when I regretted joining tour agencies. The schedule they had for us left us with no time to shop! I despise that so much! We had no time to source for clothes, nor explore nearby shopping centres!!!!!!!!!!!!! We were only left with nearby road side shops. I hate the quality and the price they charge you is just ridiculous!! S$10 for a pants made from lousy material and if you look close enough, you might even pass off a Billabong boardshorts for the real thing. Thailand's imitation is so hardcore!!!!!!!!!! I'll show you an example.

From far, it looks like any ordinary Converse bag. But if you look closely, you'll notice its NOT Converse - All Star. Instead, its called, "COVER STORY - HOT STAR".

Other imitations I saw were Polo bags which were called POLONGO. And the Billabong shorts I got duped into buying. It looked like Billabong. But when I got back to Singapore, I realise to my disappointment it was not Billabong. But... BIG FATHER!

200 baht for a fake shorts! This was after I bargained. Otherwise, the price they ask for is 250!!! I seriously thought it was good bargain of 50 baht less. But I regretted buying it in the first place! I regret buying anything from Thailand. But it was really an eye opener and unfortunately a subject of mockery by my siblings. It taught me a lesson: to always check and scrutinize EVERYTHING, down to the logo, before you buy.

Sigh....

The first night isn't over yet.

We took the taxi for our dinner at a Muslim Restaurant.

Photo above taken with a Sony camera 5MP

Photo above taken with a Sony Camera 5MP

We had tom yam goong, sweet and sour fish, vegetables, and rice for dinner. The sweet & sour fish was my favourite. I am sure if my dad tasted it, he'll gobble it up first. The tom yam goong, was extremely salty. I could not take another sip of the soup. So in the end I fished out the prawns and cockles and ate that instead.

So this was how I spent my first day in Thailand. Since the time was already almost 9pm and our legs felt like jelly from all the walking we did that afternoon, we decided to call it a night.

I'll continue with Day 2 in my next entry. On the second day, we went for a boat tour at Chao Phraya River and later headed to Pattaya where I did a really amazing stunt! HAHAHAHA!