Day 3-5....Bangkok trip 26th Aug-30th Aug

Wanted to post this post for quite sometime now but just couldn't find the time. Been busy with planning. Ok, let me continue with Day3.....still very fresh in my mind though.....

Day 3
We're suppose to depart at 7.30pm but as usual the traffic at Bangkok is very unpredictable as Mod and Bik arrived late. But the route to Ying house was quite smooth. A gated community with a western bit of design. We reached Ying house at about 8.15am Thai time. We wasted no time and straight away proceed to Pattaya where we will take a ferry over to Koh Samed. Along the way we stop at the rest stop for a quick breakfast. The rest stop at Bangkok is very different from that of Malaysia. It's like driving into a small town. Craving for McMuffin at Malaysia for so long now and at last got my McMuffin at Bangkok. If i still remember correctly we were heading towards a town call Kleang from Bangkok to take the ferry to Koh Samed. We actually abandon the GPS direction and Bik took charge of the direction coz he know a short cut.

We arrived at the port at about 10.30am and was waiting for the ferry to ferry us to this nice island at about 11.00am. The ferry wasn't any modern type like the one in Penang but rather it's similar to that of a fishing boat. The ferry took about 30mins to reach the island which is visible from the mainland. The site where we dock wasn't very pleasing as its doesn't look like a tourist destination to me. A jeep was waiting for us to transport us to the resort. Still i wasn't convince of the place as the route to the resort doesn't look very clean. We arrived at the Sai Kaew resort and Ying was busy checking in for us. i was busy looking for wifi to post my photo at Facebook. Ying actually paid for the room for us. This is far the best of friend that i have. Although we have met just for a few times but we're as close as old buddy. Me and my dear were in a chalet and Ying, Mod and Bik sharing the other. I asked what does Sai Kaew means and get to know that it means Glass Sand. It was indeed a total paradigm shift as the beach at the other side was so beautiful.

We then check in at the chalet and proceed to the beach for our lunch. We had our lunch near the beach at the hotel next to our chalet. Again they don't allow me to pay for lunch. Rachel went for a tattoo on her hand and we enjoy looking at the 'mermaid'. After lunch we went back to freshen up and prepare for our swim. All changed and ready for swim. We have 2 professional photographer busy taking photo and 3 crazy people swimming at the sea. We then went on the banana boat where Bik join us. Was a crazy 30min banana boat ride for only 800bath......local price as Mod negotiated. Rachel was so scared after the first fall that she has to board the speedboat after that....left only me,Mod and Bik on the banana boat. After the banana boat it started raining and we went back to the chalet and was looking for a nice massage. The massage at the hotel was way too expensive and we all settle for a massage at the beach after the rain.

We then proceed back to prepare for dinner. A short walk from the chalet beach we reach a stretch of seafood restaurant. There were so many restaurant there but not much people eating except one of the restaurant which is full. There must be something special there. We ordered a total of 9 dishes and guess how much for a meal for 5 person. Its only 1500bath for the dinner. This time i insist that i pay for dinner or else........so i got to pay for the dinner. We the found out why the restaurant was full house. There are fire show by the waiters which i found it very interesting. Think it lasted for about an hour and then continued by the involvement from the patrons. Limbo rock on a fire bar and those who successfully cross the fire bar will get a shot of some whisky. Everyone was wild dancing till late night. We move back to the chalet shortly after.
























































































































Day 4
Breakfast at the resort was ok with a combination of western and local dishes. After breakfast we spend sometime for photo at the beach. We manage to capture some nice pix coz we have 2 professional photographer with us. Basically me, Rachel and Mod were like model the whole morning with various serious but funny poses. We then pack and proceed to take the ferry back to the mainland and it was 11am by the time we reach. Its kinda fun but tiring trip but Mod still have to drive. We enjoyed 'Kill Bill' at Mod car the whole journey to Pattaya floating market.

















































When we reach the floating market at about 12.15pm, me and my dear we keen to buy something for our friend so Rach went on her shopping spree and the guys just sat at a cafe for our cup of coffee and chocolate cake. We then went around the floating market just to look around and decided that we wanted to have lunch there. By then we were finding it difficult to look for a place for us to sit and have our lunch. I was kinda lost looking for my way out to get my dear to join us. My dear couldn't get any anything for them except a scarf for Yui.










We then continue with 'Kill Bill' in the car till we reach the new shopping mall near Ying's house. Rach went for the gift hunt again at the shopping mall while the guys were just window shopping around the mall. The funny thing is that there is a parade going around the shopping mall and there were lots of activity going on around. Its so different from the shopping mall in Malaysia where we were more laid back and waiting for shoppers to walk in. At Bangkok they were doing lots of activity pulling the shopper into their outlet. Games in the outlet and announcement from the speaker and many more. Kinda interesting just observing.

We then proceed to the flower market for some shopping. Rach wanted to buy some flowers which i already know we can't bring back to Malaysia. She insisted so we bought some dried flowers. We then proceed to Langsuan for dinner. A chinese restaurant just opposite the Korean BBQ Restaurant that we had dinner on the 2nd day. A nice light dinner which i thought i wanted to pay but the waiters were already warn not the get any payment from me. I didn't know and walk to the waiter asking for the bills and they were telling me something in Thai which i was struggling to understand. Then another waitress came and told me that they were asked not to get the payment from me. Going back into the room, Mod was smiling cunningly knowing that i've failed in my plot to pay. We then went back to MyHotel to check in to have our nice rest before our flight back to Malaysia the next day.

Day 5
We manage to do a quick shopping at Platinum Mall before check out to meet Mod, Bik and Ying for Lunch before we fly back to Malaysia. I manage to grab a backpack and my dear a dozen scarf. We then bought some mooncake as a gift together with the tie that Rach manage to get a the mall for our 3 buddy. We had Japanese at Central World before proceeding to the skytrain to the airport. Guess what it's just 15bath per person from Bangkok to the airport. Was indeeed a nice trip and will definately plan for another trip together with my friend. Next destination 'Macau' and we all agreed that it'll be Dutch in the next trip to avoid the neverending exchange of gift.

A nice trip to remember and to share with my friends.

Day 1-2....Bangkok trip 26th Aug-30th Aug

Celebrated my birthday at Genting actually this year......went to the casino and won some money, enough to cover dinner for 2 at Genting. Then we were invited by our dearest friend from Bangkok to visit them at Bangkok. So called sponsored by Genting coz Mod won alot at Genting in the previous trip end of July. So we visited our dearest friend Ying, Mod n Bik at Bangkok on the 26th Aug 2010.
Ying pick us up at the Airport and we then join Mod for a late supper somewhere near the Nestle Office. The chicken rice Thai style. For me the Chicken Rice is almost similiar from the one in Malaysia but the difference is the soup. Free refill and the pepperish chicken soup is kinda nice. Then there is also some herbal soup which the taste is quite nice. We then went to MyHotel at Pratunam to check in. The hotel was clean and pleasant and very much recommended for those whose looking for budget and clean hotel at Bangkok. They also offer free shuttle from the hotel to the main street. Its actually situated at the street opposite the Platinum Wholesale mall.

The next morning Mod actually took leave and took us around Bangkok. First Stop the Erawan Temple or the Elephant God temple. The special thing about the Elephant god is that it has 3 head. The architecture of the temple show some chinese influence when they use ceramic bowl as part of the decoration. I remember learning about this art when i visited the Cheong Fatt Tze mansion at Penang. The religious practice at this temple is similiar to the Hinduism practice here in Malaysia, Bali and also Angkor Wat at Siem Reap. This show how powerful the Hindu empire were at that time. The temple also has 4 pillars to support it with each pillar crafted with the story of each religion. Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and the story of the Goddest of Mercy. I asked the guide why Islamic wasn't one of the pillar and explained that it's sensitive to have carving of the Prophet as the Islamic doesn't practice praying to altar or statue.

Inside the temple of Erawan, there are 3 layer, also known as Heaven, Earth and Underworld. We also learn about some rules and regulation in the temple which very much explain about our daily practice. Always starting from the left and end at the right which means staying away from evil deeds. This remind me when i was young and praying at a temple, my aunt taught me that you have to always use the left hand to place the josstick coz the right hand is always the hand that commit the evil deeds. Therefore the left is less sinful.

We then proceed to Lunch at Bang Pu near the Nestle factory. Its actually at a military base canteen open for public. The location at the beach sees lots of people frequent there for lunch coz of it view. Food was ok but the waitress miss out a few of our orders. We then went back to Nestle Office to meet up with my previous boss Patrick for a cup of coffee at Starbucks before proceeding to China Town for some shopping.

We then meet up with the rest for Dinner at a KOBA BBQ Korean Restaurant at Langsuan. Ying, Bik, Patrick, Mod, My dear n myself had a nice BBQ dinner at the restaurant although everyone went back with BBQ smell. We then went for foot massage with Mod before going back to the hotel to prepare for our trip to Koh Samed the next morning.