Vietnam

It took me 3 attempt to log in to this blog.....That proves how long i did not update my blog.....maybe coz my dear was hogging on my laptop....

Just to update abit on travel.

Just visited Vietnam last month and it was a trip full of clothing......

Nothing much to see there except at Chu Chi which is about 2 hours drive out of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh). It's really amaizing how they dig the the tunnel which has 3 layers and 250KM long....beside that nothing much at Saigon and drinking at the roadside seems to be the trend there. Lots and i mean LOTS of motobike......took me 10 mins to cross the road.

Hotel we stayed at was great providing free wifi n the hospitality was great. You can book at www.seventyhotel.com. Room is spacious but the lift is kida small and also the stairways it's like going into Chu Chi tunnel. But the room was great.

Bangkok Business Trip

Was informed by my boss to fly to Bangkok for a visit cum meeting on the 16th June. Guess what the meeting is on the 20th June. i basically have only 4 days to prepare. Luckily it was not a formal meeting but rather a Market Visit cum learning trip for me.

Of coz going to Bangkok i have to inform my very good friend there Mod, Ying and Bik.....

Was excited coz will be meeting a totally new team from Ice Cream and it's different from the MAGGI people that i know regionally. In the meeting the Phillipines team is also there. Another excitement is that Mod told me that we're going to Mansion 7 for dinner. Heard lots about this place since their last visit here in Malaysia. It's a haunted house concept mall.

The first day was a visit to the factory at Bang Chang. Its great to see that the complex is built vertically and only take up very small part of the land. But it was a very nice complex.....hmmm and very nice receptionist.....hahhahah.....then we were hosted with a dinner at Kempinski Hotel. We were treated with the Thai Fusion dishes. The starter is like7-8 types, and very nicely decorated. Very much reccomended for those who like to enjoy good fine dining.

The second day was a day of Market visit. We visit lots of school and to my amaze that how much Thai people especially the kids enjoy ice cream. Throughout the market visit i've learn lots about Ice Cream from the NSM there. Lots of things which i thought is the same with grocery shopping is actually not. The strategy is so much different from the Grocery which i feel it's more interesting to capture impulse purchase. And we ended the market visit with a visit to one of the dealer. The dealer is what i would say business simplified. Very simple setup, very simple people and very simple facilities.

The dinner that i look forward to. Mansion 7. We did not have dinner there but rather we enjoyed out Thai Dinner at Central World. And of coz the mango sticky rice as desert. We then proceed to Mansion 7. It was a Haunted mansion concept and with a haunted house inside which is the main attracttion. $TH 180 per person to enter the haunted mansion. We were so excited and 4 of us went in Me, Mod, Billy and Vincent. Bik did not join coz he had experience it before. Its a feeling of that you know something will happen along the walkway but you dun know what. We had fun in the haunted mansion.















We then had some beer at the pub there and just before we make a move back there was this bar tender show at the pub. Was great performance and was actually treated a glass of their cocktail before we left the pub.

3rd day was a day at the office discussing on the strategy and tactics implemented by Thailand. We shared our strategy and also the Phillipines team. It's great to learn from all parties and it actually benefit me especially in times of planning for ICP.

We then meet up with Mod and Ying for dinner and a night out at a roof top pub. We tried almost all their snack and dishes there. We wanted to make a stop at the palace but it was closed. Back to the hotel and planned for a shopping trip to Platinum Mall the next morning. We were told that there is a planned rally front of Central World so we have to plan our route wisely.


It was a great learning trip and also to catch up with my friend there.

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.