and i'm back from Bangkok! the trip was definitely effective in taking my mind off the stuff i wanted to take my mind off and i've come back ready to tackle them =)

So the last time i was there with Julz we mostly shopped. This time with YJ packed more varied experiences. Some of the highlights:

Ayutthaya:

We took a train down on the 2nd day from the Hualamphong Railway Station for about 1.5 hours to the ancient city. There're many travel agencies in Bangkok that organize day tours to Ayutthaya itself but its pretty expensive for something you can do yourself at a fraction of the price.

So anyway, our chosen mode of transportation at Ayutthaya:

better than having the tuk-tuk man following you around all day but of course i was fried by the end of the couple of hours we were there and kinda turned red like lobster (and also like the time i went to Rider's Cafe and walked there). Anyway, many ancient temples at Ayutthaya but YJ said it was more like an appetiser for Angkor Wat and i'm sure ZY would concur (hope QY will settle in soon and maybe we can arrange a trip there). Ayutthaya also wasn't really what we had envisioned it would be, thought maybe it would be a little more deserted :S but i guess if there was a city there before, makes sense for people to settle there now too.

Shopping:

Bangkok really is a good place for shopping... There're shops/stalls e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e.... but after going to most of the shopping places, I would say if I ever set foot in Bangkok again, I'd zero in on 3 places:

1. Platinam - super big shopping centre with lots of stuff that you can typically buy from everywhere in Bangkok, think maybe can bargain a bit also but probably won't be able to stray too far from the original quoted price. It helps if you're buying more of the same thing (like maybe 3 bags or 3 t-shirts) cos they'll give you a cheaper bulk price. It was a most pleasant surprise to meet Daren near Platinam/Pantip area too! pity it didn't occur to me to take a picture with him.. don't even meet the guy in the streets here!

2. MBK/Siam Square - Good place to walk around and the prices are already pretty cheap by Sgp standards i feel. There's a cinema at the top of MBK that has vvvvv good and comfortable seats =D. We watched Knowing there, and besides the comfort of the seats, the show was most retarded (i seldom condemn movies entirely but this was just... horrible), i'll admit i was spooked at the beginning, but when the spaceship appeared i was just... speechless. in a bad way of course. Weird show with a ridiculous ending.

3. Khao San - If i had to describe Khao San in 1 word, i would say, "Flavourful". It really embodies what Bangkok is to the world (as opposed to Singaporeans). A very colourful place teeming with tourists from all over. As you walk down the road, the occasional music that blares from one of the speakers get to you and you'd feel like dancing (i know i did but i was in broad daylight and hadn't had any courage-giving drink).

The shopping there also seems to be cheaper compared to other places but since we'd already done our shopping we didn't buy much.

We saw some dancers rehearsing at the end of Khao San Road and were thoroughly amused cos their whole routine seemed to comprise entirely of voguing and spirit fingers (yea! the actual ones from Bring It On). They were dancing to Vogue though so i guess that was pretty apt.

Khao San itself has many inns and there're more at the nearby Phra Athit as well. The idea of staying there and perhaps chilling every night at one of the watering holes with music after a day of walking sounds v good. I would stay at Phra Athit cos it seems quieter.

We'd also visited Suan Lum Night Bazaar and Chatuchak Weekend Market. Once again, I'd only managed to get stuff from Suan Lum, maybe cos Chatuchak was wayy too hot :S but still, the shops at Suan Lum tend to charge higher and more unwilling to budge about the prices.

Scams:

Unfortunately, we were scammed there too =( "Friendly Thais" would approach you telling you that you shouldn't go to places you wanna go for watever reasons and they'd offer you alternatives like tailoring or jewellery shops. Very bad and time wasting. But i would say at least it didn't turn out worse and they'd only managed to scam abt S$4 off us.

I learned a lot more about Bangkok this time and its unlikely that i'd go back anytime soon. But if i do maybe i'd take a side trip over to Kanchanaburi to see the Erawan Falls =).

Very thankful for the company I had too =) Thanks YJ!

and i'm back from Bangkok! the trip was definitely effective in taking my mind off the stuff i wanted to take my mind off and i've come back ready to tackle them =)

So the last time i was there with Julz we mostly shopped. This time with YJ packed more varied experiences. Some of the highlights:

Ayutthaya:

We took a train down on the 2nd day from the Hualamphong Railway Station for about 1.5 hours to the ancient city. There're many travel agencies in Bangkok that organize day tours to Ayutthaya itself but its pretty expensive for something you can do yourself at a fraction of the price.

So anyway, our chosen mode of transportation at Ayutthaya:

better than having the tuk-tuk man following you around all day but of course i was fried by the end of the couple of hours we were there and kinda turned red like lobster (and also like the time i went to Rider's Cafe and walked there). Anyway, many ancient temples at Ayutthaya but YJ said it was more like an appetiser for Angkor Wat and i'm sure ZY would concur (hope QY will settle in soon and maybe we can arrange a trip there). Ayutthaya also wasn't really what we had envisioned it would be, thought maybe it would be a little more deserted :S but i guess if there was a city there before, makes sense for people to settle there now too.

Shopping:

Bangkok really is a good place for shopping... There're shops/stalls e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e.... but after going to most of the shopping places, I would say if I ever set foot in Bangkok again, I'd zero in on 3 places:

1. Platinam - super big shopping centre with lots of stuff that you can typically buy from everywhere in Bangkok, think maybe can bargain a bit also but probably won't be able to stray too far from the original quoted price. It helps if you're buying more of the same thing (like maybe 3 bags or 3 t-shirts) cos they'll give you a cheaper bulk price. It was a most pleasant surprise to meet Daren near Platinam/Pantip area too! pity it didn't occur to me to take a picture with him.. don't even meet the guy in the streets here!

2. MBK/Siam Square - Good place to walk around and the prices are already pretty cheap by Sgp standards i feel. There's a cinema at the top of MBK that has vvvvv good and comfortable seats =D. We watched Knowing there, and besides the comfort of the seats, the show was most retarded (i seldom condemn movies entirely but this was just... horrible), i'll admit i was spooked at the beginning, but when the spaceship appeared i was just... speechless. in a bad way of course. Weird show with a ridiculous ending.

3. Khao San - If i had to describe Khao San in 1 word, i would say, "Flavourful". It really embodies what Bangkok is to the world (as opposed to Singaporeans). A very colourful place teeming with tourists from all over. As you walk down the road, the occasional music that blares from one of the speakers get to you and you'd feel like dancing (i know i did but i was in broad daylight and hadn't had any courage-giving drink).

The shopping there also seems to be cheaper compared to other places but since we'd already done our shopping we didn't buy much.

We saw some dancers rehearsing at the end of Khao San Road and were thoroughly amused cos their whole routine seemed to comprise entirely of voguing and spirit fingers (yea! the actual ones from Bring It On). They were dancing to Vogue though so i guess that was pretty apt.

Khao San itself has many inns and there're more at the nearby Phra Athit as well. The idea of staying there and perhaps chilling every night at one of the watering holes with music after a day of walking sounds v good. I would stay at Phra Athit cos it seems quieter.

We'd also visited Suan Lum Night Bazaar and Chatuchak Weekend Market. Once again, I'd only managed to get stuff from Suan Lum, maybe cos Chatuchak was wayy too hot :S but still, the shops at Suan Lum tend to charge higher and more unwilling to budge about the prices.

Scams:

Unfortunately, we were scammed there too =( "Friendly Thais" would approach you telling you that you shouldn't go to places you wanna go for watever reasons and they'd offer you alternatives like tailoring or jewellery shops. Very bad and time wasting. But i would say at least it didn't turn out worse and they'd only managed to scam abt S$4 off us.

I learned a lot more about Bangkok this time and its unlikely that i'd go back anytime soon. But if i do maybe i'd take a side trip over to Kanchanaburi to see the Erawan Falls =).

Very thankful for the company I had too =) Thanks YJ!