Trip to Bangkok - The Rest of It

Warning: One Long Entry.... Lots of photos too, if you don't feel like reading on..

On day 2, we went down for for the hotel's breakfast at 8.30am. I've stayed in Pathuwan Princess twice before and if my memory didn't fail me, the breakfast wasn't this sumptuous before. For once, I actually enjoyed eating hotel's breakfast! Even Tara ate a lot and she was so happy to see cornflakes on the buffet table!

After breakfast, we went to the Four Face Buddha (is that how you call it?) and pray. After that, we went to Chinatown's wholesale market. I went once before, with my gang last year and led by the Bangkok guru, Jaime. I had to call her for the exact location of the market because I just can't remember where it is. In the end, we got off at the wrong side of the market where there's nothing to buy. There were loads of shoes, but they are selling wholesale where you have to buy 6 pairs at the same design and same size.

We took a long route before we ended up at the right market. There, I found all the shops that I went last year. I came out of the market with 9 bags for myself, 1 watch, many hair clips, 3 necklaces and some other random stuff I can't remember. The bags were selling at wholesale price of 150 baht (about S$7) a piece. It was so hard not to buy everything! And I bought a pretty pink watch with a big pink butterfly and lots of bling. Totally love it that I willing part 270 baht for it.

On the BTS to Chinatown

Wherever Bob goes to Chinatown, he must stop by the shops there for shark's fin and bird's nest. The other family wasn't so keen on the delicacies so we ended up eating shark's fin only. When we were about to finish, it started to rain and we had to wait in the restaurant for it to stop. After waiting for about 15 mins, I decided to make a dash to the market to get us umbrellas, so off I went and bought 2 umbrellas at 80 baht each.

At Chinatown, outside the restaurant.

After Chinatown, we went back to the hotel for a rest before meeting Bob's Thai friend for dinner. I had 1 hour to spare before dinner so I went to Siam Square alone to shop for my stuff. It was so easy shopping alone! Within 30 mins, I managed to get a few tops, 1 dress, 1 skirt and 1 pair fo shorts for myself.

Bob's friend brought us out for dinner at a nice riverside Thai restaurant where I was the feast of several mosquitoes. I seemed to be the only target for the damn mozzies that night! And I regretted not bringing the insect repellent cream my Dad gave me before the trip. The restaurant's ambience was really nice and one side of it was a pub. And the food was great too.

Outside the restaurant. With the restauran'ts own tuk tuk, which only takes the guest out to the entrance for them to get taxis.

We started the next day with breakfast at the hotel too, I ate the same foods as the day before. I just couldn't get enough of the fresh greens at the salad bar and the baked tomatoes with cheese!

After breakfast, we made our way to the BTS station and our destination was Platinum fashion mall. I remembered the mall was at the Pratunam area but the friend's wife's boss said it's was near Chatuchak. So we took the train all the way to the other end only to find out from the staff there that we are supposed to go to Ratchatewi only, which was just one stop away from where we started. So we took the train back again. We spent the whole day there, where I grabbed more tops, more necklaces, several earrings and 5 watches at 95 baht (S$4 plus) a piece. Bob told me not to get anymore bags since I have 9 already but for me, it will never be enough! We also bought 3 sets of PJs for Tara.

At the BTS station, waiting for train to go Pratunam.

We went back to the hotel for a dip in the pool where Tara had so much fun with her Dad.


That night, we had our steamboat dinner at MK restaurant, where I didn't get much chance to eat. Tara was always up to some mischief and kept me very busy. She broke a glass and we all had to shift out from the booth seats while the staff clear up the mess. Then she dropped a ladle, dropped a pen, refused to eat her food, insisted on scooping the steaming hot food out from the pot, wanted to pee, and not long after, wanted to poo.. It was endless! When the rest were already 90% full, I haven't even started on much! Bob had to feed me while I fed Tara.

The next day started out the same too. Breakfast at the hotel and yeah, the same food again. It was a pretty healthy trip for me, considering the amount of greens I ate every morning!

We had to split up with the other family and went shopping by ourselves as they are returning on an earlier flight and had to do rush some last minute shopping. We went to Siam Square again, as said, my favourite haunt and I tried to find the one long stretch of shops I chanced upon on my lone shopping trip the other day, but no matter how, I just couldn't find it! It was one stretch of really nice shops which I didn't get to explore fully due to time contraint that day. After a while, we gave up. I still did not managed to find any shoes and only went back with some small items meant for my colleagues. It was quite depressing and I just felt like a lot of time was wasted this trip.

We went back to the hotel for some nice Korean charcoal grill lunch before we went back to our room for a rest and shower before we headed off to the airport.

Absolute yummy charcoal grilled meat

Bob sent us there and both of us sat down for coffee as it was still pretty early, and Tara was taking her afternoon nap. I gave him every single baht that I have, since he would still be in Thailand. And after coffee, off me and Tara went into the customs area.

There was a group of people don't know from which country queuing right behind me. And they were queueing too close to me and it felt so uncomfortable. The last straw came when one of the guy rested his hand onto Tara's stroller. I tugged the stroller, pushed it front a little, positioned myself behind it so he couldn't his stupid hand can't reach. Then I turned around and glowered at them. I just don't understand why they have to stand so close!

And when we reached the inside, Tara finally woke up from her nap and asked for milk. Since I don't have a single baht with me, I thought of finding an atm to withdraw some money for her milk. After searching for a while, I checked with the lady at the currency exchange counter and she told me there isn't any atm machine in the departure area, so I asked her what is the minimum amount I can exchange and she told me S$2. I changed S$10 for about 220 baht and spent 40 baht for a cup of steamed milk from the cafe.

I'm aware that the restriction of liquid onboard does not apply for formula milk. But since the milk I bought wasn't under that category, I had to make Tara finished it fast as our flight was on last call (thanks to the queue at the customs and the search for the atm). We were both just outside the security check point and I was anxiously getting Tara to finish the half cup of milk, after a while, a lady officer walked to me and asked if Tara was drinking milk, I told her yes, and she said it was okay to bring in the milk. Hey, I didn't know steamed milk in a coffee cup was okay onboard!

We finally got on the plane just in time and more gifts came in Tara's way. The flight back wasn't as bad as I've thought. Minor issues like Tara refusing to eat a morsel of her meal, asked to go to the toilet 3 times, kept changing VCDs on her portable player were all that made the flight eventful. I had a bad case of bloated stomach and a little nausea. My meal was literally untouched too. But I think the Japanese guy sitting beside Tara had a worse flight. The pressure build up in his ears was causing him agony and he looked quite bad. An attendant speaking fluent Jap had to bring him hot towels to cover his ears to relieve the pain.

Little girl with her portable player

Bored Mummy trying to get both of us into the frame, without sucess..

I bought a new bottle of fragrance from the DFS when we reached the airport. At the luggage pick up area, one airport staff saw me loading one big luggage, one big bag of my loot, one handcarry bag, one big bag of snacks and one stroller on the trolley and asked if I would be okay alone and with the kid. It was fortunate that Bob got his brother to pick us up or else I don't think I can carry that much stuff when I'm back home.

Even though Bob didn't came home with me, it felt so good to be home, and I was totally drained from the trip. I guess bringing a kid to a shopping trip isn't a good idea. And going with a family with 2 more kids was worse! I told Bob he shouldn't have asked the family to come along, knowing fully well that I only do shopping when I go Bangkok. The other wife wasn't that much a shopper didn't help either. Imagine I had to lug 3 kids and 3 adults with me when I shopped? It was so tiring, and so depressing. Depressing because I couldn't cover the areas which my gang and I went last year. Previous trips to Bangkok, I always need to withdraw more cash and sign credit for my departmental purchases. But this trip, I can't even finished the cash I've brought, which just means one thing, the shopping wasn't enough. Even before I came back to Singapore, I was already thinking when I can go back. And I've already made plans with my Sis and Jaime to go in March, I'm so looking forward to it.