Day 1:
FINALLY!!!
It's been SOOOOOO LONG since we can travel due to the pandemic!
It's been SOOOOOO LONG since we can travel due to the pandemic!
I would say not the whole world is opening their arms to welcome tourist to their country yet and of course I meant without needing to do any PCR or ART test or even quarantine.
Since Thailand is one of the countries that doesn't require any test or quarantine, so Bangkok shall be the first place to start of my travel adventure again!
The excitement of walking through the departure immigration again is so surreal!
By the way, wearing mask is still needed on the plane.
We are still early, so after immigration, guess where we are heading to? Hint is on the sign board.
Yup! We went straight to the SATS Premier Lounge to have some breakfast!
Checking in is fast as usual.
By the way, we didn't pay for the lounge so I'm not sure what are the charges like. Ours is free entry (twice per year) from our credit card benefit. Some lounge in Changi Airport does comes with shower (Check my post on Greece 2019) if you need to refresh yourself!
Not crowded at this timing!
If you have free entry like us, do come in and have a bowl of laksa! It's good!
I will visit this lounge for at least a bowl of laksa if I know I'm going to a country with no Asian or rather, no nice Asian food, to cure the craving before I come back home!
(Blame the Asian taste bud!)
There is sandwich as well.
And some other food.
Because the lounge coffee machine was not working, so we have to grab a coffee from Paul café.
Settle down at the gate waiting for gate to open and board the plane!
This trip will be just me and Kat!
Getting really excited now! It's been really too long since I travel, and this will be my first trip since I renew my passport!
Taking Scoot this time round.
Still feeling surreal even though we are already sitting in a plane!
Not sure if you remember the first time you travel to another country, I almost forgot (because that was so long ago) but this trip really brings back those feeling!
And we reached Bangkok!
A beagle on duty! So cute!
Go to door 9,
Then cross over the zebra crossing to the middle road.
The grab pick-up point is where I'm standing in this picture, it's in between the door 9 and the car park.
Here we are at the platinum mall area! A place we are so familiar with!
Walking in this street with food stall at both sides, to reach our Airbnb.
Tada! Our Airbnb! It's actually my first time trying Airbnb in Thailand!
Too early to check in, so we left our luggage at the reception and yes, this Airbnb have a reception!
Time for lunch at the stall outside our Airbnb! So convenient right?
Lunch hour so every stall had queue!
Buy some fried stuff from the other stall (because the long queue makes us curious if it's that good) while waiting for our main food to arrive.
Not that bad but I find it too over fried, causing it to be a little dry.
Our main dish, pork noodle is here!
45Baht (=SG$1.70) for a decent portion but maybe some guys need 2 bowls? Haha!
Gone! And guess what do I hate most in the noodle? Haha!
After lunch, head straight to our spa appointment at Let's Relax, located inside Novotel Hotel.
There are many outlets around Bangkok, but this is the nearest and walking distance from our Airbnb.
Operating Hours: 10am - 12am (Monday to Sunday)
This outlet is smaller than the one I went before at Sukhumvit area.
The spa treatment menu.
We already did the booking through their website before we arrive in Bangkok! And luckily, we did, because there are a few people walking in but unfortunately, it's fully booked
for the day, so they left with disappointment!
Seating area while waiting for them to prepare.
And they usually will serve lemongrass drinks while waiting for them to prepare the room.
Booked the 165min 'Heavenly Relax' package (1600baht (=SG$61.50), starting off with washing our feet.
Foot massage time! Actually, there is a new view outside but it's too sunny to open the blinds!
Happy Birthday Kat! Hope you like your birthday spa treatment!
After foot massage, we move to another room for our Thai body massage and also hot compress! Thai body massage usually is with your cloths on, so for those who are not use to remove clothes for massage, you can choose Thai massage.
By the way hot compress is so goooood! They use steamed traditional herbs ball to press against different part of your body!
So good! I don't want it to end!
After massage, Let's Relax will serve us mango sticky rice! This is the only spa place so far I went that will serve mango sticky rice! But maybe because Let's Relax is the only spa place I visited when I come Bangkok, usually for normal massage I will go to the cheap massage place.
Walking pass the river to get to Centralworld.
You know you are in Bangkok whenever you see traffic jam, a.k.a the Bangkok jam!
Here we are at the Centralworld.
Operating Hours: 10am - 10pm (Monday to Sunday)
Operating Hours: 10am - 10pm (Monday to Sunday)
Website: https://www.gentlewomanonline.com/
We wanted a bag, but this outlet doesn't have so after checking with the staff on which outlet had stock, we quickly take Tuk Tuk over! Tuk Tuk definitely is more expensive compared to taxi or grab but due to the jam, this might be a wiser choice as the Tuk Tuk can go into small alley and take short cuts!
When taking Tuk Tuk, ask the price first, for short distance, usually maximum we will agree is only 100baht (=SGD$3.80), don't get scam by the driver who always ask for very high price.
Here we are Siam Square One after a 7mins Tuk Tuk ride! Fast and furious Haha!
If we were to call a grab maybe we are still waiting for the grab to pick us up due to the jam!
Operating Hours: 10am - 10pm (Monday to Sunday)
So, straight we went to the Gentlewoman to grab whatever we wanted first before we shop in other shop. By the way, we just found out, as long as we connect to local network (Wifi or local bought sim card), we are able to check stock availability for the item that we want on their website!
Address: (Update: they have relocated to Siam Square which is just opposite Siam Square One)
Kat got what she wants! Many people buy their tote bags because it's very affordable and quality are not bad too. And many people will buy in bulk to sell it in Singapore and other country with higher price, which always have the problem with sold out situation when you are there.
Oh ya and I got myself a pair of denim jeans!
Coffee break after getting what we want.
Operating Hours: 7am - 10pm (Monday to Sunday)
Website: https://www.cafe-amazon.com/
Very green cafe with many plants around.
Coffee time!
After coffee, walk over to Siam Paragon to grab some Thai pandan pancake from Kanom!
Operating Hours: 10am to 10pm (Monday to Sunday)
There are many flavors but pandan is the classic one.
Gotten ourselves pandan and corn.
Look at the jam again, we decided to walk back to our Airbnb!
To be honest, it's not that far! It's about 20mins walk and its way better and easier than you take a taxi or grab. For that kind of jam, for a short 1.6km, may takes you 1-1.5hr to reach!
Finally checking in to our room!
This our living room.
Check the host out: https://www.airbnb.com.sg/rooms/30916054?source_impression_id=p3_1721821895_P3413wvkFQ2oDySI&guests=1&adults=1
Comes with TV.
This way to the pantry and bathroom.
The pantry.
There is a small wardrobe area at the pantry area too.
The bathroom. It's generally in good condition but to be honest, the sewage drainage is very bad and causing the bathroom to be very smelly at night! The smell only happens at night, and it will disappear in the morning! Even afternoon when we come back to leave our loot, there is not smell at all!
The sleeping area above.
After settling down for a bit, head off to McDonald's for dinner!
Operating Hours: 8am - 11pm (Monday to Sunday)
After dinner, continue shopping! We pass by this mall call The Market Bangkok when we saw this Donki penguin, which means there is Don Don Donki located in the mall! Very much excited!
Operating Hours: 10am - 9pm (Monday to Sunday)
But when we walk into the mall, it was almost empty! It's only 8pm+ and I don't know if they are permanently close or the mall itself close very early due to Covid.
90% of the mall look like this! Very much look like an abandon mall
And of course we didn't manage to find the Don Don Donki as well.
Since there is nothing at The Market Mall, we proceed to our actual plan, BIG C!
Today is only our first day, so we didn't buy a lot. Kat's tote bag looks big only, it's actually quite empty inside.
Time to heading back home and end our day 1 in Bangkok!
My loot for today and obviously only my dog benefit from the loot.
Anyway, good night!
Day 2:
Starting the day with some super ice drink because it's so hot today!
Thai milk tea = Diabetes
Took a sip and decided to let the ice melt before I continue it.
Taking Tuk Tuk again to somewhere that I've never been too!
We wanted to take a grab, but we waited for the car, under the sun, for about 15mins and still no sight of it due to the traffic jam, we decided to cancel it and choose Tuk Tuk.
Here we are at the Ruamkatanyu Foundation.
Operating Hours: 24hrs
So why are we here?
And the answer is donation! We are here to do coffin donation.
Thai people believed that making donation for coffins would help them get rid of bad fortune and brings luck, and good health, avoid sickness and protect them from bad things to happen.
Each coffin is 500bht (=SG$19.20).
Beside the believes that the local believed, the most important thing is each donated coffin is to use for deceased who are poor or who had no family.
First, they will ask you to write your name on the pink slip of paper.
I had two because my mum asks me to help her to do the coffin donation too.
Next, you bring the pink slip of paper inside, where they place the coffin.
There is glue on the table, so you just need to apply some glue at the back of your pink slip of paper.
And next, you paste your pink slip of paper anywhere on the coffin.
Then, you burn away your invoice.
This is not a necessary I think but the locals told us to burn so we just follow!
Lastly, the local also say, go to the washroom to wash your hands before you leave. Not sure the actual reason, but monkey see monkey do, we just follow what they say! Haha!
Feeling happy after doing a good deed!
Head off to Chinatown next!
First thing first is to have coffee here at Eiah Sae coffeeshop!
Operating Hours: 6am - 6pm (Monday to Sunday)
From the interior, you know that this place has a very rich history! This coffee shop is open since 1927 and is a place where the Thai Chinese hang out for coffee! Even till today, the elderly sitting here, enjoying their coffee, are the Thai Chinese and to be specific, the Teochew.
There is not many choice or fancy food here, just coffee and toast.
By the way, we actually wanted our coffee in the bucket like this grandmother because it feels more authentic, but we don't know why ours is the normal plastic cup.
Coffee @ 30baht (=SG$1.20) was good, those typical rich and strong coffee tastes!
Toast @ 40baht (=SG$1.60) was not bad too.
They got a tiny, cute guard cat here!
Pass this popular toasted bun stall but we already had toast just now so we gonna skip this time round.
After our coffee and toast, next will be the highly rave rice noodle place call Nai Ek Roll Noodle.
Operating Hours: 8am - 12am (Monday to Friday)
The menu. Quite a good number of choices.
Of course we choose the highly recommended roll noodle soup!
But to our surprise it's not that great! After hearing the highly rave about this, we set our expectations very high but unfortunately, both of us didn't like it. Luckily, we decided to just share 1 bowl.
It's too peppery to our liking! The white peppery tastes totally cover the taste of other ingredients.
Personally, don't think is worth making a trip there unless you are someone who love pepper more than any others. Oh, but the roll noodle texture is not too bad, but I will definitely not go back again.
Just a remainder, if you see this logo, please DO NOT attempt to try, especially Singaporean or if you are going to transit in Singapore Changi Airport after your Bangkok trip!
For those who didn't know, this is Cannabis, and it is considering drugs and trust me; this is the last thing you want to challenge the law of Singapore.
Operating Hours: Unknown
After buying the snacks, we walk over to the wholesales market area to continue shopping.
Enter from the lane next to Lin Zhen Xiang, it's also known as the Chinatown night market.
Operating Hours: Depend on individual store
You can find dried food,
Kids' stuff or toys,
Home item and personal care,
Carpets,
Hair accessories,
Christmas decoration,
Sewing material and textile,
Too much shopping, don't worry, you can get foldable trolley too! I should have brought my own but since I'm not buying many things, so it's still manageable to carry.
By the way, the weather is not friendly so remember your mini fan!
Took taxi back to put our loot. Remember to ask for meter so that the driver don't over charge you. If this driver doesn't want to use meter, hail another taxi, there is more honest driver than the dishonest ones.
Second shopping spree starts, we decided to do just shop at platinum mall which is just next to our Airbnb and of course for the air conditional.
Operating Hours: 9am - 8pm (Monday to Sunday)
Website: http://www.platinumfashionmall.com/
Before shopping, coffee break first at Black Canyon Coffee.
Update: (They are permanently closed)
Shopping time!
Actually, as we get older, we buy lesser from this mall because their clothes here basically follow the current trend, and it might not suit everyone.
In this case, 80% of the seller are selling crop top which I don't wear but they also sell wide pants which is my kind of pants.
At the highest level, there is this Moshi Moshi which sells all the cute stuff.
Only manage to get a few pants, we walk over to this new shopping mall, call December's which is link to Platinum Mall by the bridge and link to Grand Diamond Plaza Hotel.
Operating Hours: 10am - 10pm (Monday to Sunday)
Not sure if it's bigger space of it is less crowed here, therefore it is easier to shop around here.
Oh ya, many online sellers doing live selling here too!
After unloading our loot back to our Airbnb for the second time, off we go for dinner!
Saw this restaurant, Featherstone on google map and it gives a different vibe as the usual restaurant in Thailand, so we decided to come over and give it a try.
Operating Hours: 10.30am - 10pm (Monday to Sunday)
Website: http://seefoundtell.com/
The restaurant gives a European vibe!
We are early so basically besides a big group of people having party in the private room, it is considered quite empty at this timing.
The food menu.
Dessert menu.
And the drinks menu.
My drink, Purple Lullaby is here!
And Kat's drink, Wild Gardenia too.
So, you need to pour the syrup in first, then you pour in the sparkling water.
Our food is here!
We order grilled pork and portobello cheeseburger.
Look at the inside of the burger!
And rustic braised pork ribs.
Both dishes are good! Personally felt it's worth coming!
The staff gave each of us a "feather" when we ask for the bill.
And it says...
Next, we book a grab to Jodd Fairs Market, and we get to know that there is special grab car for ladies! Since it's the same price as normal grab car, we decided to just book the ladies one. Haha!
Here we are at Jodd Fairs Market!
Operating Hours: 5pm - 12am (Monday to Sunday)
Website: http://www.facebook.com/JoddFairs
Many food stalls here too so you can actually skip your dinner at other place and eat here instead.
This crazy shrimp is one of the popular stalls in Instagram, selling live shrimp and yes you eat it live too!
Our favorite mooping (a.k.s Thai style grilled pork skewers)!
Only 1 stall selling pet stuff. Sad!
Can do manicure too!
Finish the whole market, honestly nothing much interest us to buy, lesser on handmade or personalized gift as compared to Neon Market. Many food stalls here but tables are mostly full also.
Lastly, grab ourselves a super cold drinks to end exploring the market.
Oh ya, there is also an open-air area for people to chill and listen to live band here.
You think that's all for the day?
Nope!
We decided to go the Palladium night market to get some personalized gift for our friends.
Operating Hours: 4pm - 1am (Monday to Sunday)
And many handmade gifts for you to bring back home for friends.
Usually once you pay, they will help to personalize with names, and they will ask you to go back in like 30mins to collect.
Last stop of the day, it's massage time!
After one whole day of walking and carrying our loot, of course we need to a good massage, right?!
We decided to choose Foot Haven among of the many massages place in the whole alley because it was a Singapore managed company. Haha!
Operating Hours: 10am - 1am (Monday to Sunday)
The price list.
We choose foot, head, neck, back and shoulder massage and its 250baht (=SG$9.60)
Hand massage while soaking our feet in the water.
By the way, the sign behind says "Happy Hour', 200baht (=SGD$7.70) for foot massage from 10am to 6pm!
Back to our Airbnb and had some pomelo as supper before we go shower and sleep!
Good night people!
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