Well...
Naloka ako sa schedules ko. After Bangkok, I had to fly to Pinas for Philippine Fashion Week 2008. Kaya quiet ako for about 2 weeks(?) or so. Let me tell you about my BKK trip first.
The Bangkok trip was funny, horrible and exciting rolled into one. I accompanied my friends to Bangkok on a landtrip kasi. We were scheduled to leave around 4am actually but 5am na tulog pa sila. The van that we hired just suddenly decided to go without explanation. Funny! Wala lang, umalis lang talaga sya ng walang paalam! Syempre, we panicked! So Loven had to go out again and find another van. Then our ride was settled after an hour and we were shortly on our way to Poipet which is the border town of Cambodia and Thailand. It was a bumpy, crazy, exhausting 3 hour ride. Nakakaloka! The road is horrible. Funny because all the other roads around Cambodia are good already. There are talks floating around that this one was purposedly not fixed for the benefit of Bangkok Airways who has the monopoly of flights Cam-BKK. We arrived at Poipet around 11am. I was just glad we arrived intact. It's that bumpy! We unloaded our stuff and prepared for immigration. You wouldn't believe it but my friends, seasoned travellers, forgot their tickets and passports in the house! As in nakakaloka! It was frustrating and funny and really weird at the same time. I could tell they really panicked. Who wouldn't be! It's the first time that it happened to them. We decided that I should go ahead (I'm paranoid when I'm travelling so I always check my tickets, passport, etc) and make sure we don't lose our reservation at the hotel while they check-in one of the inns there to wait for their documents from Siem Reap. We arranged for a taxi guy to deliver it. They paid 35 dollars.
I crossed the border, tried to take a bus to Krong Teph (or something like that because most Thai don't know Bangkok as Bangkok). I never felt so lost! There's no English sign anywhere and the buses don't have English signs. Nobody speaks English! My gulay! Now I know how it feels to be totally lost. So my Charade skills came in handy and I managed to nab a ride to Lumpini Park from this family who got a cabin in the bus. I paid 200baht only but I need to smuggle a carton of Marlboro for them. Hahaha! Illegal! Certified smuggler na ako! hahaha! I arrived in Bangkok safe and sound, although along the way I have images of myself lost somewhere alien where everybody can't understand me. The ride took 3 hours more. The road is so much better. May banyo naman ang bus so you can pee. It was strange seeing big malls after 7 months in Siem Reap. Bangkok is so much like Manila. I arrived relieved and wondering what time my friends will follow me. There was no way I could contact them because my phones were drained. I hit the malls after freshening up. First store was Balenciaga at Siam Paragon. I didn't buy much actually. Most stuff I got were from Muji at Central. I even got their book. So inspirational. I was just happy browsing the local designer stuff and window shopping, though. Checked Flynow, Theater, Greyhound, etc. I was impressed although most Thai designers were clearly inspired by stuff out there. And the prices are good ha. But then I can't help but point out, 'Um, very Comme, ay very Prada, that one very Marc!' Hahahaha! Tina Daniac will agree with me.
And my friends and I lost each other in the malls. We separated at 10 am we found each other around 10 pm na! Wala kaming signal!
I'm going back to Bangkok again. Sobrang horrifying and memorable at the same time. And it didn't end there for me. I was at Siem Reap Airport already when I couldn't get out because I dont have the Arrival Form and the Immigration card thingy that they require. It took another hour or so for me to sort things out. After a week I was out of Siem Reap again for home and I'm telling you it was one for the books also. Let's just say I'm glad God hears my prayers everytime I'm in such horrible position. How would you handle it when they couldn't find your flight details in the computer?
The Bangkok trip was funny, horrible and exciting rolled into one. I accompanied my friends to Bangkok on a landtrip kasi. We were scheduled to leave around 4am actually but 5am na tulog pa sila. The van that we hired just suddenly decided to go without explanation. Funny! Wala lang, umalis lang talaga sya ng walang paalam! Syempre, we panicked! So Loven had to go out again and find another van. Then our ride was settled after an hour and we were shortly on our way to Poipet which is the border town of Cambodia and Thailand. It was a bumpy, crazy, exhausting 3 hour ride. Nakakaloka! The road is horrible. Funny because all the other roads around Cambodia are good already. There are talks floating around that this one was purposedly not fixed for the benefit of Bangkok Airways who has the monopoly of flights Cam-BKK. We arrived at Poipet around 11am. I was just glad we arrived intact. It's that bumpy! We unloaded our stuff and prepared for immigration. You wouldn't believe it but my friends, seasoned travellers, forgot their tickets and passports in the house! As in nakakaloka! It was frustrating and funny and really weird at the same time. I could tell they really panicked. Who wouldn't be! It's the first time that it happened to them. We decided that I should go ahead (I'm paranoid when I'm travelling so I always check my tickets, passport, etc) and make sure we don't lose our reservation at the hotel while they check-in one of the inns there to wait for their documents from Siem Reap. We arranged for a taxi guy to deliver it. They paid 35 dollars.
I crossed the border, tried to take a bus to Krong Teph (or something like that because most Thai don't know Bangkok as Bangkok). I never felt so lost! There's no English sign anywhere and the buses don't have English signs. Nobody speaks English! My gulay! Now I know how it feels to be totally lost. So my Charade skills came in handy and I managed to nab a ride to Lumpini Park from this family who got a cabin in the bus. I paid 200baht only but I need to smuggle a carton of Marlboro for them. Hahaha! Illegal! Certified smuggler na ako! hahaha! I arrived in Bangkok safe and sound, although along the way I have images of myself lost somewhere alien where everybody can't understand me. The ride took 3 hours more. The road is so much better. May banyo naman ang bus so you can pee. It was strange seeing big malls after 7 months in Siem Reap. Bangkok is so much like Manila. I arrived relieved and wondering what time my friends will follow me. There was no way I could contact them because my phones were drained. I hit the malls after freshening up. First store was Balenciaga at Siam Paragon. I didn't buy much actually. Most stuff I got were from Muji at Central. I even got their book. So inspirational. I was just happy browsing the local designer stuff and window shopping, though. Checked Flynow, Theater, Greyhound, etc. I was impressed although most Thai designers were clearly inspired by stuff out there. And the prices are good ha. But then I can't help but point out, 'Um, very Comme, ay very Prada, that one very Marc!' Hahahaha! Tina Daniac will agree with me.
And my friends and I lost each other in the malls. We separated at 10 am we found each other around 10 pm na! Wala kaming signal!
I'm going back to Bangkok again. Sobrang horrifying and memorable at the same time. And it didn't end there for me. I was at Siem Reap Airport already when I couldn't get out because I dont have the Arrival Form and the Immigration card thingy that they require. It took another hour or so for me to sort things out. After a week I was out of Siem Reap again for home and I'm telling you it was one for the books also. Let's just say I'm glad God hears my prayers everytime I'm in such horrible position. How would you handle it when they couldn't find your flight details in the computer?