stagnant.

That's what my blog, and also my life, has been lately. And both is probably 'coz I'm so freaking good at procrastinating! I always put off what I should be doing, so I decided to try working harder this year and to do things which actually matter.

I haven't smoked for 11 days!!! Yup, ever since the start of 2008!! So proud of myself, but have a feeling I'm gonna cave in sooner or later, what with all these smoking friends around me.. Ok, proper updates!!

Youth In the Spirit Seminar(061207-091207)

Angele encouraged me to join and even though I've been to many church retreats, I must say that this was the best one so far. Probably 'coz I was 16 and below during the past few camps and didn't really understand much. I guess it's time to make more space for God in my life now.

Our group name/flag

And they had this giant bonfire on the first night, it was so cool!!!!! I think it was the first time I was at a campfire and they asked some Scouts to come help light it up..

Bangkok!!!(201207-241207)

Our first real trip together!!! Genting doesn't count 'coz we didn't take a plane! We were so psyched about it and I can't believe it's over already. Why does time pass so fast?!! Keke, shall let the pictures do the talking.. Since a picture is a thousand words and I have like a thousand pics!!! So.. You do the maths..

Excitedly waiting for our CATHAY PACIFIC ride to Thailand!

The duty-free fags we bought from Changi Airport

It sucked by the way. By our 3rd stick we decided to just give up and buy Thailand cigarettes instead.

Their airport was SO much nicer than I expected/remembered. Seems more developed now.. But it was kinda empty.. Till we got to the checkpoint.. After that waited around for our bus to pick us up.

There were around 20 people in the bus and 3 hotels to drop them off at.The couple in front of us were irritatingly noisy but I thought maybe they were just excited or something. However, on our way back to the airport they were still sitting with us (unfortunately) and they were still annoying. We took like one hour plus to reach our 'hotel'. By that time it was only us left in the bus so obviously our hotel wasn't really a popular choice. The bus stopped a five mins walk away from the hotel and when we got out, all of us were super stunned. It was a dark alley and we didn't even know where to walk. Luckily, the bus driver must have sensed our apprehension and showed us the way.

Ok, when I saw the hotel, it was another shocker. It was actually more like a motel or to be exact, inn. It was called Pratunam City Inn and it looked like Hotel 81.. but worse. There were only 6 storeys and the room was kinda small but by the 2nd day we more or less got used to it and were quite contented lah. So we just unpacked our luggage and went to scout the streets for food!! It was dinner by then anyway.

Our first meal of the trip!!

No. Not the bear. Nothing beats A&W's root beer float and curly fries!! And it was so cheap! But after that we decided to eat more 'quality' food for the next few meals.

Walked around the night market, shopped for afew hours and bought nearly half of thailand on our first night there. Lolz, are we power or what? Although the place was near our inn, we were shagged from all the haggling and walking and carrying of bags so we decided to take a tuk-tuk back, thinking it'd be cheaper than a cab.

Well, it cost us S$1 each which is EXPENSIVE by Thailand's standards!! First ride and we got cheated! Some more they thought the driver was nice and friendly 'coz he had a dog in the tuk-tuk(they just had to choose that one. So cramped already still have to accomodate a dog. I sat as far as possible from the mangy creature.) and he talked to us alot but turned out he was just pervertic!!! If you look at the pics below, he was so totally groping poor ShiWan who was the first to take the pic. Angele and Jas used the stinky dog to create a distance between them and since I wasn't excited about the idea of holding a dog, I just tried to stand as far as possible.

the dog

crampy ride (check out the shopping!)

After that horrible experience, we went back to bath and then chilled in our room. First tried to play mini mahjong, but realised it's freaking hard to hold mj tiles the size of our nails. So we just took a pic and switched to bridge!!! Jace, don't you wish you were there? Lolz.

2nd day, the shopping begins!!!

Isn't their MacDonald cute?? Anyway, they had banana chocolate pie there and it was nice!! Why Singapore don't have?!!

And why sg no pink cabs also??? Though it would be a bad thing coz then I'd just be more tempted to cab everywhere.

We went to a chinese restaurant for lunch. The food was nice and CHEAP so I was kinda too busy eating to take photos.. Hehe.. I only took one of the first dish and (in my opinion) also the best one!!

Oh-so-yummy fish maw soup!!!

Then we took the mrt just for the sake of trying it out, but surprisingly the mrt there costs more than a cab/tuk-tuk!! Taking the MRT one stop cost 15baht each while taking a cab ride for around 15mins only cost 100 baht!!(which is like S$4.50??!) Probably coz of all the jams.. But I felt so heart pain when I came back to sg and paid $17 for a freaking ride to TOWN!! Damn sad can.. Coz of the peak period 35% surcharge.. Now I really think twice when I wanna take cab. Sad.

So old school right?

Other than the farecard, everything else was around the same as sg's mrt.. More modern than I thought it'd be. Went to the higher end shopping centre, Siam Paragon, which is exactly like our Paragon. The stuff there were like Mango, Zara, Dior, Gucci, etc.. Price also around the same as sg. BUT!! We managed to find a shop having warehouse sale and went mad there!! I spent the most there, bought alot of things including a Billabong bareback top which costs like S$8 and a Billabong white denim skirt which costs only around S$15!!! After that the S$400 I changed was nearly gone so over the days I kept changing money till I realised I spent around S$1k there not including the tour package which costs $320!! Heart pain but it was worth it considering the stuff I bought there.. Though it was mostly office wear 'coz I don't really own much of that.

Siam Paragon

They actually had car showrooms inside the shopping centre!! Awesome.

I guess we went at a good time 'coz all the Christmas decorations were up. By the way, if you look at the above pic carefully you'll realise the part where the yellow light is shining is actually a picture of a guy. That's their king. And seriously, I tell you, they are super patriotic!! Earlier on in the day we went to watch [National Treasure 2] (which was not bad), and before the movie started everyone in the cinema had to stand up and listen to what was probably their national anthem while watching pictures of the king flash on the screen!! LOLZ. If we had to do that in sg I'll probably just go late for all the shows. Not that I don't already. =x

Cute 'lil cafe

Thai post box

Girls with shopping bags are always happy!

We saw this poor lil elephant being dragged around by some evil Thai guys. They were selling bananas to passerbys to feed the elephant. We saw the poor baby crying as we walked past.. I dunno why, but it just seems more sad to see animals cry rather than humans. Anyway, I kept thinking of the bottoms peeps 'coz they keep calling me elephant and there are elephants EVERYWHERE in Thailand!!

After we were done shopping we went back to our hotel room.. And when the 4 of us are overseas together.. We definitely must go clubbing!!! Jas and Shiwan checked out all the places even before we went so we decided to go to Bed Supper Club.

Zhi lian-ing in our hotel room after getting ready.

So, we took a cab there and all the way the cab driver was blah-ing about nicer and cheaper places. I actually almost fell for it 'coz I didn't wanna spend too much money on clubbing but luckily SW was experienced and told us not to listen to the cabbies. Anyway, no regrets. Coz the place was nicer than Zouk!!

Outside is like a giant colourful container.

We opened a bottle of Chivas at around S$30 each so it was reasonable lah. At least we has a table, although we shared it with an ang moh and a negro. They were quite friendly and took photos for us. Lolz.

In the trance room.

I didn't take the couple kiss on purpose!! I was actually trying to take a pic of the dancer behind them.

We actually also went clubbing on that day to coincide with Angele's birthday and since it was her birthday, the other 3 of us weren't gonna let her go home sober!! We made her 'da' 22 secs of Chivas. Muahahaha..

Cheers to Angele!
Can smoke inside!!


The toilet


Yes, I know I'm red. Got good blood circulation.

We finished the drinks like in half an hour and the guy beside us was quite impressed. Lolz. After finishing our drinks we went to the R&B room which was much more fun! But seriously, I think we were like the most happening people there. The Thai people just sit or stand around and don't really dance and the ang mohs were not bad but I still think we were better! Haha. We even climbed onto the platform to dance.. Unfortunately, most of the clubbing photos are with Angele and she hasn't sent me the pix yet so ya..

Easier to dance?

After that we all went back, half-drunk(Jas and me) and totally drunk(Angele and SW), in a TUK TUK. Lolz. It would have been cool if we all started puking onto the roads. Or not.

3rd day, to Chatuchak for more shopping!!

Unfortunately, when we reached there it was so hot and crowded that SW fell sick and started puking. So we just walked around like 3 shops and then ate and went back to the hotel.

The little store we ate at.

Back at the hotel, we rested a while, looked at the many stuff we bought at those 3 shops and then went nearby for a massage. It cost like S$5 but it wasn't as good as the one I did in Batam where you could hear all your bones crack. Lolz.

Then we went back to Siam Paragon coz I wanted to check out the sale again. Had a super filling dinner at Sizzler's for like S$10. CHEAP!

While walking, we came across the pet section where there is seriously more than anything a pet ever needs.

It's madness. But kinda made me wish I owned a pet. Better yet, made me wish I were a pet! With the right owner, you can be treated like a king!! Preferably the owner being someone not like me.

After that, we rushed back to the hotel before midnight to give Angele her birthday surprise.

Ice cream and (cheap) beer!

The best part is, we had been looking up and down for the beer opener coz the hotel staff(who were all super friendly) told us it was in the toilet. None of us could find it.

It was right in front of our eyes all along!! Like seriously. We are blind. Chatted for abit then went to bed.

4th day, the REAL shopping begins!!

This was the day we spent the most money. This was also the day I spent 7 hours non-stop shopping, only stopping to eat! Having experienced the heat the day before, we went to 7-11 to prepare ourself with 1l bottles of mineral water. I think it's amazing that 7-11 is everywhere around the world!

That dog is always in front guarding the 7-11 that is nearby our hotel.

Coz we were so busy shopping, I didn't take any photos other than..

Our food!! Yummy!! Makes me hungry looking at it again..

Our 'waiter'

I know he just looks like some bangla here, but he is really adorable!! He is like gay personified!! Lolz. He was super bouncy and helpful lah.

These are courtesy of Jas, Angele and SW. One hour of my life wasted ooh-ing and ahh-ing over these pets. I don't hate them, I'm just.. immune to their cuteness. I mean, cute is cute. The first few that I saw I was kinda interested and all, but for goodness' sake down the stretch there were so many and all of them looked alike!!! They really just stopped at every single cage to look at the animals and *shudder* touch them. I have to make it clear that I didn't touch a single of those dirty creatures. By the way, they are for sale. Yes, they sell almost anything in Chatuchak, including snakes, squirrels, used shoes and other stuff I can't remember.





A treat for you crazy people who adore pets.

A cosy cafe in Chatuchak.

Jas and me are officially the undisputed shopping queens!! Around 4 plus, Angele and SW were too tired and sat down somewhere to rest but Jas and me continued till it closed at 6 plus!!

Our one days worth of shopping.

Went back to the hotel to change and rest before going for dinner at a roadside stall. They had a special menu specially for Singaporeans! We were debating whether the prices inside were different too.

Angele kept taking candid shots of us the whole trip, so it's only fair we get one of her.



Mango stall next to the place we were eating dinner.

After that went for more shopping till the very last stall closed then we realised forgot to do our nails!!! Sad. Went back and chilled out since it was our last day.

2 sets of roomies.

Check out the things she bought! And by the way, she's the one who spent the least. I'm the winner with a grand total of S$1k plus with Jas following closely behind with S$900 plus. I'm so broke now! Lucky I listened to them and asked my mum to bring a luggage bag for me instead of the 2 duffel bags I carried to airport.

And thats finally the end of my Thailand post!! On the day that I started this post (110108), I started smoking again. =( I will be more successful in quitting next time!!