Conflict

“Saving money” entails less travelling which is in turn conflicting with my resolution to “go more places” this year.

the right thing

Did I really say it, that it wasn’t the right thing to do,
to leave everything behind and go?
I never knew I was such a pragmatist, heart over-ruled
by mind, with the audacity to put a moralistic finger to your plan.

But everyone in love is lionhearted,
gutsy in their own fashion and capacity,
and a few years ago, I threw them reservations,
damn reservations, out the window, threw caution
to the wind and started to look
at life with a wholly fresh perspective.

So two days ago I wrote to a dejected and special friend,
yet delivered, and told her, dear, you’ve got to believe in this,
Perth over down-payment for a flat. That belief
will get you somewhere; it will make things right.

When you left, I never thought you weren’t coming back
either. Then you wrote a poem that stuck, and you came back
for vacation with your heart still in Taipei. And it dawned on me
that 25 no longer matters, because, at 25, I know
you aren’t coming back, for good. That was the first year.

And each year from the first year on, you came back,
each time with more faith, more courage, and more confidence
in your relationship, and more love to share with everyone.

What is the right thing, really?
If things have become right; I say your beliefs made them right.

沒有败笔（的生活） is also a matter of perspective and self-content.

Nuisance call

UOB bank called, wanting to activate a Prudential plan via phone verification. I said, no. Why mdm? I have my own insurance plan. In fact that is what many people say but…. And I don’t think I am comfortable with saying yes to a plan that I haven’t yet read about. Okay… Thank you, bye.

If only banks would call to help me with my password/pin retrievals.

Sometimes strong tastes fit strong emotions, and this was one of those times.

Sat up on my bed this morning. It’s Tuesday.
Heart sank. It’s only Tuesday.

Read on the bus. The glaring 830am sun is too painful to walk with and a perfect way to put reading back into my routine. Even 10 mins (including waiting time) would suffice.

I am halfway through Anansi Boys.

Amit Live in Singapore 2010

阿妹，阿密特。。。都很棒 ♥

Some people did not enjoy the concert because they had not expected Ah Mei to go rock, instead of pouring out familiar love ballads. Perhaps they were disappointed by her adamant will to shed her ballad-queen image which inevitably means she will sing fewer songs from her old albums.

I like Amit as much as I like Ah Mei.

I adore her new album which, to me, is bolder in that it pushes new boundaries. I didn’t know at least 20-30% of the songs she sang last night, but I enjoyed the concert thoroughly. This may be coming from a first-time concert goer who has no yardstick for comparison but I am well aware and appreciative of Ah Mei/Amit’s vocal prowess which can only be described as mind-blowing.She is so, so, so, so good…

I will pay to hear and watch her sing again.

Learning

I want to take up a language again.
French? Spanish? Japanese? German?

According to Wiki, the languages which are spoken in the most number of countries are-

1. English
2. French
3. Arabic
4. Spanish
5. Russian
6. German
7. Portuguese
8. Chinese

[Bangkok, 23 Jan] Day 3

Day 3: Chatuchak Weekend Market > Som Boon Seafood Restaurant

 

We reached Chatuchak Weekend Market (CWM) at about 1030am. As the name tells you, it is a weekend market and you should only go on… a weekend. CWM also tends to be rather crowded, esp in the afternoons, so it would be unwise to stash your money in a backpack slung behind you.

It takes a lot of energy and determination to shop at CWM because this market is way bigger than what everyone tells you, and they have probably already told you that it is huge. The joy of CWM lies in the selection of items, the dirt-cheap prices, and the occasional shop that excites you enough to have you scrambling from shop to shop just to find it. Among us, we bought slippers, sunglasses, shorts, tops, dresses, t-shirts, and 2 trolley-bags.

This time round though, I ate a wider range of food than the previous 2 trips combined. My travel mates have good appetites and they love the street food. It’s not that I find street food dirty or anything… I was just never very interested in food when I travel. Raw mangoes are not our cup of tea, and neither are sour strawberries, but coconut ice cream with roasted peanuts, atap chee, and glutinous rice, make a heavenly combination!

 

How to go: Take the BTS to Mo Chit Station, which is at the northern part of Bangkok. CWM is located within the visibility of the station. Alight, and follow the crowd.      

 

By nightfall, we were tucking into seafood at the famous Som Boon restaurant. Visiting this restaurant was like a short mission to me, sort of. On my previous trip, we were cheated by a taxi driver who brought us to a fake outlet called “Som Boon Dee”! The meal amounted to more than 4000THB for measly prawns and scallops! To rub salt into the wound, the food was bland. We now believe there is a syndicate out to trick tourists into paying exorbitant prices for sub-standard seafood.

Foot massage again after dinner. Shiok.

 

How to go: There are a few Som Boon Seafood branches in Bangkok. To avoid taking the cab, we chose the outlet at Chamchuri Square, just outside Sam Yan MRT. Alternatively, you can alight at Sala Daeng MRT and walk through Patpong Road/ Thaniya Road.

 

Extra note(s):  At the entrance to CWM, grab a map. This is crucial because you can’t comb the whole market in a single day, so you might want to zoom in on the sections of the market that interest you. Also, footwear would determine the enjoyment level of your Chatuchak experience. You can always get cheap and comfortable slippers for a song there.

 

[Bangkok, 22 Jan] Day 2

Day 2: Pratunam Market > Platinum Fashion Mall >  Central World/ Zen > Big C 

   

We headed for Pratunam Market after breakfast, a 5-minute walk away from our hotel. It is a good place to start if you are hunting for cheap t-shirts, polo-tees, casual sandals, or street food. 

Platinum Fashion Mall is a small road away from Pratunam Market/ Amari Watergate Hotel. It is a shopping haven and a must-go for all budget shoppers. The clothes/bags are cheap, and cheaper if you buy in bulk. ‘Wholesale’ is the keyword at the mall, and the average piece of clothing goes for anything between 80THB and 350THB. The mall is open from 11am to 8pm. 

Around the corner from Platinum, you can find more malls like Isetan, Central World, Zen, and Big C, all within walking distance from Platinum. We had late lunch at Central World, and then Buddhi Belly yoghurt. The yoghurt deserved special mention because it was very good and had the sourness that was lacking in too many yoghurts. We even managed a one-for-one deal! 

Several hours later, we had beer, tom yum gung, and raw prawns for dinner, and a foot massage to remedy our feet (Market rate: 200THB an hour).

  
How to go: If you visit Isetan, Central World, and Zen first, you can alight at Chit Lom station, pass the famous Erawan Shrine, and down Ratchadamri Road. Platinum is around the corner from the same street too. 

 

[Bangkok, 21 Jan] Day 1

Day 1: Airport > myhotel > Pratunam Market and fringes

 

We took a taxi from the Suvarnabhumi International Airport to our hotel. Running by the meter, the trip should cost us  only 209THB, but the dishonest driver turned off the meter as soon as the taxi arrived at its destination and unbashfully quoted a fee of 300THB. We obliged because really, no one is going to help you argue your way through and it would have been such a trip-spoiler.

We checked into myhotel, a spanking new budget hotel that is located conveniently in Pratunam. It cost 760THB a night with breakfast for 2. The rooms at myhotel are mostly small, with just about enough leg room for walking. The space constraint may piss off travelers with huge suitcases. But if you are able to overlook that (and the hotel’s very forgettable name), you may find the place cosy and value for money. Most importantly, the toilet is clean and new.

We had dinner at a nearby hotel but the Indian version of Thai tom yum just doesn’t cut it for me.The glasses have oily specks on them too. We drank their content, nonetheless.

Xinyi bought a pair of cute slippers. 59THB.

 

Food Inc.

Food Inc, a documentary film by Robert Kenner, is just the sort of film that would be used as teaching material in the classroom. In particular, I can imagine my lecturer playing the film in my Sociology of Food class. The film questions the control of world food supply and the concealment of food origin and its processes. It also examines the power structure of the food chain and everyone involved in it- the farmers, the scientists, the multi-national companies, the factory workers, and the consumers.

The film educated me, definitely, and it left me feeling hapless and empowered at the same time.