Hands free in Bangkok

(Republished from my post in www.travelblog.org)

I was told that some people travel to another country withoutcarrying a bag. Everything they need will be purchased when they reach the destination.

That's cool. So I tried it out when I went to Bangkok on 24 Dec. 2005. I only carried a waist pouch with these things inside: spare specs, medicine, a small 6”x6” towel, disposable underwear, notebook, map, and passport.

24/12/2005 Morning
I departed home at 5:30am, drove alone to Kuala Lumpur Internation Airport, parked in Airport car park (cost me RM160.00 by the time I came back 3 days later), checked in 2 hours beforehand. There was a huge crowd of passengers queued up mainly at AirAsia counters, but luckily there was a counter for those without baggage.

24/12/2005 Afternoon
Touched down at Don Muang Int. Airport after 2 hours flight. No fuss in immigration and custom clearance. Took a few Bangkok map at the lobby. Asked for direction of airport bus counter, and was told by a forex employee the wrong direction. The ticket counter was at the LEFT (not right) after going out through the main entrance.

The fair was 100B for route A2 to Khao San Rd. A few backpackers were already sitting at the waiting area. In half an hours time we were on the highway heading to downtown. Once exit the highway, we were in the traffic jam. It was a slow crawl, but no standstill like what I heard back home ('Bangkok drivers park their cars on highway!'). Lots of time to watch the Bangkok street life through window glass - fascinating for a curious newcomer like me.

Soi Rambutri
I stayed in a simple Gecko Guest House


The A2 bus made a last stop at Chakra Pong Rd. Since I already saw the road sign of Soi Rambutri from the bus, I headed straight there after alighting. No sense of getting lost.

I explored Soi Rambutri, stopped in front of a guest house and enquired the room rate. "150 baht per night." The land lady allowed me to have a look at the room before confirmation. The room has two iron beds and one bedside table, and was clean. No need to see other guest house (click here) for comparison.

I lost no time to ask for the bus number to Chatuchak Market. Bus no. 3 went from Phra Athit Rd to Chatuchak on one single trip. I did not understand what the conductor said about the bus fare, and the inn keeper had told me it was something like 7B, so I gave 10B but the conductor 'kindly' declined. Later I found out on the return trip that it was 16B.

Despite my fear that I might miss the market, the huge crowd near the area made it unmistakably. It was 4pm- ample time to get loss in the labyrinth of stalls in this biggest weekend market in southeast asia. Instead of rubbing shoulder with tourist in Khao San and Rambutri, here I had close encounter with local Thais. Dalmatians, Siamese cats, samurai swords, koi fish pond, M16 rifle's bayonet, etc stood out among Hello Kitty t-shirts and pottery products.

Chatuchak weekend market Puppies are sold in cage.

I took the same no.3 bus back to Cakra Pong Rd. It was 7pm. I bought one pair of shorts for night sleep in a department store; ate beef noodles; checked email next door in an internet café; ate fried prawn mee again. Khao San Rd was now jam packed with people in the Christmas eve. No Santa Claus here, but his hat was found on the heads of many a waiter or waitress in the roadside bars and cafes. Sexy girls with tight fitting suit were dancing to loud music on makeshift stage to promote some health drinks. The disco tune had attracted some members of the crowd to street-dance. Westerner tourists were looking curiously at the heaps of deep-fried grasshoppers and beetles worms; someone ventured to eat and jokingly exclaimed: “Ahhh, I will died tomorrow!”. Smiles were on many faces of colour black, white and yellow- United Nation indeed.

I retired early, but couldn’t sleep well amidst loud street music played until dawn on this Christmas night.

Fraser Hill. Back after 20 years.

(republished from my entry in www.travelblog.org)

I drove with my family to Fraser Hill on the eve of Labour Day. We passed by a dam which we have never heard of at Kg Pertak. At the Gap we found that the old road which was used to go up and down at scheduled time had been closed to uphill traffic; it is now only for the downhill vehicles. We had to use a new road going up.

It was not difficult to find Silverpark Hotel. Clear signboard abound. It was 3pm, and the receptionist told us the room could only be ready at 5pm! First time I encountered this situation in 15 years of my working life with lots of hotel hopping.

We explored the town. The narrow streets were jammed with cars. Most of the buildings were of colonial period design. We were happy to find a kopitiam, but alas the coffee was not sweet and the fried mee hoon not salty enough. Can't understand the low quality of the food in such a touristy place.

We strolled around at the tiny town centre; shot photo around the landmark Clock Tower to prove our visit, watched golfers teed off only 5 meters away from the road pavement, took notice of a tropical looking cafe which we came back at night for a not so great dinner.

The most colonial styled gov clinic in Malaysia (?)

We finally checked in at 5 something. It was a two rooms apartment, clean and spacious and only slightly overpriced at RM290++, considered the peak season.

The next day, when the kids were still sleeping, I went bird watching with my brother Chin. We tried Hemment Trail first, no luck, then went to Jalan High Pine and here managed to see two highland species: chestnut capped laughingthrush and silver eared mesia. See the map of jungle trails

We checked out early and went to town centre to take breakfast, then to pedal boat at Allen's Water (RM6 each), and finally visited the waterfall. We did not reached the waterfall itself which was at quite a distance from the car park, though a glimpse of it from top (needs to approad it from its top and rear side) found it was quite spectacular.

I found Fraser Hill a relaxing place to spend holidays, but this view was not shared by other family members. They would prefer the next trip to be Cameron Highland where there are most things- tea plantation, strawberry, roses, night market, steamboat etc. Why can't Fraser Hill adopt the similar tourism strategy? There must be some reasons behind this lacking. Perhaps the under development is designed to preserve its pristine nature. It is well known as a birding hotspot and the Annual Fraser Hill Birdrace draws competitors from near and far.

The photo album is not complete without a shot of this landmark

Surely I will endeavor to come back here again.