No matter even if it's to KL on a work trip (read it [1] [2] [3] ) and travelling by the fastest and the most tiring way possible. I was totally blown over and excited about travelling out of Singapore.
My usually overseas indulgence is just crossing the causeway to JB and using a different currency.
This time, i've taken the airplane.
The last time i took the airplane was in 2002, where i took a 5 hours plane ride to Perth on British-Airways Qantas. So u can imagine my excitement about taking the plane again.
We were supposed to take the 1805h flight from Singapore to Bangkok via a Budget Airline that is related to a fast-running strip-mammal. So that means missing our church service at 3.30pm, and reaching the airport by 4.30pm. So Well-travelled Friend and i checked in with quarter and/or half filled suitcases, and waited to board the plane. At that time, it was 5.30pm. There was already a relatively long string of passengers waiting to board the plane.
Half an hour went by.... and it was 5 mins before boarding time. No plane arrived, and the string of passengers got longer. Well-travelled Friend was pretty pissed and went to make a phone call.
Looks quiet huh? Actually there were a looong string of ppl behind me trying to look irritated to the ground crew.
I looked at the TV screen.
Time is 1810 on the screen. And the screen showed "Departure time: 1805h". What the....
If i didn't go and ask, i think the crew won't even inform us that there was a delay on the previous flight in, so the plane hasn't even appeared!
Time went by.... Well-travelled Friend started rattling within herself of the difference between the-one-we-are-taking and a-better-budget-airline, and how it sucked. This was my first time on a budget plane, so i can't exactly say that i agree with her totally (btw, i do agree with her NOW).
6.45pm came. Suddenly the crew got busy and started to ursher everyone outdoors to board the plane. Nope, no connectors. We were at the Budget Terminal.
This is the plane that we took.
Pretty small and it sits 6 passengers at each row and the aisle between 3 seats on each side.
The plane departed Singapore at 7pm. Reached Bangkok at 8plus Bangkok time (Thailand is one hour behind Singapore).
Oh, if u hasn't been to Bangkok Airport (okok, i dunno what's the correct name), you would have been greeted with quite a lot of statues that looks like this.
And they are really tall statues, about 2 storeys high??
Once we exited the Airport, we took a cab to our hotel; Baiyoke Boutique Hotel. And something unexpected happened.
We were told that the room allocated to us had a leaking pipe and is in the midst of repairs. And they will transfer us to Baiyoke Suite Hotel.
I mean, i was really fine with it. But Well-travelled Friend didn't want to compromise on that, because she has already stayed at that particular hotel already. And somehow, she made it happen that we will be able to go back to stay at Baiyoke Boutique Hotel, yes, she bantered with the hotel manager. Power la, and that is really cool. Well-travelled Friend hasn't stayed in this new hotel yet, so she MUST want to stay there during this trip.
FYI, Baiyoke Boutique is really a baby version of the Baiyoke Hotels series because it's not even like tall. U know, Baiyoke Suite Hotel is at least 20 storeys high, and Baiyoke Sky Hotel is like the tallest building in the whole of Bangkok, scaling at 88 storeys lor! Anyway Baiyoke Boutique is about 10-12 storeys high and doesn't look like a hotel at all on the outside. But, never be deceived. =)
Anyway, we ended up at Baiyoke Suite for the first night. Seriously, i think the space is really a bit too much for the 2 of us. Like we need a bedroom and a living room and 2(!!) television sets within a hotel room?!
The bedroom is actually quite large, abeit too large for only the 2 of us. The only drawback is that the room is actually quite dark; maybe it's the curtains and the green bedsheets. I dunno. But well, it's just a place to sleep after a day of shopping.
By the time we were done checking in, and putting down our bags, we left the hotel room for some shopping and massage at around 10.30pm Bangkok time. And yes, we travelled to and fro by Cab.
*****
Now, a quick tip: When u are in Bangkok and taking a cab, U should negotiate with the taxi-driver to on his taxi-meter. Because, they might just 砍菜头 without you knowing it. So remember, GO BY METER.
And FYI, the currency rate today, SGD Vs Thai Baht is 0.04156. So that means, for every 1 Thai Baht, it's only est 4 cents Sing dollar.
Next Entry: SIN-BKK 15th Jun 2008
Look out for the much anticipated Baiyoke Boutique Hotel pictures, some street food (and it's really much better than the food courts!), taking the MRT, the open air massage (best!!), and the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale (Previously known here as the Always Great Bangkok Sale).
No comments:
Post a Comment