Off to Thailand again!

15th October to 21st October 2010

Bangkok & Petchaburi, Thailand

As a promise made long time ago, I just had to visit my adopted family yearly no matter what stands in my way. Plus I was asked to help my sisters to run their Scouts of the World Award (SWA) Discovery workshop. How can I not go with these two valid reasons...

So eventually I managed to squeeze out a week from SSEAYP (again...) and had to make sure that I could return just in time to pack my stuff for the 53 days of SSEAYP. And so off I went with a Scout friend of mine for another week of fun in Thailand and a break from SSEAYP.

We decided to stay a couple of nights in Bangkok for some sight-seeing and shopping. I made a booking at the Twin Tower Hotel. Pretty good for the price I paid. Room and breakfast was fair enough. Only downside was the massage... pretty weak I must say... The best massage I had was still the one I had in Vientiane, Laos back in 2003. I miss that place so much. I'll definitely be heading back there again, probably this early April.

Nevertheless, we ended the first night with Japanese food at Oishi Ramen (If I remember correctly...) at MBK which is within walking distance from the hotel. Good food for a freaking cheap price. Remind me why I love Thailand again?

The next day started with a way too early visit to the mall. Well... that's not our intention as we just wanted to drop by the Erawan Shrine. I settled for a hot choco (sucks big time...) and a choco cake (which was good). Plus waitress are nice and friendly so I give it to them. After the coffee break, we headed off to Erawan Shrine for some prayers and to ask for blessings. Just right for me since I was gonna head out into the unknown world for 53 days.

Next stop - the ever popular weekend Chatuchak Market (or JJ market). I've been to this place so many times but never once I visited the pet section. I made it a point this time even if I had to drag my friend along... The best decision I made! I was in ecstasy when I saw the Betta splendens (fighting fish). I was stuck there for a long time... Quality breeds and damn freaking cheap! Wish I could bring some back...

Then again, there's the sad side of the section. Exotic pets are being sold everywhere. Chameleons, lizards, pythons, gliders, chipmunks, cockatoos, macaws and the list goes on... what to do but only hope that they survive and get a good owner.

Every time I come to Thailand, as long as I let one person know, the whole gang in Thailand always catch news of it. No much difference this time. Eventually I managed to sort out a time to meet some of my nong nong. Unfortunately, Nong Gift had to leave early for another appointment so couldn't join for dinner. Nong Sai as usual will always have a foreign friend with her and this time we welcomed Klaus from Germany. Together with Nong Nuch and Tor-rung, Nong Sai brought us to this nice cosy Thai restaurant. And it was a damn good one. I must visit again next time!

Of course the night does not end that early! We definitely had to eat dessert so we found another nice cosy shop. Being someone who has sweet tooth, this was probably the best way to end a meet up. Joking and fooling around. Nong Sai as usual has a bag that is so messy. In order to find eye shadow and mascara for Nong Nuch, she has to pour out her whole bag and I finally got a snap of it to prove my point! Glad that I ordered the matcha dessert cause it was so good. What a way to end the night, eating while watching the girls doing make up. Haha!

Before I came to Thailand, I had words from Bow (TPY - Thailand Participating Youth of SSEAYP) that they were having a rehearsal in the morning of 17th Oct so I decided to pay them a visit. I must say that they were really good and I was impressed, especially when it's choreographed by one of their own. I was glad to have met some of them before going on the trip, well... just a week later that is. Hahaha!

Right after meeting the TPYs, I had to rush to catch a bus ride to Petchaburi to meet my adopted family. Eventually I arrived at my family's campsite, Kaengkrachan Riverside Scout Camp, and just in time to catch the opening ceremony of the new Climate Change Station of Greenpeace at the campsite. It was also the start of the SWA workshop so it was a whole day of activity and games. And I was dead tired by then too...

The second day of the workshop started with discussions and of course songs, dances and games. Thai people are never far from their singing and dancing. Accompanying me are my faithful old friends of the campsite - Minute Maid Orange and Sontong crackers! Can never do without them! As a trainer in a workshop in Thailand, it's almost certain that you will never escape unharmed. And true to those words, I was 'powdered' by the participants during one their games that night... One girl just simply came up and asked, 'Can I?'. A nod from me generated a chain of participants queuing up to powder me... So smart right...? Did I mention that I just bathed and change my clothes? Dumb ass...

Sadly everything had to come to an end. So a visit to my family's place is a must. And here's my family - the Seeluangsawats, well missing Nong Earth and Nong If. Then after, Nong Af accompanied me and my friend back to Bangkok and put us up at their condo for the night. After a late dinner and a mad rush to buy a new large suitcase for SSEAYP (again...), we turned in for an early night.

Up came the sun the next morning and we had to set off to catch the plane. Cause I had to be back in Singapore in the afternoon to help pack logistics for SSEAYP (yet again...), submit my passport and also supposedly to bring my packed luggage along. Well I brought an empty luggage. So the next two days proved to test my packing skills as I prepared for the long awaited 53 days journey.