Wanderlust

15th November 2017

Photo of our hotel which is actually very pretty looking.
It's a rather new hotel I must say!

Selection for breakfast is simple but sufficient for us.

My mum decided to paid the local market a visit.

Took the private transfer from Tom Taxi to Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Some thai green curry and my usual blue cup coffee in the airport before flying back.
(:

14th November 2017

Booked a private car from Tom Taxi Service to get to Pattaya.

This is very convenient as they pick us and drop us off at our hotel.
Have been looking up for a few companies and this has good reviews and they are affordable.

I've read reviews for some companies that the driver did not show up even after confirmation.

Tom taxi service was great and very prompt in responses from the day I booked till the end.
(I've contacted them through emails and one day before on Line as well.)

Diver was also very nice and the journey was very smooth.

Cost: 1200฿ (inclusive of highway tolls) In fact, I also booked a return trip with them from Pattaya to Suvarnabhumi Airport:
Cost: 1000฿ (inclusive of highway tolls)

Other alternatives includes:

Bus services pick up from your hotel: Bell travel service

Cost: 100-120฿/ pax

Minivan service from Mo Chit Pattayavan drop off near walking street.

Cost: 92฿/ pax

Checked in to our hotel: Asana Hotel & Residence

(Double room with an additional bed)

Cost: $108 SGD

This hotel is very new and the location is very convenient.

It is walkable from the walking street and to the pier.

Especially loving how spacious the toilet is.

The room is also clean and new.

My initial plan was actually to head over to Coral Island.

My dad has always said that he haven't visited one before.

But because our trip to Amphawa Floating Market failed in bkk,

so I thought it will be nice to visit Pattaya Floating Market

(Even though online reviews did said that it is a very touristy place.)

Also, it was conveniently located not too far from the city.

We got there by Uber as it is much cheaper and more convenient in Pattaya.

(It was later that I realized that you must be discrete in taking an Uber there.)

On our way to the floating market, we passed by Pattaya Outlet Mall,

so we thought it will be good to visit this mall.

But it was pretty disappointing and there wasn't much to get here.

Upon leaving the mall, I booked an uber through the app.

But they was always canceled by the driver when they arrived at the mall.

The last driver actually messaged me telling me that she will park her car at the carpark,

and walk over to pick us up.

I did not think much about it, but upon leaving the mall, there were actually taxi drivers

asking if we were keen to take a taxi. My mum actually went to tell them that we've booked an uber.

This was when the horror happens.
They actually followed us to where the driver was and spoke to the driver in thai.
After which, the uber driver says that she could not fetch us anymore.

So I assumed that they were threatening her.

So we ended up being stranded and have no choice but to flag a taxi along the road.
We refused to take the taxis that were waiting outside the mall.
Taxi were of flat rates and they don't go by meter.

We stopped over at Pattaya Night Bazaar before crossing the road to Central Festive Mall.

You can pass through the mall to get to Pattaya Beach.
Wasn't the perfect beach with blue waters and all, but at least we managed to watch the sunset.

There was also some stalls set up outside of central festival mall.
Another shopping mall you can visit near the place is Mike Shopping Mall.

But we decided to give that a miss and go for dinner.
We hopped on a Songtaew (Minibus) to get to the Walking Street.

Dinner over at Nang Nual which is at the end of the walking street.

You can pick up seafood on your own.

Crabs looking very huge costing $950 bhat each (Approx $40sgd).
But it turns out not having a lot of flesh even though they were fresh.
Didn't find that to be worth it since it's not exactly very cheap as well.

Our table full of different dishes!

Walking down walking street and back to our hotel!

13th November 2017

Road side thai milk tea at Pratunam market.
In the past I will always get drinks from such places, be it Thai Milk Tea/ Ovaltine.

Brought the parents to the famous pork leg rice and wanton noodles.
Soi 19 Wanton Noodle

The queue was pretty long when we arrived but thankfully it moved fast.

It was not cheap by Bkk's standard but my parents enjoyed it!
I especially like it that they have shredded crab meat served with the wanton noodles.

After that we headed off to shop once again.
Visited Pratunam Market which I frequent a lot during my past trips.

But it was way too crowded and chaotic for my parents,
thus, we headed off to the usual Platinum Fashion Mall.
It was much more organized and fully air-conditioned.

On our way to Central world for desserts!

At After You
We tried out their durian ice cream.

It was a nice place to chill and take a break after the walking.

They happen to have a market outside of central world selling food/ clothes...
After which, we headed to Big C opposite central world to get our snacks.
Took a long walk back to the hotel for some rest.
Dinner was mookata near our hotel and
we ended off the night with a much needed massage around our hotel.

Read some reviews online, and yes this place is great for massage if you are around the area!
Bua Sabai
They are quite popular so be prepared to wait.

12nd November 2017

Started the day with breakfast at the hotel.
Breakfast selection was not very extensive and pretty average.

Washed up and took a taxi to Chatuchak- Weekend Market.

Coconut ice-cream with sticky rice and nata de coco.
Ate some street food along the way and did some shopping.

This was not my first time in Chatuchak and I always knew that it was very big.
Didn't used to have the problem in the past finding my way around.
But this time round, we kept walking in circles and getting back at the same place.
Didn't managed to find some of the stalls that I used to visit in the past.

Our next plan was to visit the Anphawa Floating market (Out of BKK)
I did much research and also read many forums/ blogs about getting there.
Instructions was to take minivans from Morchit Bus terminal.

We travelled there from the Chatuchak market.
Upon reaching the terminal, it is very confusing.
We asked a few locals where can we find or board the van/bus.
We were being point and brought around for quite some time,
and ultimately was told that no vans goes there?
(Not sure if it is language barrier that they did not understood us or was it real)

So... yupps, we gave up in the end and head back to Pratunam area for shopping.

We also walked to Siam Area to have pork pepper lunch.
(My parents actually came to bkk many years back and stayed in the area.
Also, my dad had missed this pepper lunch since the previous time he came to bkk.
That explains why we ate this. )

So I guess the walk from Pratunam to Siam is actually a walk down their memory lane.
(:

11th November 2017

Flew with SIA because i'm travelling with my parents.

Grabbed the tickets during a promo and it was: $170/pax

Reached Bkk and took a taxi to Picnic Hotel.

Triple room with breakfast included.

$120/night (Triple room: 3 proper beds)

I actually made reservations at Berkley hotel for a triple room.

But because that room did not come with breakfast and dad prefers hotel with breakfast,

I changed my reservation. Should have just went ahead and add on breakfast.

Picnic Hotel is located near Victory Monument,
which is not as central of a location as compared to Berkley.
And I would think Berkley will be more suitable when travelling with parents.