Little-Wonder.Net - Personal domain and blog of Brenda Tan

My first entry of the new year 2008.

Bangkok was excellent. Shopped till my pockets were empty, walked until my knees are stronger than before, and ate err … not like a pig, but enough.

Pictures of the trip are already loaded here.

I really miss this trip. It’s been wonderful having two of my best girls - Regina and Serine in the same room, chatting from our respective beds in the dark until we finally dozed off, being able to act like the crazy beings we are, and having snacks and milk for supper together while watching television on the bed in the wee hours of the night.

We laughed and laughed and laughed. (Sometimes until we cried, or ended up in stitches.)

On the streets of Bangkok. (With Serine behind the camera.)

With regard to shopping - Platinum Mall, Suan Lum Night Bazaar and Mah Boon Krong were the best places to head to. Nearly 75% of our shopping sessions were spent at either one of these three places. People who are heading to Bangkok anytime soon might want to take note of this.

As for the more interesting aspects of the trip …

1. SO MANY PEOPLE thought Regina was a boy.
It all started from the security officer at the Singapore Budget Terminal who asked her jokingly whether she was a boy or a girl, and Regina responded with “I’LL SHOW YOU MY BREASTS AH!”

At that moment, I’ve already completed security clearance, heard her and whirled around in shock. Said security officer looked amused. Very amused.

2. We nearly missed our flight to Bangkok.
The boarding pass indicated that the boarding time was at 6am, but it turned out that 6am was the time which the gate actually closes. (Talk about providing wrong information!)

So when Serine glanced at the departure flights’ screen at 6.08am and noticed that our flight’s status was already ‘Gate Closed’, all hell broke loose.

3. I “lost” my air-ticket.
Thanks to point (2), all of us got into a frenzy - and I was so panicky to an extent that I thought I dropped my air ticket somewhere since it was no longer with me.

Ended up running everywhere to search for that darned ticket (and getting a partial asthma attack in the process) while Serine and Regina ransacked my bag for that illusive piece of paper.

I finally found it wedged in the last page of my passport - which I was holding. A typical Brenda mistake, I must say.

4. Regina fell into the fountain at our hotel.
Almost the whole world knows about this already. I’ll leave her to explain herself.

5. Bangkok was unexpectedly cold.
Bangkok was supposed to have weather similar to that of Singapore’s, but it seemed like mild winter while we were there, especially when the wind blew. I’ve had my jacket on almost 100% of the time and was hopelessly unprepared because what I had packed was for summery, tropical weather.

6. Exceeded our baggage limit for our return flight.
All thanks to the shopping we did over the four days. I had an additional bag (which was bigger and heavier than the original suitcase I’ve brought along) containing all my new purchases. Likewise, my two girls wound up with another bag in addition to their existing suitcases (which were bigger than mine, and were a lot fuller than normal by the fourth day).

Collectively, we have a check-in allowance of 45 kilograms. Our total was a grand 48.7 kilograms and risked having to pay fines for the excess weight. Thankfully, the lady at the check-in counter waived the charges for us and I think Regina nearly kissed her in euphoria since her baggage weight alone was already 20 kilograms.

7. Annoying bunch of China nationals on the return flight home.
Note: I have nothing against China nationals, but those I have encountered so far seem to have real behavioral problems. This bunch was no different.

The idiot sitting behind me kicked my seat most of the time, rendering sleep almost impossible.

The same idiot (together with his two travel companions) argued with the flight stewardess near the middle of the flight, verbally bashing her with regard to the no-liquids (or liquids must be within 100ml containers) rule on all aircraft. Basically questioning her authority, and after they realized that the air stewardess was off the same nationality as them (she was a China national too), they taunted her with “You’re from the same country as us, why are you like that?”

Idiot and his sidekicks were later heard loudly proclaiming about how China nationals were far superior than Singaporeans. They probably assumed that everyone sitting in the back-half of the plane were China nationals. In addition to that, they threw in a bunch of criticism about Singaporeans and their behaviour. We were really miffed when we heard this. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

Lastly, they pushed and shoved their way in and out of the aircraft.

Needless to say, I was a grumpy little girl almost throughout the entire flight. Ignorant and downright despicable behaviour like this gets on my nerves oh-so badly.

Regina has a voice recording of the argument between the idiots and the air stewardess.

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And this marks the end of the Bangkok Chapter.

Carefree. On a swing in Bangkok.

School resumes in just a couple of days, and I think I really need someone to remind me to get my lazy arse to school on Monday because I am still in the holiday mood. (In fact, I’ve even forgotten that school resumes on Monday. Argh.)