RaNdOM totS aNd SiGHts

Morning alarm at 730... too early. I have failed to wake up at 730 again. Coz i was packing my luggage last night...

SIA bought another 9 A380 (Asia Biz News on BBC)??!!

The same motocyc was waiting for me. I look at him. He nods. I nodded. We got onto his bike and off we went. The same traffic jam. The same stalls along the street. Dug out a 20 from my shirt pocket. Korp Khun Krap. He smile. Few words exchanged. It had became a routine...

A young thai boy was standing on the ground floor looking up at the big christmas tree on the 2nd level. "Joy to theWorld" was playing. His brother was playing with the koi fishes beside him. He was pretty much lost in his own world. Does he understand Christmas? How's Christmas like for Thais? For a young Thai boy (i always think tt in abt 10 yrs, Bkk is going to be so much like SG. The people and the place)? Made a point to ask the people that i am going meet abt this today.

Gosh.. the girls on 28th Floor from the advertising agency always look so fashionable and pretty...

My colleague and partner were taking pics in front of the Q-House Lumpini, while waiting for me to arrive. Mickey Mouse and Donald duck?!

Christmas carols are being played in this building too. So Utain, why are all the buildings playing Christmas Carols? "I dunno... most thais dun celebrate and its not even a public holiday."

Met 2 clients today. "So how ya spending your holiday season?" "Going outcountry.." Thais love to travel within their own country. Cheap and many places to see. And Thai is only used in Thailand only. Not a useful language.

Went to "Hong Kong Mkt" for lunch. Haven't quite eaten here for sometime. Had "Gao Lao Bhet" (duck soup with vege). Thai street food always just mix vege and meat together as a single dish. Cheap and good!

Rushed to another site today. The usual jam along Suriwong. Slept on the journey. Woke up abt 20min later... cab fare was abt 65. I love the taxis in Bkk... cheap and good. But know your roads... i paid a few sch fees liaoz. Its quite funny when u get those out of country drivers and you got to teach them how to go to places.

I got a little disoriented as i walked up the bridge. Left or Right. Gosh, I've walked this bridge SO MANY TIMES!!! Left to Paragon, RIght to Central World.

Accor Group. They owe Novotels and Sofitels in the region... The people here speaks good english.

It is freezing cold in the server room. So I held my hands together in front of my face. Just then, my client came in and greeted me "Sawadee krap". I looked at him, a little puzzled. Then i realised, he tot that I was "wai-ing" tohim. We had a good laugh.

Walked around Central World. I think i will miss the freedom here.

Nice weather. It's abt 27 degrees. Some sunshine. Some wind. Cooling, yet there's warmth from the sun. I love the weather. I heard tt it can get to abt 5 degrees in Chiang Mai at this time.

"Hello, do you need anything?" "Adobe illustrator. U can use it for your collages next time too" "they are my tools wherever I go". I wonder where i will go next. What i will be doing.

Its so easy to spot SG people in Bkk. Go to Siam or Chatuchak, keep quiet and listen. You WILL hear a SG talking somewhere... 4 guys talking abt their shopping trip?!?! I met them again at MBK. They were pretty surprise to see someone in office clothes, carrying a laptop, talking onthe phone in SG English. HAHA...

Stupid Alvin offed his HP. Too bad, I can't get your Ume Shumero "Hold Down Gum". Its suppose to be SUPER HARD hair gel. I wonder how much does it cost?!!?!

Went to Patpong with a SG colleague and his gf. The vendor quoted 900 for a leg chain!?! Discussed in thai. 400! OK! Darn... i think it could go lower.

Same CD shop. Darn... i dun have a DVD writer/ reader at home?! Can only settle for the CDs. It costs 1/2 the price than in SG, if you can find. Anyone can donate a old drive?

Stupid 10 baht can't be accepted by the BTS ticketing machine. A nice guy offered to chnage that 10 baht.

I hardly get to sit on trains. Coz i know i will have to give up my seat as someone else who needs it more will come onboard. I got my seat today and decided to sit on to it.

Nice dinner today. Celebrating the New Yr / Xmas with the rest of my thai colleagues coz i am leaving for SG tom. Beautiful place. Its call Dairy Queen, Krung Bhpet Saphan. Near to Pier 61, further down Yok Yor. Nicer food and nicer environment than Yok Yor. But a little further. Many traditional thai food today. 6 people, < SGD 90. Brought our own Red Label and Red wine. No corkage. "Raw prawns and bittergourd with chilli and fish sauce".. can't rem the name of the dish. I first had it at a restaurant in Thong Lo with a thai friend.

Thais loce to just speak in thai. I'm lost in my own world again. Sometimes picking up some funny things. Sometimes just simply lost... Gonna take sometime to understand people. Although its a little to let people understand where i wanna go and wat i wanna eat.

Salary in thai can be very low... ireally dunno how they survive on it. There's a social fund and also a provident fund, to provide BASIC medical needs and retirement planning. Sometimes i feel guilty about spending too much. Sometimes it irks me tt our company pays them so little. But thais are Happy Go Lucky people... they just carry on with their life..Sook San...

I tot... BKK seems small. But as i explore further, there's more to this place. (I only know the BTS and MRT regions!) The people, their old culture, the ermerging culture, the buildings, the roads.. all foreign but sometimes seemed familar... Kinda getting used to the place.