Cape Town - Johanesburg - Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
Day 1 of our trip started with us arriving at the airport in the pouring Cape Town winter rain at 8:30am - with the boys and I wearing all (and the only) warm clothes we had with us.Finally we were checked in, on board and on the way at around 11:30.
The Cape Town - Johannesburg flight was the usual 2 hours long and pretty uneventful. We had a short layover in Johannesburg, which gave us just enough time to gallop around the duty-free shops trying on perfumes, and then to grab a coffee and giant muffin, and then we boarded our plane again - which was now completely full to the brim - for the long-haul flight to Kuala Lumpur.
With a 6-hour time difference, at 3pm our destination time was already 9pm. The boys and I soon got engrossed in our meals, and the in-flight entertainment, and hours and hours went by. I eventually went to sleep at 2:30am Kuala Lumpur time and Griffin was STILL awake. So when we were woken at 5am for breakfast Griffin was almost in a coma and we simply could NOT wake him at all.
Our layover in KLIA waiting for our connecting flight to Bangkok, was spent drinking ridiculously expensive, mediocre tasting Earl Grey tea. We were all a bit tired and irritable, and very ready for the flying to be over, and soon. I had already eaten way too much, but the food on air Malaysia is really tasty.:)
Day 2 - Saturday 28 June 2008
Kuala Lumpur - Bangkok (Thailand)
After our Kuala Lumpur - Bangkok flight, we arrived in the megalopolis of Bangkok. We were all fast asleep and very groggy and tried by the time we arrived. We NEEDED some rest. As we emerged at the airport we got accosted by dozens of taxi drivers and taxi-pimps trying to convince us to use their services to get into Bangkok. I am however wise to the various cons and rip offs, and steadfastly refused all offers of 'help' and made our way to the proper meter-taxis, and into the 35 degrees Bangkok air.
We finally got to our hotel at about 13:30 - and our stupid taxi driver insisted on charging us an extra 50Bht (R12.50), I argued for a minute and then gave in. After all we had only paid R75 for the long trip anyway and were at our hotel door-step pretty efficiently.
We were staying in the Indira Regent Hotel in Pratunum.
It seemed the hotel was fully booked, and we waited in a long queue to check in, and then finally made our way up to our room - only to find it full of maintenance people and `not ready'! So I dragged the boys down to reception to get another room, and when we got up to that one it was not yet cleaned. I kind of lost it at that point, the boys were irritating me, and I was dead tired, and just wanted the traveling part to be finished. I left the boys on the floor on the 9th floor, and stormed down to reception to ask for an actual ready room which we could settle into. By the time I got back our room was ready, but it only had 1 double bed ... for 3 of us!? So I called reception, and they quickly got housekeeping to bring in another bed and so we were able to settle in and finally relax! I was so relieved...
Instead of resting & napping though... we decided to go explore! We checked out the hotel facilities and then started looking around the markets and shops in the area around the hotel. Unbenownst to me the Pratunum area is host to many of the popular shopping complexes in Bangkok. We were right on/near the Pratunum Market and Pratunum Complex and had Siam Discovery Centre & MBK etc a few kms away. While browsing, Quinn found a dragon necklace and decided that would be his first must-have purchase.
After our afternoon stroll we went back to the hotel,... to rest? No, instead we hit... the gym! I kid you not, the boys were keen to gym, and so we did. They stepped, cycled and rowed and played on a treadmill while I ran about 4.5km. I think I sweated about 5l of sweat in the process. The gym is not air-conditioned. It was HOT outside but not unbearably so. Last time I was in Bangkok the daily temperatures were 38-45 deg, this time it was around 35 degrees each day, so not too bad. It was quite nice actually. Still, it is pretty much a necessity to carry a bottle of water where ever you go and to take regular sips.
After the gym session and glugging liters of water in an attempt to not die, we all had a swim in the hotel pool, and then lay on the pool-side loungers. Griffin was ready for bed by then so we ate some of the snacks we had with us, and put him to sleep at around 8pm, and Quinn and I went out again to explore some more. There are 7Elevens literally everywhere - you can easily find 2-3 in one block. I was ordering Big Gulp cups of 1l of Coke Zero for 22Bht, and Quinn was enjoying huge slush-puppies for 20Bht, which we'd carry around an sip on over an hour or so. (Divide Baht by 4 to get Rand value)
We ended up at a massage parlor, where I had a fabulous hour long foot massage for 139Bht, and Quinn ended up befriending the lady who runs the place and got a free massage himself. She refused payment and when I gave my foot rub guy and extra 20Bht tip he gave me a shoulder and back rub too. All for R40!!!
I was half asleep after my foot rub so we went back to our hotel and straight to bed.
Day 3 - Sunday 29 June 2008
Bangkok ((Chutuchuk))
On Sunday, after a good sleep, we woke up just in time for breakfast. The boys were thrilled at having whatever they wanted, and chose waffles, French toast, maple syrup (or marple syrup as G calls it) and bacon for breakfast. After that we decided to head to the Chutuchuk week-end market.
We decided to take a taxi there, and had a very reasonable driver who drove us straight there and didn't try to overcharge, or way-lay us at all. so he was tipped accordingly :) The Chutuchuk week-end market is simply gigantic and has everything you can imagine (and some thing you couldn't) on offer! We arrived at 11am and the boys strolled around, mostly coping fine, until after 3pm, before wearing out and wanting no more. I was impressed. It was HOT there too. The boys got a Ben 10 t-shirt each for 100Bht, Quinn got a Che Guevara badge, and I got 5 strappy vests and some knitted pull on shorts for 200Bht, and Quinn got a molded wood pulp dragon figure and Griffin got a Power Ranger annoying talking watch. After we had enough of the market we made our way to Chutuchuk park where the boys played in a very nice kiddies play area and then we sat by the pond and watch some turtles and scary-large cat fish over eating.We decided to take the sky-train back, even though it worked out the same price as a taxi for the 3 of us, since the boys thought it would be fun. The sky train stop is about a km from the hotel, and we decided to walk back from there via an ice-cream parlor, and then I made an exciting find of a banana-fritter vendor on the side of the road, and just had to get a serving of fried banana. It's one of those things you have to do. YUM!
On getting back we again hit the gym - funny that the boys had said they couldn't walk another step by the time we got back to the hotel, and next thing they were jostling for a turn to run on the treadmill! *roll eyes*
We again enjoyed a sunset swim, and then I lay back and had a Singha (my favourite beer) while reading various gossip mags from around the world as left by other guests - bliss!That evening the 3 of us went back to our massage parlour where the boys had a 30-min foot massage each while I went up to have a full-body Thai massage. It was GREAT! It was quite firm and strong - I had a male masseuse - but it was really relaxing, and a good stretch.
After that it was quite late, but we still hadn't eaten anything besides snacks. The boys still claimed to not be hungry... in the heat ones does tend to drink more than eat, but STILL. We went into a 7Eleven and I got them a cup of Noodles each which they devoured. I think they were a little scared of the street food they had been seeing ;)
Day 4 - Monday 30 June 2008
Bangkok ((Pratunum))
We had decided to leave the main tourist sights for our second leg of Bangkok, since we'd be staying near to the Grand Palace. So we chose to walk around our immediate neighbourhood and extend further out than before. Quinn found a must-have noisy twisty rolling remote car thing, which I agreed to buy when he'd bargained it down from 650Bht to 400Bht ;) He is quite the bargainer and has learned to feign disinterest until the price is right. ;) We got Griffin a dragon necklace similar to Quinn's, when he decided that's what he really wanted. Then we walked to Siam Discovery Centre. On the way we found a lovely little Chinese temple and various shops and alleys. Griffin seems to really interest the local Thais. They love his cheeks - either because they are red or chubby, and they all smile, laugh and take his hand. It's cute. Although Griffin finds it a bit annoyed by it. I have also taught him to say Hello (Sawatdee) and Thank-you (Korb Khun Krap) and the Thais LOVE to hear him say those :). While we were walking about 100 Tuk-Tuk drivers wanted to give us a lift. Finally we decided to conceed, because Griffin was getting tired. I know all about the Tuk-Tuk scams and rip-offs and adamantly told them we simply wanted to go around the corner, and would only pay 20Bht (it really wasn't far). One guy agreed and so off we went, only for him to pull over a few meters ahead and ask if we have 10 minutes so he can take us to show us something. I said 'NO', we just want to go where we are going. No shopping, no temples, no tailors, no detours, AND we are only paying 20Bht. He was relentless. Eventually he annoyed me too much with his insistence, and so we got off and walked away. Stupid git. The Tuk-Tuk drivers really are the most awful crooks and con-artists. I wonder if any of them are trust worthy!? We simply walked the rest of the way, and it was close.
After browsing the fancy and expansive shopping malls, we found an indoor noodle bar and I ordered spring rolls and sticky pork & rice. The boys were STILL 'not hungry', but once the food arrived and they tried it they ate like starved peasants! ;)
Then we got a taxi back to the hotel, and then did our gym & swim routine again. A huge storm moved in while we were at the pool-side with some spectacular thunder & lightning and giant rain drops. It was quite exciting.
Once the storm had passed we walked down to a roadside restaurant where we enjoyed a meal of spring rolls and Pad Thai Noodles with Chicken. Very nice.
Day 5 - Tuesday 1 July 2008
Bangkok - Phuket
After breakfast, some swimming and a last stroll around the markets near our hotel, it was time to pack up, check out and head to the airport for our flight to Phuket. We got to the airport in plenty of time. After checking into our flight and while waiting for me to come out of the loo, Quinn thought it would be a good idea to push the strap of his backpack into a little slot in an air conditioning outlet. Once in, it got well and truly stuck, and simply could not be pulled out again. When I found him I tried pulling it for a few minutes, and then we attracted the attention of an elderly Thai couple who tried to help, and finally called a security guard for us, who also couldn't get the strap out. Eventually the security guard got a stanley knife and cut the strap to release him. I told Quinn he can tell his teacher he got stuck in the airport, and when she asks if his plane was delayed he can say no he literally got stuck to the air-con vent in the airport LOL ;) I of course took photos as black-mail evidence against him, for whenever I need it.
Finally it was time for our flight and we jetted off to Phuket. We arrived at 17:45. It took a while to get our bags and negotiate a metered taxi for our ride to Karon beach. About an hour's drive. The drive took ages and the boys fell asleep and then our driver couldn't find our hotel. We drove up and down and all over. I convinced him to stop and ask someone and then no one knew where the place was. I was having visions of it not even existing (I booked and paid via an on-line service and it was a pretty budget place!). EVENTUALLY we found it tucked away in a side street. Whew. I think it took at least 1.5 hours to get there from the air port...
We took a stroll around after settling in, and I discovered we are right near to the place where I got my Tattoo done 4 years ago.
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