March 1st, 2004
Thailand Diary...
I wrote this for my paper in my international marketing class...it was a little bit delayed since this week has been a major whack!
First Day:
We arrived already around 11 pm at the airport, we were a little excited and getting hyper at everything, the airplane we rode was Lufthansa, and it was HOT! I don’t think the air condition is cold enough...So as soon as we arrived at the airport, the travel agency welcomed us and we met “O”, our tour guide in the bus I was on. She was great and very entertaining, she knows few tagalog words and was really amusing. When we arrived at the hotel, I was really exhausted, but that wont hinder me to check out the place. Oh, we did transfer room since the first room we had (me and Rosellen) was hot, the air condition wasn’t working, so we transferred into a better room and it was really BETTER. After that we searched for food since we were all hungry, the airplane’s food was not the type of food our stomach was use to. I mean it was maybe meant for a German-citizen, but not for us Filipinos, we will sure be looking for rice! So went out, and we got lost (just a little bit!) because the people there are really hard to communicate with, they can’t understand English I even act out “eat…eat” just to let him know we wanted to eat. The first taxi gave a price and won’t allow his meter to move so we didn’t ride it, the next one, somehow couldn’t understand us so he just to took us WHEREVER! And so we ended up eating at an Egyptian – Arabian type of food chain and street. But the food was delicious so it was all worth it. The food was too spicy, I was crying and even Alvin (a friend of mine, we were 4 in the taxi!) shed a tear! As we eat, we discover how precious the water is, we have to pay and buy them, no tap water! So you see, in Thailand I learned the value of water…after that, we are kind of sleepy and wanted to start the next day fresh and relax (but we didn’t), so we went back to the hotel and there we fix our things and slept.
Second Day:
Buffet breakfast (it was fulfilling!) then…Tour time! O showed us lots of things; we first went to the temple and saw the Buddha, sitting, it was made of pure gold according to Ms. O, then the second largest Buddha, it was really huge and was lying, since it was called “the lying Buddha”, where we took lots of pictures, their temple were really nice and work of art! I was really amazed by it, it was a unique experience! Next, a leather factory and it was really nice, the leather was really authentic and to feel and touch it, you could really tell the true one from the fake one. I was thinking of buying a red (very bright!) wallet, but ended up choosing that item for a friend of mine, of course, in other color. But it was really a lost for my part, I really like the wallet, I think it is really a good buy (disappointment)…after that we went to Chinatown where the jewelry are located and from their we saw a lot of things, yup I even purchased two pendants which was so cute and unique, they even have their own stones (ruby) to be exact. Lunch came, and I might say I was still full from the breakfast, but it was good to try their food, it was somehow different and really delicious! I like their food although I don’t know how long I will last with the spiciness of their food. So after that, the last part on the tour and the favorite part of mine, SHOPPING! We were drop off at MBK and it was really fantastic…of course, the time was really short so we only ended up looking at few floors, it was a total lost for me! I hate it, I want be able to see everything, but at least I was able to shop at least a few items! Went back to the hotel it was really late and totally EXHAUSTED! That night we went to Patpong and well we shop and tried the unexpected, really I was a bit scared of the place but it was really worth the experience! Another day that we were really exhausted!
Third Day:
We woke up with heavy eyes! It was really a day that is lazy and we all want to sleep, but there is a seminar that we needed to attend, so there goes our swollen eyes! The first speaker talked about the happenings in Thailand, the things that had happened with the economy of Thailand and other things that are seen and heard. Her PowerPoint presentation was really amazing and I didn’t get bored with it, she was interesting to listen to and I learned a lot of new things about Thailand, she even showed us some commercials that are in Thailand and told us of places where we can disco all night and told us about the teen-band that was really hitting Thailand and how the F4 mania was just starting there. She showed us the improvement of Thailand and how respectful and disciplined they are, it was really amazing on how they had recovered from their off moments and she even said that bird-flu is not a threat to them, it was only a minor problem to them, since their tourism is still very high and even only in our hotel I could see lots of foreigner! Next speaker talked about the history of Thailand and the major era that affected and made Thailand what it is right now, emphasis on the importance of their King and how people respected and love their king so much, he even taught us the various level when saying “Sawasdee” or hello. Then we got our certificate… After that our friend (Erin, thank God!) taught us how to ride the MRT Skytrain of Thailand, it was really astonishing because it was computer generated unlike here in the Philippines, although the train itself is just the like the Philippines (only better in a few ways) but it was still crowded! We went to Chatuchak market it was really a place to die for! The whole place (it was hectares and hectares!) of clothes, accessories, appliance, and a lot of whole other things! It was really a place where you can bargain and buy your way in! I really love it although the time was limited and our feet sore! After that we look stupid and went to the Emporium, a high class mall and we look stupid because we were carrying such heavy bags it was really shameful, the people in Thailand especially the store that we went to (it was Lacoste!) and I was expecting a good service, but unfortunately I was disappointed because the people were really snob (I though they are a smiling country?) and they don’t know how to entertain buyers and tourist! Thank God the receptionist of the mall had a better and friendlier attitude or else I’ll freak out! We also met Filipinos and were able to ask where we could leave our things since it was so heavy! So we ate there and somehow tour the place, since it was already late, they were already closing! I missed it! the night goes and we went back to the hotel, not to rest, but leave our stuff and off we go again to Patpong and was going to follow our few friends but decided to walk on our own way, so we ended up shopping for more (hurray for me!) so there we bargain our ways to the prices and we got pretty good items at very cheap prices! It was remarkable; Thailand is truly a place to bargain things for!
Fourth (final) Day:
I set the alarm at 7:30 am so that we could still shop in the morning, due to my lack of sleep and ignorance, I took a small nap and when I woke up, it was already 10:30 am; we haven’t even bought food yet! So there we hurried and took a shower and we went to the nearest mall in our hotel, which is Pratunam center, although the place wasn’t fully opened, we found what we were looking for which is the food! Our little treasures and souvenir for the people back here in Manila. Then went to the airport and ate at KFC, their chickens are horrible! I even shop at the last minute (thanks to a friend!) that pointed out the Nike bag. So off we went and back to the Philippines.
Things I’ve learned:
· Thailand is truly a shopping haven
· Prostitution is enlarged and seen everywhere
· Go to Pattaya, it is a definite MUST
· Bargaining is a law in Thailand
· Some Thai people don’t know how to entertain customers
· They don’t have enough knowledge about English
· They will just smile and smile if they can’t understand you
· Their foods are really spicy! But delicious!
· Don’t go near a monk
· Don’t touch anyone’s head!
· Betty Boop is popular there
· F4 is just staring to rise there
· They have 7-11’s every corner!
· Taxi’s can be found everywhere
· P 199 is the average price of goods at Thailand
· Be sure to go there at least a week so that you won’t feel incomplete (like I do)
· There time is delayed by an hour
· There King and Prince are well love
· “Sawasdee”; “Korp Khun”; “ka”; “krap”; “lok noi”; “peng” ; “mei pein”
· Durian chips are delicious!
· They left the position of the most traffic country to the Philippines
First Day:
We arrived already around 11 pm at the airport, we were a little excited and getting hyper at everything, the airplane we rode was Lufthansa, and it was HOT! I don’t think the air condition is cold enough...So as soon as we arrived at the airport, the travel agency welcomed us and we met “O”, our tour guide in the bus I was on. She was great and very entertaining, she knows few tagalog words and was really amusing. When we arrived at the hotel, I was really exhausted, but that wont hinder me to check out the place. Oh, we did transfer room since the first room we had (me and Rosellen) was hot, the air condition wasn’t working, so we transferred into a better room and it was really BETTER. After that we searched for food since we were all hungry, the airplane’s food was not the type of food our stomach was use to. I mean it was maybe meant for a German-citizen, but not for us Filipinos, we will sure be looking for rice! So went out, and we got lost (just a little bit!) because the people there are really hard to communicate with, they can’t understand English I even act out “eat…eat” just to let him know we wanted to eat. The first taxi gave a price and won’t allow his meter to move so we didn’t ride it, the next one, somehow couldn’t understand us so he just to took us WHEREVER! And so we ended up eating at an Egyptian – Arabian type of food chain and street. But the food was delicious so it was all worth it. The food was too spicy, I was crying and even Alvin (a friend of mine, we were 4 in the taxi!) shed a tear! As we eat, we discover how precious the water is, we have to pay and buy them, no tap water! So you see, in Thailand I learned the value of water…after that, we are kind of sleepy and wanted to start the next day fresh and relax (but we didn’t), so we went back to the hotel and there we fix our things and slept.
Second Day:
Buffet breakfast (it was fulfilling!) then…Tour time! O showed us lots of things; we first went to the temple and saw the Buddha, sitting, it was made of pure gold according to Ms. O, then the second largest Buddha, it was really huge and was lying, since it was called “the lying Buddha”, where we took lots of pictures, their temple were really nice and work of art! I was really amazed by it, it was a unique experience! Next, a leather factory and it was really nice, the leather was really authentic and to feel and touch it, you could really tell the true one from the fake one. I was thinking of buying a red (very bright!) wallet, but ended up choosing that item for a friend of mine, of course, in other color. But it was really a lost for my part, I really like the wallet, I think it is really a good buy (disappointment)…after that we went to Chinatown where the jewelry are located and from their we saw a lot of things, yup I even purchased two pendants which was so cute and unique, they even have their own stones (ruby) to be exact. Lunch came, and I might say I was still full from the breakfast, but it was good to try their food, it was somehow different and really delicious! I like their food although I don’t know how long I will last with the spiciness of their food. So after that, the last part on the tour and the favorite part of mine, SHOPPING! We were drop off at MBK and it was really fantastic…of course, the time was really short so we only ended up looking at few floors, it was a total lost for me! I hate it, I want be able to see everything, but at least I was able to shop at least a few items! Went back to the hotel it was really late and totally EXHAUSTED! That night we went to Patpong and well we shop and tried the unexpected, really I was a bit scared of the place but it was really worth the experience! Another day that we were really exhausted!
Third Day:
We woke up with heavy eyes! It was really a day that is lazy and we all want to sleep, but there is a seminar that we needed to attend, so there goes our swollen eyes! The first speaker talked about the happenings in Thailand, the things that had happened with the economy of Thailand and other things that are seen and heard. Her PowerPoint presentation was really amazing and I didn’t get bored with it, she was interesting to listen to and I learned a lot of new things about Thailand, she even showed us some commercials that are in Thailand and told us of places where we can disco all night and told us about the teen-band that was really hitting Thailand and how the F4 mania was just starting there. She showed us the improvement of Thailand and how respectful and disciplined they are, it was really amazing on how they had recovered from their off moments and she even said that bird-flu is not a threat to them, it was only a minor problem to them, since their tourism is still very high and even only in our hotel I could see lots of foreigner! Next speaker talked about the history of Thailand and the major era that affected and made Thailand what it is right now, emphasis on the importance of their King and how people respected and love their king so much, he even taught us the various level when saying “Sawasdee” or hello. Then we got our certificate… After that our friend (Erin, thank God!) taught us how to ride the MRT Skytrain of Thailand, it was really astonishing because it was computer generated unlike here in the Philippines, although the train itself is just the like the Philippines (only better in a few ways) but it was still crowded! We went to Chatuchak market it was really a place to die for! The whole place (it was hectares and hectares!) of clothes, accessories, appliance, and a lot of whole other things! It was really a place where you can bargain and buy your way in! I really love it although the time was limited and our feet sore! After that we look stupid and went to the Emporium, a high class mall and we look stupid because we were carrying such heavy bags it was really shameful, the people in Thailand especially the store that we went to (it was Lacoste!) and I was expecting a good service, but unfortunately I was disappointed because the people were really snob (I though they are a smiling country?) and they don’t know how to entertain buyers and tourist! Thank God the receptionist of the mall had a better and friendlier attitude or else I’ll freak out! We also met Filipinos and were able to ask where we could leave our things since it was so heavy! So we ate there and somehow tour the place, since it was already late, they were already closing! I missed it! the night goes and we went back to the hotel, not to rest, but leave our stuff and off we go again to Patpong and was going to follow our few friends but decided to walk on our own way, so we ended up shopping for more (hurray for me!) so there we bargain our ways to the prices and we got pretty good items at very cheap prices! It was remarkable; Thailand is truly a place to bargain things for!
Fourth (final) Day:
I set the alarm at 7:30 am so that we could still shop in the morning, due to my lack of sleep and ignorance, I took a small nap and when I woke up, it was already 10:30 am; we haven’t even bought food yet! So there we hurried and took a shower and we went to the nearest mall in our hotel, which is Pratunam center, although the place wasn’t fully opened, we found what we were looking for which is the food! Our little treasures and souvenir for the people back here in Manila. Then went to the airport and ate at KFC, their chickens are horrible! I even shop at the last minute (thanks to a friend!) that pointed out the Nike bag. So off we went and back to the Philippines.
Things I’ve learned:
· Thailand is truly a shopping haven
· Prostitution is enlarged and seen everywhere
· Go to Pattaya, it is a definite MUST
· Bargaining is a law in Thailand
· Some Thai people don’t know how to entertain customers
· They don’t have enough knowledge about English
· They will just smile and smile if they can’t understand you
· Their foods are really spicy! But delicious!
· Don’t go near a monk
· Don’t touch anyone’s head!
· Betty Boop is popular there
· F4 is just staring to rise there
· They have 7-11’s every corner!
· Taxi’s can be found everywhere
· P 199 is the average price of goods at Thailand
· Be sure to go there at least a week so that you won’t feel incomplete (like I do)
· There time is delayed by an hour
· There King and Prince are well love
· “Sawasdee”; “Korp Khun”; “ka”; “krap”; “lok noi”; “peng” ; “mei pein”
· Durian chips are delicious!
· They left the position of the most traffic country to the Philippines
finally they arrived! and we went to see the movie 50 first dates it was really hilarious and funny! I love the movie it ws entertaining and rob was a really funny guy to watch...I fell in love with the movie, imagine a guy willing to do this stuff for the rest of your life...not wanting to give up and everyday doing the things that you couldnt remember and just thinking, you married this guy, had child, but when you wake up there is still nothing?? I mean, how sweet a guy for being patient and not getting tired! Now that is TRUE LOVE 
