Remember the post about Bangkok milk?
The honey featured in the making breakfast post?
What about the toilet paper one?
And who could forget Mr Hill in the shower?
Well here's your chance to grab your very own piece of My Mekong Trip history...
Place your bid now!
... or not.
Showing posts with label apartment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label apartment. Show all posts
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Wash this space
There's so much I'd like to tell you all about, but so little time to spend bloggerating (some guy in the office expects me to do other work while I'm here as well). Here's a little sample of the topics that are congealing in my head, and that I plan to put into pixels when I have exactly the right mix of time and inclination:
But for now, here's a little treat for you - a video I put together to show you what a typical washing day looks like for me in Bangkok.
- Grocery shopping
- Taxi drivers
- Water usage
- Why I hate tipping
- Disposing of rubbish
- Religions of the world
- The origins of language
- And of course - the dreaded hose
But for now, here's a little treat for you - a video I put together to show you what a typical washing day looks like for me in Bangkok.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Phuket, let's drive!
In the words of Winnie the Pooh, this is a long story, and even longer when I tell it.
Driving in Phuket seemed like such a good idea. It's not Bangkok, the traffic isn't crazy, crazy, crazy (just one level of crazy) and my hotel was only about 1km down the road from work.
There's a work vehicle, so if I crash it, the worst that can happen is that Robbie keeps my salary for the rest of my life, and I get a job cooking muffins in the Brisbane office full-time.
As it turned out, the driving to-and-from work bit was fine - it was on Sunday when I decided to head to the shopping centre I'd read so much about on Phuket.com - Phuket Central Festival - that I got myself into trouble.
It looked pretty straight forward on the map - head down the main road the hotel is on, turn right at some street I can't pronounce, which runs into the street where the giant shopping centre is. I'd been past it before as a passenger, so once I got my bearings I'd be fine.
I did get to the shopping centre without any serious drama, although I ended up driving in through the service entrance at the back, rather than the main entrance like a normal tourist. I still don't know how that happened.
I wandered, I shopped, I had a latté (can someone please tell Thailand what a flat white is?) and I decided at 12pm that it was time to make a move back to the office to drop the car off, so I'd be back at my hotel in time for my 1pm airport transfer.
What I hadn't noticed on the way to the shopping centre was that some of the streets were one way (it's hard to tell over here OK?!). This meant that I couldn't simply follow the same route I'd taken to get there. I had to deviate.
No biggy - I figured that I'd just follow the signs to Phuket Town (where the office and hotel are located) and I'd recognise some roads, and David wouldn't have to sit in this little car for over an hour hurling abuse at the town planners of Phuket.
That's where I was wrong.
Every street I drove down, I would come to a point where I thought, "oh, I know where I am", and dutifully take the direction my brain told me was correct. Wrong. After 35 minutes, I ended up back at the shopping centre. So I followed the same route again, only this time taking care to drive what I envisaged would be parallel to my original route. Wrong.
At one stage, I even got back onto the road that the office is on! There was much joyous singing and celebrating in the confines of that little car (Jazz never sounded so good!) as I drove down Thepkasatri Road. But alas, the party was short-lived, as Thepkasatri Road turned into Phuket Road and I drove down the same street I had been in three times already.
At last, after dodging left where I had previously veered right, I found myself a mere 20-30 metres from the office, and at about 1.30pm I locked the car and raced to the office foyer to return the keys to the weekend CS staff.
Naturally, being a Sunday, the elevator was away visiting relatives down the coast, so I had to run up four floors to get to the front door. My Phuket swipe card would not let me into the office, because this was a secure workplace on the weekend, and I had no business there.
By this stage, my nerves were a little frazzled. I couldn't help thinking about my driver who may, or may not, be waiting for me at the hotel 1km down the road.
I rang the doorbell which summoned one of our champion Phuket Customer Service staff, whom I have never met before, and who no doubt was wondering why this farang was ringing her doorbell on a Sunday when she had work to do.
I reached into my pocket and grabbed the keys and handed them to her with my swipe card saying - in my best Thinglish - "For Khun Tasnee". She nodded and repeated "Khun Tasnee". I thanked her in Thai, and exited the building as fast as I could.
This was about the time that I discovered that the proliferation of taxis and moped taxis in Thailand is unique to Bangkok. I walked (very quickly) all the way to the hotel without seeing a single taxi, or person who might be cajoled into giving me a ride.
I got to the hotel, asked if a driver had been for me and they said no. The desk staff offered to call me a taxi for the airport, to which I heartily agreed.
As it turned out, taxi here referred I think to a friend or family member who owned a car. When he arrived at 1.50pm, the driver asked me what time my flight left, and when I told him 3pm, he gave me a look and said "you not much time". I couldn't have said it better myself.
He was very nice, and we chatted all the way to the airport about his family and my family and what it was like living in Bangkok, which is where he was born.
At one point he asked me "OK I speed?", and used the internationally recognised hand signal for pushing the accelerator flat to the floor. "Sure, if you like." I'm not sure if that word choice would get me off on a technicality in court or not. Sean?
To cut this long story short:
And all because I decided to drive in Phuket. Next time I'll walk.
D.
PS. I received a very nice email on Monday morning from the airport transfer company apologising for not being there to pick me up at 1pm, as they thought my pick-up time (and not my flight time) was 3pm. I told them, no harm done - don't worry about it.
Driving in Phuket seemed like such a good idea. It's not Bangkok, the traffic isn't crazy, crazy, crazy (just one level of crazy) and my hotel was only about 1km down the road from work.
There's a work vehicle, so if I crash it, the worst that can happen is that Robbie keeps my salary for the rest of my life, and I get a job cooking muffins in the Brisbane office full-time.
As it turned out, the driving to-and-from work bit was fine - it was on Sunday when I decided to head to the shopping centre I'd read so much about on Phuket.com - Phuket Central Festival - that I got myself into trouble.
It looked pretty straight forward on the map - head down the main road the hotel is on, turn right at some street I can't pronounce, which runs into the street where the giant shopping centre is. I'd been past it before as a passenger, so once I got my bearings I'd be fine.
I did get to the shopping centre without any serious drama, although I ended up driving in through the service entrance at the back, rather than the main entrance like a normal tourist. I still don't know how that happened.
I wandered, I shopped, I had a latté (can someone please tell Thailand what a flat white is?) and I decided at 12pm that it was time to make a move back to the office to drop the car off, so I'd be back at my hotel in time for my 1pm airport transfer.
What I hadn't noticed on the way to the shopping centre was that some of the streets were one way (it's hard to tell over here OK?!). This meant that I couldn't simply follow the same route I'd taken to get there. I had to deviate.
No biggy - I figured that I'd just follow the signs to Phuket Town (where the office and hotel are located) and I'd recognise some roads, and David wouldn't have to sit in this little car for over an hour hurling abuse at the town planners of Phuket.
That's where I was wrong.
Every street I drove down, I would come to a point where I thought, "oh, I know where I am", and dutifully take the direction my brain told me was correct. Wrong. After 35 minutes, I ended up back at the shopping centre. So I followed the same route again, only this time taking care to drive what I envisaged would be parallel to my original route. Wrong.
At one stage, I even got back onto the road that the office is on! There was much joyous singing and celebrating in the confines of that little car (Jazz never sounded so good!) as I drove down Thepkasatri Road. But alas, the party was short-lived, as Thepkasatri Road turned into Phuket Road and I drove down the same street I had been in three times already.
At last, after dodging left where I had previously veered right, I found myself a mere 20-30 metres from the office, and at about 1.30pm I locked the car and raced to the office foyer to return the keys to the weekend CS staff.
Naturally, being a Sunday, the elevator was away visiting relatives down the coast, so I had to run up four floors to get to the front door. My Phuket swipe card would not let me into the office, because this was a secure workplace on the weekend, and I had no business there.
By this stage, my nerves were a little frazzled. I couldn't help thinking about my driver who may, or may not, be waiting for me at the hotel 1km down the road.
I rang the doorbell which summoned one of our champion Phuket Customer Service staff, whom I have never met before, and who no doubt was wondering why this farang was ringing her doorbell on a Sunday when she had work to do.
I reached into my pocket and grabbed the keys and handed them to her with my swipe card saying - in my best Thinglish - "For Khun Tasnee". She nodded and repeated "Khun Tasnee". I thanked her in Thai, and exited the building as fast as I could.
This was about the time that I discovered that the proliferation of taxis and moped taxis in Thailand is unique to Bangkok. I walked (very quickly) all the way to the hotel without seeing a single taxi, or person who might be cajoled into giving me a ride.
I got to the hotel, asked if a driver had been for me and they said no. The desk staff offered to call me a taxi for the airport, to which I heartily agreed.
As it turned out, taxi here referred I think to a friend or family member who owned a car. When he arrived at 1.50pm, the driver asked me what time my flight left, and when I told him 3pm, he gave me a look and said "you not much time". I couldn't have said it better myself.
He was very nice, and we chatted all the way to the airport about his family and my family and what it was like living in Bangkok, which is where he was born.
At one point he asked me "OK I speed?", and used the internationally recognised hand signal for pushing the accelerator flat to the floor. "Sure, if you like." I'm not sure if that word choice would get me off on a technicality in court or not. Sean?
To cut this long story short:
- I arrived at the airport and stood in line to check in - my flight was delayed by almost an hour so there was no real rush after all;
- traffic from the airport in Bangkok was terrible so I sat in a taxi for about an hour and a half listening to Thai talkback radio;
- I arrived back at my apartment only to find that I couldn't get in because I had given the wrong set of keys to the smiling CS staff member in Phuket;
- I had to mime leaving keys in Phuket and not being able to get into my apartment to the security guard;
- I had to explain leaving keys in Phuket and not being able to get into my apartment over the phone to the building manager who speaks no English;
- I had to wait for the caretaker to let me in with a master key;
- I then went to bed wondering how I was going to lock my front door when I left in the morning.
And all because I decided to drive in Phuket. Next time I'll walk.
D.
PS. I received a very nice email on Monday morning from the airport transfer company apologising for not being there to pick me up at 1pm, as they thought my pick-up time (and not my flight time) was 3pm. I told them, no harm done - don't worry about it.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
In the words of Arnie, "Two weeks"
Today marks two weeks since I arrived in Bangkok. Two weeks!
I was such a noob then. But now, the seasoned traveller who can order food, make a taxi driver understand where I want to go, and mime washing clothes so that the security guard shows me where the laundry is.
There are, however, certain things I'm discovering that I simply did not bring with me, that would make life easier. Here's my list so far of things that I didn't bring. You may like to jot these down should you ever move somewhere for three months.
You see, three months is kind of an in-between stay. It's not quite a short holiday and it's not quite moving in either. I guess Bangkok and I are still checking each other out to see if we like each other before we make any long-term plans.
Pretty soon I'll have to have that conversation about seeing other people...
D.
I was such a noob then. But now, the seasoned traveller who can order food, make a taxi driver understand where I want to go, and mime washing clothes so that the security guard shows me where the laundry is.
There are, however, certain things I'm discovering that I simply did not bring with me, that would make life easier. Here's my list so far of things that I didn't bring. You may like to jot these down should you ever move somewhere for three months.
- Can opener. Though my small utility tool will pierce the top of a spaghetti sauce can.
- Cereal bowl. The little ornate Thai dish that came with the apartment is nice, but not practical.
- Bread knife.
- Power plug adapter. I know!
- Bath mat.
- Toilet roll holder. It's all about the hose in Thailand.
- Laundry basket.
- Coat hangers.
- Umbrella and/or rain coat.
- Enough clothes that it doesn't look like I'm wearing the same five ensembles every week.
You see, three months is kind of an in-between stay. It's not quite a short holiday and it's not quite moving in either. I guess Bangkok and I are still checking each other out to see if we like each other before we make any long-term plans.
Pretty soon I'll have to have that conversation about seeing other people...
D.
I love the smell of Bangkok in the morning
There's a funny smell coming from my sink. Not funny in a ha-ha kind of way, but funny in a "holy crap what's that smell!?" kind of way.
It's the smell anyone who's been to Bangkok will tell you about. For those of you who haven't been to Bangkok, here's how you can make your very own Bangkok smell at home!
First, don't put your rubbish bin out for about two weeks.
Next, install your own grey water system in the kitchen, so that your used washing up water and vegie strainings are stored in an outside container.
When two weeks are up, mix the bin contents with the grey water and leave sit in the middle of the yard, preferably in direct sunlight.
For best effect, leave down-wind from an open window.
Wander through your house, and at random times, if you close your eyes, it's just like being in Bangkok. Enjoy!
[walks to sink] Here's one I prepared earlier...
Don't get me wrong, it's not a totally evil, suffocating smell, it's just a "something's off" smell. Every now and then when you're stepping over a drain, or walking past a particular spot on your soi (street), you'll get a little taste of it. Just to remind you where you are, and who's boss.
Well that's the smell that's coming from my sink.
I have opened the cupboard to see what's under the sink. There's a big plastic box with lots of pipes going into it and, presumably, out of it as well. I'm assuming this is some kind of water/garbage filter device. There's no disposal switch or other such electronic gizmo. Not that I can find a switch for, anyway.
Perhaps it's like the Flintstones and there's a sort of lizard living in the box munching on the scraps and bugs that fall down my sink.
Well I think the lizard is unwell. But I'm not game to open the box and find out for fear this would only antagonise the smell. If I don't bother the smell, perhaps it won't bother me.
Or maybe it's time to increase my language skills and find out how to say "can you take a look at my sink please" in Thai.
D.
It's the smell anyone who's been to Bangkok will tell you about. For those of you who haven't been to Bangkok, here's how you can make your very own Bangkok smell at home!
First, don't put your rubbish bin out for about two weeks.
Next, install your own grey water system in the kitchen, so that your used washing up water and vegie strainings are stored in an outside container.
When two weeks are up, mix the bin contents with the grey water and leave sit in the middle of the yard, preferably in direct sunlight.
For best effect, leave down-wind from an open window.
Wander through your house, and at random times, if you close your eyes, it's just like being in Bangkok. Enjoy!
[walks to sink] Here's one I prepared earlier...
Don't get me wrong, it's not a totally evil, suffocating smell, it's just a "something's off" smell. Every now and then when you're stepping over a drain, or walking past a particular spot on your soi (street), you'll get a little taste of it. Just to remind you where you are, and who's boss.
Well that's the smell that's coming from my sink.
I have opened the cupboard to see what's under the sink. There's a big plastic box with lots of pipes going into it and, presumably, out of it as well. I'm assuming this is some kind of water/garbage filter device. There's no disposal switch or other such electronic gizmo. Not that I can find a switch for, anyway.
Perhaps it's like the Flintstones and there's a sort of lizard living in the box munching on the scraps and bugs that fall down my sink.
Well I think the lizard is unwell. But I'm not game to open the box and find out for fear this would only antagonise the smell. If I don't bother the smell, perhaps it won't bother me.
Or maybe it's time to increase my language skills and find out how to say "can you take a look at my sink please" in Thai.
D.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Making Aussie breakfast in a Thai kitchen
Step 1 - preparation the day before
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Add milk and sugar to taste. Drink while preparing toast.Step 5
Look at your crockery and cutlery collection - realise that Thai people don't use knives with their meals, so you don't actually have a knife anywhere in the apartment.
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8
Step 9
Aroi!
D.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Lucky number 9
In Thai culture nine is lucky. It means to move forward, so it's connected to prosperity, and advancement.
My stay in Bangkok is off to a good start - I moved into my new apartment, which is on the ninth floor, yesterday on 9 March, and signed my contract about 9 o'clock. Bring on the prosperity!
Mind you, on my way to the apartment - in fact, right out front of the apartment - my cab driver decided he'd take a look through my bags while I was getting change for him. Everything was still there, so clearly nothing he saw interested him.
My new apartment is pretty cool. Small, but cool (I have to stop using that word in Thailand - it's quite hot actually). It's brand new - I'm the first person to stay in this apartment. en suite bathroom, air con, about 70 channels of quality cable entertainment (most of it in Thai), faux gold curtain rod ends, and a brand new mattress made out of recycled concrete.
I like it. It's nothing special, but it's my first overseas address, and it means that I belong here now. This Soi is my home.
Yesterday was also my seven year anniversary in this job - the longest I've worked anywhere. That feels kind of lucky too.
To celebrate, I caught my first moto-taxi to work this morning. It's not that far from the office - I've walked it in about 20 minutes - but I don't like walking into the office sweating like an angry hippo with a hernia. It's not the impression I'm hoping to leave of my visit to Bangkok.
For those who've never been to Bangkok before, moto-taxis are small motorbikes - usually mopeds - that helpful Thais in orange vests let you climb on the back of, so that they can take you to your destination. You can go anywhere from just down the street to the train station, to across town if you're game.
There are two benefits to the moto-taxi: 1. they are cheap (you can get a lift down the street to the train station for the equivalent of about 35 cents Aussie); 2. they are super fast because road rules appear not to apply to them.
Benefit number 2 means that they weave in and out of traffic, across lanes, onto footpaths, even into on-coming traffic, all in the name of getting you to your destination as speedily as possible.
So how did my first moto-taxi ride go? Something like this:
"Weeeeeee! Ahh - Aaaahhhhhhh!! Weeeeeeeee!"
Guess which bit I had my eyes open for?
As with a lot of things here, sometimes, it's best not to know what's really going on, put your head down, and hold on. I stepped off the moped in one piece about two minutes after leaving the front of my apartment. Worth every Baht!
D.
PS. Mum, if you're reading this, I just made that last bit up for the blog OK? It didn't really happen.
I had my eyes open the whole time...
My stay in Bangkok is off to a good start - I moved into my new apartment, which is on the ninth floor, yesterday on 9 March, and signed my contract about 9 o'clock. Bring on the prosperity!
Mind you, on my way to the apartment - in fact, right out front of the apartment - my cab driver decided he'd take a look through my bags while I was getting change for him. Everything was still there, so clearly nothing he saw interested him.
My new apartment is pretty cool. Small, but cool (I have to stop using that word in Thailand - it's quite hot actually). It's brand new - I'm the first person to stay in this apartment. en suite bathroom, air con, about 70 channels of quality cable entertainment (most of it in Thai), faux gold curtain rod ends, and a brand new mattress made out of recycled concrete.
I like it. It's nothing special, but it's my first overseas address, and it means that I belong here now. This Soi is my home.
Yesterday was also my seven year anniversary in this job - the longest I've worked anywhere. That feels kind of lucky too.
To celebrate, I caught my first moto-taxi to work this morning. It's not that far from the office - I've walked it in about 20 minutes - but I don't like walking into the office sweating like an angry hippo with a hernia. It's not the impression I'm hoping to leave of my visit to Bangkok.
For those who've never been to Bangkok before, moto-taxis are small motorbikes - usually mopeds - that helpful Thais in orange vests let you climb on the back of, so that they can take you to your destination. You can go anywhere from just down the street to the train station, to across town if you're game.
There are two benefits to the moto-taxi: 1. they are cheap (you can get a lift down the street to the train station for the equivalent of about 35 cents Aussie); 2. they are super fast because road rules appear not to apply to them.
Benefit number 2 means that they weave in and out of traffic, across lanes, onto footpaths, even into on-coming traffic, all in the name of getting you to your destination as speedily as possible.
So how did my first moto-taxi ride go? Something like this:
"Weeeeeee! Ahh - Aaaahhhhhhh!! Weeeeeeeee!"
Guess which bit I had my eyes open for?
As with a lot of things here, sometimes, it's best not to know what's really going on, put your head down, and hold on. I stepped off the moped in one piece about two minutes after leaving the front of my apartment. Worth every Baht!
D.
PS. Mum, if you're reading this, I just made that last bit up for the blog OK? It didn't really happen.
I had my eyes open the whole time...
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Living on the edge of the cloud
OK people, I'm trying to get this decision sorted in my head, so I thought if I shared it with my friends and family... They say a problem shared is a problem halved, so if I share it with the potential MILLIONS who read this blog, my problem will be so small I won't even know it's there. Seems logical to me.
View Larger Map
According to Google, there's a giant cloud that has permanently descended on this part of Bangkok. No matter how much you zoom in, there it is. I didn't notice it when we were walking down the street, but my mind was on other things.
This is a lovely apartment. Fairly new, comes with modern appliances and furnishings, nice bathroom and kitchen, and there is a pool, spa, sauna and gym on the roof. THB27,000 per month. Very close to work, but not close to some of the other things that I might want to do on evenings and weekends - such as eat, shop, etc.
View Larger Map
The problem with Light House apartments on Soi 22 is that, from what I gather, it's too far down the Soi, and you don't want to be walking that far to the BTS (train) in the middle of Bangkok's summer.
The apartment itself is great - not huge, but 1 bedroom, reasonable kitchen, tiny bathroom, and a close-up view of Soi 22's electrical cabling, should I ever want to take up a DIY course to become an electrician. It doesn't have a pool, but it does have a fitness room up six flights of stairs (no lift), which kind of does away with the need for a fitness room really, when you think about it.
The bonus with this one is that everything is already there and already included in the price - sheets, towels, crockery, cutlery, saucepans, wireless internet, and someone who will come and swap my sheets and towels for fresh ones twice a week. Hopefully not while I'm using them at the time.
"Tell us price" I hear you all chant as one. THB26,000 per month.
OK, so got that? Cheaper, more convenient in terms of stuff in the apartment, less convenient in terms of location, less fun in terms of stuff in the building.
View Larger Map
Welcome to Soi 26. This was the pick of the bunch in terms of apartment.
It's large - the separate bedroom has a desk and work area - the décor is a lovely French colonial style with chandeliers and the bathroom is a good size. The kitchen is it's downfall. Or it's lack of kitchen more precisely. I think there was one or two hot plates. That's it. It does have it's own washing machine though.
Also, it doesn't come with any crockery, cutlery, cooking implements, or linen. It has a lovely pool and gym, and a laundry room. Wireless internet is trés expensive.
It's very close to the BTS - walking distance if I really wanted to be crazy - and also to shopping centres, street food and restaurants.
All this could be mine for a mere THB28,000 each and every month.
So now you see what I'm working with, what do you think? I need some objective opinions. All comments graciously received.
Oh, and before you ask, I don't think any of them allowed pets, so I won't be rescuing any soi dogs and bringing them home.
D.
Potential address No. 1
View Larger Map
According to Google, there's a giant cloud that has permanently descended on this part of Bangkok. No matter how much you zoom in, there it is. I didn't notice it when we were walking down the street, but my mind was on other things.
This is a lovely apartment. Fairly new, comes with modern appliances and furnishings, nice bathroom and kitchen, and there is a pool, spa, sauna and gym on the roof. THB27,000 per month. Very close to work, but not close to some of the other things that I might want to do on evenings and weekends - such as eat, shop, etc.
Potential address No. 2
View Larger Map
The problem with Light House apartments on Soi 22 is that, from what I gather, it's too far down the Soi, and you don't want to be walking that far to the BTS (train) in the middle of Bangkok's summer.
The apartment itself is great - not huge, but 1 bedroom, reasonable kitchen, tiny bathroom, and a close-up view of Soi 22's electrical cabling, should I ever want to take up a DIY course to become an electrician. It doesn't have a pool, but it does have a fitness room up six flights of stairs (no lift), which kind of does away with the need for a fitness room really, when you think about it.
The bonus with this one is that everything is already there and already included in the price - sheets, towels, crockery, cutlery, saucepans, wireless internet, and someone who will come and swap my sheets and towels for fresh ones twice a week. Hopefully not while I'm using them at the time.
"Tell us price" I hear you all chant as one. THB26,000 per month.
OK, so got that? Cheaper, more convenient in terms of stuff in the apartment, less convenient in terms of location, less fun in terms of stuff in the building.
Potential address No. 3
View Larger Map
Welcome to Soi 26. This was the pick of the bunch in terms of apartment.
It's large - the separate bedroom has a desk and work area - the décor is a lovely French colonial style with chandeliers and the bathroom is a good size. The kitchen is it's downfall. Or it's lack of kitchen more precisely. I think there was one or two hot plates. That's it. It does have it's own washing machine though.
Also, it doesn't come with any crockery, cutlery, cooking implements, or linen. It has a lovely pool and gym, and a laundry room. Wireless internet is trés expensive.
It's very close to the BTS - walking distance if I really wanted to be crazy - and also to shopping centres, street food and restaurants.
All this could be mine for a mere THB28,000 each and every month.
So now you see what I'm working with, what do you think? I need some objective opinions. All comments graciously received.
Oh, and before you ask, I don't think any of them allowed pets, so I won't be rescuing any soi dogs and bringing them home.
D.
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