Happy 2014 everybody!
Now the cycle has begun, got to work hard for end of year to arrive.
Have no clue on how to go about starting this post. Because it is the new year now, and what i'm about to blog was last year. So anyhoo...
(Warning: heavy image and long post ahead)
My unofficial last day of work for the year was on Friday, 20 Dec 2013.
Holiday officially starts for me on Saturday, 21 Dec!
Went to a few places over the span of two weeks.
First destination: Kukup, fishing village/ 21 & 22 December 2013
Away for Kukup with maternal side relatives for two days! Throughout the whole year, they had probably went there for a few times, and i can't go due to work. Now, i've finally experienced it myself and love came along too! :)
Thankful for cousin who arranged everything for us. We've got a mini bus that picked us up from our area and drove us all the way into Kukup itself. Meanwhile, getting more rest on the bus since it was not even daybreak yet.
Upon reaching, gathered up with the rest of the relatives as they were on another bus which also went by another route. We had our seafood lunch!
While on the boat... haha, cousin with his hair all tied up. All of us were complaining how thick his hair was.
Houses were built just above the sea. So basically, everything goes back to the sea.
It's time for massage! They offered if we wanted to do massage at our place or at their store. Some did it at our home, while us we went out to their store. They actually gave us transport service for those who wanted to do massage at their store. So they had a few riders on bike, sent us out to their store. Haha. And it's one driver and two passengers for a bike. It was also my first time riding on a bike!
Hello mummy! :)
After massage, we walked back to our house. It was a 20 mins walk.
Brought Grandma out to view the sun, sea and life of people there.
Oh hi my love! :)
So this is how our house looks like! It doesn't look fantastic on the outside, but it was great on the inside. There was a total of 4 rooms, of which each room have its own bathroom. Each room can hold up till 8 to 10 pax depending on room size, its all double decked beds. One common toilet, fridge and living room with karaoke facitilies + its all air conditioned. There's also a balcony for us to chill and do nothing. Haha. The place got cold when night falls.
View taken right outside of our house.
My little cousin, Ashlyn who is all grown up!
Random shot with grandma at the back.
Walked to the pier where we alighted from the boat and camped to wait for sunset. Nature is just so beautiful.
I love this photo of us! :)
It's time for dinner. That's our full force for the trip.
After dinner, people around us started lighting up fireworks, firecrackers and lanterns into the sky.
No doubt we did the same too.
We bought 5 really deafening and long firecrackers and others too, and I had so much fun! In fact, the first firecracker actually flew on top of my head and burst off. I was deaf for the few seconds. What and experience.
Hand held fireworks shooter. Haha. Love looks so happy here.
Our lantern. A good experience in letting it up into the sky. That night, the sky was filled with colourful fireworks and lanterns.
Didn't had any plans to wake up early to catch sunrise as most of us slept late which was around 1am plus.
The next morning, most of us walked out to the main area to buy stuff and had second round of breakfast before heading back to pack up.
It was definitely a great experience there. We had breakfast, high tea, dinner and two lunch which are all provided for.
Ask me if i would want to visit there again, I wouldn't mind as it was really a relaxing trip where you dont have to worry about anything
Second destination: Krabi / 23 - 26 December 2013
Flight in the afternoon, we fly with Air Asia! Initially wanted to fly with Scoot, but their website was down on the day we booked our tickets.
Excitement plus Patrick who was with us throughout the whole trip :)
Beautiful blends
Arrived at our hotel which was already close to the evening.
View from our room's balcony. Our hotel was only down the lane from the beach!
Catching the sunset there!
Walked by a random store and we sat in for dinner.
Oh so good! I love all the food there which was so Thai and it really settled my craving.
I had Tom yum soup almost every meal, everyday.
This is how much i looooveee Thai food.
Day 2: Christmas Eve, 24 Dec!
The hotel we booked doesn't include breakfast, so we walked down the lane in hunt for breakfast!
Settled down on a random store again as usual :)
His
Mine
We checked out many different tourist tours along the lane. Love planned for us to go to Tiger's temple that day. We checked out many tuk tuk, taxi and tours, but we decided to save money and go on their bus instead. Haha.
While on the bus to Tiger's temple.
Bus stop which was hardly recognizable at all.
Taking a bus wasn't exactly the best mode of transport. The sun was hot and the bus did not stop directly outside the temple. Instead, it dropped us off 2km away and we got to make our way in by foot under the hot sun. So we stop by Family Mart (which was a convenience store) for lunch.
Happen to pass by a land of rubber trees.
Finally oh finally we reached.
Majestic structures
Then we decided to climb up the steep stairs to the mountain top to see a huge Buddha.
This was only the beginning which was not as steep as the rest which was ahead of us.
Halfway through, I swear I was almost dying.
People who made it had a really wide smile on their face. The view was fantastic, even the wind.
Made our way back down to the foot of the mountain, and helped a kid along the way. Haha.
I must say, thank you love for cheering me on and waiting for me. What an achievement which i didn't even imagine i could do it.
Then we took a tuk tuk out to Krabi town.
It's actually a market which consist of many different stores that sells different things ranging from raw to cooked.
On the tuk tuk back to hotel to rest and freshen up! :)
Dinner was another random store along the stretch of lane. For our food there, we tend to find those homely kind which was just a small store and it's run by family instead of restaurants.
This time, love suggested that he wants to have some seafood.
Supposedly to have another dish that never came. Haha.
Sedup!
Day 3: Christmas Day / 25 Dec!
Merry Christmas everyone~
Since breakfast was not included with our room, our daily breakfast changes! :)
My all time favourite breakfast: Cereals + Milk.
It'd be better if it's chocolate milk. Haha, better than nothing.
Whereas for love, he tried their porridge which was yum!
Today's itinerary was onward to Phi Phi Island! It was consist of different islands!
Making our way to the speed boat.
First island stopover!
Honestly, i don't remember the different island's name.
The water was so clear and nice!
Next island which we are not able to stop over due to them doing some works.
Followed by Maya beach! Which was always used to film in movies!
Maya beach! Love the soft and cold sand under our feet.
Taking some shade from the sun.
Love this piece here!
Moving on for lunch!
Lunch was self service buffet. So much love for the tom yum soup!
Little one having ice cream. Yes, the owner brought out for island hopping too.
Had two stopovers for snorkeling, but both of them, love and I didn't go. We are not water person. Meh.
Our speed boat captain cutting fruits for us on the boat in the middle of the sea.
With this, it ended our day trip to Phi Phi Island :)
Went back to catch the last sunset as we are leaving the next day.
Last dinner in Krabi.
Friends actually.
I love the times spent in Krabi, laid back, good food, nice people and not to mention it being cheap.
Damn I miss the food there.
Day 4: Boxing day / Bangkok / 26 Dec!
We had a flight to catch during noon and we had booked for transfers at 11am to the airport.
But before that, last meal in Krabi before we leave.
The porridge was pretty pale in comparison to the one we had yesterday but it was comforting for the tummy.
On the plane to the next destination!
Arrival in Bangkok! We had our airport transfers arranged and off we go to our hotel for the remaining trip. At that point of time, riots were still going on. But fret not as we didn't met any except for the jam that took us two hours to reach our hotel. The people there actually blocked up the road which caused the jam and also made cars u-turn and take another alternative route. And sadly, the road that they blocked up was just another 8 mins drive to our hotel, quite frustrating actually. Sitting in the car for two hours was no joke.
Checked in and love the room! :) The front desk people was really nice and even offered us juice while waiting for us to check in. Help with our luggage and even made a mini room tour to where the things are placed at. Love how conveniently our hotel is located at (to me at least).
Settled down and off we go to hit the streets!
Streets along Siam and MBK!
Sadly in Bangkok, there isn't any stores like Krabi which sells homely thai food :(
Day 5: Platinum Mall, Shibuya 19, MBK, Siam Center, Siam Square, Siam Discovery and Digital Mall / 27 Dec
Our everyday breakfast area at hotel before we explore the rest of Bangkok.
Walked over to Platinum Mall and we went to search for the famous wanton mee which was a must try when in Bangkok! Followed my instincts and we managed to find it!
The portion was small, but it was dirt cheap! Taste wise, not too bad.
High tea or rather, desserts was at Mr Jone's Orphanage. It was a concept cafe of bears, time and train.
Just look at the wide variety of cakes they sell there!
Pretty good experience there! Love the drink!
Day 6: Chatuchuk, Centre World, Siam street, Siam Paragon / 28 Dec
Rise and shine early to Chatuchuk market!
Took the BTS there
Went for cheap massage there.
200 Baht per pax includes, feet, shoulder, neck and head.
Settled for lunch at one of the many stores
A bowl of fishball noodles and a bowl of pork balls.
Got out of Chatuchuk about 3pm and went back to hotel to rest. Too tired from all the walking under the hot sun!
Off we go to Center World!
Dinner was at a road store along Siam street.
Wasn't very fantastic, but it was the closest to homely thai food which i was really looking forward to and craving for.
Passed by Krispy Kreme and bought half a dozen back for supper. Haha.
Day 7: My birthday / 29 Dec
Finally you get to see our buffet breakfast. haha
Lunch was by the roadside :)
Saw this cute little one beside our hotel. Haha, so damn cute!
Love planned for dinner and we had my birthday dinner at MK Gold Restaurant! :)
Happy girl is me! :D
The total cost of it was not what we expect it to be, it was way cheaper!
Desserts was at After You.
Pretty famous i must say, really crowded and we got to wait for quite a bit.
On our way back to our hotel :) Pretty Christmas lights and decorations!
My day was simple yet complete. This year was different, I do not have a proper birthday cake with candle, but the desserts at the end was sufficient.
Thank you love, for this trip, the gifts and most importantly, the time spent together! :)
Day 8: Terminal 21, Siam Paragon, Asiatique / 30 Dec
Onward to Terminal 21!
I must say I'm pretty impress with Terminal 21 mall's concept. Different level brings you to a total different feel and this includes dining as well.
Went back to hotel to change because love and I decided to catch a movie, right in Bangkok! :)
Siam Paragon's cineplex! It consist of 4 different companies. To be honest, it was pretty messed up as you dont know where to buy the tickets from and such. So it took love and I quite some time to figure it out.
47 Ronin, here we come!
Our theatre was a grand theatre as compared to the others. It was really grand to the extent that it's just unbelievable for just a cinema.
After movie, we went to Asiatique!
Took a BTS then a ferry.
On the ferry!
We reached! It was like Clarke Quay to be honest. Just that one side of it are all restaurants and pubs while the other side are all little stores selling clothes and what not.
Chanced upon this restaurant/pub with live band and we decided to have our dinner there. Famished by then.
Portion wise: relatively huge.
Service: so-so
Taste: not bad
These are ice creams! So cute, but kinda pricey
Haha, my face while eating ice cream! It was actually milk and they did it right on the spot.
Concludes my last evening in Bangkok.
Day 9: Back to reality /31 Dec
Pack our stuff and headed for the airport
And with this, i conclude our trip!
Krabi is a good place to relax, chill and it's totally stress free. Whereas for Bangkok, it's shopping and more shopping! Because things are so cheap there, especially clothes. Now I've truly experience Bangkok's traffic jam, cheap clothes and food!
My love for Thai food never ends! That explains why I'm with a half thai :)
Would definitely visit Thailand again!
Thank you love, for this wonderful trip! :)
With nothing planned, we went ahead and everything just falls into place naturally as we embrace it as it comes.
Thank you love, for everything, really!
As for now, i really miss those day back then and the food.
Back to work, back to working hard, earning more money, saving up for future and bigger plans ahead.
PS: this post took me a good three hours. Oh geez.
Till then,
xoxo
