Day 51 - Relax @ Prachuap Khiri Khan

Woke up at 9am and went to town to have porridge for breakfast. After breakfast, we rode out of town to a 'travel agency' highway 4 to enquire about tomorrow's tickets to Ranong. The tickets cost 185B each and the bus will leave around 11am. (this town is so small that it doesn't even have a bus station)

Having settled tomorrow's travel arrangements, we set out to conquer 'Khao Chong Krajok' which is a temple which is built on top a granite hill by the Prachuap bay. At the foot of the hill, we bought bananas and peanuts to feed the monkeys. There were so many of them and they were territorial and very aggressive. My mum was terrified of them and my dad had his packet of mango sticky rice snatched away.. hahaha!! We had to climb 396 steps to get to the top of the hill and the view there was simply stunning.

We were all exhausted and rested for a good 30mins before descending the hill to go for lunch.

Expenses:

Hotel - 750B
Bike rent - 200B
Misc - 40B

***All expenses not accurate due to sharing***

Day 50 - Bangkok to Prachuap Khiri Khan

Checked out of Burapa hotel at 1pm together with my parents. They took a taxi to Hualumpong train station to catch their train while I started my ride out of Bangkok. This been 5 days since I rode my bike.. Hahaha..

Was in 2 minds whether to use route 34 as I've seen in the news that Samut Sakhon is currently flooded. Alternatively, I can choose to take route 4 which is roughly 80km longer.

I decided to bite the bullet and go for route 34. Much to my surprise, it wasn't flooded at all. Great!

I rode southwards stopping near Petchaburi for fuel and drinks and at the 'floating market' near Hua Hin for a short look around since I'm ahead of schedule and got time to burn. The so called 'floating market' is just tourist attraction made up of many little small shops built around a man made lake. Very boring for me. Had my lunch and moved on after about 45 mins there.

Reached Prachuap Khiri Khan at about 6.30pm and checked in to Lily's guest house where I stayed before previously. Called my parents and was informed that their train will arrive at about 8.30pm. (1 hr behind schedule)
The guesthouse loaned my their 3 wheeler (bike + sidecar) to go to the train station to pick up my parents.

It's damn hard to control initially but I gained confidence handling it in no time at all. We went for dinner at the local food centre and a ride around the little town before returning to the guesthouse to rest at 11pm.

Expenses:

Hotel - 750B
Petrol - 130B
Food - 160B

***All expenses not accurate due to sharing***

Day 48 - Relax @ Bangkok

Woke up stoned at 9am by my parents who wanted me to accompanied them to visit some temples. Reluctantly, I accompanied them to Wat Suthat and Wat Imm which are very famous temples in Bangkok. My dad spent about 8000B on donations and offerings to the temple @_@

After lunch, we went to 'Bobae tower' which is a very large clothing wholesale centre similiar to Platinum mall to accompany my mum to
do her shopping. After which we returned to the hotel at about 6pm. I was very tired after standing for the whole day accompanying them.

We decided that we will proceed to Prachuap Khiri Khan in a couple of days time after my dad settle his stuff.

At about 8pm, we went for dinner near the hotel. My dad took my bike and went out to do his stuff while I brought my mum to the Suhumvit area for some shopping followed by chilling out at a bar called 'stumble inn'. Offered to bring her see some sexy dancing but she declined, thus we went back to the hotel rest at about 11pm.

Expenses:

F&B - 760B
Public transport - 170B
Entertainment - 260B

***All expenses not accurate due to sharing***

Day 49 - Relax @ Bangkok

Today accompanied my mum to Platinum fashion mall and pratunam market for shopping. Reached at 11.30am and went to swensens for ice cream first. Lunch was at Fuji Japanese restaurant and dinner was taken at mcdonalds. Spent the whole day shopping and went back to the hotel at 7pm with sore feet.

At 10pm, We went to the Hualumpong train station to purchase their train tickets for their journey to Prachuap Khiri Khan. Tickets cost 245B each. Their train will leave at 2pm and arrive at Prachuap Khiri Khan at 7.30pm where I will meet up with them again.

They have decided to accompany me for the rest of my trip and party all the way till Hatyai.The sequence of our trip is likely to be Bangkok, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong/Burma, Phuket, Krabi, Hatyai. Reversed sequence from my trip northwards, but who cares as I'm sure they will have fun.

Expenses:

F&B - 1100B
Shopping - 2300B
Public transport - 300B

***All expenses not accurate due to sharing***

Day 47 - Relax @ Bangkok

Awoken by knocking on my door by my parents wanting to go to the 'Chachuchak weekend market' at about 9.30am in the morning. Went out with them without my bath even @_@.

When we reached, many of the shops were still closed. After breakfast, we went to take a walk. I was kind of bored as I haven been to numerous markets selling all sorts of stuff already. My dad went to look for his stuff while I accompanied my mum to look at her stuff.

At about 12pm, we regrouped and went back to the hotel to check out. My dad wanted to have a change of hotel as he felt that the location is inconvenient. Oh well, what to do?

I followed their taxi back to Yaowarrat area where we checked in to 'Burapa hotel' for 900B (triple sharing)

5pm, accompanied my mum to MBK for dinner and some shopping but ended up buying nothing. Went back to the hotel at 9pm as she was feeling tired and wanted to rest. No photos as I forgot to bring my phone out.

11pm it's time for some entertainment. Went to nana plaza again for drinks. Another crazy night and I went back to the hotel at 3+am.

Expenses:

F&B - 600B
Misc - 50B
Public transport - 320B
Entertainment - 900B

***All expenses not accurate due to sharing***

Day 46 - Relax @ Bangkok

At about 1pm, I set off by public transport to the airport to meet my parents who are coming to Bangkok to meet me. Their flight is due to land at about 3pm.

Firstly to 'Petchaburi station/MRT' Cost: 29B. Next I had to walk over to the 'Makkasan station/airport rail link' to take the train to the airport. Cost: 35B. This is the cheapest and most efficient way to get to the airport. Taking a taxi there will cost me 400B to 500B at least and there's likely to be a jam in the city anyways.

Once at the airport, it really made me feel like just taking a flight home. I'm still about 30 minutes early so I went to have my lunch first. Food is seriously not cheap at the airport and. The duck rice set that I had for lunch cost me 187B!

At about 3.30pm, I finally saw my parents. So happy. We took a taxi to my hotel got them another room there.

Next, we went to the Yaowarrat area for a 'long walk' amongst the streets and alleys where there are countless small stores selling all sorts of stuff imaginable. Late night, we went to the Silom area and to Patpong night market.

Expenses:

Hotel - 750B
F&B - 400B
Public transport - 64B

Day 45 - Relax @ Bangkok

The train finally arrived at Bangkok Hualampong train station at 9am after a delay of about 2 hours due to the flooding on the outskirts of Bangkok.

Once off the train, I proceeded to the cargo area to collect my bike. It's was there waiting for me faithfully. Quickly tipped the handlers 100B and off I went, free to roam the streets of Bangkok.

1st stop, I went to Yaowarrat area (Chinatown) to look for accomodation as per requested by my parents who are flying in to Bangkok tomorrow. 1st impression is the the hotels in the area are not attractive at all. And as I rode around the back lanes, the area near the river was flooded. Thus, I decided to look for other accomodation nearby. Finally settled for 'SK Mahanakhon boutique hotel' just opposite the train station. Cost: 750B a night.

Went to '@Hualampong hotel' which is beside my hotel to have breakfast. Cost: 95B

It's time to go shopping at 1.30pm. it's good that the entrance to the MRT is right in front of my hotel. 1st stop is to 'Silom station/MRT' where the famous Patpong night market is located; just 2 train stations away. Cost: 18B

Just walked along Silom Road and Silom Complex. Patpong night market is not opened yet. One interesting thing thing to note is that the shopping centers and store owners have all the sandbags stacked up and ready for the impending flood. Looks like a scene out of the battle zone where soldiers stack up sandbags to create firing pods.

Next up is to MBK which is located at the 'National stadium station/BTS' located 3 stops away. Cost: 20B. Walked around MBK and Siam paragon area till around 7pm and took a taxi back to the hotel to rest. Dinner was durian and mango that I bought from a roadside store. Cost: 120B

At 10.30pm, I set off for RCA. Chose 'Route 66' as the liveband there is awesome. There's a 200B cover charge but I get 200B worth of vouchers. Not bad but not really my type of fun. After RCA went to Nana plaza which is a really crazy place. Drinks here are not really cheap but the entertainment is fantastic. Lots of dancing ladies and i had a great night out. Think i went back to my hotel at about 3+am half drunk.

Expenses:

Hotel - 750B
F&B - 299B
Tips - 100B
Public transport - 328B
Entertainment - 800B

***All expenses not accurate due to sharing***