Asian Next Top Model

I recently like this program. Even it already ended like long time ago, but i just found it in youtube. One episode lead to another, and finally i'm tracking all the way its episodes history like a stalker. But its really cool. I love the art in the photograph session. The unique clothes, competition atmosphere, etc.

Better be ready for your photo op
Step in the light for your perfect close up
Be superficial, it's your one shot
Unleash the diva deep inside

-Glam-

Awesome fierce Jee and the tatoosome Rachel in this one

Kate face is full of wind and freedom

Low Budget Backpacker Thailand

Finally....
After long time planning of low budget backpacker to feel the incridible experience, we reached Thailand on August.

Breathtaking

We wish to travel somewhere this year, and its become a target after long time just stuck in a pile of dream. Because the reason of time and price, yesterday we chose Thailand. I have the itinerary sample for four days and three nights for the idea what to visit if you guys need it.


1st Day

10:25 am - Landing Time
Arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport, finished the imigration, and looking for simcard with Thai number, after that we went to grab Taxi at the Taxi counter. I love Suvarnabhumi setting, when we landed we could saw the airport highway beside us, that was the first time I be in the airport where I could saw car and train runway along the landing way.

It took around 1 hour to the town. Be careful with the taxi driver. Mine was did a fraud to us, he didn't turn the meter on, we didn't realize it until halfway, and he said it will cost us 450 Baht  because he paid the toll, but luckily, on the destination place, My friend's uncle who will paid it for us understand the usual cost, because he have been forth back to airport like hundred time. So he snapped the driver, and threat to write the taxi serial number and report the driver for what he did. The cost was reduced to its normal price, which is 350 B.

13:00 pm - Lunch Time
Finish our lunch in Grand Sukhumvit Hotel which treated by the nice Uncle Dave. After lunch we  heading to His apartement which is right beside the hotel.
Low budget Travel's prinsip number 1: Search for a cheapest or FREE place to stay, yumm :3
Uncle Dave apartment is in Sukhumvit soi 6-Nana, nearby the BTS-Nana station.
It should be 1 pm, the time we should heading to the tourism destination, but because of Jet Lag we decide to take it flexible. We unpacked, take a little leg rest while decide what kind of transportation should we took to go to our destination. We decide to take taxi because we're running late behind schedule.

03:00 pm - Wat Pho & Wat Arun
Walked to the side of Sukhumvit road, we tried to hail a cab, one of them reject us directly, the driver said its terrible traffic to go to Grand Palace at that hour, another one agreed but by unreasonable price. Instead of agree the price, we choose to take the BTS which is surprisingly close, only 3 minutes walk from apartement.

Following the route given in tripadvisor; this is how you can reach those beautiful Wat; BTS to Saphan Taksin sation, right below the station there is Sathorn Pier, then you continue by boat. The orange or blue flag boat will take you directly to Grand Palace-Wat Pho-Wat Arun area.

First time of Chao Praya. Super nice.

Go down in Tha tien Pier and walk out from the small line of shop, in the left side you will see Grand Palace huge wall, and in the right side, there are Wat Pho gate.

Arrived there at 4:00 pm, and there's no way Grand Palace still open right? so we walked directly to Wat Pho. The ticket was 100 Baht, with free mineral drink. Wat Pho closed at 6:00 pm so we have much enough time to wandering around and doing ridiculous Photo session.

It was so beautiful, really. The painting outside the temple wall. The reclining Buddha statue, The painting art in the inner wall.

Reclining Buddha

Look at the painting

After Rain

Rain pouring after half hour we wandering around. The photograph session stopped and we were somewhere in the temple aisle filled with line of Buddha statue

Somewhere inside the aisle

Still rain *)

So we sat down on the floor, waiting for the rain to stop, Its only us and three other tourist lay down there not far from us, we really did enjoying the rain.

The place was so quiet because of rain and its almost the closing time. The atmosphere was so nice and shooting.

After the rain stop, we went to the out gate, rather panicky because almost all gate closed and chained, finally found one gate half openned and escaped from there. 

around 6 pm, We walk back to Tha tien pier to cross the river and reach Wat Arun. The boat to cross the river cost 3 Baht. When we arrived there, we regrets for not having snack or food in the store near the pier because we are starving and all shop there was already closed. 

After sat with blank looks for a while, I decide to come out the small hut and come closer to the Chao Praya -knee height- wall. 

The pleasant view of Chaopraya in the sunset was so mesmerizing.

Waiting for the light to on, it worth it

                                

6.30 pm : Asiatique the riverfront

Dinner time....! With starving to death stomach, we dragged our feet to Asiatique by the riverfront. Took the boat crossing back river again to Tha tien pier, then took the orange flage boat back to the Sathorn Pier, and queue the long line to seat in the free shuttle boat to Asiatique.

I was really hoping to find halal food in Asiatique. But surprisingly there were not any of it except the 'Kebab Store'. Desperate, after ate kebab and ice cream, we went to seven eleven at the back gate of Asiatique to buy snack for tomorrow and found many halal food outside the back gate (across the way). How happy.

Our wish to rode the Ferris wheel and watching Calypso show should be burried for the next chance because its already late and we are too tired plus not in a good mood.

2nd Day

6:30 am : Trip to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

It was by the kindness of Uncle Dave who rent us private car along with the driver, cost 3000 Baht, its rather expensive yeah, but we can go all around places we like to visit. All about promise to be ready at 06:25 failed to kept with us being over tired from the day before and woke up late (by I jump from the bed, and only have time to brushed my teeth and washed my face, because business man always strict about time of appointment).

We met Pepsi'...its not branded of drink name anyway, he is our kind driver. Speak english fluently despite the heavy accent. Its a nice trip, the morning was fresh, and the highway is quiet, not so many car there, passing by some worker riding the open trunk, Pepsi said they will go to the factory. After the 1 hour long ride, packed with nice scenery of temples and salt farm beside, we reached Damnoen Saduak Village.

Pepsi parked the car in a small river side pier, I actually plan to go directly to the market, referee in trip advisor said that it would be far cheaper 150 Baht per person by paddle boat. But Pepsi already go down the car, and we feel uneasiness to say so.

So we go down, and come to the attendant desk, he said it will cost us 800 Baht/person, a little bit surprise and we try to bargain the price, but he said we can't, its a two hour tour, so we just took it. 

The whole tour was perfect, nice scenery, house build above the water, every house have their own boat parking place, 

The village was so soothing guys, most recommended floating market ever!

*)

we stopped by the shopping place to taste the free coconut water ice, looking around, and continued our journey to the heart of the market. It did not crowded yet in there, only few tourist, and I highly recomend you to go there early in the morning. Because there will be the boat traffic if you go there late. 

Its really nice, the air, the local atmosphere, from all destination, this was my most favorite one. We taste the delicious and cheap sticky mango rice (50 Baht) and spring roll 10 Baht/3 pieces.

There were this funny experience that I laugh everytime I remember it. Actually we met Indonesian people too in the shopping place where we got the free coconut water, we exchange greeting etc, and she asked us how much we should pay for the boat, we answer and she snort, then we asked her price, and damn... we should never ask, she bargain it 1800 Baht for one boat filled with four people.

Anyway that made us made notice to bargain more harsh next time. And we did it, we bargain many food with sadistic price, LOL (we shouldn't do that, because unlike goods or boat, food is in the same price and already cheap compare to the one in town). We bargain the mango sticky rice like half the price, the seller told us to go away, and not far after our boat passing her, we asked the boat driver to go back, and he said he couldn't so he call the seller to paddle her boat closer. They talk in Thai like gossiping about us, LOL really....

Its still not end yet, when we pass the spring roll seller in her boat, got interested to taste it, we harsh bargain again, this time it caused a scene really. My two friends invade the seller to give us cheap price, they were loud and ridiculous, I can't stop laughing when the seller put his index finger in my friend mouth to shut up her. I almost die of laugh while took many picture of them.

War world, LOL!

We stop by the beautiful temple on the way back, there were many fish gather in the river beside the temple. What made me astonished is, thats the big river, and the fish really gather beside the temple small pier without any net between them and the river. Amazing.

I'm feeding the fishes =)

*)

The Temple in Damnoen Saduak

Went back to the pier, the boat driver was really funny and nice. Many funny experience I can't tell here (yeah like I will end up annoy you with my story not the reference destination). He said we are best, said it with stammered language and body gesture. 

The things I like. Adventure in the different language and culture really became into reality again here.

10 am: Amphawa Temple School and Market

What I descript to Pepsi was meant to be Maeklong Railway Market, but he misunderstood and took us to Amphawa market instead. But it turn out to be so cool. He parked the car near the temple school of Amphawa. Its called temple school because the high school located near the temple. I highly recomend you this place guys! Really

Its really beautiful, the temple, and the palace (King Rama ever lived here before move out), and the river scenery beside the school. What i like is, those places isn't really a big tourism destination. So its an exclusive and different experience to really dive in the local atmosphere.

Amphawa Temple

King Rama ever live in this palace

Beside the School

I really did not wanna leave the place, its too soothing, if Pepsi did not called us to heading to the market,  I. Will. Never. Drag. My. Feet. From. There.

The market is super nice too, they selling unique things like clothes, coke ice stick, and the most important things are weird foods. We bought 'Squid egg' and it taste good and weird, and i like it. The experience of tasting new food (Okay, basically, I just love eating).

We walk until the bridge where under it, is the river and also floating market. Oh, I love Thai river.

Amphawa floating market

We asked a woman whether that market is really Maeklong market because its different with what i saw in the TV, and she said its different place. So after we ate our lunch box, we got back to car, and I describe again to Pepsi what I really mean. And he said, 'Oh.... I got it, but its fresh market? are you really want to go there', I nodd like crazy, 'Yeah, i seen it in the television and that whats makes me interest more to come here in Thailand'

12 pm: Maeklong Railway Market

Its sun burning there, really hot like 37 C? probably.
Pepsi parked the car rather far, and we should find the way to the market, its seems like shop store in line everywhere, no sign like what I saw in the picture about the market. We asked here and there, and reached the market finally. I nearly jump of excitement.

See the board... ?

So sad, there were no train at that hour, maybe you can check the train schedule first if you want to saw the seller poker face while lifting all the hood covers when the train passing. But we have a lot of fun taking picture and seeing the weird stuff sold there.

I was SoooOOO (if it possible to add more O) happy when i finally found this market, after lost, and long long walk

3 pm: Apartement
Back to apartement,to pray, and because its finish early than predicted. That day, all destination target was reached, even with more additional-unpredictable nice place.

5 pm: Khao San Road

Because we dont trust taxi that much since our first experience with it is not really good, we choose public transportation if we want to go anywhere. Including Khaosan Road.

 To reach Khaosan Roads ,use BTS to Saphan Taxin station, then took orange flage boat in the Sathorn Pier, go down in Phra Atit pier. Its 10 minute walking from there to Khao san. Just use the I-phone direction, or ask local people. Their english isn't that bad.

Khaosan Road was heaven for backpacker guys. The Pad Thai, the fruits, the weird insect food, the bracelet, the souvenir, the clothes, and all with reasonable price. Try this Pad Thai! there are many Pad thai seller, but this man, He was the best.

For souvenir/bracelet/necklace for gift or for self, I recomend you to bought in Khaosan Road, the price is the cheapest compared to Platinum mall, and the choices were so many.

Many unforgetable experience here, being surveyed by some Thai student, met Indonesian new friend (She solo backpack for two weeks, diving-snorkling, sight seeing, how cool that was).

Try some? *my friends try some, but nope. I just say, kob kunkaa, mae se, mae..

Delicious Coconut Ice Cream

Epic *)

Cheap and vary bracelet 

Come. Step. Daze.

We even went back to Khaosan road again the next day, because couldn't find the nice bracelet everywhere (and because the food too)

3rd Day

7: 30 am: Catuchak Weekend Market

The Park beside the weekend market

Enjoying the warm Ilios

Catuchak is really worthed to visit guys. Enjoy the Cha (Tea) in the morning here. The delicious tea is mixed with milk and some creamer (?) i thought. The shopping was a satisfication. You can found almost anything in here. Gift, souvenir, clothes, any traditional and modern things with nice and cute appearance.

Sorry no picture, too busy of bargaining :p

12:00 pm : Siam Square and MBK
There are Siam World and Madam Tussauds in Siam Paragon which worth to visit, the ticket for both of it is around 1500 THB or something. Forgot. We didn't visited those, just took picture with crab statue and mermaid-shark cosplayer. After that we tried the famous mango tango behind siam square. Its too long queue and, for me the taste is so so.

5:00 pm: Khao San Road (again)
Epic. Its epic and never ending, the food, the bracelet, the ice cream, the crowd, the music, oh I love those.


4th Day

9:00 am : Pratunam Market
This market are complete, jam packed with cheap-nice-funny modern clothes. Worth visit, especially for woman =D.

Here, they also provide you with range choice of Thailand shirt for souvenir.

12:00 pm: Platinum Fashion Mall
Nice mall, the food, the stuff are more worthed than those in the MBK. Many cute souvenir, some with reasonable (discount) price, and some not. Just be a smart buyer *)

05.00 pm: BTS and Cityline to airport
After took the BTS ,we heading to airport link interconnection at Payathai station. Cityline has many stops and cost about 45 Baht, whereas Airport Express Route has direct route to airport which cost 90 Baht. They suggest direct route if you bring a lot of luggage, because the cityline will heavy loaded, and that would make your luggage become a burden to the other passengers.
We did the cityline because our luggage wasn't that much (really?) and we have enough time.

With the nice uncle Dave, the last day of escape

For Lea

I just knew we have the same day, and did the same thing

Happy Same day for us
The day when we getting older
The day we escape somewhere right after that

Hope next year everything gonna be better for us
I want to smile to the world like you, wanna cheer like you
You are great, and I will do great too

Thanks for being so inspiring =)