Wat Po, Massage, Eating & Shopping

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By the next day I have thoroughly explored the hotel. Because it is so high there are three different sets of lifts - one takes you from the lobby (floor 17) to the ground floor, one from the lobby to the rooms and one from the lobby to the upper floors. On the floor of the lobby they have a café, a restaurant, tour desk, gift shop and business centre. On the 20th floor is where the pool, gym and spa is. On the 77th floor there is an observation deck, and a chinese restaurant, as well as a bar/disco on the top floors.

Breakfast is served up on the 76th floor. Because I made the mistake of sleeping a bit the day prior my internal time clock is all messed up and I wake up at about 3.30 in the morning. Time goes very slowly at that hour believe me. I finish reading Jordan’s autobiography and head up to have breakfast at about 6.00am. And what a breakfast it is!!! It is a smorgasboard consisting of tables full of the normal cereals, danishes, rolls, toast, yogurt etc as well as a hot area which has an array of dishes such as bacon, egg, sausages, waffles etc. A juice machine disperses three different juices, and coffee and tea is plentiful. People are throwing back their head with laughter, unable to believe the spread in front of them (or maybe that was just me!!). I have a bit of a browse and sit down for my first plate full. Being on such a high floor you have a wonderful view of the city streets below and I watch Bangkok waking up as I have breakkie. As I look around the restaurant I realise there are more tables that I have not been to yet, these feature a yum cha section, muslim section and another table loaded with fresh fruits of every description. So I help myself to a bit more and work out my plan for the day.

The motel has a spa that offers a range of massages. There are half price massages for guests between 8-12 so I decide that will be the first thing I do. I read through the different types available and settle on an hour Swedish massage for the princely sum of $17! My masseuse is female and excellent. She knows exactly what she is doing and really concentrates on my problem areas in my back and neck. At times her strength really hurts me but I bear it because I know the results are worth it! After the massage she brings me a cup of ginger tea. I leave feeling very loose in my body but also a bit sick, I think it is from the toxins being released from your body.

After that I decide I need to get out and about and decide to visit a temple and then perhaps go shopping. I ring home first to check in and find out that our dog is sick. I knew she had been and had been worried about it but this time when I rang it was revealed that is was actually quite serious. I knew there was nothing I could do about it from Bangkok so I decided to stick to my plans. I head downstairs to get a cab and ensure he puts the meter on and ask to be taken to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. My driver says “Wat Po”. I knew that wasn’t the name of the temple I wanted to go to but thought stuff it, any temple will do. I am wearing a long sleeve shirt and quite long shorts as I have read that it is looked down upon to have bare arms in the temples. Whilst we are driving the cab driver tells me that he is taking me to Wat Po because bare legs on women are not acceptable at the temple I wanted to go too. No biggie for me, so I settle in for the ride. The traffic is once again mayhem but it gives me a chance to have a good look around. We see several tanks and military, my first real sightings since I have been there.

The temple is really awesome, opulent and ornate. It features a giant, golden reclining buddha which I am sure must have been about 20 metres long (actually 46m I just looked at my info). There are many temples within the one complex and each are as interesting as the next. The workmanship and cost would be much. In the temple of the reclining buddha there are 108 pots lined up and for a donation you can get a bowl full of coins which you go along and drop into the pots for good luck. They did this as a task once on The Amazing Race so I of course do this one!

After I leave I attempt to hail a cab to take me to MBK, a huge shopping centre. The only cab I can see asks a ridiculous price and won’t drop it so I walk along until I find a tuk tuk driver who will take me there for considerably cheaper. It is an interesting way to see Bangkok as he takes me down many side streets. As I don’t know there area very well I fear he could be taking me anywhere but my paranoia soon subsides and I get to my destination perfectly well. Inside I grab a coffee at an internet café and look and see if there are any earlier flights back to Australia. I am worried about our dog and would like to go home a bit earlier just in case. There is a flight leaving on the Wednesday which would mean missing out on Phuket so I store that information for later and proceed to have a look around. I can’t concentrate however and every time I think of Stormy (our dog) I feel like crying. I decide to head back to the motel and check out the flights. When I get there I decide if I can get on the earlier flight I will take it, but if it is full then I am meant to stay. I go down to the business centre and for 10 baht they call and check the flight for me. Within minutes I am confirmed on the earlier flight and decide that was the best decision.

For my dinner I order room service, I had already discovered the wonderful spring rolls the previous night and decide on them again as my starter and beef massaman curry as my main. When it arrives it is extraordinary! So much better than the Thai we get here in Australia!

Well this is getting all way too long. I have two days left in Bangkok so here is my abridged version of events

• Continue to enjoy the wonderful breakfast and go to the exploration deck on the 77th floor. It has panoramic views over the city and some old memorabilia up there.
• I again go to the spa and this time get ½ hr foot + ½ head neck and shoulder massage. Again, truly wonderful. A different masseuse to yesterday, she is about 55 and again has very strong hands. She uses reflexology on my feet and I love it. The head, neck & shoulder massage was traditional Thai and quite painful, but again worth it. We chat over my ginger tea and she tells me that her husband died some time ago so she is by herself but very happy that way. She has two daughters that are grown up. She asks if I married or have a boyfriend and I tell her no. She tell me to bend my little finger and looks at the side of my hand and tells me “you marry two years”. So we shall wait and see!
• The food continues to be divine! I try a green curry at the hotel restaurant and the presentation alone is fantastic, let alone the taste!
• Shopping in my main agenda and I have the MBK centre across the road where I spend a lot of time at and get some great deals on stuff like brightly coloured Thai silk cushion covers. I also head to the Pratanaum markets which are very close by, but they are a bit much for me. Shopping wise Bangkok has some great deals but I still prefer the shopping in Bali
• On my final day it is the grand opening of the new airport in Bangkok. It is the largest airport in the world and as you can imagine huge. I do a bit of duty free shopping and head to the appropriate gate. We are on the plane and waiting for take off, well we are still sitting there an hour later! There was some problem with the conveyor belts loading luggage. Once we take off, we make up half and hour in the air so end up landing only half an hour late. We leave Bangkok at 1.00 in the morning but true to my usual form I get very little sleep on the plane. It makes the trip seem extra long. When we land in Brisbane there is an announcement over the loud speaker that lets us know that not everyone’s luggage is on the plane. Of course this causes a frenzy and we all make our way to the luggage console and wait to see if we are one of the lucky ones. I have a bad feeling that my luggage is still sitting in Bangkok. The first batch of cases come out and mines not on it. I begin to feel nervous when another lot of luggage begins to go around. I never thought I would be so happy to see my suitcase. I can’t help but to smile but feel sorry for the growing queue of anxious passengers.

Well I am definitely happy to be home, our dog is holding in there but it could be any time. I have had a fantastic holiday and seen so many wonderful sights that are imprinted on my memory. Sure some things would have been better to do with someone else there, but I have a real sense of achievement knowing that I can more than adequately find my way around, and enjoy myself doing it!

Thanks to the following people for their messages, texts and or calls while I have been away, it is so good to hear from Aussies while you are away:

• Mum and Dad
• Asher
• Tammy G
• Tammi T
• Nicky
• Johnno
• Victoria (aka Veejay)
• Matrix (aka Alex)
• Jaala

Well I am working tomorrow so I will upload some photos into my gallery and do a final blog with some travel do’s and don’ts.

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