[almost] missed a flight from Bangkok!

Flight back to Jakarta and nearly came late for departure, there was terribly traffic jam on the way to the airport. So i took a taxi instead of airport bus, and cost me another 260 baht. 
But that still a good price thou'
 
I was arrived exactly at the final call before the gate was closed and this girl in the security check up was comprehensively looking at my stuffs.
Really annoying but I made it anyway. I don't want her to throw away my new body shop oil ( from Spore, cost 15 SGD! )

And this Indonesian (chinese looking) girl was taking my seat inside the flight, how dare!
In the middle of stressful moment she didn't even try to make things easier for me! (or even said sorry for took my seat).

And there was another story about my baggage that took about a year to come out. When l I saw my backpack, instantly took it then ran out to the next queue for baggage check (or whatever it was).

Thanks God there was last travel car to my hometown, thou' it would take another 3hours on the journey. but that's should be okay since i'm gonna meet my bella again ! =D






Suggestion :
Please note that at least spare 4-5 hours before departure time, because it's better to wait in Suvarnabumi aiport (it's a very huge new international airport, with a lotsa expensive stuffs to buy) then to spend an uncertain moment in the traffic jam -especially during working hours.

Lumphini Park @ night, Bangkok

Bangkok : Shopping time !

It's such a bright day for go shopping, indeed.
Went to Chinatown, I saw things that I'd like to buy but I cannot buy those things compulsively since I was nearly broke at that moment. What a shame.
There's this very beautiful sandal with ethnic touch that I really.... REALLY want to buy, cost 125b but I have to buy for 6 pairs!

Chatuchak Market

My suggestion would be, bring at least 1000b to buy all those cute things as a shoptherapy in Bangkok. And spend another 1000b in Chatuchak market.
Both market in Chinatown and Chatuchak always getting busier (and they'd give you a better price) only on weekend.
Start very early in the morning, like 8-9am, prepared yourself well (breakfast, mineral water, etc) and always wearing a comfortable flat sandals.

How to get there :
MRT Kamphaeng Phet or BTS Mo Chit.
[ MRT Official Map always available for free in every station ]

I would've suggested to spend just 3 days in Bangkok, 5 days then I was getting bored already. Or maybe depends on what kinda activities that you're into.
At least spend 1 days for all the temples if could (Grand palace or Wat Arun- around the sunset time) then close the evening in Lumphini park (and the night market around, which start at 5pm until midnight).
Then having very late dinner with food street in Chinatown (Yaowaraj rd.)

Aloi kha ! (Delicious !)

Then if you're really into shopping then spend another 2 days in the market (or malls eg. Siam Paragon , MBK mall).
But make sure you have enough money to go home . . . * sighed *

Why learn Phasa Thai ?

( Bahasa Indonesia version only ! )

Kenapa perlu ?
Karena muka orang kita dan orang Thai mirip-mirip, hingga kadang-kadang (atau seringnya) mereka ngajak ngomong phasa Thai sama kita.

Kalau kejadian kasus seperti itu kita bisa bilang :
Kho thout, chan phud phasa Thai mai dai
( Maaf, saya tidak bisa bahasa Thai)

Biasanya orang itu langsung bilang: 'Abisnya muka kamu kaya orang Thai sih! '

Kata-kata yang harus dipelajari (recommended) seperti

Salam = Sawasdee ( dibacanya 'sawad-di') ditambah 'kha' -kalau yang mengucapkan cewe
('kha' ini berfungsi memperhalus kata/ kalimat, mirip 'please' ) atau 'krab' kalau yang mengucapkan cowo.
Tapi orang Thai sepertinya tidak melafalkan 'r' jadi kadang kedengerannya 'khab'.

Terima kasih = Khop khun (kha/krab)

Di mana ? = Yu thi nai ?
e.g Dimana toilet = Hongnam yu thi nai ? (kha/krab)
Ini berguna untuk menanyakan alamat / suatu tempat tujuan.

Bertransaksi di pasar tradisional
Ini berapa (harganya) ? = Rakha tau rai ?
(dibacanya 'Lakha tau lai' , gue juga baru tau pas denger orang-orang sana ngobrol :-)
Bisa kurang lagi ? = Lod dai mai ?
Mahal = Pheng
Tidak mau = Mai au

Karena kita udah nanya harga, artinya mesti belajar angka juga donk ....

1 = neung
2 = song
3 = sam
4 = si
5 = ha
6 = hou
7 = cet
8 = pead
9 = kao
10 = sip
-00 (ratus) = roi
-000 (ribu) = phan

Untuk angka, gampang-gampang susah . . .
contohnya seratus (100) = neung-roi,
limapuluh (50) = hasip,
seribu (1000) = neung-phan ,
seribu limaratus (1500) = neung-phan ha-roi.

Ingat.... mereka gak bisa bilang 'r' jadi kalau kita bilang 'neung-roi' mereka kaga ngarti, tapi kalau kita bilang 'neung-loi' baru deh ngerti .... :-)

Tapi kadang gue denger juga orang bilang 'Yisip' yang artinya duapuluh (20) tapi gue gatau darimana asalnya !
Ajaib memang . . .

Kalimat yang bisa dipakai di percakapan sehari-hari :

Tidak masalah ! = Mai pen rai ! (kha/krab)
Enak = Aloi
Tidak mau pakai es = Neng khek mai au -> ini gue belajar karena dimana-mana (terutama di Bangkok) kalau orang nyuguhin minuman, selaluuuuu ajah es batunya 1 gelas penuh! Alhasil batuk gue gak sembuh-sembuh :-(

Owhya, another point to remember, pengucapan kata dalam bahasa Thai juga melibatkan intonasi (mirip-mirip bahasa Mandarin kali yeh) jadi kalau sering denger, lama-lama tau juga gimana intonasi yang benernya.
Sebaliknya, walaupun kita udah ngomong katanya bener, tapi intonasinya beda kadang mereka gak ngerti juga (dan memandang kita dengan tatapan aneh).

Rata-rata mereka yang masih muda ngerti Inggris, tapi gak bisa ngomongnya, terutama yang daerah wisata. Tapi ada juga yang gak ngerti Inggris dan disinilah hikmahnya belajar phasa Thai walaupun dikit-dikit.

Pengalaman pribadi, gue serrrrrriiiiiing banget nyasar selama di Thai, walopun udah punya peta dan alamat hostel gue dicatetin dalam huruf Thai sama si resepsionis hostel-nya. Abis dimana-mana semua alamat jalan dan petunjuk dalam phasa Thai ! (dan juga kemampuan membaca peta gue yang memang payah)
Tapi syukur kepada Tuhan Yang Maha Esa, dimana-mana ada ajah orang yang nolongin gue ^_^

Waktu di Phuket, pas lagi nanya cara balik ke hostel gue nanya sama seorang bapak gitu, tus dia bilang : 'Wah ini kalau jalan lumayan jauh, sini saya anterin ajah'. Gue udah nolak dengan halus: 'Gak papa koq, saya gak mau ngerepotin. Tadi saya nyampe sini juga jalan kaki.'
Tapi dia langsung ngeluarin motornya gitu, terus nganterin gue sampe depan hostel.... Aduh baiknya ...

Di Bangkok juga pernah gue mau balik ke hostel naek bus malem-malem (maklum disana naek bus pulang malem sendirian menurut gue sih aman-aman ajah) padahal gue turun udah di jalan yang bener, tinggal 70 meter doang jalan kaki ke hostel gue, tapi karena disorientasi waktu dan tempat, akhirnya gue nyasar 500 meter lebih (bodohnya gue.... berjalan ke arah yang salah)
Tus gue nanya sama cewe yang lagi nunggu pinggir jalan gitu, mana dia gak ngerti bahasa Inggris, gue cuman nunjukin alamat hostel gue sambil bilang: 'Yu thinai ?' dia masih gatau juga alamat yang gue tunjuk itu.
Akhirnya gue telfon resepsionis di hostel, trus suruh ngomong ama cewe itu, dan berakhir dengan dia nganterin gue pake motornya. *Terharu gak sih*

Ada juga kasus yang menyebalkan dengan sopir tuktuk di Bangkok, dia mayan jago bahasa Inggris-nya, tapi ngeboongin gue, dia bilang: 'turun ajah disini, tinggal jalan kesana deket koq' padahal jauh dan lagi-lagi gue nyasar! Huh!

Basically, belajar bahasa Thai dikit mah perlu, moreover if you're traveling alone yah . . . tapi kalo banyakan, hmmmm.... perlu juga atuh! Masa blank semua :-D

day 6 : Phang Nga

Phuket to Phang Nga (by bus) costs 80b, just buy a ticket directly at the bus station, sometimes you'll get more expensive price if you buy from a tour agent.

For a half day boat trips to the small islands around Phang Nga,
this place was recommended :
Sayan Tour, located at bus terminal

Phang Nga guesthouse
(07641 1358)
Muang Thong, Ratanapong
It'd take 5 minutes walk from the bus station, or you can ask for the map from the people in Sayan tour. The room will cost around 240b (big-seized bed, with fan, bathroom inside) quite nice and comfortable, but I'd rather share the bed with someone else, instead of sleeping alone :-(