The Child of 50s, 60s & early 70s

TO ALL THOSE WHO WERE BORN IN THE 50's and 60's / early 70s. First, we survived with mothers who had no maids. They cooked /cleaned while taking care of us at the same time. They took aspirin, candies floss,fizzy drinks, shaved ice with syrups and diabetes were rare. Salt added to Pepsi or Coke was remedy for fever. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention. As children, we would ride with our parents on bicycles/ motorcycles for 2 or 3. Richer ones in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a private taxi was a special treat. We drank water from the tap and NOT from a bottle. We would spend hours on the fields under bright sunlight flying our kites, without worrying about the UV ray which never seem to affect us. We go to jungle to catch spiders without worries of Aedes mosquitoes. With mere 5 pebbles (stones) would be a endless game. With a ball (tennis ball the best) we boys would ran like crazy for hours. We catch guppy in drains / canals and when it rain we swim there. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually worry about being unhygenic. We ate salty, very sweet & oily food, candies,bread and real butter and drank very sweet soft sweet coffee/ tea, ice karang, but we weren't overweight because...... WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!!. We would leave home in the morning and play all day, till streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K. We would spend hours repairing our old bicycles and wooden scooters out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, multiple channels on cable TV, DVD movies, no surround sound, no phones, no personal computers, no Internet. The only TV our parent could afford was a 14" small TV which we watched only when our parent allow it. The cartoon those days were also different from now. We watched ThunderCats, Smurf, Dungeons & Dragons and etc.

WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them! We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and we still continued the stunts. There were never birthday parties till we are 21. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and just yelled for them! The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

Yet this generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever! The past 40years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL! And YOU are one of them!

CONGRATULATIONS!

3 Nights in Bangkok

Bangkok Trip 4D/3N
29 January – 1 February 2007

It was a just a plan to go somewhere when Air Asia came with the RM9.99 fare. My collegue Intan, Mapuza and me were in the search of adventure. I was quite okay with the idea coz if it happen I have my passport with me and can leave the country anytime. My collegues however, were not in the same scenario. One have no passport at all and the other had to renew an old passport. With all this issues it did not bother us at all. Our mission was to get the cheap fare ticket. So after many attempts on Wednesday, July 19, 2006 2:48 PM we manage to get the RM9.99 ticket to Bangkok for 29 January 2007. Long time to wait, but what the heck - it is only RM176 nett for a returned ticket. Cheap right? Yeahhhhhhhhhh.

So our next quest was to check out the accommodation. Two of us wanted to stay in backpackers hostel whereas one wanted the hotel as she was more confidence of hotel then hostel. However, after so much of debate and convincing, we manage to book the hostel at Sukhumvit area called HI-Sukhumvit (http://www.hisukhumvit.com/). Infact, after staying there - this is really a very nice place to stay. The people are so friendly, helpful and the place is extremely clean. Their motto "Not just hostel but a home" suits them so much coz we were really at home over there.

We also browsed the website and spoke to few people about Bangkok and places to visit. After so much of planning – another diterence came along i.e. the news on the bombing in Bangkok during the Christmas season. Intan and me were still adamant to go one way or the other. We decided that if death was to come in Bangkok then we are prepare for it. Crazy I know but we all do crazy stuff every now and then right? So Bangkok here we come!!!

Day 1 (29 Jan 2007 – Monday)
Finally after such a long wait, the day to fly came and we all excitedly went to the LCCT terminal taking the Air Asia bus which cost us RM9.00 per person. Upon reaching we wanted to check in immediately and the moment the counter was open we were the first few to check in. Upon giving our air ticket and passport we were thrown with another shocking news saying that our booking has been cancelled due to our request. My collegue Mapuza called in to check on the flight after the bombing and they mistaken her intention and when ahead and cancelled the flight. I was so mad but decided to keep my cool and told him to forget about what had happen and made him to get us on the same flight. Mr. Rajesh the crew finally did some work and got us into the flight. Our flight - took off and landed smoothly at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok. Thanks to Kapten Suresh.


Upon arrival at Bangkok, we took some pictures at the Terminal and got us a cab to take us to the hostel. Our first day was spend at Suam Lum Bazaar with a ride on Eye of Bangkok. There were too many shops in Suam Lum due to shortage of time we could not cover all of it. Things were not cheap either here. The shop owners are rude and they were not opened for bargains.

Day 2 (30 January 2007 – Tuesday)

Left as early as 8:30 to Saphan Taksin Sky Station to go to Tha Cheng via a boat. We wanted to visit The Grand Palace/Emerald Buddha but instead got diverted to Golden Mount due to closure. http://www.thailandguidebook.com/goldenmount.html

On the way back to visit the Grand Palace, we stop by a wood crave shop and Leela Jewellery shop to purchase some wood craving and jewellery. We made our way back to The Grand Palace and there were so many things to see here. We almost spend a few hours checking out this place. Check out this scan copy of the brochure or visit the website at http://www.thailand.com/travel/historical/historical_bangkok_watphrakaew.htm

We then decided to take a boat ride along the Chao Phraya river which cost us 900 bath. We were taken for an hour ride with views of only houses but it was an experience to be cherished. Went we wanted to make our way back to the hostel we almost lost our way but thank GOD we managed after asking around here and there. We reached the hostel and quickly shower and left again in search for proper food as we have been living with just Maggi and bread for breakfast provided by the hostel. So we took the train again to Nana station and manage to find an Arab Indian Restaurant and we had good food to eat for once. After dinner we took a stroll along the area and I purchased 3 handbags for 300 bath each for my sisters and we stop at a bar for a drink to unwind the day by relaxing.

Day 3 (31 January 2007 – Wednesday)

We decided that day three is more of a shopping day as we would be going back early tomorrow morning. My only request to both my other collegue is that I need to go and do some prayers at the Four Face Buddha (Erawan Shrine). Erawan Shrine is located right in a middle of a busy street next to a shopping complex. http://www.thailandguidebook.com/erawanshrine.html

After this we wanted to walk to Hard Rock Café to take some photos because we were not sure if we had the time to go and check it out later that night. We could not find it and we asked one of the lady who was walking passed us. Happen so she was friendly and she walked with us to Hard Rock Café and explained to us the many places to go and all that kind of stuff. Later she even told us about a jewellery shop that we should go. She got us into a tuk tuk and instructed the guy to bring us there even though we told her we were not interested. We just went into the shop for a very brief moment and then we started walking again in look for a complex called MBK. It is a shopping mall. After walking for about 15 minutes we manage to find it and the moment we entered it through the pedestration bridge that was linking the building, there was so many handbags shops. All the bags in the shop were being sold at 199 bhat. It is more like our RM5 or RM2 shop over in Malaysia but this is solely on bags. Imagine our execiment. WOW! We went bizarre. Spend about 5 – 6 hours just on that floor alone checking out the bags and T-Shirts that were being sold. We finished most of our money there. On top of that my collegue Intan and me had to make 2 trips to the bank just one floor up to change our money. Hahahaahah! It was really a shopping marathon. These are some of the stuff I purchased

We finished up shopping finally at about 7pm and made our way back to our hostel and the moment we reached we bath and changed to go to Hard Rock. One of my collegue – Mapuza decided not to go as she was very tired and wanted to rest to do her final packing. We went down and decided to settle our bill with Phil as we will be checking out early tomorrow morning around 6am. Went we approached Phil to charge our credit card – to our shocking horror Phil told us they accept only cash as they are hostel status. We did not know this coz this is the first time we are actually staying in hostel and we were fool enough not to have ask for such info. We were not having enough Bhat to give him coz all of it has been spend on shopping earlier. As such Intan and me decided to go and change some more money. We went to the train station as we saw a money changer booth there but unfortunately it was closed. We decided to go to the shopping complex near Erawan Shrine in hope of finding one there. We reached the mall at 9:55 pm just went they were closing and we could not get them to change the money for us. We then walked around and we came up with the idea of going to Hyatt to change money. Unfortunately the front office personnel could not help us coz all our money were in Malaysian currency. He then suggested that we go to Pat Pong area as they might have money changer open up late at night. He got us a cab and we were on our way to Pat Pong miserably looking for money changer to no avail. Finally we made our mind up to talk to Phil into accepting Malaysian currency and decided to take a cab to Hard Rock. We just wanted to relax and have a nice time. It was very difficult to get a cab at Pat Pong as the cabbies were very demanding with the rate. Finally we manage to negotiate to 80 bhat. The cab driver was weird though and we were pretty scared. Thank GOD we manage to reach Hard Rock safely. It was already 10:30 went we reach and we spend another 1 ½ having a good time there and made our way at 11:55pm back to the hostel via cab. We saw Phil there at the reception and went and spoke to him about our dilemma and he was very nice enough to accept the Malaysian currency. Packed up our stuff and slept off.

Day 4 (1 February 2007 – Thursday)

We woke up as early as 4pm and took shower and got ready and made some last minute packing. Made our way to reception at 6pm and the taxi was already there. We put our stuff away in the car booth and made our way to the airport. At the airport, just to finish up my balance bhat, i decided to purchase few stuff at the mini market. It was funny coz I even purchased Protex soap.

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Boarded flight AK881 at 9:35 am and arrive safely in KL at 12:40 pm. The custom officers were all ladies which means it was going to be tough for me to get release without some questions or even made to pay for some of the items.

So I decided to be a bit more dramatic by telling them how big my family is and the need to purchase all the items that I have in the bag. It is true anyway - my family is big. Bravo it works!!!! Free to go without charges. Yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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