Better to be retired than retarded - Thailand and Cambodia in January 2024. Trip report, brief but long.

[vinapu]

Few more:

 

[vinapu]

Temples of Northern Zone

 

[vinapu]

Iconic Wat Si Chum in Northern Zone with 15m tall Buddha

 

[vinapu]

Western Zone, lady on the last picture is not my friend K, 

just stranger she simply ignored fact that I'm trying to make picture standing there and checking Facebook or whatever so as penalty is is immortalized here  :

[macaroni21]

It's very hard to visualise how much labour and skill went into building these monuments and sculptures. It's no easy thing to shape stone and rock into these complex forms.

[vinapu]

37 minutes ago, Keithambrose said:

Geckos to eat the mosquitos?

you are correct but in Sukhotai there were neither during my stay or at least I did no notice any

[vinapu]

12 minutes ago, macaroni21 said:

It's very hard to visualise how much labour and skill went into building these monuments and sculptures. It's no easy thing to shape stone and rock into these complex forms.

correct. Only thing we tend to forget is that while we see final product sometimes it took dozens of years or even generations  before final shape of what we marvel  at  was achieved. In absence of Netlix and Facebook ancients has a lot of time 

[vinapu]

 

 

Day 17 Kamphaeng Phet

 I woke up at 8 , no rush since driver was supposed to show at 9. About quarter before that we met in front on my hotel wondering if he will show up at all ( remember we paid in full) only to discover that car parked aside is one which will be taking us there.

It’s about 80 Km so it took  slightly above 1 hour to get there. There are 2 complexes of ruins – to the north of the center which we visited first and compound in the very center where beside ruins there’s  neat museum we visited as well.   Admission here is 150  to each of two parts of  ruins and 150 to museum as well.

  Equally impressive ruins  as those at Sukhotai also not coverings as  vast territory and by every mean worth of travel there even from Bangkok , ,not just from Sukhotai. Kamphaeng Phet may be good breaking point between capital and Chiang Mai as it’s exactly mid way.

Early afternoon we were back in Sukhotai , as we were hungry we wnet to eat something right away and chicken with nuts was even better than one yesterday for only 2/3 of price.

Then we went to museum in Sukhotai, quite interesting but on human scale.

Then K went for massage and I went to survey temple near hotel not even shown on the map I  got in the hotel and from there on other side of road I spotted another , also unmarked ruin so went to explore it as well, it was start darkening when I went back to the room .

here are some pick of that 'forgotten ' temple:

 

 

At 20.00  we repeated yesterday’s routine with stroll to the center and banana pancake for supper. Returning to the hotel I thought that actually tomorrow I could start that sightseeing all over again. I have strong suspicion it was not my last trip to Sukhotai.

 

In the hotel I ordered van to the airport for our early morning flight for K and me at 350 per person.

[vinapu]

and here from Kamphaeng Phet "outside of the centre" zone

[vinapu]

and here from central zone of Kamphaeng Phet includin "lion of Kampheang Phet" below

 

 

 

 

[floridarob]

2 hours ago, macaroni21 said:

It's very hard to visualise how much labour and skill went into building these monuments and sculptures. It's no easy thing to shape stone and rock into these complex forms.

Aliens helped 😱

[vinapu]

30 minutes ago, floridarob said:

Aliens helped 😱

never drink gin on empty stomach

[thaiophilus]

23 hours ago, vinapu said:

 

After settling in , K and I went to the center for a dinner and ice cream from 7/11, walked along local night market ,

 

That's an improvement. When I stayed in Old Sukhotai many years ago I was shocked 😵 to discover there was no night market. So where to eat? Fortunately my nose led me to an unmarked shophouse where a lady was making takeaway meals for local customers. She cooked me something quite pleasant but clearly toned down for the Western palate. She asked how I liked it and I managed to convey that I could have handled more spices, so she immediately made a repeat order with the proper degree of heat. From starvation to very satisfactory overeating 😋 ...

[Keithambrose]

15 hours ago, floridarob said:

Aliens helped 😱

They did pretty well in Egypt 2,000 years earlier!

[vinapu]

1 minute ago, thaiophilus said:

That's an improvement. When I stayed in Old Sukhotai many years ago I was shocked 😵 to discover there was no night market. So where to eat? Fortunately my nose led me to an unmarked shophouse where a lady was making takeaway meals for local customers. She cooked me something quite pleasant but clearly toned down for the Western palate. She asked how I liked it and I managed to convey that I could have handled more spices, so she immediately made a repeat order with the proper degree of heat. From starvation to very satisfactory overeating 😋 ...

you will not have that problem those days. Main street is filled with shops and restaurants, some opened till late and yes , there's substantial night market with at least 3 dozen if not more food stalls. I also noticed some restaurants in side streets , specially where hotels are.

While sightseeing though make sure you stock on drinks and snacks as they are not that available other then Si Chum temple site. On another hand as I mentioned above, one is never really too far from the city so if need to nourish arises it's fairly fast and easy to be back.

[vinapu]

4 minutes ago, Keithambrose said:

They did pretty well in Egypt 2,000 years earlier!

another one who drinks gin on empty stomach, lol

[vinapu]

 

 

Day 18 , back in Bangkok

 Alarm clock at 5.30, coffee and shower. At 6.20 our car arrived with one tourist already in and we set off for an airport. We missed breakfast at hotels  but small restaurant there was opened so we managed to east something decent. Then we killed bit of time by checking dinosaurs on display across the airport. In waiting room itself there were coffee , tear and water plus some simple snacks available free for waiting passengers. I must say Bangkok Airways does excellent job taking care about their passengers at that airport.

Few pics from the airport

 

Going back  I had feeling I could stay longer , specially if I brought some company to warm bed at night. Again we were treated with full breakfast on the flight.

 My friend K was supposed to stay  in the same hotel but his reservation was messed up and since they were full he was forced to search for free room in another one nearby. My room was not ready at that early hour so  I went to soi 6  for massage with N at Maha .

When I returned room was ready , so after refreshing I headed to Happy Beer Garden on Suriwong where I was supposed to lunch with ichigo. It was our first meet and we had nice chat and boy information sharing session over  the lunch.

Afternoon was very lazy , one of those days when  I feel it’s best to be busy doing nothing, bit of Grindr and forum , catching up with e-mails and some reading , in short lazybuming in full. At 20.30 I was supposed to dine with Anddy from the forum at Madrid Tavern so went there by BTS but they were closed already. Since he arrived on his motorbike it was easy to switch to G’Bangkok in soi 4 and have nice chat over dinner.

 From there to Hot Male where I treated P, the waiter with drink. K , my Sukhotai companion joined me there and we went to Moonlight. I hoped Y will be there and he was , we chatted over drink but it turned out he is already booked for tonight so I felt bit empty handed.

After 3 nights of fasting it would be nice to have somebody beside thought I and decided to see if P is still there in his bar hoping drink I bought him will bring some benefits. He was and it did, 600 off fee and soon we were in my room.

 

[vinapu]

Day 19

 I wouldn’t say there was a lot of fireworks that night but at least I had somebody to cling too so all good in the morning. No breakfasting together as he wanted to go at 7 and I felt still sleepy.

 This morning somehow I had urge to go to Mahanakhon, I’m never tired with thrill of stepping on that glass so after breakfast at Foodland of all place I went there to enter just when they were opening at 10.00.

Admission 880 baht before 16.30, 1080 after that but seniors only 350 no matter when. It’s good to be old thought  I paying my dues after lining up behind 30 or so people. Definitely tourism picked up and gone are days in 2021 and 2022 when that early I was lone visitor for first several minutes.

View today was so, so though with bit of smog hanging on.

 

Returning to hotel I visited K in his room in Serene Silom , nice although considering price difference I like Baan Silom better  even if there’s no pool nor breakfast there .

 We resolved to check on Jey spa this afternoon so upon returning to the room across the soi  I booked Noom there for 2 pm. Their response as always was fast. We went by BTS  and entered  just before our time . Mamasan  recognized me and welcomed me with’ welcome home;  lol . Soon Noom enters the lobby and it was one of most pleasant moments of this trip as seeing me his face beamed with smile ( we had pleasure twice before ). It was not faked smile , I could see. 1250 for 1.50 session for massage , his minimum tip is 1800 but session was too good and that smile too broad to treat him with that minimum.

 After that K and I had lunch in some place in Sukhumvit soi 12 recommended by one of my friends, one of best chicken with cashews I recently had although not cheapest.

At 19.00 meet with Floridarob in Hot Male for drink ,  chat and subsequent stroll through the sois.

While walking by Tawan Mas , the twink , noticed me from distance so I parted ways with Rob for a while and went upstairs to succumb to Mas’s skills and charms. Tip 2000 and 900 for the room, not exactly cheap treat but I like Mas .

 Upon going down guys tried to stop me for a show but I had other plans as Rob and me decided to check Sol, new bar I never venture to so far. I texted K we will be there so he joined  us soon after Rob arrived at about 22.00.

When I was entering one of boys sitting outside stopped me and said “ I know you ‘ It turned out I offed him last trip from Moonlight but I was not particularly good memory as at middle of the night he asked to leave to , what else hand over the key to his roommate or something and never did. In the morning even had nerve to ask me “ how are you this morning?”.

 Soon after we sat down inside he planted himself beside, asked for drink which I agreed , if only because he remembered me with such detail and soon after got another lesson. Boy left without finishing even half of his bottle because he was booked and his customer arrived. Then I feel like old fool indeed. Second case like that this trip.

I’m not going bankrupt because of that   but clearly some  guys need tutorial of customer service.

As for Sol crowd inside was sparse which was surprising considering it was Saturday. Perhapas 10 spectators for the show total . It was too cold as AC was set too low and way too loud. There was couple who entered and few minutes after they sat down they left – I heard girl saying that it’s too loud. One would think that with few spectators they will do everything  to keep everybody in but no, waiter  just shrugged it off so those people left and nose level was as before.

 We soldiered on , I treated one best looking guy with customary red note, we liked both participants of smoke show. All in all not bad , show and boys but cold , nose and indifferent attitude shown to those complainers make me thinking how successful they will be. I wish them luck though.

Then we went to Screwboys across the soi , It was packed but somehow they found us some place in the corner. Mamasan there , only one in universe I like always remembers that I liked one of her boys nicked One , even if that was back in 2014 ( to this day I consider him best Thai boy I ever had pleasure with ) and even presented one of the current crop as his friend so I tipped guy red note for having good connections.

 We watched bit of show but at one point  I got message from S that he is free. Since earlier I arranged with him we meet tonight to see the sunrise tomorrow it was signal to go. K and I marched to Foodland with S joining us in the soi. We  had some meal and went to my room leaving  K on his way to his own.

At Foodland at the nearby table I saw Mean, rising star of Moonlight  model pack dining with some Oriental young lady. From  what I overheard he speaks quite a good English.

S as expected was excellent companion, very fitting to finish such busy and attractions filled day.

[floridarob]

Do you take notes or is this from memory?

This is from at least 3 weeks ago, if I don't write something soon...it gets lost during sleep 🤒

[ichigo]

5 hours ago, vinapu said:

I headed to Happy Beer Garden on Suriwong where I was supposed to lunch with ichigo. It was our first meet and we had nice chat and boy information sharing session over  the lunch.

Very lovely to have met you to share stories and hopefully our paths will cross again in the future!

[vinapu]

5 hours ago, floridarob said:

Do you take notes or is this from memory?

 

I do take a notes on every trip , not only Thai ones and I do it at least once  a day , In Thailand in the afternoon before hitting bars, often also in the morning , after breakfast.

Yes , I also keep forgetting things. On another hand not everything from my notes is transferred to trip reports and hope that is understood 

[vinapu]

 Day 20

Of course we forgot about sunrise and parted ways quite a while  after that. Today I’m off to Phuket.  It’s my first time there. Few people mentioned that ‘ you will forget at times that you are in Thailand “ .

On another had my friend is there ( not gay)now and he swears by the place spending most of his time in Thailand there , often bypassing Bangkok entirely. So bottom line is I’m very curious. Since my said friend is there but leaving tomorrow morning I’m booking 1 night in hotel he is staying to keep appearances and tomorrow I will move to Paradise Complex.

To Don Muang by usual combination of BTS+ MRT + SRT red line, in airport smooth. Flight with Air Asia uneventful but not very comfortable due to cramped seats but at 50$  for 90 minutes flight  I’m not one to complain.

In the airport I followed signs for ‘public bus” , there called Smart Bus. There are  3 different lines with schedules well posted and mine, in direction of Patong was departing  quite soon. Left half empty by but time we reached Patong in about 1 hr it was filled to capacity.

I alighted somewhere central, not sure where as it was my first time there , later on I learned it was quite close to Bangla road and to get to hotel I took motorsai. He quoted me 150 , I as instructed by my friend counter offered 100, immediately accepted , still too much for 6 minutes ride , even if uphill but I was in no mood to haggle for another 20 baht.

Got room with quite a nice view with Royal Paradise Hotel well visible in a distance so knew immediately where in relation to gay area I’m. My friend was waiting impatiently being hungry so soon after we were climbing to nearby recommended restaurant with the view and one of best chicken with cashews I had this trip.

 Then we went downhill to central Patong to get grip of the place and as always when one is freshly arrived, curious of every corner  and another one already 14 days there who been everywhere dozen times it was basically waste of time for both of us  but at least we stopped by one of many booths selling tours and I booked  grandly named Tour of the Island  for tomorrow morning.

Listed price was 1400 but I got it for 900 without even bargaining – lady knew my friend from few tours he booked with her so gave proper price right away. Bottom line there it seems is don’t pay listed price but if you have time , bargain down and if necessary see another 1 or 3 places and see what their price will be.  There are tons of offers but it means there’s customer pocket friendly competition. Or at least it’s  what it seemed.

Seeing my friend is itching to return to hotel as he is leaving tomorrow morning and needs to pack I gladly suggested we do ,  if only , after refreshening to return to Patong for further exploration , this time alone. Of course first steps to Paradise Complex, I located my hotel I will be moving in tomorrow, Cruise club across it , big Zag club beside in the same soi.

Soi seemed full and busy then surveyed parallel soi with massage shops where one of the guys caught my eye so I enroll his services. 500 for the shop. Further compensation was discussed inside in the process already when my suggestion he can remove his clothes as it’s too hot was countered with 3000 request. Sorry I only look as first timer so told him , no,  just go on with massage. “ how much you give me ?” he still had hopes for business , “l000’ was my offer and we settled on 1500. To be honest , still too much for what I got but it’s OK, finally my first Phuket boy.

After that I treated myself with banana  pancake for 80 ( I just paid 30 few days ago  at Sukhotai for the same ) , went to see famous Bangla Road and was amazed how crowded it was that late. Certainly Patong visitors like their fun and after declining  proposals from 3 or 7 ladies of the night there I returned to hotel.

 

[siriusBE]

10 hours ago, vinapu said:

nearby recommended restaurant with the view and one of best chicken with cashews I had this trip.

Can you share the name of the restaurant? Chicken/cashews is one of my favorite Thai dishes

[vinapu]

14 hours ago, siriusBE said:

Can you share the name of the restaurant? Chicken/cashews is one of my favorite Thai dishes

Number 6 Restaurant Up the Hill is the name according to Google Maps

[Marc in Calif]

On 2/17/2024 at 12:18 PM, vinapu said:

View today was so, so though with bit of smog hanging on.

Do you snap your photos with your phone or with a dedicated camera?

They've given me a lot of reasons to see the temples in Cambodia, which I've only read about.