Day One of My Week Long Holiday to Bangkok

<<< Summarized Itinerary

Detailed Postings for the Day

• Butterfly Garden @ Changi Airport Terminal 3 
• SATS Premier Lounge @ Changi Airport Terminal 3 
• Grande Centre Point Ratchadamri (Accommodation)
• Bar.B.Q Plaza @ centralwOrld 
• Bangkok Street Food Market @ centralwOrld 
• Nezha Pavilion Temple
• Big C Supercenter opposite Central World

Time to kick start travel again! The pandemic has dampened the wanderlust for many people and even for me; I didn't fly out the week borders' restrictions were relaxed although the main reason for me is that I have plenty of work on my hand.

Nevertheless, it has been a stressful period in the office and I can't wait to take a jet plane and fly out of Singapore to the country I would love to spend my retirement in; no prize for guessing where.

Ahhhhhh terminal 3; I had been here during the pandemic when it was almost devoid of people. Good to see it coming alive with much buzz and life! 

Printed our boarding passes from the automated check-in machine. That should be the way forward in the future as it saves a ton of time. Fret not if you are unsure on what to do as the friendly service ambassador would step over to check on you should you appear "stuck".

Checking in our luggage ourselves. With many airports facing manpower issues, I have heard of horror stories of luggage that were so delayed; the passengers had already returned home! Praying hard it wouldn't happen to me as I need the luggage space for my shopping! 

View of terminal 3; if you ask me which is my favorite terminal at Changi International Airport, my answer would be terminal 4 and it will be reopening in September 2022, given the increasing air traffic.

Preparing to step into the departure hall.

Glad to see the signage that stated the time taken to walk to the gates. I think many people assumed that as Singapore is small, there wouldn't be that many gates. Only bad thing about the signage? It totally blocked the beautiful façade of Louis Vuitton.

Artistic installation; like a dandelion! It's part of the Crystal Garden glass installation by designer Petra Junová and consisted of "12 glass dandelions of various sizes comprising a total of 1,735 hand-blown glass".

Compared to pre-pandemic, I must admit the departure area wasn't as crowded.

The Louis Vuitton shop again; when I was a teenager, my dream was to own an LV wallet. Now that I am older and can afford one; I prefer to spend the money on food / travel. Furthermore, I seldom carry cash nowadays and most cards can be e-cards. 

Kids' playground; yes, yes, yes, I did note an act of inconsideration from the above photograph. On one hand, the guy might have been ill and on the other hand, sorry, I don't dare to confront.

Hudsons Coffee - a new coffee chain? According to a search on the world wide web, it's from Australia where there are 67 branches and this outlet at Changi Airport appeared to be its first overseas venture.

On the upper level, where there was a Singapore Food Street food court. Foreigners who didn't take the time to explore Singapore's hawker food can consider coming here for a bite. 

For Alex, a true blue Singaporean, he forged towards Burger King. His rationale is that it serves the comfort food he enjoys but he didn't like the Long Chicken that day.

While Alex dined at Burger King and played his game, I took the opportunity to check out the Butterfly Garden and the nearby Koi ponds. Do you know that kois can reach up to 2 meters and live till 200 years old?! 

Daily feeding from 9am to 9.30am and 4pm to 4.30pm and you are free to join. No feeding on Sundays though; hm.... the fish needs to fast? 

IRVINS Salted Egg; supposedly so famous until it ran out of stock at one period of time, I actually don't remember if I have ever tried their "world's #DangerouslyAddictive Salted Egg Fish Skin and Potato Chips". 

A Louis Vuitton exhibition. 

All the shops were open except for those that were undergoing renovation for a refreshed look / new establishments. Given that many Singaporeans were still waiting for their new passports (many had expired), I can only say the crowd is going to intensify in the coming months, most notably in December, during the school holidays.

I didn't eat with Alex for two reasons; one, I don't see the point of paying premium pricing for fast food that I could easily have outside the airport and two; I have access to SATS Premier Lounge where I would have free food and drinks! Click here to find out more! 

Wait! Flight SQ712 would be at Terminal 1?! So glad we thought of checking the display to confirm the gate for our flight one hour before departure! The usual me would only look at the display 30 minutes beforehand as the walk to gates wouldn't take more that long.

Time to rush! 

First time taking the skytrain within the departure section! Should I have more time, I would have taken the skytrain from terminal 3 to terminal 2, where it would pass by the breathtaking Vortex!  

Arrived at terminal 1; the grand old dame of Changi Airport which was decked out with carpets that felt very 80s. I actually can't remember how terminal 2 was like.

Queue outside C13; since we can't do anything once we are done with the final check in process, we decided to just wait till the queue died down. 

The Singapore Airlines plane bringing us to the Land of Smiles! I have always taken budget airlines to Thailand but thought to pamper ourselves slightly given that we haven't taken a plane ride for two years.

Empty waiting area at gate C13.

No one queuing into the airplane. Please be assured we were still ahead of time and there were still passengers behind us. I don't understand why people want to rush into the plane; it's not as if there are free seating.

In the plane and got to my seat. Our air tickets didn't allow us to choose our seating and I had to forgo my usual window seating. Oh well, I was hoping I would be lucky but then; I have shitty luck this year. 

Remember to ask for the earphones if they are missing. 

You need them to watch movies! 

You remember those pre-departure safety demo conducted by the air stewardesses and air stewards? For Singapore Airlines, it's now on the screens and I can guarantee you that the video is a far cry from expectations! Same flow yet it brought viewers through Singapore's familiar landmarks! I am impressed! 

Love checking out the one movie that shall accompany me for the next two hours! It shall be something I have yet to watch and eventually, I chose the hilarious "ah girls go army"! 

Alex said this slot was for spectacles.

For real? I have no idea.

Could only steal a peek from the window next to my neighbor. 

Can you spot the National Stadium? 

Our unimpressive meals; Alex, for his first flight on Singapore Airlines, was utterly disappointed with his food. For me, I didn't have much choice as I like beef but dislike mashed potatoes. It didn't help that dessert was chocolate ice cream.

Maybe because it had been so long since I took a plane; I kept having blocked ears on the plane! Anyway, uneventful flight, which I would have preferred. 

Arrival at Suvarnabhumi Airport! 

Ecstatic to be finally on foreign land! Wait, I was in Malaysia for a day trip in June.  Ecstatic to be finally in Bangkok, my favorite city of all time! 

Immigration clearance was quicker than expected although there wouldn't be of much difference when we had to wait quite a while for our luggage to appear on the belt. 

You can make use of the time to register for a Thai sim card at the numerous counters near the luggage belts. I saw the price list by True and the cheapest plan for 5G was 299 baht with 15GB of data, unlimited usage for a list of apps like facebook, messenger, twitter, line, whatsapp, instagram etc, and 100 baht worth of talk time over 16 days. You can also opt for 5G unlimited for 30 days at 1,699 baht!

Even though there was an airport rail link connecting Suvarnabhumi Airport to downtown Bangkok, I always prefer taking a taxi. What I didn't remember was the segregation between short distance taxi, regular taxi and large taxi! Was that new? 

Toll and expressway fees are separate, which I am aware of; as well as the requirement to top up 50 baht to the fare. What I didn't know was the charges for large pieces of luggage; more than two pieces would be charged, exceeding 26 inches in size would also result in surcharge of 20 baht a piece etc. 

Anyway, we only had two pieces of luggage and they were within the size limit! Here's our automated slip on the lane assigned for our taxi. 

A pink taxi; reminded me of the time Alex and I were given a pink room at Cingjing on our first trip to Taiwan. Read here for the posting! 

The ride was smooth sailing and we arrived at the hotel in less than 45 minutes. 

Our hotel; Grande Centre Point Ratchadamri! Located within 300 meters from a BTS station, the room was huge and came equipped with a small kitchen, plus a washer / dryer; I literally brought home zero dirty laundry! For more information, please visit here. 

The five-star hotel is also just a short walk to the famous Erawan Shrine. Maybe due to the downpour earlier, the incredibly popular attraction, before the pandemic, appeared a lot quieter.

I needed dinner and I remember a friend once recommended Baan Ying at Amarin Plaza. Since it's my first meal in Thailand in over two years, guess it's appropriate to start with Thai cuisine!

Well, the place looked like it was the midst of a major renovation! There was an operational food court but there were so few people; I wasn't comfortable dining there.... 

Frankly, I didn't know what to have for dinner. And it didn't help when there were so many choices surrounding me. Should I go Siam Square? The Market? Centralworld? The challenge with every single one of them was that I still need to select one eatery. 

Centralworld it shall be as I was lazy to walk any further. I noticed the new Apple store in front of the shopping mall; new for me as it wasn't there in my last visit to Bangkok in January 2020.

Even Centralworld had undergone transformation; the above two photos were taken in the mall and seemed more like an art gallery than a shopping centre. It might seem like a perfect waste of precious retail space but do note that tourism was basically in doldrums for the past two years.

Bar.B.Q Plaza - our official first meal in Bangkok since January 2020! One of my colleagues, a Thai mix, was surprised I haven't tried it all these years but she expressed more shock when I told her I have never stepped into COCA; even the ones in Singapore!

Whatever the case, both Alex and I were extremely satisfied with the food we had at Bar.B.Q Plaza; can't wait to return and hopefully, this caramel salted egg ice cream would still be around for us to try.

A full tummy means a walk would be beneficial; while the stomach was stuffed, the mouth remained itchy. And we just happily strolled over to the central food hall on the top level of Centralworld.

Had delicious moo ping at just 12 baht! Given our love for the pork skewer, we had one stick everyday, including the last day as the hotel breakfast also served it! 

Continuing window-shopping in the mall; many shops had already closed for the day as it was already 9.30pm. p.s. I didn't know H&M had a Home division. 

We went all gaga when we chanced upon a shop that focused on just HOKA shoes! Close friends would know I have been jogging frequently since the start of the pandemic and the jogging shoes from HOKA were the best! It's a guarantee we would pop by in the next few days.

Bangkok Street Food Market - just to look see even though we were tempted by the trays of moo ping telling us to buy and eat them! 

Nezha Pavilion Temple; was this around before? It feels like this recent Bangkok trip was to collect back memories I had lost since the pandemic.

The Palladium Night Market; terribly quiet. 

Remember neon market? I decided to pop by to see if it would still be operational but sadly; it didn't survive the sharp drop in tourists. I was so hoping to get a bottle of Chang Beer from one of its container bars. 

Ending my first night in Bangkok at Big C Supercenter!

Bought a basket of goodies, and some souvenirs! 

>>> Day Two

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Click here for my 7 Days 6 Nights Papazao Itinerary to Bangkok

Shik Gaek Korean Family Restaurant @ Johor Bahru [Malaysia]

It seems that I would always go for Korean barbecue whenever I am Johore Bahru and this time; I met up with a Malaysian friend who drove and brought us to Shik Gaek Korean Family Restaurant! 

For such an obscure location on a Monday evening, I am surprised that the restaurant was about half filled when we reached. Nothing that particularly stood out from the layout and interior design; it's more like a family restaurant and there wasn't any UFO exhaust system.

Set menu selections, with options for non-BBQ. As we just had Oriental Kopi (华阳) earlier, the set would be too much for the three of us. Ala carte it shall be then! 

Let's start with ice cold beer! 

The bottle was literally soaked in ice! 

Ten different side dishes; aside from your usual kimchi vegetables, there were mashed potatoes, minced meat patties, mushrooms, tapioca. Always good to have variety. 

First basket of lettuce wasn't that fresh with black edges.

Starting with our grilling; I thought this was an induction grill at first look but someone who has common sense (apparently, I don't have) would have noticed there was a cover.

Grilling for both our M.O. Short Rib Beef and Marinated Pork Meat! p.s. the staff member would help you; something I greatly appreciate given that I have the tendency to overcook raw meat. 

Short rib beef never disappoints with a deliciously heightened tender juiciness; pork was another story altogether; hard and reminded me of grilled pork from most Korean stalls in food court and hawker centers.

Seafood Onion Pancake - what is the one thing you would likely order whenever you dine at a restaurant with specific cuisine? For Japanese, I would go for chawanmushi. And for Korean, it's definitely pancake although the issue is deciding whether to go for seafood or kimchi. 

Thin batter with the much wanted crispy skin, this was like digging into an extremely good piece of prawn cracker that was full of ingredients. There's only one downside; it's also very oily (check out my ring finger). 

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Most important question; would I be back? I am actually unsure as there were hits and misses. However, it has more than just grilled meat and I was also happy with its seafood pancake. Okay, maybe 65% chance I would be back. 

Address 

185, Jalan Sri Pelangi, Taman Pelangi, 

80400 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

Map

As above.

Pricing

M.O. Short Rib Beef - RM 92.00

Marinated Pork Meat - RM 33.00 

Seafood Onion Pancake - RM 30.00 

Hite Beer - RM 26.00 

(Subject to Service Charge)

Big C Supercenter opposite Central World in Bangkok [Thailand]

Big C is a supermarket chain in Thailand with many branches but for most travelers; they associate the brand with the supercentre building located right opposite Centralworld, where they would usually visit to purchase souvenirs for family and friends back home. 

No exception for me as well as the supercentre provides the largest variety as the hypermarket wing of the conglomerate, and location wise; the most convenient in downtown Bangkok. p.s. closure timing has now been revised to 11.00pm! 

I am the type who enjoys checking out local supermarkets! Aside from having a rough gauge on the popularity of locally manufactured items among the locals, there could also be surprises that you don't get to encounter in Singapore. For example, selling frozen nuggets by the weight. 

Or the sheer amount of instant noodles for sale! And in bulk! In Singapore, we usually buy in bags of about five packs of instant noodles. 

The MAMA brand is my preferred to-go brand for Thai instant noodles; this box of 24 packs just cost me 215 baht (about S$8.30), and its the big pack one! Ecstatic to buy although it's going to take up quite a bit of space in the luggage.

It's obvious that this particular supercentre is more for tourists though; with items packaged specifically in bulk for cheaper pricing and easier distribution to family and friends. I used to buy some of them but honestly feel that most were just average tasting. 

Quite common to see tourists pushing trolleys filled to the brim! I often wonder how many pieces of luggage they bring along as I am barely surviving with a combined luggage of 50 kilograms with Alex, who doesn't shop. 

My haul over two visits in my recent Bangkok trip, with smaller packs that were purchased for tasting before buying them for home. Some items have samples (like the rice crackers), and you can make the decision a lot faster! 

You can't bargain in a supermarket and I bet you might be able to secure cheaper pricing in shops that offer bargaining. However, the goods in Big C are fast moving and stocks are likely "fresher". 

A scene you don't see in Singapore. People reusing discarded carton boxes to hold their purchases for ease of checking in to the airports when they leave the country! There are also packing points, similar to those in IKEA, but we don't see them in Singapore's supermarkets. Not yet. 

Click here for my 7 Days 6 Nights Papazao Itinerary to Bangkok

2280 Burger (Double) by Burger Labo @ Henderson Industrial Park [Singapore]

I have been raving about Burger Labo amongst my friends but its price tag for its single-patty basic burger, at S$25, is a bit hard for me to indulge on a frequent basis.

However, a friend shared that there's a wallet-friendly version that's also managed by Burger Labo. Located at Henderson Industrial Park, here's 2280 Burger! Why 2280? It's supposed to be "“the abattoirs’ international four-digit code for the beef neck cut", the part used as the burger patty! 

Compared to Burger Labo, the dining space at 2280 can accommodate much more people! 

If you are keen, you may also choose the counter seats that face the kitchen! Well, I don't mind checking out their cooking process if I am alone; not when I am dining with three other friends.

Order via the self-serviced kiosk! You don't have to fret over an extensive menu; there were only three types of burgers with two sides. The beverage list was longer with options for beer, milkshake, coffee, coke, tea etc.

Collecting my order when the order number flashed on the television screen! I was gunning for a burger single (100 gram patty) but reviewers were generally in favor of burger double for satisfaction.

My double happiness; the two thick beef patties, made from beef neck cut (hence its relevance to the eatery's name), stood out prominently. Thankfully, I have a large mouth and didn't foresee any problem biting down and enjoying all the layers! 

It's obvious from the above picture that the operator's objective was not to over-beautify a simple burger with colors and other ingredients; you have your essential buns, patties, onions, cheese and mayonnaise, which should be enough. 

Verdict: the first thing that ran through my mind was the meatiness of the double patties! They burst with juiciness and featured crisp edges! Maybe because there were so much meat; the taste of the buns was correspondingly weaker.

Interestingly, the sweet onions and chilli sauce played a bigger role in enhancing the overall experience, providing my tastes buds with tastes of more than just plain beef.  

It was a decent burger no doubt, although couldn't hold a match to Burger Labo. After taking a few bites, I actually told my friend the burger tasted just like my first time having Big Mac at McDonald's. Not meant to be an insult as that was the first burger in my life.

Burp! Personally, a single patty at 2280 would be preferred but if I have the cash, I would splurge it for the epic yet plain sounding basic burger at Burger Labo.

Shoestring Fries - crisp with soft filling! I think I have been 'infected' by Jovyn as I would crave for fries nowadays, and that would be disadvantageous for my starch-restricted diet! 

Sweet Potato Fries -  thick and crunchy perfectly complemented by the sweetness of the sweet potatoes! Should I attempt to make it at home?! There must be an air-fryer recipe out there! 

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Address

213 Henderson Road, #01-10, 

Henderson Industrial Park, 

Singapore 159553

Map

As above. 

Operating Hours

Lunch - 11.00 am to 3.00 pm

Dinner - 5.00pm to 9.00 pm

(Closed on Sundays)

Menu

As above.

Pricing

Burger Double - S$13.50

Shoestring Fries - S$4.00

Sweet Potato Fries - S$6.00

(Inclusive of GST)