BITS AND PIECES: July 2009

Phuket Chapter 2: Beach Girls and Shopping Mode

I spent my first night alone in my room because Evelyn, my assigned room mate from Singapore arrived the day after.

July 25, 2009. Saturday.

It was a free day for everyone!

I woke up 7am TH time and saw that it was still dark. So i slept for another 1 hour. 8am when i went up to Ate Cy and Ate Susan's room and saw there LC asking them to went out and go around.

We all met at the lobby for the buffet breakfast. With choices of fruits, cereals, rice, pancakes, sausages, bacons, etc. We were also joined by other collegues from other countries in our table.

After breakfast we head off to the beach! The sands are not as white as Boracay but the view was amazing. Clear, blissful, peace, a quiet place to stay. We were not allowed to swim at the beach because of the big waves. So we just have our group pictorial session! *grin* We were even joined by William and Geoffrey, our colleagues from Malaysia and Indonesia.

After experiencing the beach, its time to conquer the pool! Hilton has 3 huge pools and we tried all of them! While some of the group changes into their swimming suits, I, daina and joy stroll over and had pictorial at hotel's pagoda and spa area.

over the pool, we are so aliw with Ate Susan's underwater camera *big grin*

After swimming we pampered ourselves to steam bath and sauna at the spa. it was oh so relaxing! we stayed at the steam bath for 15 minutes and 5 minutes at the sauna. :)

And then we're off to lunch!

Here is where we had our lunch. I had chicken basket and fresh coconut which made me really busog because of the big chicken serving. Everyone was satisfied. And to commend the thai waiter for his very efficient service.

After lunch is shopping time. We ride a tuktuk going to Karon Place where there is a big tiangge. But then prices are so expensive compared to Bangkok. It was priced triple from the regular. So, we really haven't gotten that much. I just bought a dress, just so I could have something from the place.

Then we went back to the hotel for an hour of rest.. getting ready for the Staff Party.

Phuket Chapter 1: Departure and First few hours in Phuket, Thailand

0 comments Posted by daei at 1:17 PM

3 weeks in Cengage Learning and I was so lucky to to be included in the annual Cengage Learning Asia Sales Meeting, an annual CL event attended by our colleagues from all over Asia. And this year's destination, PHUKET, THAILAND. All reved-up from the 2004 tsunami, Phuket was a site to behold. As much as I want to give my friends a live feed during my stay in Phuket, there was just too much going on, aside from the expensive internet charges in the hotel. So anyway, Im back and ready to roll. :)

July 24, 2009, Friday. I woke up uber early, I was so afraid I might miss the flight. We are scheduled to depart at 10am and it's a standard that you have to be at the airport 3 hours before the departure time. Tito Emil gave me a ride going to NAIA Centennial 2. Ate Susan and Ate Cy was at the airport already when I arrived so as soon as I got there, we checked-in and had all arrangements in immigration and there was PR730.

PR730 MLA-BKK : 3 hrs.
The in-flight meal was yummy and we enjoyed it. I was not used to in-flight meals like this because most of the domestic flight that I have with PAL just serves light snacks.

Suvarnabhumi Airport (Thai: ท่าอากาศยานสุวรรณภูมิ; pronounced /sùwannápʰūːm/)- or the New Bangkok International Airport which i first heard as SU-HA-NA-PO airport was extremely huge and the structural design was simply amazing. WooooW!

We arrived 3 hours before our scheduled departure time to Phuket. After going through immigration, claiming our luggages and checking-in to Air Asia, we went around and check some stuffs. We had lunch at the airport, Burger King. Well, it was not actually a LUNCH but just a heavy snack. Because we were really shocked with the prices. The Fries and Soda that we had costs 150 Baht, which in peso equals to 300 Php. Now I understand, when you are out of the country, never ever convert the prices into peso.

Finally, it was time to board Air Asia FD3031, that will bring us to Phuket. It was around 4 pm already, TH time which is by the way an hour late than PH time. We arrived in Phuket by 6pm and was picked up by the tranportation arranged by the company that will bring us to the hotel. It was still one hour travel to our hotel Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa. As soon as we arrived, Daina and Abby welcomed us with their hugs. They were at Thailand 4 days ahead of us. We just checked in, hotel staff gave us wet towels and lychee drink, went to our assigned room and we head off to eat dinner.

We went to Patong Beach (15-20 mins ride from Hilton) for dinner and night out. With us also were our Indonesian colleagues William and Angelina. Too bad, LC and Kuya Jom was not able to join us because they have a meeting session going on.

We ate at a place called Mr. Goods Seafood, of course sea food was really yummy! quite expensive though, we had soup, yellow rice, fish which was extremely spicy, chicken with some nuts.

We also had a tour around and lo and behold, "girl men" as Angelina would call them. They were very umm beautiful- or that could even be an understatement. I was more shocked when we passed by a bar where girls are poledancing even outside of the bar, whew, so hot for the guys.

We wanted to go for an authentic Thai massage, however it was already late and we still have dance practice to do. We went home riding a tuktuk, can't help enjoy the breeze.

As soon as we're back in the hotel, we had our last dance practice for the next day's big event. And believe it or not, we finished the practice at 3am. Kinareer talaga namin!

Musings...

0 comments Posted by daei at 5:25 PM

i am getting more and more excited for the Phuket trip.

as much as i am getting more familiar with my workflow.

it just feels different enjoying work more and more everyday, despite the pressures and deadlines. probably because of a good working environment and fine good people around you.

i felt like as if i am here for the longest time... although i am just 2 weeks old.

and all these pressures and deadline helped a lot in me not paying attention into the other side of my emotion. I am perfectly ok, i guess.

its just that some people are not worth thinking of

and i just thought, in a month and few days, i am turning 29.. another year older. and hopefully a more wonderful year for me... something different to look forward to... who knew?

i am happy because i am happy

Blessed in every way.

Hodgepodge

0 comments Posted by daei at 10:15 AM

1 week to go before our Phuket Trip.

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Sharing with you some events that happened few weeks back...

Kit's surprise post-birthday celebration at Tony's bar in Tomas Morato last July 4, 2009. With surprise guests from Homebase and her Taekwando Family.