Sawasdee ka Bangkok, Thailand

My trip to Bangkok was the first holiday I've ever taken ever since coming to Singapore. I could barely contain my excitement. I was supposed to go alone but I guess my enthusiasm was so contagious that three colleagues decided to join me in my first Asian travel adventure.

We flew via the budget airline, Jetstar, and checked in at the Wall Street Inn. Having paid SGD 61 per night, I didn't expect too much of the hotel. I must say they were redeemed tenfold by the nice welcome signboard at the lobby with my and my friends' names on it. Apart from the fact that the hotel was located two streets down from Patpong, a place in Bangkok notorious for its promiscuous, nocturnal trade, I have no complaints.

We had dinner at the Mango Tree which the hotel staff swore serves authentic Thai food. Being the worst food connoisseur who has no sense of what's good and what's crappy, I was the only one who said the food was great. Everyone else said the taste was not authentic at all. The place was 'touristy' which was probably why the cook had to go easy on the chili.

We went to shop a bit at Patpong Night Market then walked back to the hotel. Before going to bed, I treated myself to a heavenly foot massage. Whoever said the best things in life are free told a fat lie.

On Day 2, we visited the Grand Palace and the National Museum and had lunch at a cozy restaurant near MBK which served authentic, mouthwatering Thai food. I can't get enough of the Thai mango sticky rice! I made sure to order one for dessert after every meal. Every bite was bliss.

We went to MBK to shop, shop and shop some more. Two and a half hours and five shopping bags later, we went back to the hotel to doll up for a night of clubbing. Pre-party, we checked out Khaosan Road. Khaosan was a happening place! My friend Jackie and I got henna tattoos of our names in Thai. Sweet.

We went to a Thai club called Nang Len (I am pretty sure this is NOT the way you spell it but as they say in Thailand - 'same-same...but different') where the crowd was predominantly Thai just the way we would've preferred it. It was pretty crowded and ordering a drink proved to be a challenge (who knew if the bartender spoke English? Well...he did). The club had two main rooms - English hip-hop and Thai hip-hop. We went to both and tried to spot the lady boys in the crowd (it was difficult to tell in the dark). The highlight of the night was when an adorable Thai boy in a splashy, half-open pink shirt, started hugging and kissing my BFF, Mark. This tiny bundle of gay joy was drinking straight from the whiskey bottle! Well, why else would he hit on Mark? Kidding, BFF.

On Day 3, we slept in and didn't get out of bed 'til past 9. We headed out to Chaptuchak Market later in the morning. Chaptuchak was just like Quiapo minus the church and the 'pamparegla' vendors. After squandering more money, Jackie and I went to the Center mall to get our hair done because it was so 'cheap-cheap' in Thailand.

Jackie and I had dinner that night at a fancy-schmancy place called Naj and although it wasn't as authentic as we would've liked it, it was pretty good. I ordered mango sticky rice, of course. We went back to the hotel afterwards only to realize that I left my camera at the restaurant! Jackie and I took a tuk-tuk back to the restaurant and I was so glad to be reunited with my camera.

She and I treated ourselves to a well-deserved Thai massage that evening. I never had a Thai massage before and boy, did auntie crack my bones and stretched me good! It was painfully wonderful.

I will surely miss the shop-crazed, polluted and bustling city of Bangkok that is so reminiscent of home. As much as I would like to go back, there are still other Asian countries to explore. So it would have to be sawasdee ka for now BKK. 'Til then.

Dating Mishaps and Misadventures

It's exasperating to think that even though books, magazines, blogs and websites have dedicated voluminous articles to the do's and dont's of dating, I keep coming back from one disastrous social encounter with the male species after another. The thought that 'maybe it's not them, it's me' has crossed my mind more than once; but I know myself too well to know that I am merely unlucky when it comes to men and relationships. Or I just don't make very smart choices.

Quite recently, I've gone out with a Brit who claimed to be an "infallible gentleman of utmost decorum" (in posh British accent). Of course he acted like a complete bigot. To give you a better idea of how appalling his behavior was, here's a grocery list of the things he did:

- flagrantly and disgustingly picked his nose and teeth in front of me
- constantly performed conversational masturbation and never listened
- conveniently forgot that I'm a vegetarian
- constantly asked what kind of underwear I'm wearing
- shamelessly ogled and checked out other girls in front of me
- asked me to carry a bag of groceries while he ate his ice-cream
- groped my ass and copped a feel in public
- insulted my country and my race
- would intermittently call me, appearing and disappearing like a flickering Christmas bulb

Now if you've read the rather plain but sonorous girly book "He's Just Not Into You", the man I've described above would have been shown the door in an instant. And that's exactly what I did. I have no time and patience to put up with his shit.

I have always exercised careful judgment in weeding out the losers from my dating menu, but somehow I always wind up with men who are either flaky, immature, or just want to get into my pants. I guess I have every right to feel jaded and fagged out about dating. Cynicism has been vindicated.