The husband got the bug.  He is learning all the basic fundamentals, the full swing, the grip, the posture, pitch, shots, all that he needs to know now.  He’s also testing waters with the juniors at home, all 3 of them.  We brought them along to driving range last weekend, hoping that they get the bug too.  Thanks to the SIL and her hubby for the encouragement and sharing the experience, my dear husband is now looking forward for more great weekends.  Just yesterday, he just fork out for a junior set for the kids, not hefty really.  A good enough set, for them to practice.  Well, as for me, I think it’s another fantastic way to spend good family time with our loved ones.

That was her best shot! So far yet so near!

The truth is, we’re so in love and crazy about this spectacular city just like the Thai people who love their royal highness.  We love the pampering at the spa, love the heavenly seafood, love the shopping and love the Thai people.  And everything else is cheap-cheap, good-good.

So, we’re back from our 4 days’ getaway to Bangkok.  A family trip, we’ve have planned since March this year.  Last I went to Bangkok was eons ago, a stop over from Pattaya.  Travelling around with friends back then was much easier, we could just hopped in the tuk-tuk to get us to places, no worries of the fumes and the exhaust-pipe.  This time round, it’s different, where it involves the family, especially with the young ones.  Safety always comes first and so is comfort. 

We got ourselves two junior suites at 46th storey of sky zone, with adjoining door.  The hotel chosen was great for its location, the Baiyoke Sky.  Its the tallest hotel in Bangkok with 88th floors(claimed to be world's tallest hotel too).  Enough said of the panaromic views from our suites at 46th, the kids just love the breathtaking views from the Sky Restaurant at the 78th storey every morning while they enjoy their breakfast!  They were very excited when they got to tee-off at the newly opened golf range at the 18th floor of Baiyoke Sky (the highest golf range in Thailand)!.

This bustling Pratunam area is really great for shopping with wholesale market all around just walking distance from our hotel.  Satu hari jalan di Platinum Mall ajer pun tak cukup tau!  And it’s really impossible to go to every shop coz there are just too many!  You have to buy at least 3 pieces to get the wholesale price (which its not a problem, coz they're are dirt cheap to buy 3!!), with many shops let you mix & match with other designs. There are also quite a number of good halal restaurants around the area, that serve delicious authentic Thai, Lebanese, Arab and Asian Cruisines.  We went to the ever popular Mak Yah Restaurant for their good thai-pathani's at Petchburi Road for lunch on our 2nd day there.

We made full use of the 10-seater combi for the 2nd and 3rd day, to bring us around for sightseeing, shopping and makan-ning.  Zahier and Zafran were very impressed with the newly improvised interior of the combi, which came with LCD TV and karaoke system. Our driver Ah-Tun who had a special place in the kids’ hearts was always cheerful.  He’s wonderful especially with the kids and Mak.  He’s very helpful and so caring.  Everytime, he sees us with bags in our hands, he'd run to us and quickly took the bags and put them neatly at the back of the combi.  Hurhur...dah macam your high majesty gitu...and everytime we got to remind him not to do that.  The boys adore him, they find him very cute with his caring behavior.

As for the shopping, what can I say!  I just let the pictures do the talking.  Though we didn’t get to shop at the Chatuchak weekend market (coz trip was on the weekdays), the shopping spree at malls, wholesale markets, bazaars and also the main wholesale market supplier that supplies to all other markets in Bangkok was more than enough to keep us very busy in this shopping paradise. 

I don’t fancy the notorious Pat Phong streets coz of the go go bars and “traditional Thai parlors” just situated along the alley, so we didn’t go to that place.  How am I suppose to explain if the boys ask me why the girls on the bars, kept holding on the poles, always clad in those funny looking “attire” swaying their bods like that?  Anyway, it’s the kids’ maiden trip to Thailand, so I thought it would not be good to give them the wrong impression of Bangkok they so love very much. 

Besides Pratunam, we also went to Pahurat, Chinatown for some fabrics, and Bobae too.  Walking on, at the streets, I saw something hanging right before my eyes, a red floral printed bag.  I totally fell in love with it and started to ask for the price.  The lady gave me a price which I thought was pretty cheap, but since we’re in Thailand, buying without bargaining is really a no-no.  I told her my price (almost 1/3 of the open price she gave me, hurhur) and she counter- offered me with another price.  And I thought what the heck!  Just pay and go lah! The bag was so cantik, I got myself 2 pieces.  Felt so happy!  My best purchase for this trip I think.

That everning after a long day on our 3rd day there, I went straight to the Spa to make reservations for the following day for all of us.

So the next day, 45 minutes after our hearty breakfast, the pampering sessions started with foot massage for the kids while the husband had the head, shoulders and foot massage.  It was the kids’ first experience with a masseure and they seemed to enjoy the massage very much.  For the ladies in the house, a special full body Aromatherapy Massage for Mak and the Asian Blend Aromatherapy Massage for me and my PA.  It was sooooo good, a massage that combines the traditional Thai and the Aromatherapy.  The warm sense from the essential oils were soothing and so relaxing for our mind and soul. 

And what did I get for myself while the rest didn’t get after so much of walking in Bangkok?  A nice pedicure

Zzzoooooooooooom Bangkok!! Click here for more pixs

The boys did us proud this morning during the Bay Of Brillance Soccer Tournament 2008 held at the Naval Base Primary, with 6 other primary schools from Yishun and Ang Mo Kio.  They were very excited when they knew they were selected by the coach 2 weeks ago to represent their school, Canberra Primary to compete with other 10 and 8 year olds.   This morning tournament was a fantastic one and their school has strong teams in both categories, I must say.
 
The minute the guest of honour officially opened the pitch by kicking the ball into the gate, the boys were anxious to start the preliminary rounds.  Zafran did very well as a midfielder/striker with mate Shaun.  And every time, they scored 3 goals, the Coach would pull them out of the pitch to replace with the reserve players.  Bukan apa, Coach nak simpan starplayers lah katakan.  Steady lah Zafran!

Zahier did well too, and he too got into the final rounds for the Cup Competition.  Congratulations boys!   Well boys, as the coach said to us earlier, guess you got to start mark the calendar for your June holidays’ training.

 
Little mascot, she'd do anything for the boys, woke up as early as 6am to send her brothers to school

 
Zahier and his team before the opening of the pitch

 
Zafran and his team

 
"he aint heavy, he's my brader..."

 
Me and mascot

 
Zafran’s 1st game with Dolphins from Naval Base Primary

 
Zafran’s 2nd game with anther Dolphins from Naval Base

 
Corner kick!

 
Zafran’s 3rd game with Ahmad Ibrahim Primary

 
Zahier with his 2nd game with Northland Primary

 
Zahier and best friend, Shahril

Mak nenek mascot sibuk2 again..

 
She’s everywhere!

When the manager speaks..

Told you so, she’s everywhere!

 
Cooling off..

Prize giving ceremony

 
Zafran received the Cup -below 8 year old category

Star of the Day!

2 best players under 8 year old!

Zahier receiving his Cup..below 10 year old category

Runner Up…congrats Boys!

Fantastic Trio!

This was my breakfast+lunch on a lazy morning of Labour Day.  For a light meal, I'd go for my favourite, cheese thosai with kopi-chino.  Soooo yummy!!  Of course, the day was more fun for the kids, with brunch at one of their favourite place followed by an outdoor activity at the Bottle Tree Park. 

See this jammed-packed tank? some kid I saw caught these on her own.  Kesian pulak tenguk ikan-ikan ni lemas dalam air macam ikan sardin...Anyway the boys were very excited, eagerly stepped into the pond to start with the hunt for guppies, goldfishes and swordtails once we handed them the tanks and nets. It was reminiscent of the old days when we were very young, where our favourite past-time was longkang fishing.  But back then, we didn’t have to pay a cent for longkang fishing.  By 3 pm, we left the park and headed home to wash up and rest awhile.  The boys wanted to go out again after their short rest, and we decided to go to the east this time, (somewhere indoor for some good cooling air-conditioning, hurhur..apa lagik kalau tak airport.....!!) and had our dinner at the MacD.

minah tearing her paper prata…

prata feast..

Got fish, will hunt...

 
Yay!! I got my first catch!

Hey fishy fishy!

Sha counting her fishes..