Now that I’ve finished my rant, I need to finish with the trip info. The rain started coming down as we left Vegas. We walked in drizzling rain at Hoover Dam. Spent like an hour there and didn’t go on the bridge because we had a person in a wheel chair. I took about 5 hours to get to the suburb of LA and then probably another two hours to get to North Hollywood for some dinner in Thai Town. We ate at Sanamluang Cafe. It wasn’t as good as the last time I came but probably because back then I compared it to food in State College instead of DC metro. After dinner, probably 9PM-ish, it still took another 90 minutes to get to the hotel in Pasadena. The next day was just awful in terms of weather. We drove around a ton but never got out of the car other than eating lunch at Hard Rock in Hollywood. It rained heavily non-stop and we left LA just after sunset. Stayed overnight in Ventura. Didn’t stop in Santa Barbara because it was still raining hard. When we got to about midpoint on Highway 1, the rain would stop intermittently giving us short windows to get out of the car for some fresh air, photos and enjoy the view even though the visibility was probably less than a mile.

The rain finally stopped when we got to San Francisco. Had dim sum for dinner :p. The weather was fine for the rest of the trip. I have to say that the car incident was really eye-opening. After that trip, I never again leave stuff visibly in the car. I either lock it away in the trunk or take it with him. Camera gear is with me at all times.

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One negative thing about ARIA is that it’s mega huge. It’d take me literally 10 mins to walk from my room to the conference area in the same hotel. That becomes really tiring when you have do a few round trips a day (e.g. get a phone charger, do conference call, etc.).

View of CityCenter from my room at ARIA

My room at ARIA has a touch screen remote at the bedside table that practically controls everything in the room.

Morning view from the room

Couldn’t have asked for a better week in Vegas. 70F and low humidity. Downside – no poolside actions.

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Anyway, after the match we went food shopping and headed to the campground. About 30 minutes south of Kitty Hawk Hooters, we got there and my jaw dropped. It looked at a zoo + circus + playland combined. There were so many people that every available piece of land was occupied by either a tent or an RV. Dream shattered … not really, but it was kind of disappointing since I kinda expected to be at least as cool as Assateague. Anyhow, we were assigned this corner lot surrounded by RVs and popup tent trailers. Setting up was easy. When we finished, we just hung out and everybody was probably hoping for the sun to go soon because it was stupid hot.

Despite the crowd and heat, we spent three nights and had a blast everyday. The beach was surprisingly not crowded at all. One thing that was a really annoying though. Everyday, except July 4th, a garbage truck would come around 7AM and practically make you up whether  you want to or not. Anyway, another great trip this year but will definitely rent a house next time.

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We had a great time even though alcohol was forbidden on the site (the ban started this year, go figure).

Jimmy was trying to get something from his tent during the big storm but couldn’t find the zipper… lol.

Before and after the storm.

Ocean City

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Getting There

The resort is really in the middle of nowhere. It took us 2½ – 3 hours to drive there. For about 45 minutes, it was just a two lane road. We stopped for lunch at a resort/restaurant called Duan-Lom (เดือนล้อม). I ordered a local steak entree and it came well done…

Around the Resort

There are a bunch of things you can do and see at the resort. We spent an entire afternoon just wondering around, being chased by sheep, etc. Warning: The Scenery sheep are always very hungry. They will jump on you, for reals. I tried running a few laps with them chasing and barking at me. In the end, I just gave up and threw the veggies at them. Personally, the best activity was to relax and do absolutely nothing.

On a related note, I think it is a great wedding location.

Accommodation

The accommodation is really well done…except the bathrooms. The ones in our two-bedroom cottage were damp and smelly.

At Night

Instead of going out or eating the restaurant at the resort, my dad and I thought it would be great to do some BBQ while we were there. So we ordered a bunch of BBQ via email prior our arrival. On the roof of the cottage there is a dining area with a grill. Since it was a New Zealand-themed resort, the only kind of BBQ they offered was the high-end one. And by high-end I mean this. The idea of BBQ in the US typically consists of burgers, hot dogs and maybe bacon-wrapped shrimps, which is quite different from what it is in Thailand. Anyway, everything was good. It was a little too hot even after sun down. The temp was around mid 80s with no wind. This place would be perfect for a December vacation.

In Suan Phung Area

On the way back to Bangkok, we visited an orchid farm and learn about how hard it was to grow and take care of them. Mom bought two. We also stopped for lunch at a candle shop called บ้านเทียนหอม.

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According to Wikipedia:

Before Ayutthaya fell to a Burmese invasion, its vassals included the Northern Shan states of present-day Myanmar, Lanna (Chiang Mai, Thailand), Yunnan & Shan Sri (China), Lan Xang (Laos), Champa (Vietnam), and some city-states in the Malay Peninsula.[1]
Ayutthaya (Thai: อาณาจักรอยุธยา, RTGS: Anachak Ayutthaya, also Ayudhya) was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1351 to 1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese (Annamese), Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French, permitting them to set up villages outside the city walls. In the sixteenth century, it was described by foreign traders as one of the biggest and wealthiest cities in the East. The court of King Narai (1656–1688) had strong links with that of King Louis XIV of France, whose ambassadors compared the city in size and wealth to Paris.Before Ayutthaya fell to a Burmese invasion, its vassals included the Northern Shan states of present-day Myanmar, Lanna (Chiang Mai, Thailand), Yunnan & Shan Sri (China), Lan Xang (Laos), Champa (Vietnam), and some city-states in the Malay Peninsula.[1]

Although it was stupid hot there, we had a great time. Visiting on a weekday is recommended to avoid crowd.

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I don’t really have much to say about Amphawa. It is certainly a great day trip away from the city and conveniently located on the way to Hua Hin. One thing though – be prepared to flight the crowd, especially on weekends. The food and shopping are great.

It was surprised how clean it was considering the amount of tourists they get every week and the age of the village itself. However, there was this one ignorant dude that dumped gallons of what looked like beef broth into the canal.

According to AmphawaFloatingMarket.com,

Amphawa Floating Market  is an afternoon floating market by the canal near Wat Amphawan Chetiyaram. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, during 12.00 p.m. – 8.00 p.m., the Amphawa Canal is occupied by vendors who pack their boats with food and drinks, such as fried sea mussel, noodles, coffee, O-liang (iced black coffee), sweets, etc. Visitors can enjoy a cosy atmosphere and music broadcast by the community members, explore the market, have food, and hire a boat to see fireflies at night.

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The Rock Hua Hin and Resort

The Rock was a popular place to stay in Hua Hin a few years back. It’s not bad, but it’s definitely not as hip as it used to be because there has been a number of new boutique hotels popping up in the same area. I like the bathroom though. It has a big glass window allowing you to enjoy taking a bubble bath with a view. However, I guess the bad part for most people is that people can see you through that same window if you don’t close the curtain.

The hotel has has a beachfront like most hotels in Hua Hin. It has two small swimming pools and a pool side bar/restaurant.

Plearnwan (เพลินวาน)

Not really sure what Plearnwan is. It’s kinda like a man-made old school floating market village. According to the website,

From the starting point of love and yearing for Hua Hin the past, Plearn Wan is originated as a new travel destination for Hua Hin residents and visitors.
Plearn Wan is … “Center of joy and happiness … stop the past in order to tell the various tales of Hua Hin in the past … toward present”

I liked it. Good food even though I was still feeling nauseous from food poisoning. It’s definitely a good addition to Hua Hin’s attractions.

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20 Hours of Flying

What’s a better use of time than flying for almost a day half way around the world? Seriously, that much flying is brutal. Flying to Bangkok, Thailand from DC typically requires a layover in Tokyo, Japan. The first flight takes 14 hours and the second takes six hours. I probably enjoyed the first hour or two after the plane had taken off. As you can see, I took some photos from the plane. I also watched a movie before I started to feel tired. However, for some reasons I couldn’t fall asleep. So I watched another movie after another after another. After four movies and two not-so-good meals, I was dead tired. I finally fell asleep for an hour before the flight attendants turned on the lights to prepare for landing.

So the total flight time is about 20 hours when flying westbound, plus a two hour layover in Japan and at least fours spent at the DC and Bangkok airports. That’s more than a day of traveling. Moreover, you need to take into account that Thailand is 12 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. So when you fly to thailand, you lose at least one and a half days.

I usually fly Air Nippon Airways (ANA) when going to Bangkok, but this time I had to fly United Airlines. For some reasons, ANA has gotten ridiculously expensive in the past 12 months. I’m talking $800 more expensive. Anyway, you get what you pay for. United meals are worse in terms of the taste as well as the amount they give you. Hot plates are always burnt at the bottom. The plane is older, much older. I couldn’t believe they didn’t have a personal TV screen for every seat on international flights. Even an hour long flight from Rome to Munich I took last year had a mini screen on every seat. Anyway, enough ranting about United. They were $800 cheaper. Move on.

I happened to have a massive headache on the way back from Bangkok to Japan and didn’t have any painkillers with me. I bought a box of Tylenol FD from an pharmacy at the Narita airport for about $10. It came with 12 doses of 600 mg Acetaminophen. In the US, you can get a 100 caplet bottle of Tylenol Extra Strength for about the same price. That’s to show how expensive things are in Japan.

The Grand Palace (พระบรมมหาราชวัง)

One of our day trips in Bangkok was to the Grand  Palace, not to confuse with the Chinese restaurant in San Francisco. According to Wikipedia,

The Grand Palace (Thai: พระบรมมหาราชวัง, Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang) is a complex of buildings in Bangkok, Thailand. It served as the official residence of the Kings of Thailand from the 18th century onwards. Construction of the Palace began in 1782, during the reign of King Rama I, when he moved the capital across the river from Thonburi to Bangkok. The Palace has been constantly expanded and many additional structures were added over time. The present King of Thailand, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, however, resides at the Chitralada Palace.

Even though it was in February, the temperature during the entire trip was in the high 80s – low 90s on average. The day we went to the Grand Palace it must have been in the high 90s with the heat index and everything. I was extremely hot. We tried to stay in shades at all time. Definitely wear a hat or carry an umbrella with you if you are going to go there. Actually do that any time you are walking outdoor.

You could easily spend two hours there (or four hours if you are into this stuff) just strolling around looking at the paintings on the walls and architecture. One of the main attractions there is Wat Phra Kaew, the temple containing the Emerald Buddha. Visitors are not allowed to take photos in that temple. Most people try to take photos from the outside through on of the front windows/doors. I didn’t because I wanted to give the place the respect it deserved.

There is subway or sky train stop near the Grand Palace. The easily way to get there is getting a taxi, which should cost no more than 100 Thai Baht or $3.00. If you want some adventure, you could take a water taxi or a public bus (without air conditioning if you are super hardcore).

Most of the guards that I saw had their eyes shut while on duty. I believe a few were actually sleeping on the job. They must be sweating rivers in those uniforms.

Dusit Zoo (สวนสัตว์ดุสิต)

Spending time at Dusit Zoo is a relaxing way to get away from the city without having to get out of the city. It is a 15 minute drive from the Grand Palace if you don’t get lost. From Wikipedia,

Dusit Zoo (Thai: สวนสัตว์ดุสิต) at Khao Din Park is a city zoo in Bangkok, Thailand. Located at Khao Din Park in Bangkok’s Dusit District next to the Parliament House and Dusit Palace, it is the oldest zoo of Thailand, built by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) as his private garden adjacent to the royal palace. After the King’s passing, the garden was left unattended for years. In 1938, the revolutionary government asked King Rama VIII’s regency to give this park to Bangkok City Municipality to be open as a public zoo. The King himself kindly bestowed deers and a number of other animals from the palace for public exhibition. The City of Bangkok operated the zoo until 1954. Since then it has been transferred to the state Zoological Park Organization, which also operates Khao Khiao Open Zoo, Chiang Mai Zoo, Songkhla Zoo, and Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo. Dusit Zoo or “Khao Din” is regarded as the most popular zoo in Thailand.

We went there in an afternoon of a week day. There were no crowds. Parking was easy. I think we parked right next to the monkey cages. I think on weekends they have a bunch of shows.

Out and About

We didn’t really go see many places because we wanted a relaxing time off. However, we did enjoy a lot of amazing food. Before we landed, I remember we were listing out places we had to eat. When we got back, we realized that we only did half of the list. I had one meal, though, that I didn’t like. It wasn’t Thai food. Seriously I didn’t know what I ordered, but it tasted like cold black bean Japanese noodle with mustard or wasabi source.

This is my favorite snack. I’m pretty sure it falls under the snack category. It’s called บ๊วยเค็ม​ in thai or salty Chinese plum in English, I think. There are several kinds of them depending where you get them from. Anyway, the one I like is very salty. It’s additive. It’s pure awesomeness.

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