The Nerds at Number Ten... BBB

Ban Khun Mae 3

Still taking it easy on Wednesday, we returned to Central World's Toys 'R' Us and bought several more pieces of Tomy train track. Yes, we know it's for 3 year olds, but we enjoy assembling a big track each Xmas and the bridge connectors we bought this time around will allow a far bigger construction. Yay!
Back at the hotel, Nerdia had a very nice swim and lounge by the pool before we headed out for dinner. Our aim was Cabbages and Condoms, an intriguing-sounding restaurant suggested by one of Nerdia's workmates; several taxi drivers declined the fare due to rush hour traffic so we took the Skytrain armed with a mud map and a vague idea of where we were headed. While on the train, the sky darkened, lightning flashed, thunder rumbled... And as we alighted it started to pour. Not enamoured by the idea of stumbling around unknown nighttime streets in the rain, we ducked into the nearest Goliath shopping centre - which turned out to be Terminal 21. Decked out like a multi storey airport, each floor decorated like a different city from San Francisco to Tokyo to Paris, an entire level dedicated to food... What more could Plane Boy ask for? We ate a yummy takeaway-style Japanese meal then explored every floor and fake landmark, from the gigantic Golden Gate Bridge to the London bus shop fronts, before finally heading back to the hotel. Ah well, Cabbages and Condoms next time.

Thursday was last-minute shopping plus checkout, then an afternoon of snoozing and 'plane spotting at Bangkok Airport. Flight was only one third full, we each had a row to ourselves with perfect views of the nearby lightning storm and frequent static discharges over the wings. Gnarly sparks!
Back to the dim sum place at Changi Airport for a late dinner, then a good night's sleep at the Ambassador Transit Hotel. More aircraft watching today before we head home this afternoon.

All in all, had a great time for Plane Boy's fortieth. He still can't get over spending more than A$200 on clothes in under ten minutes...

MBK food hall meal 1

Photos are proving rather slow to upload, but here are a few for now. More food shots to come.

An eventful if not particularly active couple of days.
On Monday morning we ventured beyond MBK to the big fancy shopping centres nearby. First was Siam Paragon, to ogle at the luxury cars and revisit Siam Ocean World. The Rolls Royce exhibit sits in its own glass room, complete with price list just to make sure you know just how unaffordable it is. About a million dollars, just for the record. And Nerdia still reckons they're an ugly, ugly car.
Siam Ocean World is a vast walk-through aquarium centre filling the shopping centre basement. We had thoroughly enjoyed a long visit there the last time we were in Bangkok some five years ago; it's now more "cutesy" and "kiddish" but was still fun, especially the behind the scenes tour and the giant freshwater fish tank. We skipped the glass-bottomed boat tour this time but highly recommend it from our previous visit.
Next mall was Central World, to check out the Tomy train supplies in Toys 'R' Us. Found 'em, may return for some immature purchases.
For dinner we decided to try Ban Khun Mae ("Grandmother's House"?), a nearby restaurant recommended by one of Nerdia's workmates. It was good to get out at night and see a little of the local street markets and shops - and the restaurant was great, akin to a multistorey timber tavern. Food was yummy and very Thai: fried mushrooms in garlic, green papaya salad, chargrilled pork with honey, fried noodles with pork, chilli and holy basil (including some interesting green berries that looked like peppercorns but tasted like menthol). All that plus some tiny steamed bananas for dessert, beers and delicious fresh coconut - all for about A$30.

Unfortunately Nerdia spent Tuesday in bed, making several calls on the big white telephone. Plane Boy, as always, was an excellent nurse, making sure she drank all of her Gastrolyte even though she doesn't like it. Watched a few good movies and Plane Boy did some souvenir shopping, but that's about it for Tuesday.

Happily Nerdia feels much better today (Wednesday), so once the shops open we'll go out for a bit of retail therapy but nothing strenuous.