“Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education; in the elder, a part of experience.” – Francis Bacon

 

Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, there would be some lessons that we can learn from it. I'm going to make it an effort to derive some beneficial information from whatever country I go to so that I can share with the rest of you. So here goes!

 

1) The thing about cab drivers

In Bangkok, Taxi drivers can be tricky to deal with. You see different personalities all around in different countries. The language barrier exists in Thailand but most are still able to communicate through English and some even Chinese! I'm quoting these 2 languages as they are probably the most prevalent in the world today. Some of the cabbie drivers in Thailand tend to take advantage of the fact that you're not a local by quoting prices even before you take the ride. My default was 500 baht less even before my trip even started. It could have made a whole lot of difference if I did not let the driver quote a price. So the first lesson from Thailand is this. Ask the driver if he is using a meter before boarding. Their meter price is much less costly as compared to their quoted price. Don't be afraid to reject them if they disagree.

Unfortunately, afternoon hours on weekends are their peaks and they do not use their meters. You have to let them quote a price. Be sure that their pricing is reasonable before taking the cab ride. You can easily save up a lot on transportation and spend them elsewhere. If you want to travel to much distant places faster, be sure that you are ready to pay 100 baht for expressway usage as it is not included in the fare.

 

2) Thai clubs provide a different experience

If you have been to a Siem Dieu in other countries, Thai clubs at RCA provide a close enough alternative. If you are one who loves to dance in a club, you could be disappointed as there are no dance floors for interaction. The patrons would be glued to their tables with their friends and such a layout minimizes interaction. Instead of watching performances on stage like in a Siem Dieu, there is instead a stage with Deejays toggling hits all day. A much better alternative with a different setup. 

 

3) Grab that hotel name card!

This is especially important if language barrier exists when you travel. I did mention that the cab drivers understand English and some even Chinese. But it doesn't mean that they will understand your pronunciation of places in Thailand if you want to get there. This was the case when I wanted to get back to my hotel place. That place was in a small street in Bangkok that the locals have hardly heard of. The mistake that my friend and I made was that we did not get the name card of the hotel in the first 2 days there. We not only got lost while walking back, some cab drivers were also lost. It also helps that you bookmark the hotel location on google maps before going off to have fun. It saves your energy when you want to go back to have a rest and minimizes the chances of you getting lost.

 

4) Your travel companion

Gosh this point. My aunt was spot on when she quoted that you will see a person's true colors when you spend time with him/her overseas. To make a long story short, if you are not close to a person, it is best to not travel with him/her. Peculiar and unpleasant mishaps do happen..

 

5) Negotiate and Bargain!

Saving the best for the last. Thailand is the land of smiles for a reason. For you to get cheap deals and bargains. Apart from legitimate stalls like Apple and premium apparel brands, most of the street side stalls and stores in the mall gives you the opportunity to test how well you bargain. I chanced upon this Eurasian who was so firm in his pricing that he might come across as being extremely rude. Here's the trick, go hard and go soft when you do it. Be firm with your stand and talk nicely to the shop owner. Then go hard by saying you will buy it only if the price is what you propose. It works most of the time but no guarantees!

Being away from Singapore for 5 days was really worthwhile. Thankfully, there's more to look forward to.

What are some other tips that you would like to share from your trip in Thailand? Just leave a comment and share it!