heineken star final: krabi, may ’09: part two

Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 53 Suanie on cushion Back at the hotel, Horng and I saw KY and Mell at the business centre using their computers. Turns out we get to use the Internet for free, up to 45 mins each session. Maybe the Heineken people arranged for it, I don’t know because I’ve heard and read that Internet usage at the Sheraton is blood-chokingly expensive.

After a hot shower and a quick blog post, Horng and I walked around the hotel grounds for a bit. KY mentioned something about an elephant somewhere. After observing the distance from where we were standing and the place where the elephant was supposed to be, I turned to Horng and said, “You know, I’d be REALLY upset if we walk all that way to find no elephant there!” Heh, so we turned back. Horng went off to sleep by the pool, I returned to my room and chilled out with KY and Mell for a bit. None of us made it to the 6 p.m. group photo shoot because we overslept.

Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 49 Dinner at Sheraton Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 50 Mosquito repellent
Dinner and packets of mosquito repellent

At dinner, there were some speeches hosted by VJ Utt and a chick whom I think is on TV. Not sure. They screened Barcelona and Manchester United’s Road to Rome, including replays of quarter and semi-finals. It was damn funny as we were at a table with Barcelona fans from Cameroon. The way they reacted to each hit and miss was as if the matches were live, hilarious!

After dinner, KY and Mell went back to their room because Mell wanted to apply some mosquito repellent before going to the beach, where the match was to be screened. Horng and I looked at each other, “Huh got mosquito repellent?”

“You know, maybe it’s the two pink packets that are in the Heineken bag. Got Thai words one.”
“Huh wtf I thought that was shampoo or something!”
“Yah me too! Why would they package it to look like shampoo?”
“Yah I was wondering why the heck they give us shampoo for the island trip.”
“Yah I thought they are really damn nice to give us shampoo for the island trip. Maybe they wanted us to shower there or something.”
“So weird. Mosquito repellents should come in a tube or something.”
“Yah. No wonder we are good friends. Cannot spot the mosquito repellent.”

Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 55 Heineken beach bar Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 54 people trickling in
Heineken bar and set-up for the match

At the beach, they were setting up and flying off wishing lanterns. No idea where the lanterns would eventually end up, maybe burn down a chicken coop or something. So far no news of burning ships caused by lanterns so I assume that the flames burnt off or something.

Got ourselves pretty good seats, surrounded by Barcelona fans (except the couple of people sitting behind us who were rooting for Manchester United, pffft!). Saved seats for KY and Mell who never turned up till the start of the match, wtf! What we thought was a ‘getting the mosquito repellent’ trip ended up being a ‘watching X-Men’ and ‘napping’ trip. Noobs.

Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 57 number 1 Thai hip-hop artistes Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 58 entertaining Thai band
Awesome Thai bands

It was good entertainment before the match. A couple of DJs, two rap singers who are apparently the #1 rap group in Thailand and the weirdest and funniest Thai band ever. We didn’t understand a word they said, except when they sang a couple lines in English but their liveliness was infectious. Lots of people dancing near the stage, Horng being one of them. I just sat at my cushion, head dizzy, not feeling too well but determined to make it at least 10 mins into the game.

Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 59 Horng and Suanie
Horng and I when Horng took a break from dancing

It was a damn good experience lor. Like Horng said, you can come to Krabi any time but you cannot create this kind of atmosphere. Cheering fans of both teams, people dancing, Barcelona fans seeing Horng’s jersey and giving him the thumbs-up though they don’t speak the same language… it was just magnificent!

I survived till 15 mins into the game, then sadly decided that I couldn’t take it any more. Went back to my room, took a nice bath (finally learnt how to make lots of foam!) with ESPN in the background. Watched till the 85th minute, abandoned all hopes that Manchester United might score a goal, then went to sleep.

Actually I don’t really care much about football. I just prefer anything over Manchester United these days 😛 No valid reason so I can’t tell you why.

Took a few short videos, you can check them out here:

  • Video 1: At dinner during replay of MU’s road to Rome. MU fans cheering while Barcelona fans pretended to be deaf.
  • Video 2: At the beach set-up, a couple of hours before the match.
  • Video 3: Rockin’ Thai band, lead singer with awesome head gear.
  • Video 4: DJ spinning ‘The Final Countdown’ before the match.

Woke up early the next day, packed, had breakfast and left for Malaysia. Overall it was a good trip, quite an experience. Thanks to Heineken and co, lucky that we won.

Before I end this post, I must share with you an illustration on a pack of fried seaweed that I bought at 7-11. It’s quite in-your-face, telling you that slim girls eat seaweed, fat girls eat potato chips.

Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 60 why you should eat seaweed

Heh.

*Complete Flickr set for Krabi May 2009 with 60 photos here.

heineken star final: krabi, may ’09: part one

Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 33 Heineken logo and bottle If you’ve never met a person who got sunburnt in Cameron Highlands and catches a cold in Krabi, well hello. I suspect that it will amuse my friends for a very long time.

Sometime in October 2008, I received a call from KY. He and Horng were on their way to a Heineken event at Bamboo, TTDI. Apparently he needed a third person to join their group of three for some games at the event. I said, yeah why not but only if you come and get me. They did, we played some flash-based games, we won.

That was how we got our free trip to Krabi, to watch the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final in Krabi with fellow winners from around the world. Sometimes I can’t help but to marvel at our luck and fortune.

On 26th May, KY, Horng, Mellissa and I arrived in Krabi, got transported to the Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort, checked in, happy that we each got a room to ourselves…

Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 11 room at Sheraton Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 10 balcony in room at Sheraton
My room with a super big bed!

A green Heineken bag was waiting for us, filled with Heineken swag. Part of the itinerary includes an island-hopping trip, so we figured that the towels and what-not in the waterproof bag was meant for the trip. They really take care of their guests, eh? *happy*

Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 02 Suanie at the Sheraton lobby Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 09 bed to fit 3 Suanie

Went for lunch, walked around the hotel grounds, went to the beach where the Heineken people already set up activities for us. Beach football, kayaking, wind-surfing, all FOC. Would you like to see what a kayak near-collision looks like?

Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 23 kayak collision
Rowing-challenged

They also checked out the hotel’s pool with infinity edge.

Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 28 Mell, KY, Horng in pool
Two against one

Instead of joining the big group for dinner and evening get-together, we decided to go to town. Paid THB700 (RM72) for a return trip to Ao Nang. Had dinner that cost THB900 (RM92). Bought a waterproof plastic camera case for THB340 (RM35). Went for an hour of Thai massage for THB200 (RM21) each, it was not a good experience for me. Horng enjoyed his massage though… 😛 Got back to the hotel, cleaned up and I watched Hostel II till the end. It’s not a ghost movie so I can watch okay.

The next day, Horng and I joined the group for an island-hopping trip. It was a rather gloomy day: rained in the morning and afternoon.

Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 36 coaches for island trip
Coaches for people of all nationalities

Would you like to see a line of people in plastic raincoats?

Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 37 people in plastic raincoats
Green penguins

Reached the pier, hopped on our designated speedboats. Ride was awesome as the sea was a tad rough. Got to an island, I have no idea what it’s called. Hence I shall call it, The Island Where We Snorkelled And Stuff.

Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 43 Horng and Suanie in the sea
Plastic waterproof case was really awesome! Best $$ spent

Our sea-swimming activity got cut short because the weather took a turn for the worse. As we made our way back to the beach, we could see the dark cloud with rain approaching us. Could have made a movie out of it and name it, The One Where Suanie Nearly Drowned And KO But Not Really Because It’s A Movie.

I’m not making much sense, am I? Better break this post into two. Anyway, we went to Poda Island where we had lunch and beer. The big Heineken towel which was part of the Heineken swag came in real handy — big, warm and comforting! After the rain stopped, we were herded back to the speedboats and back to the main land.

Heineken Star Final 2009, Krabi - 48 Leaving the islands
Leaving the island

Though I think I caught a cold from the island trip. Still it was worth it, it was fun 🙂

*Complete Flickr set for Krabi May 2009 with 60 photos here.

bangkok, thailand: land of smiles

I’d always wanted to go to Bangkok; obviously I’d never been there, and even though people tell me that it’s a polluted place and not the main to-see in the whole of Thailand, there’s just something about it. Can’t explain why, so I’m not gonna.

Since last year, me and FA had wanted to go to Thailand for Songkran. Then one night Terence messaged me that AirAsia was giving out FREE tickets, starting from 12 a.m. that very night. So I told my sister about it, thinking that she would be interested in the same deal. At the end, we booked ourselves a family holiday to BKK (the process included calling family members and the FA at 2 in the morning for their I/C details). No doubt some people would be asking, why is FA on board our family trip? I don’t know, it just happened. LOL.

We could only get tickets flying to BKK on the last day of Songkran. Reached around 10 in the morning and we passed by vehicles that were splattered with plaster (from the whole plaster+water tradition). Went to our hotel; the Chaophya Park, checked in, then went for lunch.

I don’t remember what we did on the first day. Probably not much, but they had Thai massages. Me and my dad were the only ones who didn’t go for it. We don’t like massages. Pinky was like, wtf you went to Thailand and you didn’t have a massage?!!?! Yeah 😛

Second day we had a boat tour on the Chao Phraya Canal. It was dirty, polluted, and many of the wooden houses along the canal were in serious danger of falling apart. Some houses were dangerously tilted, the middle part almost touching the water… you get the drift.

I asked our tour guide; an amiable chap where the residents go when their houses fall apart.

“They go to second floor.” LMAO!

There were many temples along the way, and the final stop was the snake farm before turning back to the main stream. Didn’t go in either; I don’t like snakes 😛

On the way back, we stopped at Wat Si Sudaram (I think) to feed the catfish. It was a great way to make a profit out of BKK’s leftover bread, but it was also somewhat fascinating.

Feeding catfish along the Chao Phraya Canal
Fireangel, me and one of my sisters feeding the hungry and greedy catfish

[Read more…]