Part 2: Pattaya
Day 4 - From Mountains to Madness
The drive from Khao Yai to Pattaya was supposed to be five hours, but our driver, Mr. Kake, got us there in three. This guy was like a car whisperer, shifting gears and explaining how he was able to make an automatic car drive like a manual car. Respect.
Pattaya was... something else. Dinner at Jasmin’s Cafe was great, and just a short walk to the Alcazar Cabaret Show which was packed with tourists. Seriously, some of these men look way more feminine than most women. And yeah, they can sing and dance too. Tourists who want to take a photo with the cast can pay 100 Baht per person, per photo.
A chance encounter on Walking Street left me speechless. Let’s just say seeing the nightlife there was an eye-opener. My sister and I were both like, “What the heck are we even doing here?” Mom had this grin on her face as she held me tightly walking along that stretch of road that would never have been given a permit to exist in Singapore.
Pro tip: if you or your partners ever want to visit this “Walking Street” by themselves… don’t do it! Always walk in pairs. The “ladies” will target those men walking alone.
Day 5: Speed and Serenity
We started the day at the Sanctuary of Truth, which the guide repeated a few times was a museum, not a temple. It was completely made out of wood, no nails. Using a technique similar to “Sashimono” to assemble the wooden structures. To find out more about this amazing structure that started construction in 1981 and still on-going, check out their official webpage https://sanctuaryoftruthmuseum.com/.
Next stop: Easy Kart Go-Karting, where I crushed it on the track. I started off last but came in first. The basic race track was much harder to overtake than the advanced race track due to the narrower bends.
Pro tip: If you are into racing with your friends, pick the advance track that also equips you with faster cars.
Then came the ultimate chill spot—Yunomori Onsen. This particular branch of Yunomori was a brand new dedicated building. Mom and sis went to the ladies' floor, while Dad and I went to the mens’ only floor. After soaking in the cold and hot baths, we ended the session with massages. For reference, an onsen + massage here costs SGD50, while in Singapore, the onsen pass alone is $49.05. Dad told us not to get used to this, but that we can pamper ourselves occasionally to reward ourselves for the year’s hard work. We ended the day at a night market with some late-night snacks.
End of Part 2
Chia Howie
20 Dec 2024
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