Jeju (6) My Ninja Massage

Jeju (1) The idea to go
Jeju (2) The Hotel
Jeju (3) The Sauna
Jeju (4) Carb-loaded Continental Breakfast
Jeju (5) Halla Botanical Garden

Thursday, May 6 2010

After spending the afternoon at the botanical garden, I went back to the hotel and took a nap before my massage appointment.

I think I saw white light during the massage! It was incredible, and I left feeling like I was floating on a pink cloud. My body was pretty sensitive the next day, though.

I got to bed quite late and when I woke up the following morning, my eyes fell to an area on the floor under the curtain. Was that sunshine peeping through?!  Please - let me open the curtains and see clear blue skies! I was dying to go down to the beach.

This was the view from my balcony on Friday morning

Jeju (7) Diamonds bouncing on the water

Bangkok (29) Health Land Spa

Bangkok (1) The idea to go

Bangkok (2) Adios snowy Korea
Bangkok (3) Holiday Travelers
Bangkok (4) The drive to the hotel
Bangkok (5) P2 Boutique Hotel
Bangkok (6) The Family from SA
Bangkok (7) Breakfast on Wed morning
Bangkok (8) Pratunam, Scooters & Tuk-Tuks
Bangkok (9) Central World
Bangkok (10) Sukhumvit Road 
Bangkok (11) Himali Cha Cha
Bangkok (12) Beware of Cheating Drivers
Bangkok (13) Private Tour - for FREE?
Bangkok (14) Chao Phraya River
Bangkok (15) Chao Phraya River Vids
Bangkok (16) Stop at the Temple
Bangkok (17) Chin Jewelry Factory
Bangkok (18) FURIOUS in Bkk
Bangkok (19) Lunch at Swagath
Bangkok (20) My Thai Massage
Bangkok (21) Am I invisible in Bangkok?
Bangkok (22) Put the meter ON!
Bangkok (23) Happy New Year!

Bangkok (24) Check Out!

Bangkok (25) MBK Center
Bangkok (26) Getting to Siam
Bangkok (27) Siam
Bangkok (28) Silom Road

Day 4: Friday, January 1 2010

The minute I step into Health Land Spa, I know it's an upmarket place. With upmarket prices! Women in black pencil skirts and heels are rushing around speaking to waiting customers. People waiting are flipping through magazines or sipping on ice water. A woman wearing glasses approaches me. I tell her I don't have an appointment, but I'd like a scrub and massage. She tells me I'd have to wait for 30 minutes. I say it's OK and after paying, I wait patiently to be called. The name I gave is Su-ji (my Korean name)

I know, right?! I have split personalities in Bangkok :-)

 

I follow a woman to an area where I have to take off my shoes and wear sandals that are given to me. I get into an elevator and I'm shown into a room that has a bed, shower and sink area. The whole place smells of massage oils. This is definitely not a place for "naughty massages" (relief!)

 

The scrub and massage are heavenly, to say the least!

 

After the treatment, I'm offered tea which is pretty good.

I leave the spa as if I'm floating on a pink cloud.
I feel amazing!

 

I need to take a cab back to the hotel and happen to get into the car of a very friendly and talkative driver. I'm in high spirits. It could be because I just had the most amazing nearly 2-hour treatment or the fact that once I reach the hotel, I'll be heading to the airport to fly back to Korea. I can't wait!

The driver is asking me too many questions about where I'm going tomorrow and how I'm getting there and so on. I tell him I'm flying to Phuket the following morning. Then I give him some snacks I have in my bag, hoping he'd stop with the questions. He says he's happy to meet me. He's sweet, but I'm glad when we reach my hotel. I'm feeling happy!

Bangkok (30) Adios Bangkok!

Bangkok (20) My Thai Massage

Bangkok (1) The idea to go

Bangkok (2) Adios snowy Korea

Bangkok (3) Holiday Travelers

Bangkok (4) The drive to the hotel
Bangkok (5) P2 Boutique Hotel
Bangkok (6) The Family from SA
Bangkok (7) Breakfast on Wed morning
Bangkok (8) Pratunam, Scooters & Tuk-Tuks
Bangkok (9) Central World
Bangkok (10) Sukhumvit Road 
Bangkok (11) Himali Cha Cha
Bangkok (12) Beware of Cheating Drivers
Bangkok (13) Private Tour - for FREE?
Bangkok (14) Chao Phraya River
Bangkok (15) Chao Phraya River Vids
Bangkok (16) Stop at the Temple
Bangkok (17) Chin Jewelry Factory
Bangkok (18) FURIOUS in Bkk
Bangkok (19) Lunch at Swagath

Day 3: Thursday, December 31 2009

After saying bye to Kabir and Sarah, I decide to walk around a bit. I have no plans for the rest of the day. I almost forget it's New Years Eve. If I don't meet the girl in my hotel from South Africa, I plan on being in my hotel room. As much as I want to, I'm a bit nervous to be out alone. After walking for a while, I come across a massage parlor. It doesn't look dingy inside. Women are sitting outside trying to lure customers. The price seems reasonable, so I ask for a traditional Thai massage (no oil). They tell me to take my shoes off and put it on a rack outside. I ask if it's safe there. I have no other shoes with me! There are only women working here. I wonder if this is a "naughty massage parlor" - you know, the kind where they give massages with a "happy ending"? Places like that refuse female customers, but didn't refuse me, so I think I'm OK.

(When I was in Hong Kong, my friends and I wanted to go to a massage parlor and they told me it was "only for man")

A woman leads me upstairs and gives me cotton pajamas to wear. I have to lie down on an orange mattress. I only ask for neck and shoulders. Two minutes into the massage, I felt like I reach Nirvana. I feel AMAZING! When she's done, she taps me on my shoulder from behind and says, "Give me tip, please!" People aren't shy to ask for tips here...

I get dressed and go downstairs. I pay and give my masseuse a 100 Baht tip, which I've been told is the average amount for a tip in Bangkok. She was probably expecting more, because she turned her face - unimpressed. As I go outside to put my shoes on, I notice it started raining. I hate walking in the rain.

I see an arcade across the street with adverts of coffee shops and Dunkin' Donuts'.  I cross the street and enter into a shopping arcade that is buzzing with tourists and shoppers everywhere.

Bangkok (21) Am I invisible in Bangkok?