The golfing holiday has come to an end. I need another holiday to recover from it!
Bangkok will always be special for me, in terms of the company I go with, food I eat, things I do, sights I encounter and places I experience.
Goodbye Bangkok. Thanks for the memories. I will be back. Soon.
Now I know how my girls or children feel when the journey seems an eternity. Two hours on from the Floating Market, we are still hurtling along the elevated highway to return to Bangkok for lunch and some more shopping.
Thank goodness I managed to catch up on some sleep. The tummy is growling and a good Thai lunch seems like a good idea. I hope it will materialize.
It was a decent lunch, at the food court in the mall. We were given four hours before leaving for the airport. Four hours! What am I gonna do? I am not a shopaholic. Oh well, might as well try…
Two hours later.
I feel so tired. It is that theory of being in an enclosed place and a lack of oxygen, that’s holding true again for me. You certainly can’t find me in this similar situation on a golf course…
As we head to the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, we talked about how we felt about the golf courses.
For me, I thought Rancho Charnvee was very sculpted, scenic, fast and pretty. As for Kirimaya, it’s more natural, serene and tranquil but the rain made it hard to gauge.
As for Amata, we felt it was very high standard in golf terms on the quality of its compact grass, turf, fairway and even the rough; overall the place was pretty and lush.
A big thank you to our group organizer for initiating this trip and to cuegolf.com for handling our needs.
The Floating Market was not what I expected, as in not what I see on postcards and travel reviews. The colors are not that vibrant and traffic on the waterways was quite clogged up. Nevertheless, it was interesting.
The murky waters made me wonder if a catfish or something else would surface. Brr…
By 10.15am we decided to move on to our next destination.
It’s amazing what an extra hour of sleep can do! I woke up at six this morning. Can’t believe how fast time has gone by. What started out as a 50-odd day wait has gone by already.
Although it’s the last day for us in Bangkok today, it is still packed with sight-seeing and shopping. We depart from Palazzo Bangkok for the Floating Market, a three-hour journey away. Looking forward to beautiful colors, sights and smells.
Amazingly, I survived three hours at Thaniya Plaza. I even bought some stuff, mostly golf related things but I must admit by 5.30pm, I was thirsty for a cold drink and joined the two gentlemen from our group for several refreshing Singha draught.
By seven, everyone had a bag or two or more in their hands. With purchases made and hearts contented, we wanted to make our way to Mango Tree. But a wrong turn led us to the Boys of Bangkok street. Mmm…
Bars and pretty boys await. Uh-huh, I think it’s not the place in mind!
Finally we found Mango Tree. Too tired and hungry, I did not take any pictures of the food.
After dinner, fueled and reenergized, the big debate was whether to have a massage before a shower or vice versa. Yes, we are all having a good time to cap the day.
In the end, I think nobody went for a massage. Too tired and contented, it’s time to pack and reset the mind to go home.
Weaving through the local road and traffic, we find ourselves at the entrance of Amata Spring Country Club, a very Spanish decor clubhouse. Everyone’s excitement was evident right at the very first hole, taking tons of pictures, laughing and even monkeying around with silly poses.
The golf course was excellent. The greens impeccable, creating a whole new golfing experience. Our caddies were very attentive and overall, all agreed it was worth the cost. I decided to walk more as it was a buggy on-track course. Despite this intention, the numbers are not as impressive as the other courses: 10,936 steps, 293kcal and only 5.52km.
The strong wind at the golf course makes playing a whole new experience. You have to factor in the wind when teeing off, to carry the ball to where you want it to land.
The big highlight was the signature 17th Hole, Par 3 island. The surrounding water was quite an intimidating factor! Happy to say I made par on that hole!
We finished our game by one and after showering, the rain came down right after we loaded up the van. We have been very fortunate with the weather thus far for all our games. Not once I took out my sunblock to apply although some people will say, one should apply regardless when outdoors.
We are headed for lunch and shopping at Thaniya Plaza to continue day five.
Three days in a row waking up at this ungodly hour is an achievement for me. I feel as though I am in some touring pro league on the Asian swing.
Palazzo Bangkok does not have free wifi, so for once, my Zookeeper Battle has been neglected. As for my Candy Crush, I had accepted the fact, prior to trip that it has to be on hold.
Eating a hearty breakfast within a short time, three days in a row is also an achievement for me. The group is amazing to chow down in preparation to channel all the food to energy for their golf game. I just cannot do that.
Our van came at 6.30am sharp and we are to battle traffic to head to Amata Spring Country Club. However, rain and gloomy skies greeted us outside. Oh dear.
I hope the journey to the club, outside of Bangkok, would have better weather and perhaps, clearer skies.
An hour into the bumpy ride, I worried if my breakfast would come out! The driver sped along the elevated highway at a speed that would curl your tummy.
The skies are still grey but the rain has lessen. We have gotten off the highway by now and apparently another 15 minutes before we arrive.
This golf club is the highlight of the trip. We look forward to the experience.
Angieneering 
Remarks