Bangkok a day of curiosity and waiting

This day we decide to do something completely non-touristy and go to watch a pre-sale for a condo that hasn't broken ground yet. We found this listed first in the newspaper and it drew our curiosity. For the low price of $150, one can begin the process of owning a condo in central Bangkok. When we later found the advertisement boards near the dentist office for the event, we figured it was just something we would have to go see. The pre-sale is just a few blocks from where they drill our teeth, what are the odds of that? It seems like destiny!

While the event is scheduled from 10-4, we are in no real rush as we are only just intrigued and go to Soi 11 for breakfast and a morning foot massage.

When we get to the pre-sale we are given a number, handed a stack of papers written mostly in Thai to review and told that they will call us when it is our turn to talk to someone. We have #539. They are on #37. This doesn't look good. We wait about an hour and they are now on #48. We wait another hour and they are on #77. We go to lunch and linger. On the walk back I find myself searching the ground for discarded numbers, maybe someone got discouraged and we can move up the list.

When we return the counting computer is off and the projected images show that almost all of the units are marked as reserved. Victor asks what number they are on and the man asks Victor what his number is. Victor tells him and he picks up the microphone and calls number #539, imagine that! We consider this an interesting system, and go to find our English speaking helper to tell us about the next step in the system.

We have fun, but it is a long afternoon!

Bangkok 1st impressions

Our 1 hour taxi ride from the airport to the condo that we rented through vrbo.com came to a whopping $7.50. This makes us feel good. Except that the location of the condo is a bit concerning. Once one turns off the main street the aura declines. Narrow, dirty, lots of shacks amongst an occasional high rise. We wonder if this is safe.

The condo is very perfect. A one bedroom with a balcony, kitchen, living room, huge bath. Lots of space. We unwind for about a minute odd and questionable neighborhood. No sidewalks and it isn't clear which side of the road it the right one for folks to drive on, they use the whole road.

We stop at nearly the first place we see, perhaps a mile from the condo, a Laos restaurant. Have you ever had hot food. This is hotter! I thought I was going to die. I think Victor suffered more. But the food was good, the service was very attentive.

We manage to make it home without getting hit by a car. This too is good.