a bangkok itinerary -- made for PARENTS

In our first family trip abroad to Singapore, I made a rookie mistake in planning our itinerary --- I forgot to factor in my parents' age.

So I created this busy itinerary for their two week stay as I would for friends, which meant a lot of walking around Singapore, eating local cuisine and cramming visits to tourist sites. I forgot to anticipate that my parents would be tired from walking even 10 minutes to the MRT station (we had to rest at the bus station first and they hated the MRT due to all the walking), they got antsy and frustrated with lining up (long queues around Sentosa effectively ended our sentosa plans) and they didn't really like spicy food (which had us eating Dad's cooking at home). Well of course they still enjoyed the trip (I think)  but it would have been better had I foreseen the things that would cause them discomfort.

So tips for planning a trip with parents:

1. ensure lots of rest periods (taxi rides preferable)

2. cuisine that is as close to home cuisine as much as possible

3. a packed itinerary is simply not possible. Either the whole morning is packed , or the whole afternoon. But not both..please (if your parents are anything like mine, they would sleep immediately once back to the hotel or apartment).

So with these important life lessons in mind, I have drafted a parent-friendly itinerary for our next vacay in the land of smiles and beautiful (and super thin I swear) people --- Bangkok!

Day 1: Arrival in the afternoon

             Check in and rest at the Condotel

             Dinner at my favorite Thai resto along Thonglo : Thon Kreung

             Back to Condotel to Rest

Day 2: Temple Tours in the morning and early afternoon (Grand Palace, Reclining Buddha and Wat Arun)
              Go to MBK and have lunch there
             After a bit of roaming around, back to apartment to rest (trust me, they really need this rest)
             Dinner at Ekkamai One
Day 3:Floating Market Tour and Rose Garden Tour . Kuya Jco will help us book the tour here.
             This already includes lunch and would take the whole day. So I am guessing by afternoon, my   parents are exhausted. Dinner brought up to room from Brighton Kitchen. hehe.
Day 4: Mommy has tour with colleagues
Day 5: Safari World
             Dinner at Soi 13 (bwahahhaha. mango sticky rice here I come)
             Dessert at Spring and Summer  . This has this cozy, outdoor ambiance that just relaxes and soothes. I miss this place.
Day 6: Chatuchak Market tour
              Platinum Mall
              Central
              Lunch at Fuji at Central World Plaza(cheap and really good Japanese food in BKK)
              Rest back at apartment              Dinner at Khao San and walk around a bit
              Coffee and Dessert at Patpong Bug n Bee and then due to my sister's wish to see the "cultural" Pingpong show, we will watch one very briefly. My parents would have to sit this one out. haha.

pic lifted from: http://www.bangkokvacations.net/Things-to-Do-See/shopping/images/chatuchak-weekend-market_b1.jpg

Day 7: MBK to buy souvenirs for home

              Paragon and Siam Square
              Lunch at Paragon
              2 Hour Massage at Healthland Spa Ekkamai
              Rest and chill at condo (and of course prepare to pack)
              Dinner with BKK friends  at Fuji RCA

And our transpo the whole time? Taxi! hahaha. Thank God taxis are so cheap in Bangkok . :P