Balita?

Okay, I'm just so glad that my associate creative director decided to purchase online facilities in this hotel, or else, this will wait till Sunday when I go back home. There is a business center here but its very expensive. If you want internet for just 15 minutes, you pay 1,000 baht. Ibang klase. Maybe because this is also a 5-star hotel. So, I shouldn't go expecting cheap prices.

Let me start off by saying that, yeah, hee, I'm in Bangkok. Hee, until now, I'm still excited about the idea of being in this place. Obviously, its my first time.

I was early in the airport last Monday. Departure time was at 1030 am. Since I was just riding with my dad, early bird ako. I was at the airport by 730 am. Aga, diba. Anyway, I had about 2 sticks of cigs before my first officemate arrived. I had 4 sticks when my ACD arrive. I kind of expected that because she is really famous in the office for being late. She does not come in before 11. Always. Anyway, once she arrived, we went inside the airport already not knowing that our flight was delayed - to 1140. Fuck PAL.

It was the longest wait we ever had. We had nothing to do but sit. Nothing.

Anyway, fast forward to Bangkok. Woohoo!

Getting out of the airport, I saw Bangkok for the first time. It was pure TAFT AVE. As in, LRT. Baligtad nga lang ang world because right-hand driving sila. We were picked up by this hotel service and we rode a very big and classy Mercedez Benz. I wasn't used to right hand driving so there were slight gaps of thinking and deciphering which side to ride and wondering why the driver was going to that right side of the car. Anyway, grabe ang driver. 160 to 180 kph ang speed. I just got over an ear-pressuring experience from the plane, eh parang bumabalik na naman.

I must say, Bangkok is better than Manila. As of today ah. I haven't really checked out the places here. Tom pa. But generally, its cleaner and somehow more organized. Although, in my opinion, may slight edge tayo sa traffic.

We arrived at our hotel, Sukhotai. Ganda na room. Ganda ng TV. Ganda ng banyo. Iba.
I might as well share the pictures in my next blog so you would see.

Participants from different countries were sked to meet at the hotel lobby to have dinner at "Bed Club" something. We went there using a tuktuk (Thailand's version of Philippines' tricycle). Two persons per tuktuk and we should ride with someone from a different country. My partner was Rowan, one of the big guys from Y&R management team.

Anyway, after that, it was all work. We were grouped into six teams. Real, tiring work started on Tuesday all the way through Wednesday. As in halos walang tulugan. My Geads. Each were given briefs and we were required to present the next day at 10 am.

Our group was the first to present. And, I was in charge of presenting everything. Everything. I know, fuck. But it also presented an opportunity for me to be seen and heard by the management team. Kaya lang, after my presentation, ayaw barilin ng lots of questions ha. And I tell you, real difficult questions ha. They are white people who ask difficult questions and are pretty straightforward and brutal in giving their comments. Ang kicker, nasaan ang buong team ko? They left me there. Alone. I was looking at all of them at the back, to at least join me. But everytime I looked at them, they seemed to turn their heads the other way. So, no choice, but to give the panelists what I think the anwers were. Of course, lots of loopholes and lots of trying to skirt around the issues. But, nevertheless, I survived. After the presentation, the regional head approached me and said it was a valiant effort but next time, I should get my team to back me up. Its okay. My team mates, all of them, apologized.

It didn't help also that our team got the lowest score. That's life. My ACD's team got the highest score and their prize is a trip to Bali in April for an Advertising Awards event. Its the bomb no! One week in Bali. Hay... my team sucked.

Last night, to end this whole thing, we had a party at one of the bars here. The management gave special awards. Awards that are in no way to honor your skills or what you have contributed. These are awards for "comedic" purposes. Of course, I got one. They call it the "Desert Island" award because my team mates, well, deserted me.

Oh, one highlight I want to share is the very beautiful thing called "Segway." Its the funnest two-wheeled vehicle ever. It actually does not need fuel. Its computer inside senses your actions. When you lean forward, it moves forward. And if you lean backward, it will go backwards. I will definitely post a picture in this blog the next time. highlight talaga sya for me. (By the way, $5,000 dollars lang naman sya if you want to buy one).

Anyway, yan muna. I have to pack my things. We need to check out from this beauiful hotel and transfer to a cheaper one. Yaman ah.