Starting on April 18th, we went on a company trip for six days and four nights.
The destination is Thailand!
This year's company trip was jointly held with Monosus Thailand (hereinafter referred to as Monotai), so it was a large group with over 40 participants.
It was originally scheduled for October last year, but was postponed to November.
It was further postponed due to various circumstances...
The preparations were extremely difficult (according to Mr. Kawaguchi, a member of the company trip committee), but
Thanks to all the committee members, we had a very enjoyable company trip.
I was locked out of my room, my phone got submerged in water, I lost my departure card (this is me).
Although there were some minor issues, everyone returned home safely!
Check out this report on the first half of our eagerly awaited trip to Thailand!
Day 1: To Bangkok!
8:50 Meet at Narita Airport
They gathered from various places, including Yoyogi, Osaka, Kamiyama, and Suo-Oshima. No one was late, which was excellent!
It had been raining since the morning. It was very cold for mid-April, and I couldn't imagine going to a place where the temperature would be over 30 degrees every day.
Everyone looks cold and it doesn't feel like I'm going to Thailand.
We were supposed to meet two hours before departure, but things were hectic and before we knew it, it was time to board.
10:50 Depart for Bangkok on Thai Airways International!
It took about 7 hours to get to Bangkok. Sitting next to me was Kagawa-san from the Kamiyama team.
Kagawa woke up at 4:30 and headed to Osaka, with a busy schedule from Kansai Airport to Narita Airport to Bangkok on the first day. He slept well on the plane!
After a long flight, we arrived at Suvarnabhumi International Airport!
Bangkok arrival pose
I had imagined it to be an airport with a local feel, but it was actually very stylish.
I was excited about my first trip to Thailand from the moment I woke up, but the moment I stepped outside the airport, the air was stuffy and hot.
My motto is to avoid pain, suffering, and fear, so although I was feeling a little down, I couldn't give up now!
Next we headed to the Monotai office, which was one of the things I was most looking forward to on this company trip!
19:00 Arrive at Monotai office
It took about 30 minutes by van from the airport to reach the office.
I interact with the Monotai staff as part of my regular work, so I know their faces and voices, but this was the first time I met them in person.
I felt a sense of excitement, as if I was meeting a celebrity I admire, but also a strange sense of relief, thinking, "Ah, I know someone!" It was a very strange feeling.
Also, just as I had heard, the office is very stylish!
Being surrounded by greenery makes it seem like a pleasant place to work. Apparently the first floor is a nail salon that even Thai celebrities visit.
The glass walls gave it a sense of openness.
I wanted to take my time to look around, but my flight was delayed and I was on a tight schedule so I couldn't stay long... What a shame. I hurried off to dinner!
19:30 Dinner in Taling Ping
Our first meal in Thailand was at a stylish restaurant.
Apparently, this is a restaurant that Hayashi-san often visits when he is on business trips to Thailand.
Commemorative photo taken with the bicycle at the restaurant entrance
Tableware with a cute logo
A pseudo-family photo of mother Nagai, daughter Ikeda, and father Tatsuta
After arriving, the food was brought out right away. We drank and ate a lot and had a great time.
The toast was led by Hata Mine of the CF Club.
Here's a personal issue.
It's Thai food so of course it's all spicy.
I don't like spicy food so I was prepared for it, but eating while traveling was still quite difficult.
Furthermore, I couldn't rely on everyone saying, "This isn't spicy, so it's fine," and it turned out that my tolerance for spiciness is much weaker than I thought.
To make matters worse, there are surprisingly few foods that are clearly red and spicy, making it difficult to judge by appearance.
Easy to understand and spicy
It's hard to tell what's spicy. It's really spicy even though there are flowers on it.
This may have come to a bad place...
Just when I was thinking that, chicken came to my rescue. Yay, it wasn't spicy at all.
You can eat it without worry. However, the sauce on the side is spicy, so it's a bit dangerous.
Finally, the salvation mango
With our stomachs full, we were feeling a bit dazed when the party ended and we headed back to the hotel.
22:00 Red Planet Bangkok Asoke Check-in
The time difference with Thailand is minus 2 hours, so it's past midnight in Japan and the date has already changed. No wonder I'm sleepy!
Even in the midst of all this, some people kept in contact with each other and went out for drinks. Everyone is doing well.
As I was the youngest of the trip group, I organized my luggage, took a bath, and went to bed early.
Day 2: After exploring Bangkok, head to the hidden resort of Khao Lak
We spent most of the afternoon of the second day traveling, but until then we were free to do as we pleased.
Before leaving for Khao Lak, we each had time to explore Bangkok.
People who get up early to go to temples, walk around town, visit art galleries, etc.
I enjoyed it to the fullest.
Mr. Nagai, Mr. Yamanaka, and Mr. Matsunaga went to Wat Pho
Mr. Haga is extremely familiar with the local area
Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
At the food stall area of Lumpini Park. Pho with meatballs.
During a business trip last year, I went for a walk and shopping with Mr. Funayama, a guide who has experience in Thailand.
It's one stop from Asoke Station, the closest station to the hotel, to Phrom Phong Station.
The ticket cost 16 baht (about 48 yen), and I was surprised at how cheap prices are in Thailand.
The train tickets look like telephone cards and are always issued in this format, so they seem a bit more luxurious than Japanese tickets.
We took a walk in Benjasiri Park, which is very close to the station. There were also wild squirrels.
After walking around the park, we went to a general goods store that Akamine-san from Monotai told us about.
The owner of this shop is Japanese. There were lots of cute items, such as accessories, bags, hats, etc. I especially wanted all the tableware.
After carefully considering the size, weight, and whether I would be able to carry them home safely without breaking them, I spent a little over an hour hesitating before finally choosing my souvenirs.
After shopping, we had lunch at the cafe on the second floor.
Everything in the store was so cute and amazing.
The food is delicious and the tableware is cute.
After enjoying a relaxing time in Bangkok, you will return to the hotel.
14:30 Return to Suvarnabhumi International Airport.
Heading to Khao Lak via Phuket!
What is Khao Lak?
It is a resort area in Phang Nga province facing the Andaman Sea, about an hour's drive from Phuket International Airport. As its name, which means "mountain adjacent to the sea" in Thai, suggests, it is filled with untouched nature, including the sparkling emerald Andaman Sea and mountains covered in tropical jungle with lush palm trees. From reasonably priced hotels to luxurious high-end resorts, the area is opening one after another, and it is said to be gaining popularity as a "hidden resort area" mainly among Western resort fans.
After each person has had time to explore Bangkok, we will meet at the hotel and travel to the airport by van.
Along the way, we encountered a group of wild people.
It's about a 6 hour journey to Ayara Villas Hotel in Khao Lak!
It was about an hour's flight to Phuket. As a travel enthusiast, it was fun to fly there so many times. The airport was also exciting.
There were few Asian tourists, and I got the impression that there were a lot of Western tourists.
18:00 Arrival at Phuket International Airport
It was still hot in Phuket.
I heard that prices are higher here than in Bangkok, so I checked and found that a bottle of water that used to cost 7 baht was now 20 baht for the same brand. Is it expensive because it's airport prices?
Use this as reference for your future trips!
Keep moving and you'll soon reach your final destination!
The van we used for our trip had a lovely interior.
20:00 Arrive at Ayara Villas
On the second night, we stayed at a resort hotel!
The company trip committee members will be checking us in. The Monotai members will also be joining us at this hotel!
Stayed here for 2 nights and it was very comfortable.
The rooms are spacious and there is a pool!
If you're in a room on the first floor, you can open the window and dive right in!
As we were taking a breather, Ikeda-san, who was in the same room, suddenly said, "I just heard them tell us to meet in the lobby."
We hurried over and people started to gather one after another. We split into Hayashi's (male) team and Nagai's (female) team and headed off to the party.
21:00 Party starts
Nagai's team and I went to a Thai restaurant about a 20-minute walk from the hotel.
The guy in the hall was very cheerful, singing and talking to us.
Mr. Yamanaka, who loves Mongolian tanmen, ate the soup with increased spiciness with gusto.
Meanwhile, the boys' team led by Hayashi went to a pizza restaurant.
Each event ended before midnight.
Then I got a message saying, "Be careful, there's thunder!" so I decided to go home by taxi.
Riding a taxi in Thailand is thrilling - there are no doors at the back, they open all the way.
If there are a lot of people riding, I think it can be quite scary for those sitting at the edge.
If you sit in the middle, you'll smile with relief.
We arrived at the hotel safely without any injuries.
The second day of the company trip is over.
This concludes the first half of the report.
The second half of the trip was packed with content, including a snorkeling tour and a stay in an overwater cottage with a high survival level!
モノサスアーカイブ