I want a Bicycle

I really do need to get myself a set of wheels and I"m really considering getting a bicycle to use in Bangkok!
OK to some that sounds really crazy and to others well it makes sense! There we have it...a real dilemma,do I or don't I. Too hot, too dangerous, too much pollution, not safe....I agree but I still need to get around the quiet back streets to find our hidden gems, so only limited use and for sure I 'm not venturing out into the busy main roads so OK I think...I hope!
So having decided on a bike, what type and where shall I buy it?
Well on my tours around I have come across several really great bike shops so, no problem about the quality or the variety. There are a growing number of bike shops in and around Bangkok as Thai folk seem to be catching the green and stay healthy bug, as I briefly mentioned the weather, safety and pollution play a Major part in any ones choice!
I want to show you the diverse choice in Bangkok, and even though Biking is a fairly new growth area there's still a good variety of bike shops out there.
One of the most beautiful shops is a great wee place in China Town on.............................................. They specialise in top quality classic style bikes, you can find a few classic Raleigh Bikes in there as well as some amazing hand built Italian machines, there's also a good choice of touring bikes all totally acceptable for Bangkok, still not found any with A.C. though! They also have a really good selection of top quality accessories.
I spend a lot of time in Chid Lom and in a cool shopping mall (Amarin Plaza) there is a fantastic bike shop that offers great advice about what you need and also offers a wide selection of top quality bikes at affordable prices. This a is a real bikers shop but even if your a real  novice like me you will still feel  at home here! They offer great super friendly advise and will ensure you get a bike that suits your requirements.They also have a cool bike servicing department to make sure your bike stays fit and healthy even if you're not!!!! Allin all a great place.
My friend has a shop in........building near to Lumpini Park and in here is a really cool bike shop offering a really wide range of bikes at good prices.I love the lay out of this shop it's really bright and fresh and the bikes are really nicely displayed, there's also a great selection of accessories and a very good service section for your machine.
 One thing these have in common is top quality.
So there we go a good selection of cool bike shops, all offering  great selections, friendly informative advise and where Affordable Quality is readily found.
Take a look on  www.lok8rboutique.com  for full contact details addresses and also reviews of lots of similar businesses all offering  affordable quality!

lok8rboutique we're an ever growing community, discovering talent and quality and building trust..
Come and join us and share your discoveries.

A Great Day at Dusit Zoo Bangkok Thailand

Like all days out they usually start a little bit strangely! Today we couldn't get a Taxi ! in  Bangkok a very unusual happening! Ah well! Any way things soon got moving and within 15 minutes we had arrived at Dusit Zoo, I'm not a big fan of zoos, so I really didn't know what to expect.
There are several entrances to the zoo and we arrived by our taxi on Ratwitti Road. The fee to enter the zoo depends on wether you're a tourist or a local , cheaper for locals and so it should be, after all the local Thai folk have a much lower income than Western counter parts! It's about 100 baht that also includes entrances in  to several shows..great value!!!!!!!!!!

.The zoo is nicely landscaped with a lot of beautiful trees and bushes and plenty of colour too, amazing flowering bushes are everywhere! There's a lovely lake too and you can hire a boat if you fancy a trip around the lake, there's plenty of seats surrounding the lake and shaded resting spots surround the paths and walkways.
Getting around the zoo is really easy, there are no steep hills and the zoo is very flat, easy to walk , easy to ride a bike that's on hire and great for pushchairs and wheelchairs, some of the animal enclosures are not so easy to get around, but generally very good. There's also a great elevated walk way which gives you a really good view of some of the animal enclosures. If you get tired or it's too hot to walk you can jump onto the bus that will take around  the Zoo on a scenic tour, and great news it's not expensive...honestly nothing in the Zoo is expensive!food and drink are all at reasonable prices and aren't over inflated!
The variety of food here is really good, lots of traditional Thai food and there's a KFC and plenty of places selling drinks and ice cream, there's even a good coffee shop too! ( one of my weaknesses in life!). Food and drink are all at reasonable prices and aren't over inflated! You can easily find a good selection of toilets that are clean and accessible ..... there's also a baby changing room and a disabled toilet too!
The animal enclosures are a bit basic and a wee bit small, but things are improving.The zoo is on the small to medium size, the animals seem OK and I thought the zoo staff seemed friendly and caring...to the animals and the visitors!!!!There are several different shows you can take a look at and they're good fun and entertaining.
Dusit Zoo is really relaxing and doesn't have the mad hustle and bustle of bigger zoos, we all found it really relaxing and a pleasure to visit.A great day trip if your visiting Bangkok and if you live here ..come on down ..it's a great way to spend a day with or without a family.
A really pleasant day, good food, nice scenery, plenty to do for everyone, and a good selection of animals and a good cup of coffee to boot!

Mike's Facial in China Town.

GETTING A TRADITIONAL FACIAL IN CHINA TOWN, BANGKOK

There comes a time when you get an impulse, a sudden desire or maybe an uncontrollable urge to do something, there's no reasoning, so just do it !

This happened while mike and I where takin' a stroll through China Town and we were talkin' about food and where to find good, genuine Chinese food in China Town, not as easy as you may think, Mike is from China so I think he is a good person to ask.

Suddenly he stopped and said OK Kenny this is what I;m lookin' for! My heart quickened as the thoughts of great Chinese food ran through my brain! I took a look at what he was so excited about, and my jaw dropped, WHAT IS IT? 

Kenny it's a facial treatment,  it's just what I need. So here we are in the middle of China Town just a stones throw away from all the tourist's and we are now going to proceed with a traditional facial treatment...on the street!!!!....actually this is perfect ...just the thing I'm always trying to discover...something just off the beaten track and yes it's a little bit different too!!...Perfect for lok8rboutique.

The lady was really friendly and Mike was soon kitted out! Pretty in Pink! comes to mind ( he will kill me for this!). Soon his face was as white as a ghost. He did ask me "Do I look stupid?" I am a very honest person!  "No not at all!" Once the powder had settled she took a really long piece of cotton or twine and began to scrape the powder off his face removing dead skin and his nose and his cheek, whoops sorry I exaggerate a little! The show continued for around 15 or 20 minutes. After  the odd "ouch" and "wow" the facial was complete and the lady proudly showed Mike his new look face, but, no, not yet. Mike requested some more powder and a few more minutes of pain continued until he was satisfied with the outcome!

Mike was very pleased wtih his new super smooth face, and seriously he will do it again, so he recommends it for sure, me too! I chickened out...After all I needed to take the photo's.( always a great excuse).

The facial is called Mungming and it's really not expensive around 100 Baht.

The are several stalls doing facials along this road, it's called Charoen Krung Road, this runs parallel to Yaowarat Road and it's not too far from the flea Market. Usually the facial stalls are open late afternoon to later in the evening.

Happy Mungming everybody! .

Discovering Quality in Thailand.

   Wow! This a difficult one, so how do you discover quality in Thailand? It has taken me 4 years of hard work so far! Thailand is really well known for copy this and copy that. However, there are so many talented people producing original, quality items, but like many things they don't get the headlines.
  So what we are doing is developing a really comprehensive and cool web site , www.lok8rboutique.com , that is dedicated to discovering and promoting top quality people and products in Thailand and Laos. We are updating and growing, we're making  it personal, we meet and greet everyone on our web site and we ensure that their services are real and original and that it's a quality business ran by quality people. Simple, yet very time consuming .
  We are just starting to put pen to paper and to develop the content on the web site, but, we have hundreds of clients waiting so we will grow quickly.
   So if you're planning a visit, a business trip or you live to Thailand or Laos and you're in search of quality that is affordable then check us out!
  We have split the website into several sections, Shopping, Food and Drink, Accommodation, Sport and Leisure, Transportation, Health and Spa, artist and Designer and Services. So no matter what you're looking for you should be able to find it, and if you can't contact us and we will do our best to find it for you.
Quality does not have to mean Expensive! Affordable Quality is what we are about. No matter what your budget you should be able to find something.
  We need your help and input too.We have a You Recommend page and we would love you to share your experiences with us, if you have found a cool hotel, an amazing restaurant or even a great car hire company, let us know and we can go and check them out. We want to build a community of like minded travelers, business people and people who are now living in Thaialand or Laos, and are in search of affordable quality. Please come along and join us in our adventure of discovery! I promise to make it interesting, informative and fun too. Variety is the spice of life and our journey of discovery will take us off the beaten track and away from the tourist traps, some times only a stones through away , you'll be amazed by the hidden gems lurking around every corner!

  We look forward to sharing with you and you sharing with us!oAs we develop and grow our blossoming community at lok8rboutique. www.lok8rboutique.com .

This is our logo and you will start to see this around.

Discovering

I've lived in Bangkok for nearly four years now and it never ceases to amaze me ! I spend most of my time discovering the city on foot and yes it's hot...very hot!! But, I've found it really is the only way for me to do what I love to do. Discover new places and meet new people. I am loving my life so much now and I never get bored,  most of the time I am very, very happy!
I want to bring my adventures to you as I trip and travel around Bangkok and beyond. Yes ! I do mean trip! that is one real down side! the uneven sidewalks of Bangkok, often mean a wee trip here and there!
I try to explore the parts of Bangkok that are slightly off the beaten  track , just to show you don't need to get totally lost to find some really interesting and exciting places and cool locals to chat to! Bangkok is littered with small streets and they are full of shops, restaurants and local people selling local goods at local prices, not over inflated tourist rubbish, that is really true when it comes down to eating food! I will cover this more...But please, please don't turn your nose up at street food....... it can be the best and you will get the true Thai taste and style! Sitting on a plastic stool and eating off a wonky table is good fun and the food will amaze you and the price will surprise you too! Don't be shy just do it!
So this will be short and sweet.
 Lok8rboutique....Discovering Talent, Ensuring Quality and Building Trust in Thailand and Beyond.
B.brilliant, O.original, U.undiscovered, T.talent, I.inspiring, Q.quality, U. up and coming, E.entrepreneurs.