I’ve discovered that there’s a problem with nice hotels and hotel rooms. When you stay in a middling place, one without too many creature comforts, you’re motivated to go out, to explore, to see the city or wherever it may be. After all, staying put doesn’t buy you anything but bordeom.
When you’re in a hotel room with plasma TVs, DVD players, satellite, Internet, and all the modern conveniences you could want, why do you even need to leave?
This becomes even more true when you’re staying in the top of the line suite.
I finally emerged from my hotel in Bangkok sometime in the mid-afternoon, heading over to, of all places, Siam Paragon, one of the trendiest upscale shopping experiences around. If you’ve ever been to the Short Hills Mall, you have an idea of what I’m speaking of. Just add in a gourmet food market, standard Asian food courts, aquariam, exhibition hall, 20+ screen movie theatre, and you’re getting closer. And don’t forget, you need to link Short Hills Mall via a courtyard to, say, the Bridgewater Commons and connect that to Menlo Park Mall.
When going to Asia, really, there’s no better thing to do than shop, so shop is what I did. I picked up a few items and souvenirs. Wandering through Asian shopping centres provides a window in to our future, where some of the mediocre technology ideas might eventually show up. For better or worse, the best ideas never seem to reach these shores, and when they do, they are usually scaled down, weaker versions of the original.
No where is that more true than cell phones.
In fairness, the rest of the day was spent making arrangements, including intiating a conversation to see condos in Bangkok on Friday.
And to catch a few hours of shut eye before heading to Cambodia early the next morning.