Bangkok and Beyond

Bangkok Sky Train

So what next? Well the sites and sounds of the city of smiles was alive in my mind. I felt taller and filled with energy and excitement of a little kid. I smiled at everyone and even the small things caught my senses. The smells of the different foods at the vendors on the street to the sculptured trees and the detailed statues and shrines. One thing made me ponder early, the city seemed so clean and yet there seemed to be no rubbish bins on the streets at all, a culture that takes pride in their city, there religion and their monarchy.

On almost every corner there was a shrine to buddah or to the King and Queen. Buildings hung the flag with pride. People wei'd to the shrines (even when they were driving hehehe) and on some people left insence or gold leaf as they walked past.

It was amazing to see this ongoing daily respect to the Thai heritage. Flags flapped proudly in the breeze and it seemed to me that the ongoing respect was not just for show but a way of living. It gave the place an energy that i could feel under my skin, bought a smile to my face and I found it so easy to show the same respects.

The food in Bankok was just amazing. Take it from someone who nearly did not go to Thailand cause he thought he hated Thai food. I could not believe it; the most amazing colours, textures, presentation, attention to detail and most of all the explosion of flavours in every meal... and even the snacks. Hot and spicy, sweet and sour, crispy and smooth. I ate fresh seafood (I must say I prefer our crustations (although their oysters were magnificent), assorted rices, crispy fish and in one meal I was even able to out chilli Melly :) I also ate a Nacho burger (not very Thai) when I reached Hua Hin that was to die for... But more on Hua Hin later (sorry Simon).

I wanted to experience all that Thailand had to offer but feel that even if I stayed in the country for a year I would still be only able to scratch at the surface. Having Melly and Dusty there to share the experience was great. We dined, we shopped and they both protected me from the unrelenting show pushers "It's happy hour, you come for ping pong"... Yes it was happy hour all day long :)

Patpong Market; not a huge market to say the least; located in Bangkok's principal red-light area, spilling over onto busy Silom and Suriwong Roads. During the day it looks like every other street until early evening when out of nowhere the market springs to life. products are varied and cheap if you know how to bargain. We started to get the hang of it. Most things started at 1800 baht or 1000 baht, to some unsuspecting tourists, shoping here could be quite expensive.


I always found I had gone to low if they let me walk away. I would try the same trick they played on me... They would start at 1800 baht and i would start at 200 baht and we would work from there. It helps to have an idea of what you would pay for the same item back home and figure it out from there.

Everything has a price in Bangkok. I was warned of a few things before I came, some I wish I threw away as they may have restricted me a little and the others were common sense in the end :) One experience though that had me laughing for hours was the "happy finish"... Let me just say that I was looking forward to the cheap massages everyone had told me about but had not had the courage to get one for the 1st couple of days due to "happy finish" warnings.

I finally decided that if I went to one of the professional spas ajoining the shopping centre I should be ok. NOPE; 1st Thai massage and yes; an offer of "happy finish" for 500 baht... Just my luck and let me say they find it hard to take no for an answer, the guy seemed offended I had said no but smiled when I gave him a 300 naht tip and got dressed... no "happy finish" for me, I was content with the massage...