Thailand in a nutshell
We have now left Thailand. When I left NZ, I wasn't looking forward to going to Thailand. To be honest, I'd hit that wall of being fed up of living out of a backpack, missing some creature comforts and just wanted to go home.
So when I got to Thailand, I was initially a little reserved. We arrived in Bangkok, a place where touts roam and chaos reigns. Or so I thought. Actually, looking back, although Bangkok still wasn't my favourite place, it was character building and a good intro to Thailand.
As I've reached the end of the Thailand leg, I just thought I'd summarise my time for those of you who couldn't be bothered with the novels previously written! Firstly, here are some observations that you can either appreciate if you've ever been here, or be aware of if you ever plan to come!
* The car horn is for every occasion, not just for tunnels
* The English pronunciation suggested in your guide book will rarely match up with the actual way it is said in Thai, and don't even try to spell a Thai word with Roman script letters...
* Learning to speak some Thai requires learning to understand the answers that come back in Thai
* Pavements will disappear when you least expect it
* There will often be a stench of poo, followed by a waft of lovely Thai cooking
* "Same Same but Different" is rarely actually any different
* Thai's are probably the friendliest nation I've come across so far
In the end I loved Thailand. It renewed my passion for travelling and continuing to live out of the backpack. I loved the arts of Chiang Mai, the temples of Sukothai, the people of Ayutthaya and the beaches of Phuket and the scenery of Phi Phi.
In fact, we loved Phi Phi so much that we returned there after the Blues festival and before we headed to Hong Kong. This time we went snorkelling, and it turns out the underwater world is nearly as stunning as the limestone cliffs that appear out the water and somehow survive the erosion that seems to be eating away at them underneath.
All in all, I would recommend Thailand to everyone who wants to experience something different to the mainly-English-speaking continents. A little Thai language goes a long way, but when you can't speak any of the language, the 'land of smiles' comes into its own and you can get by with a smile & a calculator, and when all else fails, pointing at the item you want.
So when I got to Thailand, I was initially a little reserved. We arrived in Bangkok, a place where touts roam and chaos reigns. Or so I thought. Actually, looking back, although Bangkok still wasn't my favourite place, it was character building and a good intro to Thailand.
As I've reached the end of the Thailand leg, I just thought I'd summarise my time for those of you who couldn't be bothered with the novels previously written! Firstly, here are some observations that you can either appreciate if you've ever been here, or be aware of if you ever plan to come!
* The car horn is for every occasion, not just for tunnels
* The English pronunciation suggested in your guide book will rarely match up with the actual way it is said in Thai, and don't even try to spell a Thai word with Roman script letters...
* Learning to speak some Thai requires learning to understand the answers that come back in Thai
* Pavements will disappear when you least expect it
* There will often be a stench of poo, followed by a waft of lovely Thai cooking
* "Same Same but Different" is rarely actually any different
* Thai's are probably the friendliest nation I've come across so far
In the end I loved Thailand. It renewed my passion for travelling and continuing to live out of the backpack. I loved the arts of Chiang Mai, the temples of Sukothai, the people of Ayutthaya and the beaches of Phuket and the scenery of Phi Phi.
In fact, we loved Phi Phi so much that we returned there after the Blues festival and before we headed to Hong Kong. This time we went snorkelling, and it turns out the underwater world is nearly as stunning as the limestone cliffs that appear out the water and somehow survive the erosion that seems to be eating away at them underneath.
All in all, I would recommend Thailand to everyone who wants to experience something different to the mainly-English-speaking continents. A little Thai language goes a long way, but when you can't speak any of the language, the 'land of smiles' comes into its own and you can get by with a smile & a calculator, and when all else fails, pointing at the item you want.
posted by wobblepop at 11:03 am
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