With my time in Thailand coming to an end I thought I would do a post about what I learned while spending just over two weeks here. I didn't make it down to the South of Thailand (I'm not really into the party scene of Phuket and the Full Moon parties in the islands) but instead stayed mostly in the North of Thailand. I spent a few days in Bangkok before taking the train up to the small historical town of Ayutthaya for some temples, then to Sukkhothai, up to Chiang Mai for awhile, trekking into the jungle North of Chiang Mai, over to Pai, and finally to Chiang Rai. Each of these places had similarities but were also noticeably different and unique as well. I tried to observe as much as I could and take in the local culture with each destination I went to and have compiled a list of Ten Things I Learned About Thailand.
Here we go!
Here we go!
1. Motorbikes are the primary form of transportation...for the entire family: I knew that motorbikes were a popular choice of transport for both locals and tourists alike but I had no clue just what that would mean. They were EVERYWHERE! And it is not uncommon to see an entire family stacked on the back of a single bike: mom, dad, daughter, little baby standing up on the back, it's CRAZY! Motorbikes are also used for transporting food, bags, furniture, animals, you name it they will stick it on the back of a bike. I rode on the back of bikes a couple of times but could never allow myself to actually drive one: you constantly have to be on the alert and dodge in and out of cars, people, dogs, bicycles, pedestrians, and any other number of hazards. Not the best idea for someone who is already a nervous driver in a CAR. This coupled with the fact that I met traveler after traveler on crutches, bandaged up, in casts, all from motorbike accidents. So yeah, no thanks.I'll ride on the back but even that is a stretch!
2. The night markets are the greatest things ever: Oh the night market. Any town you visit in Thailand has at least one a night. And they are glorious. Prices are SUPER cheap (I'm talking $2 pairs of hippie pants, meals for less than $1, and massages for $4) and on top of that haggling is fair game. I'm not the best haggler (they never really took me seriously) but if you take a gutsy guy friend with you your chances of talking down the prices increase significantly. I had to force myself to stop buying things because of the limited space in my bag which was both a good and a bad thing!
3. 7/11s are the lifeblood of Thailand: 7/11s are EVERYWHERE in Thailand. The 7/11s aren't like American ones though- they have pretty good convenience and fresh food in addition to snacks, bottled water (absolutely essential), and toiletries. It's your one stop shop for anything you could really need. Also: air conditioning. I hopped from 7/11 to 7/11 just for the freezing cold air-conditioning and reprieve from the killer heat and humidity.
4. Thailand is HUGE!: I never really realized this before I got here but this country is so so large! Bus journeys that on the map don't look like they will take that long will take you 8,9,10, even 14 hours. And these aren't always the nice buses either. You're lucky if you get two toilet stops on the entire journey and when it rains (which it will) don't be surprised if your bus starts leaking...
5. Everyone seems to eat out: With the prevalence of nearly 24-hour markets and street food vendors as well as the low cost of food at said markets, pretty much everyone eats out for every meal. It's cheaper to eat out here than it is to cook and the variety of inexpensive, filling, and diverse meals are endless. One thing I found kind of amusing were street vendors selling sort of, half-prepared "convenience meals" of sorts. In essence the separate ingredients for say, a soup or a curry are placed in separate plastic bags which the customer then can take home and mix themselves. Pretty cool idea.
6. There's a lot of Western music but it's often not the original song: This was actually really funny. Wherever you go in Thailand (supermarket, cafe, hostel, etc.) they usually have Western music playing but it's not Sam Smith singing "Stay With Me". It's a slow, often acoustic, usually female rendition of the same song. Sometimes a word or two are different, you never really know but it's really amusing nonetheless.
7. Fruit, fruit, fruit: Fruit is eaten at virtually all times of the day. Popular choices are bags of chopped watermelon, mango, papaya, pineapple with wooden skewers that you can use to eat while walking. Another are the fruit shakes you see on virtually ever corner. Sometimes the "fruit shake" turns out to be a concotion of fruit syrups and ice but the good ones are made with fresh fruit and are absolutely delicious and so refreshing on a hot day. And at sometimes less than $1, such a good bargain
8. Toilets are...pretty much disgusting: When I started preparing for my Southeast Asia trip I read blogger after blogger describing their experiences with the infamous "squat toilets" of Asia. Squat toilets are just what they sound like: a small porcelain hole that you squat over to do your bid-ness and then you use a ladle to scoop out some water from a bucket nearby and "flush" the toilet. I was very lucky in that I didn't encounter these toilets TOO often but it did occur. And they are pretty disgusting. It's also hard to get used to not being provided with toilet paper or soap and never being able to flush toilet paper (you have to put it in the trash can provided to avoid clogging up the basic sewage systems). All in all, the toilet experiences were generally pretty horrific but you grin and bear it and try not to think too hard about it. ;)
9. Modesty is key: Even though it's ten billion degrees in Thailand most people wear at least sleeves to their elbows and long pants. Modesty is strictly enforced in pretty much every single temple you visit and you are required to wear long pants and cover your shoulders. The more popular Wats will often have robes or shirts and sarongs on hand that you can use to cover yourself up but I got used to carrying my own in my bag just in case.
10. So many temples, so little time: Everywhere I looked in Thailand, from the big bustling cities to the furthest remote and isolated villages along the rode had temples. Some are bigger and more ornate than others and some definitely better maintained as well but there are just so so many I don/t think you could ever see them all! I really enjoy temples, especially the ruins and historical parks but it can get tiring going to temple after temple after temple. They will never cease to amaze me though, especially when you are on your umpteenth day-long bus ride and still manage to see temples dotting the landscape even in the most far-flung areas.
Those are just 10 of the many many things I observed and learned while I was in Thailand. It really is such a beautiful country and I met some really incredible people. My favorite will always be my "Thai mom", Marisa, who is the owner of the Chiang Mai Gate Capsule Hotel in Chiang Mai. She is the sweetest, most helpful, and hard-working person I have met in Thailand and I will miss our late-night chats, her incredibly useful advice, and gifts of mangoes, food, and tea. I'm moving on to Laos next and I'm not really sure what to expect in comparison to Thailand. So stay tuned for my next adventure and as always, thanks so much for reading!
Those are just 10 of the many many things I observed and learned while I was in Thailand. It really is such a beautiful country and I met some really incredible people. My favorite will always be my "Thai mom", Marisa, who is the owner of the Chiang Mai Gate Capsule Hotel in Chiang Mai. She is the sweetest, most helpful, and hard-working person I have met in Thailand and I will miss our late-night chats, her incredibly useful advice, and gifts of mangoes, food, and tea. I'm moving on to Laos next and I'm not really sure what to expect in comparison to Thailand. So stay tuned for my next adventure and as always, thanks so much for reading!
Until Next Time!
Happy Travels!
-Freckles
Happy Travels!
-Freckles