When I decided to make Thailand the first stop on this next leg of my adventures around the world, I really didn't have much of an idea what I was in for. I planned on hot weather, spicy food, cheap prices, and elephants (more on this last one later). What I've found in the week and a half I've been here is a solo traveler's paradise! Not only is everything outrageously inexpensive (it's amazing how quickly you find yourself becoming insulted at the idea of paying the extortionate price of $20 a night for a hotel room, or $8 for a skirt) but the locals are lovely and extremely friendly and helpful, and it is literally teeming with solo travelers. You may arrive in Thailand alone, but rest assured you won't stay that way for long. Over my couple nights in Bangkok I met and spent time with an Englishman and two Americans (who had just met one another hours earlier), a Thai local, an Indian man, and a Finnish woman. Then I continued on to Kanchanaburi, where I met a Spaniard, two Brits, and a German all on the bus to Erawan Falls. The five of us (all solo travelers) spent the day together and compared notes about our upcoming travel plans. Whatever trepidation I may have had about setting off on my own once more, vanished pretty quickly upon arrival.
What also vanished upon arrival was any rememberance of what it felt like to NOT be a big sweaty mess. January is allegedly one of the months that holds the "best" weather in Thailand, as the winter season means cooler temperatures and very little rain. All I was able to think as I trudged around Bangkok looking as though I'd just come out of a swimming pool was: if this is "cool", I don't ever want to see "hot"! Walking the few blocks from the cab to my hotel after arriving close to midnight and realizing that even at this late hour it was a stifling 80 degrees (and humid!) I knew I was screwed. I also knew that the jeans I was currently wearing would likely not see the outside of my bag again for the rest of the trip. I was told by friends in the know before I left not to overpack, as anything I needed could be bought in Thailand cheaper than in the US. With this in mind, I did scale down to the smallest pack I own (20 liters), plus an even smaller pack for trekking/carting home souvenirs. Still, if I had it to do over, I would have gone even more extreme: wear one outfit on the plane, and buy the rest on arrival. The clothes you find here, in addition to being inexpensive, are also better suited to the weather conditions than anything they could dream up in Washington state. I bought a pair of pants (for $4) almost immediately that are now the most favorite thing I own, and will be worn until they literally fall apart. Furher clothing purchases are sure to follow in the coming weeks.
So, scorching hot weather: check! Insanely cheap prices: check! This brings us to the food, which is delicious. I may never eat Thai food in the states again, if only because I won't be able to rationalize the price, knowing that a typical meal out in Thailand (a main dish, spring rolls, and a drink) costs an average of $5. Whereas a lot of the dishes I've had here have been remarkably similar to their counterparts in US Thai restaurants, the more traditional dishes ARE notoriously spicy; so much so that the menus often contain a "warning" to us farang (foreigners) or a reassurance that they can make it less spicy, if we wish. For the most part it's been far too hot for me to consider trying one of these dishes...I've been sweating enough as it is.
In short, I'd say Thailand is a country that knows how to make one hell of a good first impression. So far, it's lived up to my expectations and then some, and I'm eager to see what other surprises it has in store. I'm also eager to move on to what I think could be the highlight of this Southeast Asia experience...spending a week with the elephants!
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| The beauty of Erawan Falls |
What also vanished upon arrival was any rememberance of what it felt like to NOT be a big sweaty mess. January is allegedly one of the months that holds the "best" weather in Thailand, as the winter season means cooler temperatures and very little rain. All I was able to think as I trudged around Bangkok looking as though I'd just come out of a swimming pool was: if this is "cool", I don't ever want to see "hot"! Walking the few blocks from the cab to my hotel after arriving close to midnight and realizing that even at this late hour it was a stifling 80 degrees (and humid!) I knew I was screwed. I also knew that the jeans I was currently wearing would likely not see the outside of my bag again for the rest of the trip. I was told by friends in the know before I left not to overpack, as anything I needed could be bought in Thailand cheaper than in the US. With this in mind, I did scale down to the smallest pack I own (20 liters), plus an even smaller pack for trekking/carting home souvenirs. Still, if I had it to do over, I would have gone even more extreme: wear one outfit on the plane, and buy the rest on arrival. The clothes you find here, in addition to being inexpensive, are also better suited to the weather conditions than anything they could dream up in Washington state. I bought a pair of pants (for $4) almost immediately that are now the most favorite thing I own, and will be worn until they literally fall apart. Furher clothing purchases are sure to follow in the coming weeks.
So, scorching hot weather: check! Insanely cheap prices: check! This brings us to the food, which is delicious. I may never eat Thai food in the states again, if only because I won't be able to rationalize the price, knowing that a typical meal out in Thailand (a main dish, spring rolls, and a drink) costs an average of $5. Whereas a lot of the dishes I've had here have been remarkably similar to their counterparts in US Thai restaurants, the more traditional dishes ARE notoriously spicy; so much so that the menus often contain a "warning" to us farang (foreigners) or a reassurance that they can make it less spicy, if we wish. For the most part it's been far too hot for me to consider trying one of these dishes...I've been sweating enough as it is.
In short, I'd say Thailand is a country that knows how to make one hell of a good first impression. So far, it's lived up to my expectations and then some, and I'm eager to see what other surprises it has in store. I'm also eager to move on to what I think could be the highlight of this Southeast Asia experience...spending a week with the elephants!
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