I had about a week and half of notice before I left on this trip. My employer needed me to attend a conference in Bangkok, Thailand. Did I want to go? No hesitation.
Only a few months earlier I’d been bemoaning the fact that I didn’t have a single international trip planned for the year… then this came out of nowhere. That’s the kind of trip I like. I realize that travel is a gift. And that it can be quite expensive, so I savor every chance I get to see somewhere new.
This was not a typical travel experience for me staying in a “Western-style” hotel. You could have dropped it in any big city in the world, and it probably would have looked the same…. except for the Buddha statue and offering that was refreshed each morning in the lobby. But my favorite part about this hotel? The air con.
Being from the Pacific Northwest, there is no humidity. And they kept telling me it was the “cool” season in Bangkok. I would leave the hotel and start melting four feet from the doorway. It was around 90-95 degrees each day, and I think I read like 75% humidity. Even when I was ready to go out and explore, 5 minutes out the door and I’d be looking for somewhere to cool down.
I snapped at least one photo of everything, but I was rather disappointed going through them when I got home. Most situations require more than one photo. Fail. It was too hot to take pictures
This was my first trip to Asia. Everything was new and beautiful and amazing. I went to see ancient temples outside the city. Thousands of years old. Amazing. Spectacular. And after 15 minutes I was looking for the bus to retreat into some a/c. I’m going to have to figure this out – I have a lot of world I want to explore still.
The city has so many unique places to see – the river, wats, markets, food stalls lined-up along the sidewalks – so different from anything I’d ever seen. Everything is gilded, tiled, decorated in fabrics and flowers.
I loved Bangkok, I just wish it was a little cooler.
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