I finally did it… I arrived in Bangkok. As I got off the plane a million emotions and thoughts rushed through my mind. I couldn’t believe it… this wasn’t just another country I was visiting, this was the beginning of the end. From the start of my trip I knew I would break my trip into 4 parts first Central America and Mexico, then Europe and Morocco then the Middle East and India and last but not least the famous SouthEast Asia. I was so nervous and even though I know 5 months is a long time I was scared to think that this adventure was almost over… those thoughts quickly faded as I told myself stop it and enjoy what is left to the fullest.
As I waited in line to get my VISA at Passport Control my nerves ran rampent… those familiar feelings of fear of the unkown rushed through my body again. Even though I have done it a million times I get so worried when I am crossing borders and don’t think they will ever go away, but it’s those feelings I love. They let me know I am living and am not letting my fears of the unknown stop me from living my dream. It was my turn… “GOOD MORNING” I say, she didn’t say anything, but look through my Passport look at me… stamp it staple my exit form to the page and say “WELCOME TO THAILAND”. I walk along with a sigh of relief.
—The back of the iconic “Tuk Tuk” —
Now it’s time to go through the motions of coming to a new country… look around okay a whole new language I can’t read displayed everywhere, now I must find the nearest ATM withdrawal enough for a few days as I get aquatinted with the new currency and now I must figure out how to get to my hostel. I pull out my directions and it says I can easily catch a bus that takes me straight to Koh San Road which is perfect because I am staying near by. I ask for the bus and everyone tells me it’s no longer in service… time for plan B take the metro to the center of the city and then catch a cab to Koh San Road. So I do it… I arrive to the center of the city and try stopping a cab… of course they are all trying to rip me off. Then a guy on a motor bike says “TAXI… TAXI” I look at him like “You must be fucking crazy… I can’t ride a motor bike with my backpack” … and walk away. Then I ask myself… okay I’m in a new city and have never ridden a motor bike as a taxi and sure as hell never with my backpack so why not. I ask him how much he tells me the right price… the price my hostel said it should cost to get into to town. I put my helmet on and was wisked away through the crazy Bangkok traffic… swerving in and out… going the wrong directions on some streets, running red lights… I felt so alive and thought… OMG I’M GONNA LOVE BANGKOK!!!
I found my hostel very easily and am told I must wait for check in… since I am exhausted from my long flight from Istanbul I decide to just wait in the lobby for my friend. Oh yes I forgot to mention I would be spending my time in Thailand with a very good friend of mine. I am sure y’all know her by now… Meri from Barcelona… you know my Barcelona girls? Okay well if not here’s a recap: I met her in Morocco then stayed at her home in Barcelona for a while then we met up for New Years in Istanbul and well now she had a month of vacation and will be with me through most of Thailand. By the time she finally arrives it’s nightfall and we screamed like crazy… we can’t believe we are together again. We catch up a bit and then get ready to see the famous Koh San Road that’s only a few blocks from our hostel.
We make our way there walk around and I’m not impressed… I look around and keep thinking “wow… this is all crap, yes it’s nice to finally see the street food everyone talks about, yes it’s nice to see this crazy street, but wow this is just a sad street filled with tons of tourist waiting to get drunk and take advantage of the cheap prices.” I carry on and try to not be snobbish… I enjoy my 1st plate of pad thai and seeing all the street vendors.
—-Koh San Road at night after some rain fall.—
—My 1st Pad Thai—
—Street food vendor.—
The next day was spent being a tourist. It was a hot humid day and the weather was horrible… the weather was so horrible it reminded me of the horrible weather we have back home in Houston. We visited the Grand Palace and I was impressed by the detail put into it all. I loved seeing a new culture and new temples. The love though faded fast as we then visited Wat Pho the iconic reclining Buddha which did too impress, but the temple looked so much like the temples I had just seen at the Grand Palace and I felt so sad, because I knew I was templed out already… on my 1st full day in Bangkok. We carried on anyway walking around the city to our next stop China Town… we had decided to wait and eat until we got there to eat some chinese street food there. We arrived and walked all over the place, but couldn’t find any food… the food we could find were lots of soups, but neither of us were soup people so didn’t have that. Even though I liked the Chinese writings everywhere… I wasn’t impressed because it looked like any other China Town I have ever visited. So we carried on and made it to the top of the Gold Temple Hill to see the city from above and as I looked around… I was once again not impressed and felt horrible. After walking all over the city all day we called it a day by taking a Tuk Tuk back to the hostel and made plans for the next day.
—The roof top of the Grand Palace.—
—The detail of the Grand Palace was the most impressing.—
—The head of the iconic Wat Pho.—
—From head to toes.—
—China Town. I loved all the chinese signs.—
—Bangkok from above.—
The following day we had booked a tour to visit a floating market. We were both up bright and early and very excited to be seeing a floating market since neither of us had ever seen one. We made the journey there and get off and are both quickly disappointed. This was not what we had imagined or were shown int he photos. All we saw were Thai’s selling more crap and souvenirs to bus loads of tourist. It was like a floating Koh San Rd. We left the main area quickly and wondered away from all the tourist and is where we found a bit of relief… it wasn’t a floating market we saw, but just locals living. It was a beautiful site to see and kind of made the trip there worth it. I mean the truth is we both wanted to see a real market that we have seen all of the world, but floating and well this just wasn’t it. We both felt like it was a tourist trap, but at least we made the most of it. Then back in Bangkok we did a bit more exploring the areas around using public transportation.
—The very touristic floating market.—
—Only saw a few ladies actually selling fruits and vegetables.—
—This was amazing… seeing the un-touristic side of the village.—
—I call them Chicken Boats, but they are just like buses transporting people from one end of the city to the other.—
I know you must be thinking “what the fuck is your problem Jaime… you are in BANGKOK one of the biggest most amazing, exotic cities in the world”, but I’m just being honest. Every time I wasn’t impressed with anything I kept wondering: Why is nothing impressing me??? Was I still being stupid and depressed cus I left him??? Was I being a travel snob??? Is the weather making me miss home??? Have I seen too much??? Am I even going to enjoy SouthEast Asia??? What is wrong with me??? Then on my 3rd day in Bangkok I figured it out… for me Bangkok doesn’t have that spark. You know that spark you feel after a few hours when you visit a new city… the spark that makes you want to explore every corner of the city. It’s a spark I felt in Barcelona, Istanbul, Cairo and many more cities around the world, but not Bangkok.
The truth is to me Bangkok was just another flat city with a million skyscrapers and horrible weather… oh wait I just described Houston my home city. I know many people hate Houston, but I love it because I know the hidden gems and places that make Houston Houston. Since I only spent a few days in Bangkok and never really gave it a chance I never found any of those hidden gems… and even now for some reason don’t care to find them. I left Bangkok by train to Chiang Mai thinking fuck… please don’t be in a travel rut again and well from the moment I arrived in Chiang Mai felt the spark and knew I wasn’t in a rut.
I’ve mentioned it before and will say it again we can’t love every place we visit, but when we don’t I always wonder why I feel so guilty? I mean I don’t owe any city anything, but yet my mind make me feel guilty and wonder a million things I could have done differently. Does this make sense? Don’t get me wrong I didn’t hate Bangkok like I hated Fez, just wasn’t impressed and honestly have no desire to see more of it.
Tell me below a city you have visited and weren’t impressed by and let me know if you feel guilty or not for not liking it as much as you know others do. Have you been to Bangkok what are your thoughts on this huge city?
That looks amazingly fun! Hopefully I can visit Bangkok someday. Thanks for the awesome post it has so much details 🙂
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It was fun, just not as impressive as I thought it would be. Hope you can visit BKK one day.
It took me a little while to read your whole post. Halfway through I realized something…I really appreciate and enjoy your laid back approach to writing. I hope this isn’t an insult, but I feel like you sit down and just type the post out without much consideration to structure and flow, though it flows very nicely and naturally. It is different than the other more popular blogs getting attention, and I felt like you were just talking to me about why you disliked Bangkok. Thank you!
I have yet to start my travels (mid November I fly into India with no end date), but I am sure I will be un-impressed with a few places I visit.
I am excited to continue to read your south east Asian adventures. Hopefully you enjoy the Thai beaches, perhaps make up for the off season Indian beach hopping you did .
Thank you so much Kat for the comment. I know sometimes my post are long… but I always write them as if I am talking to someone. I just like to write what I think and go for it. I know it’s not structured or how a lot of people do it, but for me it’s worked since I started this blog and won’t be changing it any time soon. So thanks for letting me know you enjoy it, it means a lot to me.
Oh so you are diving right into some craziness!!! Have you read my India post… jajaja they will scare you. I think the more you travel the harder it is sometimes to be impressed, because you see so many amazing things all the time. It’s sad but a fact of this lifestyle. Oh and if you come to Thailand you must visit Koh Tao… been here 2 weeks and love it!
Yes I actually have never been to Asia before and I am jumping right into the Indian craziness! I am planning to be in Thailand probably in one year from now after India and Nepal and I know the beaches there will feel like a luxury even more from coming out of those two countries. I will also probably need to get a whole other wardrobe too coming from almost a year in India and Nepal…..can not wait! 🙂
Ahhh you are gonna love it and hate it so much Kat… I wish you the best of luck and I mean it. After coming from India everything will seem like a luxury… and I mean that in a good way. India makes you appreciate life so much more. Enjoy the millions of emotions you will feel during your time there.
Hey… dont feel guilty for dislike BKK. Everyone have different taste & view, why u have to feel bad. If the world love BKK, it doesn’t mean u have to love it as well. There is so many places in SEA, I bet u will found your own charm place 🙂
I’m just bk fr my short holiday. I took your’s advice, take the train to the ” big balls”. Is sad, u didn’t manage go to Copenhagen. I know u love gratifii streets arts. I found a place called Christiana, fulled of gratifii arts but too bad we are not allow to take any picture.
p/s: I was in Gothenburg & Malmo (Sweden) otw to Copenhangen. I was not impressed with the city as well and I don’t feel any guilt… and now I have to go bk to Stockholm because I don’t see enough of Sweden
Thanks June, that is so true… we can’t love everywhere we go and well sometimes we just won’t. I am sure though I will find a few place I love here in SEA… so far I did love Chiang Mai and Koh Tao… so yeah we have to give and take.
Oh man sucks you couldn’t take photos… I love street art and love seeing it around the world. One day I will have to go up there and check it out. Right now I’m just on too much of a budget to visit them expensive countries.
Well enjoy Sweden and glad you don’t feel guilty for not liking a place… I sometimes do and sometimes don’t…lol!!!
I like Bangkok – but it’s definitely not one of my favourite places in SE Asia. I’ve always said it reminds me of home, but with a different language 🙂
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See that’s the thing Lauren, I think it reminded me of home but with a different language too and maybe that is why I was turned off. I don’t wanna be somewhere that reminds me of home… I don’t know why, but just don’t.
I hated Bangkok the first time I went, on a stopover on my way to Australia.
The second time I went in 2007, as a stopover on the way to Laos I like it a little.
On the way back from Laos I made a third visit and really began to warm to it.
My fourth visit as part of my RTW trip in 2010 I finally fell for it.
As the final stop of my RTW trip later that year I didn’t want to leave.
Some places grab you the moment you arrive, some take a bit longer to get under your skin, and for me Bangkok is firmly in the latter camp. I don’t love it as a tourist city – all the crap sights you mention I totally agree with your perceptions. Kao San Road is a tourist dump.
But I do love it as a city to hang out in, to chill in, to party in – it’s one the most vibrant and exciting cities I’ve ever been to, and certainly my favourite South East Asian capital by miles and miles. Just stay well away from Kao San, stay in a nicer area like Silom or Sukhumvit Rds. (oh, and make sure you go to DJ Station too, one of the most fun gay clubs in SE Asia too.)
It’s hard to travel that much in SE Asia and not end up visiting Bangkok multiple times – I just hope you eventually fall in love with it like I did!
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Damn Geoff… well maybe I will need 4 times to finally fall for it. The sad thing is I’m on my way back there, but I just have no interest to see more of it. I know that sounds horrible coming from someone who loves to explore cities, but I just don’t. I guess though I need to get away from the tourist side of the city & see it from another location, because from what you say of it it sounds amazing. I’ll try and check out one of the gay clubs if I get a chance. Oh & yeah I’ll be here a few times through out my time in SEAsia… so lets see what happens.
also – if you want a real market, go to Chatuchak weekend market when you’re there (easy to get to be skyrail), it’s one of the biggest markets in the world, and it has everything you can imagine, it’s almost *too* much (and there’s just as much, if not more, for locals as there is for tourists).
I can highly recommend staying in the Silom area – it’s handy for the Skyrail which will take you anywhere, handy for the malls if you fancy doing non-touristy stuff, handy for the gay district, and very handy for both the river and Lumpini park which are nice places to chill out.
Fingers crossed you can enjoy it next time
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Thanks so much for the tips Geoff, I am sure I will be back in BKK again so I will be sure to check all these places out.
Hey Jaime! I understand how you felt, but I loved Bangkok. Honestly I didn’t go to some of the places you did though because I heard they were all too touristy. I did see the temples (did you see one with neat broken ceramics and plates all put together? It was really steep and pretty interesting). But my favorite parts of the trip were taking a thai cooking class from a local lady with broken English with my group of friends, and going shopping at this enormous weekend market and seeing all the handcrafted goods with that same attention to detail you mentioned before. And I love the tuk tuks and bargaining for stuff, but I think that’s just my style.
I do understand the weather–that entire trip to SE Asia I had a near-bald head so it didn’t bother me too much–but that’s how it’ll always be. It’s a tropical area! I’m so glad you enjoyed Chiang Mai and didn’t get stuck in a rut. Can’t wait to hear how the rest of your travels unfold. I also wanted to share some of my more positive experiences in Bangkok in case you do have to stop through there again for any reason. You never know!
Love,
Lisa
HEY LISA… ahh my heart glows when you comment. Well now I know why you liked it so much… you didn’t get sucked into the tourist traps I did. I do love the tuk tuks… they are so damn cute & bright… and I love the craziness cus well that is why I love Cairo so much. Oh & yes the weather… oh lord jesus it’s a hot mess just like Houston and I hate that…lol. I loved Chiang Mai and well just left Koh Tao after being there for 15 days and had a blast, so am happy I’m not in a rut again. I know I’ll be back to BKK a few more times so I’ll try and give it another go if I can. Hope all is well for you… been so long since we chatted. We’ll have to catch up soon.
Love ya.
I’ve always thought of Bangkok as one of those love-it-or-hate-it cities and you seem to back it up here. Maybe a night out in Sillom and the famous DJ Station would have changed your mind? Tee hee hee.
I’ve always imagined that I’ll fall in love with Bangkok, but who knows – I’ll be there next year for sure! And hopefully not get all templed out on day 1 like you (impossible though, I’m a temple geek supreme).
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Yeah Tom… it’s one of those cities for sure, but aren’t all? I think BKK is an extreme case of love it or hate it though… and yeah maybe had I spent more time seen more or visited some gay clubs jaja… I would have enjoyed it more. I hope you are able to fall in love with it… but I know I couldn’t and will try and give it another chance. Oh & you will get temple-ed out. You will see so many and just think they all look the same so soon, but who knows maybe not if you are a temple geek…lol! I never got tired of looking at ancient Egyptian ruins (temples, pyramids etc…) so I understand.
Oh Jaime, I can totally relate to this post!! We were so disappointed when we arrived in South East Asia – especially Bangkok just didn’t impress us. We stayed also near Khao San Rd on our first visit and I hated how tacky it was. We just wanted to get out. The next time we were in Bangkok (I am sure you’ll end up there again too, it is a major transportation hub after all) we stayed away from Khao San Rd (the LubD Hostel on Siam Square is great for example) and we did like it better than the first time. We still don’t love Bangkok, just don’t connect with it, and probably our least favorite big city in SEA, but it grew a little bit on us every time we came back.
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Oh so happy you agree with me on this Dani and love that we felt the same way. I think I need to follow your advice and next time I am there, give it another try by staying in another district, but just don’t feel like I will connect with it either. It’s sad I just have no desire to see more of it… for some reason I feel like something is missing… that spark isn’t there and well it’s okay. I got many more cities to see and fall for so I can’t fall for all of them.
I didnt love Bangkok either. I didn’t hate it, but I liked Hong Kong so much more (other than the prices).
The city I’ve been told I should love, but really didn’t was Vienna. I just found it so austere.
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Yeah Erik, I didn’t hate it, but just didn’t like it. I haven’t been to Hong Kong, but am sure that is a very impressive city. I didn’t make it to Vienna while I was in Europe, but yeah only heard amazing things about it, but see what you mean.
Hello sunshine!!
I definitely agree with a lot of what you wrote in your post & what people said in the comments!! The first time I was in Bangkok I was disappointed as well. The second time, however, I sort of grew on me but you’re so right about the weather!!! That humid heat just makes me so lethargic!!!
All in all, Thailand isn’t really my favourite country in SEA anyway. It was just so different from what I thought it would be like!! EVERYONE always seems to love it… I just thought it was ok to start off with and then liked it better towards the end. I know I didn’t spend enough time there or rather visited enough places (never went to Chiang Mai!!) but I still preferred Laos, Cambodia and the Philippines by a long shot. And China (not SEA obviously…)
HEYYYYYYY awwww you just put a huge smile on my face!!! Glad you understand where I am coming from, because that is how I feel about Bangkok. Also even though it’s my 1st country in SEA I wouldn’t put it on my top 10 fav countries visited so far. I don’t know something about Thailand I just didn’t like… even though I loved Chiang Mai and Koh Tao. Still it just reminded me so much of Costa Rica and that isn’t one of my favorite countries either. I’m heading to the Philippines and am so excited about it and will be heading to Laos & Cambodia also as excited. As for China s much as I’d love to visit it, I have no desire to visit it right now. Anyway well I hope all is well, I miss ya tons and am happy to know you are still reading my blog. Love ya!!!
I’m excited to see what you think of the north. I had a similar feeling about BKK the first time, and now I’ve grown to love it. It took hanging with a local to make it all work for me. But I get how it can feel like a big, lonely city. Hopefully you’ll get to Laos – much more in the line of what you’re probably looking for. Just followed you on Twitter.
Hi Tom, I will be writing about the north soon. I only visited Chiang Mai and loved it tons… on my way around SEA I will be visting Chiang Rai and Pai so will see a bit more of it. As for BKK I think thats the thing… you really have to get far aways from the tourist circus to see a more authentic side and maybe grow to like it some. Thanks for following and commenting!!!
I don’t think you have to like everything but I feel your “guilt” comes from a good place because you’re not dismissing the place and its people outright. You’re looking inward and wondering what else could I have brought, what’s wrong with my energy? What could I fix about me?
For myself, people and places are secondary to the stories we create on our journey. As a social person, the moments I have with people are the ones that last the most. Maybe that was what missing in Bangkok, the connection? For me when I don’t connect with anything and feel like I haven’t left a signature moment to mark a place it becomes forgettable.
Oh I so get what you mean… so true I also feel the same way it’s not about what you do or see in a city it’s who you meet and how you spend your time with them. In the end you are going to remember the crazy moments you did with the people you met in said city.
i visited thailand 3x but went to the countryside. Sakhon nakon for sky diving, pattaya, ayuttaya, & chiang mai. I love temple ruins in Cambodia…. enjoy the fun in the Philippines. Mabuhay!
Oh awesome Louis, yeah I hope when I go back I can see a bit more of the country side. I’m enjoying the Philippines.
Went to bkk last year for the first time, and was glad to move on! Yeah it was ok.. but i really liked Chiang Mai.. lol This year i liked it better in bkk for some reason??!! lol but sadly didnt have time to go back to CM this time! which was a pity!! but there are lots of places in Thailand i want to see next time!! and i would like to see more of the Philippines! which i think is a great place too!
Oh yes Bernie, Chiang Mai is so much better. I loved it too!!! I don’t know BKK just didn’t do it for me & felt like it’s over rated. Oh & the Philippines… ahh such an amazing country with so much to do & see.
Hi,
Just came across your blog. Have to agree about love or hating Bangkok. I disliked it. It humid, hot, dirty (in more ways then one) heavy traffic, cramped with people and if you have any hint of claustrophobic aspects in you Bangkok can frustrate you a lot. The best feeling in Bangkok is when it rains or when your in a place with AC…only way to cool down. Chang Mai is far cooler (more touristy perhaps but so what). And the country side in Thailand is plus one…and thai food is plus one and plus one again.
Agree with everything you said Staurt. I can’t add anything else to it… I mean seriously even about Chiang Mai. You nailed it and am happy you understand me.
Whether you like Bangkok really depends on the type of person you are. It’s really not the city, it’s the adventures you find there. I never visited any of the temples, though I’ve been there four times. I went to Khao San only on the first trip for a walk down the street, saw it wasn’t my kind of place, so never went back. When I go to Bangkok I don’t ever try to see the city, I just try to experience life as if I was living there, and so far it hasn’t disappointed.
That’s what I try to do everywhere I go Marco. I just let the city be and enjoy it. Some cities I just don’t like and well Bangkok was one of them. We can’t love them all even when you just try and experience life.
Personally I love Bangkok, generally hate Khao San Road – there are better places to party shop and hang out do not understand the appeal. But yea I loved the Grand Temple but I would not go back and Wat Sakret (Golden Mount) is amazing for the views and to get out of the humidity. I live in Thailand so have seen a lot of temples at visited a lot of local hotspots and have found a few gems in BKK and as I speak Thai a little I do not get ripped off.
I know what you mean about temples tho they are stunning every one but recently met some peeps from US and all his pictures were temples and he was describing his amazing discovery of the Reclining Buddha but somehow paid $20 to see it and paid $10 into the Grand Palace… yet I paid 100THB for my entire visit. Strange but nice he was so excited.
As for overated for me it is Kuala Lumpar, I recently went there and have to say it was so overated. The people were friendly all spoke English, very clean and modern…. AND BORING omg I hated it, for shopping it was great and I could stock of on things I cant get in Thailand. Nando’s, properly fitting shoes and speciality manga markers. However, it was like being in London, after 3 days it was painful I stayed at an amazing hostel the Reggae Mansion but even that grew boring. They told me about tours and I could see the Mosque and yes a Temple… My best friend in Thailand is Muslim I have been to the Mosque and have been instead for wedding ceremonies and my Thai family are Buddhist I have been to actual events in Temples. I went to the petronas towers instead for 30 minutes but at least the shuttle was free.
I know some people love it but give me BKK any day lol
Yeah Stacey we love some we hate some. I spent some time away from the KSR area and also just didn’t get the appeal of it. As for KL I have to agree with you too. I did like it though, but now looking back it’s a very boring city. In fact Malaysia is actually a very boring country and I am not sure why I feel that way about it. So for now I’ll stick to my love for Cairo jajajaja. No as for big Asian city it’s all about SAIGON. Oh man hands down an amazing city.
I have lived in new york, london and paris…and have visited bangkok three times…i really love the city. Obviously u did the wrong things in bangkok and it takes a while to get used to this lively energetic city. First of all, i never had a bad experience with thai people, i find them very sweet …yes they try to rip u off but they are only trying to survive and make a living nothing else…..westerners have a different way of life in western countries you have a lot of government support and backing and social security, but in developing countries like thailand people have to find their own ways of survival. Thailand has been politically unstable for a long time and due to this instability the country doesnt have a clear direction and has been developing in a weird way….it will never become as developed as western europe or america….but thailand has its own culture and charm. The things i like about bangkok is exploring the city, taking tuk tuks everywhere and beating the traffic, going for a massage daily at my favourite massage place….Ruen Nuad in Sathorn…10-15 euros for a 1.5 hour amazing massage is the best thing one can ask for. I love the food in thailand…never eat streetfood but i go to the upscale restaurants…they are still much better value for money than restaurants in europe…..thailand is not perfect but for a small country they do have a lot of diversity and its a relaxed country where u go to rejuvenate and refresh. Thailand is very divided politically so there are differences in the north and south,,,but all thais are friendly and happy people who dont seem to mind tourists….and if they try to rip u off bargain with a smile and they will be very nice to u. Ive seen poor ugly useless americans and europeans acting like snobs in thailand and hating it,,,but fact is life in western countries has become so boring and robotic that they cannot appreciate another way of life and look down upon poverty in developing countries…..they dont realise that poverty in western countries may be less compared to the rest of the world but poor westerners have much worse lives than poor thais.