Walking the streets of Bangkok in the dark of night, surrounded by food carts and vendor stalls selling everything from elephant pants to cigarettes to male enhancement products, it felt like we’d been dropped into a different world if for no other reason than the fact that we were walking about in crowds of people long after the sun had gone down. After months in Africa of planning our evenings around ensuring we weren’t stuck somewhere after dark, it felt strange to be in amongst crowds and bright lights in every direction. It did not take long, however, to feel like we were right where we needed to be by means of our dinner selections. A fresh mango from the first cart, a spicy papaya salad served in a takeaway plastic bag at the next, and finally a noodle-y chicken and broth with fresh greens, crunchy onions, and more than a small kick of spice to cap things off. No Yelp, no blogs, no maps to guide the way, we simply followed our noses and the steam rising from cart after cart of Thai dining at its finest.
Having last visited Thailand in 2016, I immediately remembered why I enjoyed my time so much. Everything is just so…easy. Most all Thais are very friendly, laughing at both you and themselves in any and all circumstances. Anything you might need or want is always at your fingertips, be it food, drink, necessities, or luxuries. Anywhere you want to go is accessible via tuk tuk, bus, train, or plane, right from your doorstep, with little to no advance planning required. Any and all comforts of home can be had…for about a tenth of the normal price. At the cost of about a US dollar, you can find yourself a fresh squeezed juice, or some homemade coconut ice cream, served in a coconut, or perhaps just the coconut itself with a straw in it. Maybe you’re feeling a nice plate of tropical fruits, or a savory noodle soup. Better yet, how about a banana pancake for an afternoon pick-me-up? Whether you’re in a big city or a small town, nearly everything is accessible within a short stroll from the town center. Add to that the foot and back-bending body massages and you have yourself questioning what took so long to get here. Thailand has mastered the tourism industry, so, while many experiences may feel somewhat contrived or overrun with fellow travellers, you’re having such a great time that you don’t really care.
With the party scene of backpacker-central Khao San Road firmly in my rear view, we opted for some new experiences I hadn’t had the time for during my last retirement. The floating markets outside Bangkok have grown to be quite popular amongst tourists over the years, but arriving early enough provides a glimpse of the charm that made the market so popular in the first place. Large market stalls line the waterways, selling mostly the same things you can find all throughout Bangkok, while marketgoers and vendors alike ride through on canoes equipped with outboard motors that require significant maneuvering to avoid each other. We encountered orange-robed monks rowing their daily rounds to receive food or money from each vendor, in exchange for a small blessing to begin their day. Grandmas engulfed on their canoes by giant woks and all the necessary food supplies to serve up meal after meal from their floating restaurants. Ice cream, fried chicken, fruits galore, coconut pancakes, grilled bananas, elephant pants, live snakes, rare marsupials, you name it can be found beneath the rainbow umbrellas of the dozens of canoes jockeying for position in the narrow canals. By the time we’d finished our rounds, the market had become a madhouse of boats and tourists lining the canals. The market is overcrowded, loud, kitschy, overpriced (by Thai standards), and not exactly authentic anymore. But damn, is it fun. Every blog and travel guide will tell you how touristy and overrun the market is, and they are correct, but it’s touristy for a reason, and no amount of crowds can take away the experience of bartering for an exotic apple or bunch of bananas from a canoe, or trying to catch up to another boat to catch a glimpse of what smells so good, or yelling from the river’s edge for a serving of barbequed bananas with some sweet nectar after you’ve just finished devouring a bowl of savory, spicy, noodle-y goodness from a lady that’s probably been cooking the same thing from her canoe for the last 30 years. Sometimes things are touristy for a reason, and I felt no shame in imbibing.
From Bangkok, we headed north to Chiang Mai, escaping the chaos and busyness of the city for the Thai lifestyle both backpackers and soccer moms dream of. Seemingly every day of the week is the proud owner of a different walking street market, with local dishes, handmade ceramics, and a myriad of art pieces conveniently laid out along the traffic-free streets. Ornate temples and buddhas hide down alleys, while colorful flags and streamers are strung across the narrowest of streets. The walls of the old city protect the crowds from the busy streets and crazy motorbikes outside, enabling a peaceful stroll for the shopper or foodie or artist or writer or hedonist looking for his or her next inspiration. We found ourselves in a cooking class, whipping up curry pastes from scratch and washing it down with the sweetest of mango sticky rice. Apparently, the word spicy is interchangeable with sexy in Thai as our instructor enthusiastically urged us to make our dishes “More Sexy!” As is compulsory for any Southeast Asian adventure, we found ourselves riding a motorbike through countless hairpin turns along the Mae Hong Son loop, a 5-day journey spent meandering through the hills of northwest Thailand, with never-ending views, waterfalls, small villages known for tea or coffee or nothing at all, and an air of freedom unique to these parts of the world. We slurped up night market Pad Thai noodles whilst shoeless on mats lining the shore of a lake, staring at the reflection of the temple complex across the water, after taking in the town and its surrounds from the temple atop the mountain while the sun burned reddish orange as it set behind the haze of burn season. We took detours to caves large enough to raft through in the pitch dark while koi fish surrounded our canoe waiting for their afternoon snack. The last stop on the motorbike adventure was Pai, a place filled with hippies, free-spirits, revelers, and pseudo-intellectuals. Pai is overrun by now, and lacks much of the oasis-vibe it held in years past, but, like the floating markets in Bangkok, once you get over the crowds and clichés, you really can’t help but enjoy yourself. Health and ayurvedic food concoctions, yoga and dance studios, nightly performers, night markets, and funky crafts line the streets behind makeshift gardens and open-air dining spaces, while a motorbike ride across the river brings you to waterfalls, elephants, rice fields, and sweeping views. It’s tough not to be high on life when you’ve spent your day lounging in a hammock overlooking a valley sipping on fresh ginger tea with a book and not a worry in the world, watching bandage-wrapped backpackers clumsily get on and off their motorbikes to partake in the fun. It’s easy to see why people stay too long, and even easier to tell who never got out. During one open-mic performance, we listened to an old man ramble for 20 minutes about a weed he’d found in the forest that cures everything from cancer to the flu to depression. Who needs science when you can have a slice of Pai instead?
After a quick detour to Chiang Rai to see the intricate white and blue temples, we hopped on a flight headed south to get back to the island life we’d been missing since Zanzibar. Life only gets easier once you reach Krabi, the section of Thai coastline home to hundreds of islands small and large, their limestone compositions forming monstrous looking shapes in the sea. We spent our first few days at Railay Beach, doing a whole lot of nothing aside from lounging on the beach or at the pool, sipping drinks while watching rock climbers scale cliffs below base jumpers launching themselves from the tops, or enjoying fresh coffee daily from a hut serving up smoothies and spliffs. The one dirt road through town is lined by makeshift structures selling the bare essentials and boat tours, and takes all of about 10 minutes to walk through. Sightseeing complete, nothing but relaxation with great views is on the agenda. We opted for one boat tour of the islands, prepared for another relaxing day and beautiful scenery before we realized we’d accidently joined the party boat, with blaring music, rooftop jumping, and plenty of revelry. When not distracted by the craziness and the sporadic rainstorm, we soaked up the scenery and secluded beaches, and maybe partook just a little bit in the sunset dance party. Back on shore, once darkness had fallen, we made our way along a cliff face to a secluded beach and immersed ourselves into an underwater world of phosphorescent plankton, glowing and dancing with every movement of our extremities. Figure 8s and swirls and slow-motion hand waving created a lightshow under the surface that rivaled any Star Wars jump to light speed scene you can imagine. Only a rising tide could end the rambunctious, yet astonished shallow water swimming session.
A few days on the beach proved not quite relaxing enough, as we made our way down the coast to Koh Lanta, a large island known for trading parties for even more low-key rest and relaxation. We opted for a bungalow atop a cliff overlooking a pristine stretch of sand, an ideal place for afternoon sunburn sessions. In between swims and clifftop foot massages, we found another motorbike to explore the rather large island, perusing the old town shops, beachfront cafes, and views of all sides of the island. Nights consisted of beachfront fire shows, and at least a couple hours spent at our favorite hammock-filled restaurant at the end of the block. With a 7-eleven and a good coffee shop within a 5-minute walk (or 30 second scooter ride), we had all that was needed to while away our days with coffee and coconuts.
In looking through photos of our time in Thailand, I’ve realized it’s somewhat difficult to adequately capture the serenity of the scenes we found ourselves in, or the pleasure and silliness of interacting daily with the Thai people. Most difficult to capture, however, is not a sight or experience, but rather the feeling of complete freedom and content in an adventurous, yet agenda-less ramble that is travelling through this country.
I can’t wait to see what the third act has in store…
