Sharing: Alone in Thailand

It is not noisy and crowded as Hongkong, or too quiet as Hoi An - Vietnam, Bangkok made me feel very excited, almost like I had just woken up after a deep sleep.

"For many people, traveling alone is probably crazy; but for me, traveling alone always brings great experience and innovative, especially in Thailand - the land of smiles."

 

I arrived in Bangkok in a hot summer morning with all my eagerness and expectation. Thailand is always the number one destination in my heart, and surely, for many people. My fate with this land seemed to be predetermined; Bangkok greeted me with an atmosphere of unprecedented excitement. That's the atmosphere that you cannot see in any other places.

Siam Square is always crowded with many stores located closely with each other, with many lanes containing so many shops inside, and the dizzy stairs. The Royal Palace is magnificent and majestic, but it is also very peaceful. There are many streets filled with street vendors selling grilled squid, fruit, kumquat juice, or fruit sweet soup, which are very tasty and cheap.

I still remember the first feeling when tasting the Tom Yum noodle - one of the typical food of this country. The hot taste of chilli, the sweet taste of fresh seafood, the deliciousness of soup, all of these food blended to create an unique flavor that no place - no food can offer. All your senses would be awakened here. Your eyes would be bothered with so many interesting scenes, and your ears would be busy hearing the sound of a busy life...And at that time, I did not mind to think "oh, it turns out I'm ALONE in Bangkok", because at this time, my spirit was blended with the beauty of this country.

 

 

The huge Buddha statue in Ayutthaya

 

Ayutthaya, which is located about 70 km far from Bangkok, is the ancient kingdom of Thailand. I was alone at the Victory Square on Bangkok find a bus. I alone wandered throughout the Ayutthaya streets to find a bicycle rental. Then I roamed alone in the road of this ancient capital, wandering around the old-aged temples and pagodas here under the hot sunlight of a tropical summer noon.

 

It was probably one of the most exciting experiences in my life. Ayutthaya easily fascinates anyone for its ancient beauty among the urban place, for example, between the new road is the century-old temple. The definition of time and space suddenly was taken away because of the mixture between the past and present.

 

Each pagoda or temple brought me new experiences -Wat Mahatat with the Buddha statue under the tree,;or Wat Phra Si Sanphet as a vivid demonstration of the heyday of the ancient kingdom of Ayutthay;or Wat Lokaya Suttha with the huge Buddha statue. And so many other temples in this country which are so unique and unforgettable.

 

What made me a deep impression on Thailand was not the beauty, food, or shopping, but the Thai people. I had heard a lot about the friendly and lovely of the people here; but indeed, to meet them in reality, I was really impressed. The boss of the hostel I lived was so considerate; she showed me every corner where I could buy the cheapest things in Bangkok, or how to go to the Royal Palace by boat, or using aerial tram, and what to avoid and not to do in this city. And the boss of bicycle rental in Ayutthaya, who let me rent a bike for the whole day with only 30 baht (1 USD), but had given me so many things like postcards, photos, keychain, which I believed the prices for them were greater than 30 baht. The dealers in Chatuchak market, who were so innocent and naive than ever, always smiled with tourists although they only visited for watching or photography. They were always dedicated to help me try each item, select things but still smiling.

Maybe you can think they do it because of tourism. It might be true, but I understand that if their mind is not sincere, it would be a drama. But the Thai people that I met, they are simple, sincere from their eye, hand, action, and every word. They gave me the sense that no tourism place can do that - the feeling of absolute secure in my mind.

My first trip to Thailand ended with full repercussion and obsession. I set my own objective that I will come back to this place one time each year to explore the new places in this country, and to find my heart after months of hard work in the real life. To put it simply: I love Thailand.

The beauty of Thailand

 

A street in Thailand

 

A temple in Thailand

 

A Buddha face inside tree-trunk

 

Ancient Kindom Ayutthaya

 

Gold Buddha in the temple

- Anh Ngoc - 

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