...closing my eyes tight, and holding on for dear life, I started to pray: "Lord, if you allow me to arrive at my hotel safe and sound, I promise that I will NEVER get on another one of these damn bikes again! Please Lord!! PLEEESE!!!" It seemed at though God was preoccupied with other, more serious concerns because no matter how much I begged and pleaded, my prayers seemed to fall upon deaf ears...I was too deeply engrossed in seeing my life flash in front of my eyes to realize that my prayers had been answered: the little motorbike had delivered me safe and sound to my hotel...THANK YOU LORD! Hands trembling like a drunk deprived of his cheap bottle of ripple and going through violent withdrawals, I slowly climbed off the little bike, thanked the driver, and staggered up to my room, fell into bed, and was instantly enveloped in a deep dark haze of blackness.Earlier that day...
Rising at 5:30 a.m. that morning, and quickly gobbling down breakfast, I met the tour guide at 6:30 a.m. in the hotel lobby. Since Bangkok traffic is among the worst in the world, we had to leave early enough to beat the rush hour traffic.Ayuthaya, the capital of Bangkok, is known for its beautiful pagodas, buddhist temples, and statutes. Meandering around the beautiful gardens and marveling at the temples, I felt a profound level of calmness and serenity. 
After a long and wonderfully tiring day spent exploring the pagodas of Ayuthaya, I decided to spend the evening hunting for Thai souvenirs at the Siam Night Market in Bangkok. After Mr. Toad's Wild ride back to the hotel that evening, I woke up refreshed and ready to experience as much as I could over the next 15 days.
Over years I'd been told by friends and strangers alike that I should visit Thailand when the opportunity presented itself. Perceiving the Land of Smiles as a place that catered mainly to Western men, I'd made up my mind that Thailand definitely would NOT be a place in which a single, middle-aged black woman would fit in.....boy, was I wrong!
I had a blast!! The people were friendly, the food was delicious, and there were tons of interesting and exciting places to see, as well as fun activities to partake in. Possessing an outgoing and bubbly personality, I would chat up the hotel staff regarding places to see and things to do. Afterwards, I would set out on my own - exploring unknown side streets, alleyways, and street markets in the Sukhumvit area. It was on one of my impromptu walking excursions through the local neighborhood, that I stumbled upon a restaurant that was off the beaten path, but was well known due to its interesting and unusual name! The odd name referring to the founder's belief that condoms should be as cheap as veggies; and no prizes for guessing what you'll get after dinner instead of an after-dinner mint. After checking the menu and finding the prices too rich for my taste, I opted to take these photos instead.
Each day held the promise of a brand new adventure: visiting the world famous Thai floating market early in the morning, and watching snake charmers capture leaping snakes with their bare hands and teeth in the late afternoon.
Pattaya: Coral Beach Island
After spending five days in Bangkok, enduring traffic jams and exhaust fumes, I decided to take and all day excursion down to Pattaya to enjoy the sea and do a bit of swimming. As the boat sailed from Pattaya over to the small island of Ko Lan (Coral Beach), I was asked by my tour guide if I was interested in parasailing. Terrified of high places, I initially declined. However, curiosity and a willingness to try something new, overrode my fears and I gave it a go. Once the boat took off and I became airborne, my initial fears dissipated and I had the most A-W-E-S-O-M-E experience!!!
Chang Mai
Finding the Thais to be very warm and approachable, I was able to make friends with both the hotel staff and strangers I encountered fairly easily. With my new found tour guides, I has a great time getting to know them and and visiting various places of interest (both in Bangkok and Chang Mai) from a locals point of view - not to mention saving money on the local transportation due to receiving the local fare rather than the overpriced rates charged to foreigners. Venturing into a local Chang Mai pub to shoot a game of pool, we encountered a family that was enjoying a very healthy, and definitely creepy looking appetizer as they enjoyed a game of pool. Now, I've always admired the petite frames of the majority of Thais; however, if having a small frame means eating high protein, low fat insects, I think that I'll pass!!!
After a long and wonderfully tiring day spent exploring the pagodas of Ayuthaya, I decided to spend the evening hunting for Thai souvenirs at the Siam Night Market in Bangkok. After Mr. Toad's Wild ride back to the hotel that evening, I woke up refreshed and ready to experience as much as I could over the next 15 days.Over years I'd been told by friends and strangers alike that I should visit Thailand when the opportunity presented itself. Perceiving the Land of Smiles as a place that catered mainly to Western men, I'd made up my mind that Thailand definitely would NOT be a place in which a single, middle-aged black woman would fit in.....boy, was I wrong!
I had a blast!! The people were friendly, the food was delicious, and there were tons of interesting and exciting places to see, as well as fun activities to partake in. Possessing an outgoing and bubbly personality, I would chat up the hotel staff regarding places to see and things to do. Afterwards, I would set out on my own - exploring unknown side streets, alleyways, and street markets in the Sukhumvit area. It was on one of my impromptu walking excursions through the local neighborhood, that I stumbled upon a restaurant that was off the beaten path, but was well known due to its interesting and unusual name! The odd name referring to the founder's belief that condoms should be as cheap as veggies; and no prizes for guessing what you'll get after dinner instead of an after-dinner mint. After checking the menu and finding the prices too rich for my taste, I opted to take these photos instead.
Each day held the promise of a brand new adventure: visiting the world famous Thai floating market early in the morning, and watching snake charmers capture leaping snakes with their bare hands and teeth in the late afternoon.
Pattaya: Coral Beach Island
After spending five days in Bangkok, enduring traffic jams and exhaust fumes, I decided to take and all day excursion down to Pattaya to enjoy the sea and do a bit of swimming. As the boat sailed from Pattaya over to the small island of Ko Lan (Coral Beach), I was asked by my tour guide if I was interested in parasailing. Terrified of high places, I initially declined. However, curiosity and a willingness to try something new, overrode my fears and I gave it a go. Once the boat took off and I became airborne, my initial fears dissipated and I had the most A-W-E-S-O-M-E experience!!!
Chang Mai
Finding the Thais to be very warm and approachable, I was able to make friends with both the hotel staff and strangers I encountered fairly easily. With my new found tour guides, I has a great time getting to know them and and visiting various places of interest (both in Bangkok and Chang Mai) from a locals point of view - not to mention saving money on the local transportation due to receiving the local fare rather than the overpriced rates charged to foreigners. Venturing into a local Chang Mai pub to shoot a game of pool, we encountered a family that was enjoying a very healthy, and definitely creepy looking appetizer as they enjoyed a game of pool. Now, I've always admired the petite frames of the majority of Thais; however, if having a small frame means eating high protein, low fat insects, I think that I'll pass!!!
A long time lover of mainstream Thai cuisine, I signed up for an all day cooking class in Chang Mai. Prior to beginning the lesson, we were taken to a local market to purchase fresh vegetables and spices. Amazed at myriad of different ingredients that were used to prepare even the simplest of meals, giving each delicacy a delicious - and extremely spicy flavor, I was quite proud of the results.
The Golden Triangle
Nearing the end of my days in Chang Mai, and not one to pass up a unique opportunity, I made a last minute decision to visit the Golden Triangle: The Thailand, Burma (Myanmar), and Laos boarders.
On the way to the triangle, we stopped at the Long Neck Hill Tribe village. The young girls in the photo were singing happily as I strolled up and snapped their photo.
In Laos I gave in to the persistent coaxing of a very persuasive Laotian shopkeeper to sample his snake whiskey - free of charge. I reluctantly took a sip and decided that - even though it tasted like regular whiskey, the idea of dead cobras, scorpions, and other varieties of snakes fermenting inside didn't sit very well with my stomach. Therefore, if I never have the opportunity to taste the stuff again, that would be mighty fine with me.
Hua Hin
As my final days in Thailand drew nearer, I looked forward to spending some time with the boss - yes, you read correctly - who is originally from New Zealand, but owns lovely vacation home in a little village located in the southern part of Thailand called, Hua Hin.
As my final days in Thailand drew nearer, I looked forward to spending some time with the boss - yes, you read correctly - who is originally from New Zealand, but owns lovely vacation home in a little village located in the southern part of Thailand called, Hua Hin.
You may recall at the beginning of my post, in which I swore I'd never get on another motorbike again.....well....I lied. Not only did I ride on one in Chang Mai (and enjoyed it!) I rode with my boss on her bike and enjoyed it even more! You see, the darn things were growing on me!! I enjoyed my time in Thailand and look forward to returning, once again, to the Land of Smiles.
2 comments:
Travel Diva, it's good to catch up on the rest of your Thai trip. Love the picture of the giant buddha.
Hey girl! Thanks. I am working on getting the rest of my blog updated as well. Stay tuned!
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