A Look Back at Thailand

New Zealand was awesome and Australia...was whatever it was. A hodgepodge of good and bad. But when you get down to it, both of them were easy. Everyone speaks English in those countries, they mostly eat the same food (albeit less quality versions), and they all basically look like me. When the biggest consideration you have to make to adjust is "what kind of coffee should I get?" you know you aren't dealing with a place that is monumentally opposed to your current locale.

Perhaps that is why I liked Thailand so much more than both of those aforementioned countries. I think there is a big part of me that can only be sated by adventure, and even with all of the bungie jumping and swimming with dolphins and enormous spiders and 3 minute monsoons you can possibly handle, neither of those countries felt different enough to be a real adventure.

Now Thailand, with it being my first foray into Asia, the first country on my trip that did not speak English as their primary language, and the first place I have been that could be called a third world country (besides Cleveland, perhaps), was an adventure.

From day one with a huge water fight and $5 beer buffets in Chiang Mai to the last day with street food, mega malls and 14,000 degree heat in Bangkok, this place felt vibrant and engaging for every second of every day. It definitely felt different. It wasn't a perfect country, but in a lot of ways, those imperfections made it all the more charming. Let's talk about the things that made a major impact below.

Best Place: Chiang Mai

As much a major city in an Asian country can feel like home for a 27 year old white Alaskan traveler, Chiang Mai did that. I would walk the streets and see people I knew and that knew me. I would know how to get around and feel comfortable doing so. I felt like I belonged. It was wonderful.

The city itself has enough to do to cover 30 more trips, and I will definitely return again someday. If only to participate in the Songkran Festival again.

Best Event: Songkran Festival

An all encompassing water fight lasting multiple days that features both locals and tourists having the time of their lives together?! How does this not sound amazing to everyone? I had an absurdly good time throughout, but I have to say, come day 5 I was totally ready to not be wet.

Most Easy to Ignore and Oddly Charming Imperfection: The Smell of Trash

When I first arrived I noticed it, but within an hour the omnipresent smell of trash faded from my mind. By the time I got to a place that didn't smell like trash, it felt like something was missing. It never bothered me and it came to be a domineering characteristic of the place...but I am super glad to be gone from it.

Most Difficult to Ignore and Oddly Charming Imperfection: Prostitutes in Koh Samui

I think the only thing that outnumbered prostitutes in Koh Samui (the beach resort island I visited) were the hysterically awkward white, lonely, boorish and often unattractive men that were there specifically for the purpose of creating an economically favorable business transaction with them.

Riding around on my motorbike in Samui, genuinely uninterested in any sort of deal we could work out, I got used to their highly entertaining catcalls as I drove by them. It became my favorite reason to head into town.

Here is my favorite incident: unlike the assuredly comatose standard patrons they receive, I actually had goals and aspirations before 3 pm. One day in fact I got up specifically to catch the sunrise from the beach (hint: it was beautiful). On the way, I turned onto the beach street and had my neck craned to keep an eye on oncoming traffic. It also happened to be pointing at the very interested squadron of prostitutes who were parked on motorbikes near by. Not the type to let an opportunity pass (even at 6 am), one pursued on her bike.

"Yoohoo! Yoo-hoo!"

Oh god. I have a tail!

"Yoohoo! You want to have some fun?"

She pulls up next to me at a 4 way stop, as I say "I'm just here for the sunrise."

It is, in fact, not a she. Well, it sort of is. It was a lady boy, and am fairly certain she would love me long time if given half a chance.

Cue me peeling out.

Biggest Life Goal Achievement: Motorbike!

This barely qualifies as a life goal in some minds I'm sure, but I have always wanted to ride a motorbike (preferably a Vespa). Specifically, in Italy or in Hawaii, but I was open to other options. And if I ignored the catcalls and smells of trash, Samui could easily have been Hawaii.

So for 3 days, I rode around an amazing motorbike and generally had a blast doing so. I had considered doing so while in Chiang Mai, but the prospect of getting a face full of water while driving was scary enough to pass. In Samui, I took it around the whole island, going from a scared and excited neophyte at the beginning to a savvy veteran in the period of...well, about half an hour. They are super easy to drive. But it was everything I thought it could be and more.

Best Thailand Benefit for All of You: Siam Rice Thai Cookery School

I did a one day cooking class in Chiang Mai and learned how to cook all kinds of amazing dishes AND picked up a recipe book. The class was a ton of fun, the instructor Nancy was incredible, and I made some delicious food - namely the spring rolls. And when I get back, I will cook for all of you.

Hottest Place Ever: Bangkok

I only spent a day in Bangkok, but it was a day spent genuinely thinking I was going to pass out at any given moment. Like, right there on the spot. Granted, because I wanted to see temples there, I wore pants and a button up (they have a dress code), so the temperature was skewed. But let me do some math for you.

100+ degrees Fahrenheit + 100% humidity x 15 million people x tight, narrow streets and packed trains = holy lord why does it feel like it is a billion degrees here?!

Most Bizarre and Awesome Shopping Find: Royal Tenenbaums shirt

I hate shopping. It is a fact. But in Bangkok, I was in pursuit of air conditioning and their malls had that in spades. So I spent a good portion of my day in Bangkok in Siam Paragon, a place that will go on record as the biggest mall I have ever been. Or at least the most impressive.

The center of the "mall" (shopping city would likely be a more apt title) was a "department store," and having come from the world of Wal Mart, I expected crap.

What's that? Your department store is 5 stories tall and only features the most highly regarded and fashionable brands at discounted rates, including about 1.7 million brands I have never heard of? And they are all smashed together in an ADD sort of way that makes shopping even interesting to me? Wow. Nice work.

In the process, I came by a shop that had two Wes Andersen themed shirts. For those that know me, you know I love Wes Andersen. Rushmore is my favorite movie ever, and it is by a good margin. Anyways, so the two shirts were a strangely cool Life Aquatic shirt (strange in that I like it even though I hate that movie and cool in that it is a shirt featuring Bill Murray) and the one I bought - a Royal Tenenbaums shirt that is a profile shot of Luke Wilson's Richie from the film, beard, and sweat band and all. Written over it is his line "Are we still friends?" in all caps. Amazing and $30 and mine! Didn't expect that in Thailand.

Best Feature Overall: The Thai People

Some of the nicest, friendliest, happiest and most genuine people you can ever meet. I never felt less than safe, welcome and happy amongst them. Just a remarkably good people.

Most Unfortunate...Anything: Gnarly Sunburn in Samui

Even with tons of sunscreen, I managed to get hellaciously sunburned in Samui. I mean full out blisters and everything sunburn, to the point I couldn't even wear my backpack around. I couldn't sleep for multiple days more than an hour at a time. It was wretched and is just now clearing up, 4 days into Japan.

Most Surprising Disappointment: The Food

While it was universally cheap, I had a hard time finding really goof food. Some spots were amazing, but for the most part the food was inconsistent. Interestingly enough, I think the best food I had was one night having Mexican (Thailand has crazy good Mexican food! Who knew?!) or the food I cooked myself at the cooking class. It easily could have just been me not finding the right spots, but I would be lying if I didn't say the food was a disappointment.

Best Thing EVER (Especially after Australia): How much it cost!

Oh my god, Thailand is so inexpensive in comparison to Australia. Instead of having to downgrade my hostel from a 6 bed dorm to a 10 bed dorm like usual, I was able to upgrade to rooms with king size beds, my own bathroom, TV's with DVD collections and satellite TV and all kinds of creature comforts I'd grown to completely forget existed. It was marvelous. All of that for about 2/3 the cost of most dorm beds I was getting in Australia.

In 10 days in Thailand, I spent probably 1/5 the money I spent in Australia in 14 days living MUCH better. And to be fair, it was probably more like 1/7. I'd have to crunch the numbers. No less, the cost was amazing for my increasingly stressed bank account (have I mentioned Australia was expensive yet?).

So that is it for the wrap up. I have to say, Thailand is a strong contender for "best place I have ever been" along with France. We will see how it ranks once I'm done, but it is truly an amazing place. Go there people!