Blisters in Bangkok

So, I arrived in Bangkok last night after a nine hour flight from Sydney. I was hoping to get some sleep on the flight but I only managed less than an hour.

I was almost disappointed as the plane was circling the city prior to landing. The night lights gave the impression of an orderly geometric city, certainly not the image of Bangkok that I had in mind. But, as usual, looks were deceiving. Bangkok at ground-level is a bit chaotic with streets running in every direction and above one another. A lot of concrete. A lot of smog. Not very pleasing to the eye but, as I am discovering quickly, lovable just the same.

After an uncomfortable sleep on what felt like a concrete bed, I awoke to the sound of motorbikes and roosters. I had breakfast at a street market (not sure what I ate but it was cheap and tasty!) and decided to head into the centre of the city, which was a challenging and exhausting feat. There I explored several of the sites by tuk-tuk: Lucky Buddha, Big Buddha, Black Buddha and many other Buddhas. Wat Pho, the home of the famous reclining Buddha, was closed until the afternoon so I thought it best to visit it some other time. Afterwards I took a stroll down the infamous Khao San Road, which I had first heard about in The Beach. A street filled with too many backpackers, conterfeit goods and 7/11s, it reminded me of Itawaen in Seoul and Jalan Legian in Kuta... alright to visit but not for any length of time.

I ran into a crazy old Thai dude who offered to take me to the Siam Square by motorbike and he was way too cute to refuse. So, on the back of his bike I hopped and within an instant we were dodging traffic, travelling at unimaginable speeds. A few times I had to bring my elbows close my body to avoid knocking them as we squeezed our way between other vehicles. Almost had a heartache!! Don't worry Mum and Dad, I was wearing a helmet!

A skytrain ride and an excruciating long walk later, I am now back at the guesthouse with aching blistered feet and a rotten headache. I think I'll go lie down and read for a while now to rest my poor body.