It has been five years since I was last out of the country. So I guess the interval and anticipation of culture shock have intensified my anxiety of traveling. Luckily, I still had that overwhelming excitement to immerse myself in a different culture after so long.
There is one important thing that going out of the country again has made me realize. I can never be a solo backpacker. As alpha female as I may look (or posed myself to look), I unfortunately possess symptoms of a person battling anxiety. So being left alone in a country full of crooks with barely a handful of people who can speak straight English is not exactly a dream for me. I can never Eat Pray Love myself to emancipation as going off the grid alone would surely drive me insane. Which is why I'm thankful for the equally adventurous family I have.
This trip actually got off on the wrong foot. To begin with, the plane ride to Bangkok was the longest 3.5 hours of my life. I had to steady my breath for the long hours that the plane braved turbulence. Getting to the lavatory felt so much like walking down the isle while trying to find a seat on a speeding bus. I've been on a plane more times than my fingers can count, but that was just the worst turbulence I've experienced. It doesn't help that airplanes are no longer as fun as when I was younger and didn't understand news about missing planes. That particular day was the only time I felt like plummeting to the ocean was likely going to happen to me. Thankfully, statistics proved me wrong. Commercial planes are the safest form of travel after all.
Before the above photo was taken, another sad thing happened because my dad wasn't able to board the plane. To cut the story short, he had to settle so many things and catch another flight so he could be with us. Luckily he did and arrived the day after or else I would be OIC because my mom can't even go to a public restroom on her own (she's timid like that).
This trip to Bangkok was far too different from the other times I've left the Philippines. In truth, I've never been out of Southeast Asia. When you visit neighbor countries, it shouldn't feel so much as if you're in an entirely different place. Asian countries have a lot of similarities, but if there is one place that's almost exactly like Manila, it would be no other than Bangkok. It could be an extension of Manila (or conversely) where they speak a different language and drivers are on the right hand side but everything else is the same. Infrastructure, grimy streets, murky rivers, lethal noontime weather, Divisoria-looking center (or a glorified version of), horrible traffic, and most of all... hospitable locals who turn into crooks when it comes to money matters. Mind you, we only rode a cab twice and both times we have been cheated because we were tourists. See? So much like Manila. And I forgot to add that the people look exactly the same! I couldn't tell local Thai from Filipino tourist until I hear them speak. Realizing on the first day that Bangkok looks so much like Manila instantly wore me out. I had this gut-wrenching longing to come home and wrap myself in Ced's grizzly bear arms. Nothing makes me homesick than a place that looks like home but doesn't feel like home.
But I gradually came back to my feeling cultured senses and realized I was there for a vacation. Aside from shopping malls, we visited those places that differentiate Bangkok from any other city in the world. Since Bangkok is generally a Buddhist country (with at least 70% of the population practicing Buddhism), we visited the three most popular temples within the vicinity.
Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn)
Wat In (The Standing Buddha)
And the most beautiful and frequented temple, Wat Pho (The Sleeping Buddha).
I also wore their national costume. How does it look on me? :))
On our fourth and last day, we decided to go to the outskirts of the city and so we toured Damnoen Saduak.
I felt so bad for these working elephants that I didn't even bother to ride one. In fairness, these gentle giants were great actors. We watched the elephant show and they made the audience erupt in laughter. I would contemplate taking one home if it were plausible.
The Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is a tourist trap. Bangkok is known for cheap clothing and food. As in you can get a really pretty dress (Forever 21 quality) for just 150 baht (Php 200). In the floating market, they sell the same stuff for 3x the price. But overall, it was quite an experience. We really enjoyed the boat ride.
Here are some other photos that show Bangkok and Manila are identical twins.
The MRT
The tiangges.
The street food! But I have to admit, they have incredible street food. So much better than Manila's.
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Bangkok might have made me homesick but it also left me with post-travel blues as soon as we landed back home. It took me three days to readjust and function at work. I actually miss the place. Especially, the shopping part.
Yep, definitely the shopping part.
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