Impressions of Thailand - 2006
June 1st/2021
When I was 16 year old, I had been fortunate enough as a teenager to have been able to see places which many people may never get the chance to visit. One of my favourite countries is Thailand which I was lucky enough to visit in March 2006, this blog was written shortly after I returned.
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My friend Ioana and I met up with my parents in the Bangkok airport during our March Break. We spent a week in the city of Bangkok, a few days in the north of the country in Chiang Mai and about five days at a beach resort called Phuket; known worldwide for white sand and amazing weather.
While in Bangkok, we were immediately exposed to the fantastic culture. The ‘sights, sounds and shopping’ as we call it, hit us immediately. During our first few days, we played tourist going to the many temples, museums, touring the city etc. Once the weekend rolled around, it was time for business. The Weekend Market in Bangkok is gigantic! My Mom did not move a block in the two days. There was everything from traditional Thai artifacts and merchandise to imported objects from Asia and surrounding, American knockoffs, and modern clothes, jewellery and so much more. As an addictive original-shopper, this was a piece of heaven!
The trip up to Chiang Mai was a rough one, after spending all day shopping at the market we rushed off to the train station to begin the long trek up north. We decided to take the overnight train which allowed us to see the amazing countryside, however the sleeping situation was not memorable.
Chiang Mai itself was amazing, a completely different climate than that of Bangkok; it was a welcome surprise to us when we disembarked from the train that we could actually breath, the difference between the air quality was noticeable from Bangkok !
During our time there, my parents spent the days visiting crafts-peoples workshops making orders and settling business deals. Meanwhile my friend and I were the lucky ones and had our own adventures. One day it was rafting, elephant riding, hill-tribe visiting, and food tasting; then the next day was mountain biking through the Chiang Mai national park down the façade of the mountainside towards the town.
However our time in Chiang Mai was too short; if I was to go back to Thailand again I would spend the majority of my time there.
Phuket was our next stop for some relaxation and serenity after many days of Bazaar merchandise scouting. We found the perfect hotel and had some of the most peaceful days. The only down side was Ioana and I got burned badly the first day and from that day forth had to be overly protective and careful.
All in all, the trip was fantastic! I completely fell in love with the culture, the people and the country for a second time and would return in a heart beat. If you ever get the chance, go to Thailand! It is breathtaking; the experience that you’re bound to have and the memories will last a lifetime!
