Bustling Bangkok

I think I know the secret to near-eternal life.

Move to Bangkok, Thailand.

Why? Because here, time feels as though it passes impossibly slowly. How has it only been 48 hours since Mom and I arrived at our hotel? How has it only been two days?! It’s hard to wrap my brain around and yet, it’s true. 

The reason, I think, that each day seems so long is because every moment is full with almost more than one can comprehend. The city is a constant sensory assault: the smell of frying meat, the sun beating down through humid air, the brush of 8.3 million people passing you on the sidewalk, the rush of uncountable motorcycles zooming by inches from barreling over you (and you get the impression they would not stop), the humming medley of rapid-fire Thai and honking horns…it does not seem to end. My mom described it as an entire city of Times Square. Fewer billboards, maybe, but much the same frenzy.

And yet, I love it here. As exhausting as it has been, as overwhelming as each moment feels, it’s a rushing, vibrant magic that promises something brand new and alluring around every single corner. There are orange-robed monks that wander among temples hundreds of years old, sandwiched between Starbucks and skyscrapers. There are stalls selling fruits I’ve never seen before and so many bubble tea stands I think my insides are turning into tapioca ball blood vessels running through milk tea-filled veins.

And there are moments of quiet, too. Places where the Times Square-ness fades away. Alleyways with stray cats curled up under flowering vines, a shimmering golden-domed shrine peaking out from behind a business complex. Pauses long enough for thankful breaths when the tuk-tuks and cars cease for a second and you can cross the street. Seven minutes into a river boat ride when you reach a popular station and suddenly the boat clears and you can find a seat, sit, and let the breeze from the waterway cool your forehead. 

Through it all, there is balance. This is a city of people who are not anxious, not pushing and struggling against the bustle of their home. The queues for the metro are unbelievably orderly and calm, there is rarely jostling on the crowded sidewalks, and street vendors often don’t say anything to you until you’ve already expressed interest in their goods. And although I’m always conscious of how white and Not Thai I am, I’ve never noticed a judgmental stare or felt looked down upon for being foreign. 

We have one and a half more days in Bangkok, but already I know when I leave with only three full days in this city under my belt it will feel as though I’ve been experiencing it for weeks. There is so much to see and do and we have been filling every second – you can’t help it.

Thanks for following along and I’m sure I’ll bring you more soon.

In love and adventure,

E