Thailand in one word?
Evil!
For me.
Why?
I left my normal path of traveling. Travelling beside the seasons, beside the already thousand of times travelled roads, beside the tracks and trails and destinations of the common.
Not in Thailand.
I was such a tourist. Packed and stacked with other Backpackers, their – and mine - incredible heavy luggages' in busses. Tourist busses of course. Here are no locals. Starring out the window. The tourists. Not the locals. They look in the window. Like animals in zoos and cages. I feel. We are. Just the other way around. We are squeezed in there and the air con? Broken. Of course. The newest Hollywood movie from last season? Playing in HD Fullscreen and tremendous volume. I bet even the passing locals are able to listen to the movie. Even with slpstream. We. The visitors? Packed and stacked behind the glass windows of the bus. In line. Orderly. Not much space to move. Thin air. But hey, the landscape is passing by at the window. Mostly at night. But hey, we see the land, we experience it's unique culture. A zoo on wheels, filled up with a crowd of party chasing, not behaving young people, who are 'having their life time'.
Well, at least that's happening, if you go into a local travel agency and book a ride to one of the major Thailand and Backpacker destinations ... and that's for the far north Chang Mai, Rai and Pai as well as all the snorkel and diving paradises in the whole south end of the peninsula. Apart from Chang Rai, I can cross off all the other spots on T H E Thai list and therefore I also can cross off the 'unique thai zoo bus experience' from my bucket list ... if I would have one.
I was such a tourist.
No journey without a travel agency and a booked ticket to the next destination. No journey without a place to sleep at the new place. What a tourist. What a spoiled rotten backpacker. Oh guys, I can even better! The trips to the two ancient sites? Travel deluxe! VIP Special, with cookies, air con and space for legs, body and self.
T O U R I S T
Did I had my life time? Well, I had for sure a life time of thirty days in Thailand and I saw a lot from the countries diversity, got overwhelmed, saw even more cultural important places and sites, got an exquisite taste of the thai cousin and at least five kg on my ribs ... more to carry ... mindbubbling ... next to my way too heavy backpack. I can't mention this fact often enough. ... and honestly I wonder since how many countries and month I am already going on about this running gag. Funny is, by the way, that the content of my backpack is ever changing and never the same, but never less. ... Once ... Once upon a time ... I travelled with a tiny bag, a towel and some memories. But that's a different country, a different story and out of another life time. There I was so differently ... happy. ... end of mindbubbling ...
Well, here in Thailand I had thirty touristy days of thai exploration, action and impressions. Some moments stay. Some moments go. I've made my own Thailand experience and it was nice. Still. Even with all the tourist beaten track stuff. I had a good time and will think back to some special souls along the way, fabulous ancient scenery, incredible food (eat!) sins and fun. Another experience. One under the many, Let it happen. Going with the flowing.
Thailand.
Thailand was different to all my former experience in the other asian countires I've been to so far. Never left properly the tourist path. Never met properly 'real Thailand. Never been 'out' there in the wild and unknown. Thailand was comfort zone. Naa, Thailand was special. Like every other country and place I've been to. Special in and for themselve. Special in the memories we have and make with them. Yeah. thailand was special. I had my heart warming thai moments ... and a massage.