The land of smiles- Thailand!

Thailand...I think hearing the name of this country will always make me smile. There is something about the country that is innately happy, positive and good natured. I had so many wonderful moments on my short trip there and here are the contenders for the top spot.

•  Colour: I love love love (I can say it a few more times) the colours in the country. The pink, orange and green cabs. The aquamarine, pink and turquoise uniforms and planes of the country's airlines. Such a treat to the eyes to see the generous splash of colour in the landscape.

• Thai people; warm, effervescent, friendly, ever smiling and always ready to share a story. Despite their minimum comfort with English. I would have been stuck on Koh Tao if not for the incredible kindness of a lovely Thai lady who pulled many strings to get me on a ship out of there. One of those rare times when I was truly touched by a stranger.

• Doggy love in Thailand; every establishment whether it is a restaurant, hotel, bike rental store, massage place or beach shack is never without a dog or two or nine (All Seasons restaurant in Koh Tao) There are dogs on bikes, in cars, skipping around behind their owners, always welcome to join the fun!

Culinary delights

• Thai cusine; the gorgeous fresh produce and the wonderful aromas of their spices. I was amazed by the crisp freshness and the pure unadulterated flavours of the fruits and veggies. The Massaman curry and the Som Tum are my new best friends. I just couldn't have enough of their delicacies.

Living on the Chao Phraya

• The Chao Phraya, the life blood of Bangkok, throbbing through the city giving life to the people who live on the banks and to those who live on the river. It was easy to understand the lure of this feisty lady and it was visible in the beautiful settlements built on the water.

Wat Arun

• Wat Arun- Temple of Dawn, Bangkok; I had heard many wonderful things about this temple and had seen some lovely pictures, but nothing prepares you for the sheer massiveness of this structure. Intricate carvings, breath taking views of the city and a sense of peace. A must visit in my opinion.

• Pak khlong Talat; the bustling flower market in Bangkok. I was blown away by the colours, fragrances and sounds of this place. Fresh flowers of a mind boggling variety systematically arranged, displayed and then transported. I will never find words adequate to describe the beauty. 

Riot of Colours

• Thai massages; I speak here of the innocent variety of massages ;). Wonderfully relaxing and stimulating.  Its a well orchestrated symphony of movements on various parts of your body. Especially delightful after a long day of scuba diving.

 

• Evenings in Koh Samui- The streets come alive with music, food, shopping, cabaret, massages. Its has a young, energetic vibe and appears to be waiting for a cue to burst into song and dance

Sandra (our diving instructor) and me after a dive

• New Way Diving- Koh Tao; One of the happiest bunch of people I have met. From different countries, speak different languages, have different back grounds; all brought together by the love of the under water world and a desire to share the joy. We had the best time with Sandra, Anne, Eric and Max. Could not have chosen a better place to get our first Scuba Diving Certification.

Certified open water divers!! :)

Thailand, her people and culture will always remain dear to me and have made my wander lust deeper and stronger! Khwapkhunka Thailand!

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First times!

The other day, while we groaned about an unexpected power cut on a summer evening, my neighbour's toddler came running in to our house to show us the glow in the dark owl on her new t-shirt! She was so excited about the power cut, to her it was a pleasant surprise. This got me thinking about perspectives, and being happy about small things along with first time experiences.

Much as I love my routine, I derive a huge rush from first time experiences. And there is nothing quite like taking a trip to a new exotic land to get myself these in abundance. Work took me to Nagara Brunei Darussalam (yes, my job has wonderful perks) and I then extended this trip to a weekend in Tioman Island , Malaysia. Short as it was, it is one of my favourite trips yet and given below are the many firsts that I experienced on this work trip/vacation

•  Getting my passport stamped for a country I never imagined I would go to. Nagara Brunei   Darussalam. I love saying it!

•  Having someone receive me at the airport with my name on a placard. I had this small surge of excitement when I saw the company driver standing at the airport exit. (Yeah, yeah! Small things make me happy)

 

• Being in a country where I saw no lack of anything. Everyone seemed to have enough to lead a comfortable life. Was quite a shock from living in India all my life.

• Being a part of the ex-pat experience in a country with prohibition. Guzzling beer at the yacht club in Bandar Seri Begawan, that we had to bring in our own coolers.
  

• Meeting two wonderful feisty Chinese women, who changed my entire perspective of the Chinese. Adventurous, gregarious, fearless and so spunky. Made some good friends for life. 

• Taking a two hour speed boat  ride alone, into a water village then on to a mangrove. Just the boatman, the boat, the proboscis monkeys and me. I struggled to let go of the fear nagging me at the pit of my stomach, I am sad I couldn't be spotlessly  happy, but I am so glad I didn't let fear stop me from doing it.
  

• Eating chicken bottom kebabs. Yes, that's right! Grilled chicken buttocks. Disgusting!

• White sands and brilliant blue water. Tioman Island, you are a beauty! SO much better than watching Travel and Living. 

 

 

• Scuba diving! It was a huge challenge for me to work against my instincts. Use my mouth to breathe instead of my nose. But once I took that reverse flip into the water, I was one with the ocean. Nothing like I have experienced before!

• Spotting a shark. I am told, this is not a very frequent sighting, and I was one of the lucky first timers.

• Having a secret once in a life time experience!

 Brunei wowed me with its man-made grandeur while the pristine natural beauty of Tioman stole my heart. It was a trip that made so many dreams of the child in me come true and it re-emphasised to the grown up me the importance of travel in my life!