3 Seats

---

Not surprisingly, my flight from MEL->BKK was not full, it’s easy to point to the reason why but it made my flight ever more comfortable with 3 whole seats to me, although I must admit, I didn’t sleep all too well…

But I can’t believe I’m back! As stupid as this sounds I had this huge feeling of emotion when I landed in BKK, you know that feeling just before you’re going to cry but you don’t? I had that. I love this place and by love I don’t mean luv, I mean LOVE, LOVE. The kind of love that when you talk about them, you get excited and goose bumps. The kind of love that you want to spend the rest of your life with them, ok so I don’t want to spend the rest of my life with Thailand but you get what I mean. Some of the best moments and treasured memories are from this place, the fact that I can come here and I know where my favourite restaurants are, my favourite shops and have the ability to direct my cab driver to my hostel.

It is important to note, that when people talk about that ‘wall’ it is SO true. That damn wall. It creeps up on you once you walk out of the airport. A first you’re like ‘this isn’t so bad, this heat is pretty good’ then BAM! It slaps you in the stomach and you’re instantly winded. It’s true! I was struggling to breath for a moment when I hit the wall. I think I’m adjusting to the weather now, slowly of course. Although I do wear the bare minimum without looking like some skimpy tourist. I saw some girl today wear a white shoe string singlet and a dark-pink lace bra and I wasn’t even really paying attention, she just kinda stood out like a red light.

My hostel is pretty good; I don’t really have high standards when it comes to accommodation. I’ve backpacked all around Europe and parts of South-east Asia and its good. Clean and the staff are friendly ad it located down an alley way with a massage place right next store and a great restaurant directly across, who could complain?

My first day in Bangkok I was shocked to discover that MBK doesn’t open till 10am!? Yes, I was up bright and early due to my inability to sleep in this ‘different’weather. So I had a choice to two American ‘super powers’, McDonalds or Starbucks. Oh, the decision! I ended up choosing starbucks as unlike McDonalds, which I do not eat, when it comes to fast foot I’m a hungry jacks (burger king) girl if it was a life or death situation. But starbucks make the best mango-passionfruit iced drink EVER. It’s so good and refreshing for the nice price 100baht. This is expensive in Thai standards when you can just go to the local lady and get an iced fruit drink for 20 baht but it was totally worth the ‘splurge’.

I then spent the day in MBK, which afraidly doesn’t interest me as much as it did when I was younger and Siam Paragon, to which I could have spent the whole day in ZARA. Damn sales. I did compromise and make one purchase in there, but I imagine I’ll be back… I also walked to Platinum which isn’t too far away and came across the only evidence of the recent political uprising at the ZEN/Central World shopping centers. Man have they trashed that place. And it’s not like they just got to the first few floors, you can see the damage 6 floors up. Crazy to think that not too long ago this place was borderline being considered a ‘war zone’. War zone maybe a bit too harsh but you get what I mean.

That night I caught up with one of my friends from my exchange here last year and he and a few of his friends went to RCA, to which I spent a lot of my time there last year and it was weird being there. Especially without my usually group of people but it was still as good as ever although like a lot of things in Bangkok, it was different. This place is constantly changing, it’s unbelievable.

I spent my second day, today; walking down to my old stomping grounds I guess you’d say…Talking to walk back to where I lived and checking it out. Once again, it was weird being back, it was still the same, aside from a few change. But it was different. It was like I know longer belonged there. A place I called home for such a time, just felt different. I guess time moves on and the people I shared it with probably made this more of a home for me. Oh nostalgia, why do you do this to me!! I then walked back to the Chao Phraya and caught the ferry over to Thamassat University and went to one of my favourite place next to the Amulet market for lunch.

I also finally made it to the reclining Buddha after a life time of not visiting it and being horribly sick last year when Kristina and Jesse went there. Being the complete stinge that I am I walked I all the way back to Khao San in the ridiculous heat but it was totally worth.

Now I am faced with an epic dilemma. What to eat for dinner!! Oh to the dilemma. I’ve already done curries and soups so it looks like its going to be noodles or salads or maybe something else. I let you know later what I decide!!
S.

---