24 hours in...

Breathtaking is the only adjective I can think of, to describe the sunrise I witnessed, as I was flying into Bangkok. We flew from daylight into darkness, and back to daylight again. It was spectacular. Above an expansive sea of clouds, the sun was giving off this beautiful, orange light; it was a more intense shade than I had ever seen.

Everyone on the flight was getting really edgy, myself included. Hardly surprising after 10 hours in the air. When the time came for us to make our descent and we got the instruction to open the blinds over the windows, the sun rise, in all it's beauty, injected a new lease of life into the exhausted passengers. There was a collective sigh of relief as we knew this long journey was nearing its end.

Thailand, the land of a thousand smiles. My first impression of the people was the complete opposite of that sentiment. Perhaps that was something to do with the unearthly hour that we arrived at, but the people I first encountered were far from smiling.

It was only about 7a.m. and after passing through the visa check point, I made my way to the train so I could get to my hotel. The heat at that hour was already overwhelming, especially as I was wearing a pair of jeans and a hoody. Luckily, the train journey was only 20 minutes and my hotel was another minute walk. However, I didn't get to my hotel for another 20 minutes, as I had to cross the road at the busiest junction I have ever seen. It was absolutely crazy - there was no traffic lights and the traffic was coming from four directions, non stop. It was a traffic free for all, and I was in the middle of it, tired and confused.

It worked out well in the end, glad to report. Watching a few locals, I realised that the drivers are courteous, and if you walk out, they will stop and let you pass. That said, it'd be wise to watch how the natives do it, a few times, before taking your life in your hands in such a way!

The expression "anything goes" took on a whole new meaning for me, as I strolled around Bangkok for the first time. Walking down lane ways wide enough for two people, and next thing you're being beeped at, to get out of the way, so a local can whizz past you on a moped. Some of these mopeds may have 3 or 4 people on them, and believe it or not, they could also have the family pet. They'd be doing well if they had a helmet between the lot of them! Bizarre, to say the least. Being honest, that description is pretty mild compared to some of the other stuff I saw; more sinister things, that I will save for another post.

Behind the main streets, there is a really extensive network of lanes throughout Bangkok, that give a real glimpse into the lives of the city's dwellers. Many of them have stalls, selling food, at the front of their homes and you can see the families going about their home life as you walk idly by. For me, it was along these paths that Thailand redeemed itself as the land of a thousand smiles.The people were very friendly and you could tell from the glint in their eyes, that their smiles were genuine.