Hello Asia | Adventures start in Bangkok...

Sawadee ka!

I have been terrible at blogging recently, actually this is an understatement because the last time I blogged I was still in Melbourne, working hard, trying Pilates, loving Yoga and gyming lots.

A lot has changed since then, including a longer than planned road trip around New Zealand, an unexpected holiday to Sydney for Christmas and now I sit here on the top bunk of Backpacker Heaven hostel in Cambodia at the start of our next adventure.

I won't go into all the details, so I'll jump in at the start of Asia and we'll go from there...

After our amazing 6 weeks in New Zealand, we decided to ditch Bali due to lack of time and head straight for Thailand. The main Asian destinations on this long 'journey home' will be, or we're hoping will be, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and India.

So first stop Bangkok...

Where to go? What to see? And what to eat?

Before we left Oz we booked the Matchbox Hostel on Sukhumvit Soi 33. We wanted to have at least our first couple of nights booked so we wouldn't be wandering aimlessly around the smoggy streets of Bangkok at midnight looking for a place to sleep, as fun as that does sound. 

Why Sukhumvit?

This was an area I had previously visited so I knew I liked it but also it's an area that's recommended as being a bit safer. Plus its a great location for access to the BTS Skytrain, just a few minutes walk away from the hostel and near to the 'happening' stops like Nana and Siam.

The Matchbox Hostel...

A cute hostel, it was perfect for us, being cheaper than a hotel, with dorm style beds/bunks but double option and with extra privacy that normal bunks don't offer - basically a box but with a curtain, bedside lights and a safety box, hence you're own little private 'matchbox'. Oh and lovely amazing air-con - such a relief when the humidity is above 75% most days! Small but perfect as a base to explore the city. I would recommend this hostel to sole travellers too, as the privacy aspect was a great touch. The facilities were great too, good showers, clean hostel, cute kitchen and rooftop area and small changing rooms with hairdryers - an added bonus.

If you're into your yoga, their rooftop although hot was a nice quiet spot in the morning for a session. If you're into Hot Yoga, you'll like it even more... It's quite difficult at times during travel to maintain your fitness but we shall do our best to find quiet little spots like this. 

Where to go? / What to see?

We hadn't planned much so actually the thought of exploring Bangkok was a little overwhelming at first. So we did the mega-touristy thing and booked a walking tour. Above budget but we knew this would be just what we needed to get back into the travelling/backpacking way of life and also to get to know the city a little and give us the confidence to explore more ourselves. Plus it forced us to get out and learn the BTS Skytrain system so we could actually meet our guide on time the next morning. 

We did the 'Bucket List' tour with Bangkok Walking Adventures, and we turned out to be the only ones booked so it was a private tour for us! 8:30am to 12pm, although ours ran over about 45 minutes. We had a great tour guide Noi, and loved the boatride to see the Temple of Dawn, where we were blessed by a monk, and enjoyed the temple's calm and quietness before all the other tourists arrived.

Our tour also took us to the Grand Palace, Reclining Buddha and the Emerald Buddha (a lot smaller than you'd expect although I'm not sure why I expected more). After the tour we decided to continue exploring the area by the river, so we continued walking...and walking and walking! To the flower market, down some really quirky streets, one which seemed to be home or graveyard to an entire city worth of old rusty engines, destined for a lifetime of rain and shine.

Walking around Bangkok is definelty one of the best things to do, it's the only way to really 'see' it in all it's glory and craziness. 

FREE shuttle boat to Asiatique!

Yes FREE and its on the river, a great chance for a free boat ride and a visit to the night market at the newest tourist destination, Asiatique, apparently built by some rich guy seeking even more money, this area is hugely touristy but great for those who love shopping, finding quirky souvenirs and dining; with lots of restaurants to choose from, not to mention the 'Bangkok Eye' as nicknamed by tour guide Noi. A fun ferris-wheel to ride and enjoy the Bangkok skyline. 

Speaking of the skyline...

If you fancy a good view and you're on a budget, try a visit to Above 11 bar & restaurant on Soi 11. That's after you've frequented Cheap Charlies - a Bangkok institution for all tourists and a cheap street bar oozing with character. Meanwhile, back at Above 11, even if you buy just one drink, the views are great and its a a nice excuse to dress up a little. Bare in mind they do have a strict dress code so no flip flips, boys no shorts or vests. Go smart and play it safe to save you a hassle. 

What to eat in Bangkok?

Anything and everything! There is food everywhere, so no need to worry about starving in Bangkok. Street food is tasty and generally around the $1 - $2 dollar mark.
Restaurants are good too but can be sneaky with their added gst and service charges which suddenly appear on the bill. One place we did find good grub though, recommended by a local, was at Foodland on Soi 16 (Sukhumvit) it's a 24 hour diner-style restaurant that serves Thai and Western grub and it is attached to a supermarket, places you don't often come across all that often, unless you call Seven-11 a supermarket, then in that case there's one on EVERY corner. As well as Starbucks, those famous golden archways and even Dunkin Donuts of all places. (No authentic Thai food sold in there I'm afraid). 

The Golden Mountain

Another great experience is the canal/river ride to the Golden Mountain, located in the Siam area. The boats are fast, foolish and impatient - actually a bit like most tuk tuks and motos. Despite not being hugely impressed by the Golden Mountain, especially after seeing the other fantastic temples - plus it was a truly hot, humid day. We did enjoy the boat trip and wandering from the temple to Chinatown, before enjoying our first tuk tuk experience back to Siam. A must-do but bloody terrifying and a little too speedy for my liking. 

When in Rome...

Muay Thai is one of the biggest sports in Thailand and for that reason my boyfriend just had to get us tickets. After some doubt and worry that I was going to go watch 12 year olds getting beaten up, I agreed we should go for the true 'Thai experience'. And actually, it was a great evening. Ok, watching guys fight, a few even being knocked out cold, wasn't enjoyable as such but it wasn't as horrifying as I had expected and Tom did remind me that they do choose to be there. The stadium was dark, industrial and concrete, which just added to the experience. We felt like we were in a dark and dirty boxing movie, like Southpaw, except Jake Gyllenhaal didn't walk in (unfortunately). There was however, one fighter from Switzerland who beat his Thai opponent, so well done old chap! 

So that is a bit of our Bangkok experience, a quick overview and apologies that it doesn't include all the details of our first stop in Asia, but there are at least a few of the best bits. Any questions, please don't hesitate to send me a comment!

Next up... our night on Koh Chang and a visit to Trat.