Our first days in Thailand

I love the friendly, smiling people and the beautiful green lushness of the trees and grass. I love the mouthwatering aromas of the equally delicious food, and I love the little ladies in the wide brimmed straw hats selling freshly sliced mangoes from their tiny carts. I even love the cold showers. I am as happy as a clam nestled in the sand of a white beach. Goodbye India….HELLO Thailand!

Khao San Road - welcome to Thailand

Khao San Road

Arrival in Bangkok

Of course, this is only our first days in Bangkok, and my first glimpse of Thailand. However, it can only get better when leaving the big city behind. Our arrival in Bangkok airport was simple, and we easily caught a bus outside of the terminal bound for Khao San Road.

We are staying on Khao San Road, the epicenter of the touristy industry. Bright lights, thumping music and internet cafes are everywhere – – similar to the crowded throngs on South Beach, Miami. I know, I know – India had masses of people, right? Well, everything just seems cleaner here….and there is a 7-11 next door for my sweets snack in the evening where I don’t have to barter to get a good price.

Gecko House Guesthouse

Our little bungalow that we are calling ‘home’ right now is tucked away from the action on a lazy side street and is called the Gecko House. Right across the street is a wonderful little cafe where we can buy rice with fresh pineapple and tofu for 30 B. Did I mention that I love it here?

Even Better

I even found coffee….(yes, friends…COFFEE). Not Nescafe either. It was actual dark roasted, deeply blended, rich brew mixed with just the perfect amount of cream and sugar. AND…it was served in a plastic bag with a straw.

Sweet Gecko House on Khao San Road

Sweet Gecko House on Khao San Road

As we are waiting for our Laos visa to be processed, we are going to escape from the crowds for a couple of days and head to Kanchanaburi, a short 2 hour train ride away. A couple days of explore caves and jumping off of a seven story waterfall into refreshing little pools of water below. Don’t worry dear parents—we won’t jump off the top tier — perhaps just a few stories high. After picking up our visas, we will head north to Chiang Mai and visit an elephant sanctuary, go white water rafting, trek into the hills to see some native tribes, go horse back riding in the mountains, and whatever else we come across. Thailand, here we come!