My trip to Thailand involved me overcoming all my initial qualms about making friends and travelling with complete strangers though, as it turns out, I had nothing to worry about. I travelled with a specific gap year programme which aimed to incorporate all the cultural highlights of Thailand in a month-long tour, including volunteer work.
Our first stop was Bangkok, a place where I wanted to photograph every sight, yet was simultaneously terrified to get my camera out. The hustle and bustle, the smells and the sheer mass of stalls and people on Bangkok’s main road, the Kho San road, are unlike anywhere I have ever experienced. It is hard to know where to look as you are bombarded with colourful stalls of fake designer gear and, even more disturbingly, trays of cooked scorpions, and tourists stumbling around at all hours, misled by the strong cocktail buckets in the intense humidity. Travelling around in a tuk-tuk made coming back to England and actually having to stay in a vehicle, rather than dangling off the back, seem very mundane indeed.
As chaotic and hectic as the busy Bangkok roads are, the temples are astounding; the glittering buildings, with such intricate detailing, leave you captivated, contemplating how in a time of no machinery these magnificent buildings came to exist. The world-famous Grand Palace lived up to expectations – the sheer size of it is astonishing, not to mention the fact that it is draped in glittering gold. The peaceful and awe-inspiring atmosphere made it hard to believe that you are still in the chaotic city of Bangkok. Before entering, my friends and I participated in the beautiful tradition of blessing yourself before you go in, by dipping flowers in water and touching it to someone else’s head. We entered the room of the emerald Buddha, which was absolutely magical. The room’s preciousness was heightened by the photo-taking ban, making it less about commercialism and tourism but more focussed on prayer.
Our next stop was Kanchanaburi, a town to the North of Bangkok, along the famous River Kwai. Here, we spent a day marvelling at the Erawan national park featuring the most beautiful seven tiers of waterfalls which I was able to swim through – the closest I’ll ever be to my dreams of being a mermaid. Kanchanaburi was also home to my favourite temple – the ‘cave temple of the golden dragon’ – whose entrance was a dragon’s mouth, leading up a set of steep stairs illustrated with beautiful wall murals. At the top of the stairs (there were a lot!) was a temple set in a cave, where we were given incense and gold leaf for our meditation. There was something incredibly spiritual and rare about meditating in a cave – it was a truly special experience.
Kanchanaburi also included a moving visit to the war cemetery, a stroll across the renowned bridge over the River Kwai, and cooking lessons – I can make a mean pad thai. The history was really fascinating and though I had a vague idea about Thailand during the war it was incredible to see all the famous landmarks and learn more about their rich history.
Our next stop involved living in the rural village of Sangkhlaburi for a fortnight. It was here where I worked at a school teaching eight and nine year olds, an especially complicated mission when faced with the language barrier. It was an incredibly rewarding experience though; the children were so polite and I had the pleasure of working there on Valentine’s day when one of the Thai children made me an origami heart! Lesson planning was challenging but watching them learn was incomparable to anything. Whilst in Sangkhlaburi, we were also lucky enough to visit the Tiger Temple where we got up close and personal with tiger cubs.
Finally, we stayed in Koh Phagnan, the home of the infamous full moon party and idyllic beaches.
Though I was like millions of others flocking to Thailand to get smashed at a full moon party and get a token snap with an elephant, I was more interested in the culture and the prospect of exploring an entirely new country. I found that despite its reputation, Thailand was full of treasures, unperturbed by the commercialisation of the country.