My time in Bangkok is coming to an end. My time in Thailand, in general, is coming to a close and because of that, I wanted to look back and reflect on this past month.
First off, Bangkok has been a blast for a number of reasons. There is so much to see here that is new, old, high end, and lower on the rung. There is such a huge mix of it all, it can be a little overwhelming at times. Bangkok has a very special feel that is quite unique to this city and very much unlike anywhere I have ever been to. Their city is very much being changed, for better or worse, by tourism and the evidence is all around. Yet every alley you go down, you still see old Bangkok thriving as it always has, and that is special.
I will admit that one month in Bangkok might be too long for the average traveler. For me, one month is not enough, but because I am traveling with my brother, one month is a little bit too long. Let me explain.
When I go to a place I like to live more or less as the locals do. Of course, I can never fully live as they do in a month, but I enjoy being amongst the people of any given country. Things like five star rated tourist attractions on TripAdvisor are less important to me than shopping at a local supermarket or seeing a movie in a local theater. Those things are fun and I try to fit them in as best I can but I often leave cities never seeing some of their main tourist attractions. I am just simply not into them. However, I know I am the minority, and when I am traveling with other people, that mind set must take a back seat. So, inevitably, I end up going to the more touristy areas because of the other person, in this case my younger brother, because we can both have a good time. There is a certain expectation for someone to see certain things when they visit another country, and for good reason, and I would hate for them to feel like they did not get their money's worth because I wanted to sit on a bench half the day. Does that make any sense?
So what does that have to do with Bangkok? Well, if you are coming to do the normal stuff (temples, palace, khaosan road, etc.) then one or two weeks is more than enough to get your fill of those things. One month is simply too long. These past two weeks have felt very much lacking. That is not to say that I have seen everything that Bangkok has to offer. Far from it. But what that does mean is that I have exhausted all the usual touristy stuff that I can think of (save for a few) and I would have been happy moving on after the second week. What would have been better is if I had spent two weeks in Bangkok and two in another city. Live and learn.
But as for Bangkok itself, the city is definitely a place you must visit. It is the most visited city in the world for a reason. No matter what you are into, or what your budget is, this place has something for everyone. I mean that too. There are places for the rich and places for the poor, all within a BTS train ride from each other. This city is amazing no matter what your budget is.
Now as I look back at my time in Bangkok, there are things I wish I had done, but I am content with what I did do. I think that is normal with any trip really. There is no way you can see all of a city like Bangkok in one month, it simply is not possible. But I do wish I had seen more of Thailand as a whole. Perhaps I will be back one day, who knows? As for right now, I am ready to move onto Cambodia so follow me on my journey!