I’ve been in Thailand a little while now, so I thought it might be time to share the top 5 things I love about day to day living in Bangkok.
1. The Food
The food is surely some of the best in the world: Pad Thai, loads of fresh seafood, noodles, fish cakes, massaman curry, morning glory…the list goes on. The price is good too; even in a restaurant a curry will only set you back about £2 and you can also get pretty much any kind of Western food for a lower price than in the UK. Plus you can order delivery from almost everywhere, including McDonalds!
2. Walking around in shorts and a t-shirt at night
In the evenings the temperature is perfect. I feel pleasantly warm in the evenings as I walk down the streets, I can eat outside without an outdoor heater and I don’t have to put on a coat, gloves and scarf before heading out in winter.
3. The national anthem at every opportunity
In the cinema everyone stands up at the sound of the first bars of the national anthem. At 6pm at sky-train stations across the city everyone stops what they are doing and stands still wherever they happen to be as the national anthem plays through the speakers. Even when we went to see the New York band the Drums playing live, we stood still for the national anthem before the gig started. Thai national anthem has become a regular part of my life and now its opening bars bring me to a standstill.
4. Table service drinks
No more queuing at the bar, waving notes and desperately trying to catch the barman’s eye. Drinks are almost served to your table. And at gigs bar staff come round with ice buckets of beer to sell to you. So no need to lose your place at the front to quench your thirst.
5. Friendly people
I’m not talking about the guy who tells you the tourist attractions are closed and then offers to take you to a gem shop in his tuk-tuk. I mean more the fact that wherever you go you’re always greeted with a smile, people are unfailingly polite and will do their best to help you out.
I agree – Thailand is a great place. The only problem is that sometimes the football is on very late at night so I have to stay up late to watch it. That means I spend longer in the bars (oh well there’s always a silver lining!).
Do you need a lodger? Housekeeper? Gardener. Ooh, talking of which, you forgot the beautiful flowers! Lilies?? I have been to Thailand three times – and would go back in a flash. The colourful culture and the warmth of the people is something quie unique. Enjoy every moment, Ruth. An experience to be lived to the full! Cheers. Have a beer for me. 🙂
Haha – I think Bel got in first with a request to be a lodger! I will have more than one beer on your behalf Leanne 🙂
I adore Thailand too, just reading your blog Ruth has made me long to go back again! It’s been two years since I took my three children and fifteen since my husband and I were there backpacking! GOSH seems like yesterday. The lifestyle is so much more my style! Relaxed. I’m sure I told you that WAITING GAME the sequel to DEADGAME, is partly based in Bangkok, so it’s been wonderful recently drawing on all my Thai memories. Like Leanne said, if you ever need a lodger… ;0) Hoping to go back next year, so we’ll be sure to catch up with you if you’re free!
Hi Claire – I finished reading Dead Game recently and loved it. I’m planning to do a general BWA update blog post soon and will mention it in that.
The novel I’m writing at the moment is also set in Thailand but in 1992. It’s only recently occurred to me how different Bangkok would have been in 92. Less big shopping centres and huge apartment blocks. Were you there in the 90s? If so it would be good to pick your brains…
These five reasons are very similar to why I love India and spend far too much time there. It’s fantastic when you find a place that clicks for you.
India wasn’t really for me, as I got really ill! The sights were amazing though