75. THAILAND VII

A lot happened in this post, so grab a coffee. 3 more months passed since I moved to Bangkok, my life has been a mix of building routines and going on trips whenever I get the chance. This time we have city exploring, a beach trip, a proper scooter adventure through Isan, a weekend in Ayutthaya and a second round in my favorite province Chanthaburi :)

1. Bangkok

I got to know the city better and better over the last weeks. My tactic is very simple: I take a Grab motorbike to a random spot where I have never been before and then wander around for 2 or 3 hours on foot and just look at everything. I do this in a different hood every time. It's the best way to find small local food places, funny markets and quiet streets that no tourist ever sees. Bangkok is so huge that I think I could do this for years without running out of new places :D

One of my highlights was a boat trip in the dark to see fireflies. Sitting on a quiet boat while the trees around you start to blink like tiny lights felt very unreal, especially when you know the giant city is just around the corner. I also explored Bang Krachao, the green area on the other side of the river, which feels like a totally different world compared to the rest of Bangkok.

Besides that, I put a lot of energy into sports. My badminton and ping pong skills are getting better and I also work on my gym skills. Still a long way to go, but it's fun to see progress!

2. Sattahip Trip

The first trip was to Sattahip together with Philip, a very good friend who also lives in Bangkok (you already know him from older posts), and his friend Jochen who came from Germany to visit him. Sattahip is a coastal area southeast of Bangkok and is also home to a big navy base. It's not too far from the city, which makes it perfect for a short getaway.

It was a typical beach trip: beautiful beaches, good vibes, and lots of fresh seafood and fish. Exactly what you need to reset after a few busy weeks in the city.

The only super annoying thing were the constant marine checkpoints. As a Farang you have to fight your way through them and very often you are simply not allowed to pass. Ok, it's part of the adventure, but after the fifth time it gets old :D

3. Isan Scooter Trip

Now to the main part of this post: a scooter trip through Isan, the northeast of Thailand, together with Philip. Before we start, let me explain why I love scooter trips so much. In my opinion it's the best way to travel. The speed is perfect: not too fast to miss things and not too slow to get bored. You really get a feeling for the villages and towns you pass, you are super flexible and you can stop wherever you want. You talk with locals all the time, it's just fun to drive, and the road itself becomes the destination. We always plan daily stages with some stops in between and see what happens.

We also have a tradition: every scooter trip gets its own "Lumpen" (German for rag). It's carried on the scooter through all the days and it must be as ugly as possible. We buy it on the side of the road. Our Lumpen for this trip was an Indian Uncle shirt, and it survived all days :D

We started and ended the trip in Udon Thani, a big city in Isan. Before and after the tour we explored it a bit. The city has really tasty food and a fun night life. On the last night we ended up in a club until 5 in the morning, drinking Hong Thong, of course.

Day 1: Udon Thani to Sakon Nakhon

Not the best start. We both woke up with diarrhea after a food poisoning, so the whole day was about drinking electrolytes and making constant toilet stops :D On top of that, it had rained a bit before, which made some of the roads quite bad. Still, we made it to the Kham Chanot Wang Nakhin pilgrim place and explored it. We still managed to drive around 250 km and explored so many tiny villages with water buffaloes, som tam, rice terraces and small lakes on the way .

Day 2: Wat Phu Tok & Three Whale Rocks

The second day was a big one. We did an exhausting hike up to the viewpoint of Wat Phu Tok. There were countless stairs and caves, and some parts were super steep. Every step was worth it though!

After that we went to the Three Whale Rocks, which had an unbelievable view. We even took a jeep ride up there. We slept in Bueng Kan and explored the town in the evening.

Day 3: Along the Mekong

The last day was the best day in terms of views.. We spent most of the time driving through small villages along the Mekong river. Nice cafes right at the water, real Isan village vibes and almost no traffic. In some villages kids ran behind our scooters, waving and shouting. We ended the stage in Nong Khai.

The way back to Udon Thani went over the highway, and when we arrived our faces were completely black from the dust and dirt :D

4. Ayutthaya Weekend Trip

Next came a weekend trip to Ayutthaya together with Mintra, my neighbor at my condo. Ayutthaya was the capital of the Siamese kingdom for several hundred years and today it's known for its old temples and ruins, which are spread all over the city. We explored so many of them!

We also ate huge and expensive river prawns, which were absolutely delicious. Our guest house was very beautiful and in a small village right at the river. Super relaxing. We went there and back by train, which is always a nice experience in Thailand.

5. Chanthaburi Trip II

Yes, I went to Chanthaburi again :D The first time was so nice that I had to come back. Everything about the province is already in my last blog post, so I will keep this part short. This time I went with Philip and we stayed for 5 days.

We did day trips to waterfalls and beaches, explored Chanthaburi Town and did everything by scooter again. It's still my favorite province in Thailand: the perfect mix of beaches, nature and friendly people, and still almost no tourists.

The big difference this time was the rainy season. The water levels at the waterfalls were much higher, so everything looked and felt very different from the first trip.

Next stop: A trip abroad!