Friday, October 4, 2013

SUMMER SOUVENIRS

Last July something monumental happened in my life. Like most people who are hungry for adventures and yearn to see the wonders of our precious planet, I looooove travelling. I love the foreign food, the looks of the people, the different habits, the languages…One of my biggest wishes is to travel around the world for like six to twelve months (I don’t know yet how homesick I’ll be, so yes I need this time frame).  So a couple of months ago, my parents made a tiny part of my wish come true. And that parts name is Thailand.

It was my first time in Asia (I don’t think we’re counting turkey here, are we?) and my feelings were constantly shifting between “OhmygodI’msoexcitedthisisgonnabeawesome!” and “There are cockroaches in Thailand. And spiders and poisonous snakes and Hepatitis-C!” I have to say that I was a bit intimidated by the foreignness of Asia. Before this trip I had only seen Europe and parts of the USA and I have to admit that the thought of the tropical otherness of Thailand scared the living shit out of me.

Anyways, we made it to Bangkok where the hot, moist air and thousands of various smells made me feel miserable and good at the same time. From Bangkok we took the night train to Surat Thani in the south. Let me say a few things about this train ride, if you ever happen to plan on riding a night train in South-East-Asia then bring a fur coat AND a heated blanket. It’s freakishly cold inside those things and you’re very likely to catch a cold. Besides the freezing temperatures and slightly moldy smell of my blanket, that train ride alone was worth the ten hour flight. I was lying there in my bunk bed with the curtains drawn, watching the bright night outside pass by and eating donuts. In the morning we had breakfast in the restaurant section of the train, we’re all the windows were opened and the fresh, steamy air mussed our hair while we we’re having rice soup with shrimps in it.

From Surat Thani we took the ferry to Koh Samui and from there another ferry to our final destination, Koh Phangan. When we arrived at our hotel in the late afternoon, we looked just as much as zombies as the party people, who were there for the traditional half moon party. The days we spent on Koh Phangan (which looked a lot like the island from “Lost”) can be described in three words: paradise, leisure and tempura. Basically all I did was read Game of Thrones, eat awesome thai food, go swimming, read some more Game of Thrones, get a massage, eat again and then at night fall asleep like a happy baby. Of course we did other things as well…Went on a snorkeling trip, visited a beach where small wooden houses were built between the rocks and on top of each other, vines dangling aside. It was marvelous, like a dream. Seriously I get  moist eyes when I think back.

After those incredible ten days on Koh Phangan we headed back to Bangkok, which felt like falling face first into another dimension. So loud and dirty, smelly and crowded and HOT! It was a bit too much for me and after having lunch at Chatuchak Weekend Market (delicious!) I had my first food poisoning and hugged the toilet that night. Apart from all the ruckus and my week stomach, Bangkok really is something. It’s hard to describe, like a cacophony of impressions which can easily overwhelm you, but it definitely is something you shouldn’t miss. Well see for yourselves! All I can say is, that I will go back and hopefully spend more time exploring and enjoying Thailand. The pictures down below were taken by my brother and the video clip was made by me(don’t hate, that was my first video EVER!).  (Ago)












copyright: Johannes Knogler 

 
 copyright: Agnes Knogler

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