I've been getting a lot of questions lately about my holidays. I seem to give everyone the impression that I go on a lot of holidays. Untrue! I think it is due to the timing of my Facebook photo uploads, where I usually upload a whole album (or 2 or 3) of photos from my last trip just before I take off on my next destination. Understandably, people get confused. But the truth is, I take 20 days of annual leave per year like any other Australian worker. In 2009, I took a career break, where I was 'studying' which hardly counts as travel! (Sure some travel happened at the end of my studies, but ask my classmates, I was like the most nerdy tryhard student in the class!) Some people choose to go on domestic trips, I just choose to go on international trips, as domestic trips always ends up being so expensive. So again thanks to Jetstars annual birthday sale of 'Take a friend for free' (is this not evidence I'm a great bargain hunter too? Holidays don't have to be expensive...good thing I've got friends...Thanks Wendy!), I found myself a new destination - Thailand!
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| Bangkok Skyline from Hotel room @ Lebua State Tower. Have to say Bangkok is gorgeous by night! One FINE hotel, I highly recommend it! |
Even though I've visited Thailand's southern neighbours Singapore & Malaysia so many times in my life, this was my first trip to Thailand, yes I know, I shocked many of my friends. In 3 shorts words - I loved it! It was a short visit, only five nights - 2 in Phuket and 3 in Bangkok, in which I sat on the plane way too many times for such a short break. (Discovered new budget airlines such as Bangkok Airways and Nok Air, both decent airlines for short trips) I would like to say it was a much deserved getaway where I worked so hard prior to this trip, but no, truth is this holiday was not too long after my last. (Hmm...perhaps my friends have a point) However, who says you have to wait a full 6-12 months before one can take off again?
Although I wasn't in Thailand long enough to experience the country in its entirety, I really really enjoyed the small sample I got to taste :) The hospitality, the food, the people, the scenery, the beaches, the traffic, the shopping, the list just goes on! Bangkok was probably the highlight for me, there's a certain buzz in that city that makes it exciting. It is by no means a beautiful or gorgeous city, it is polluted, congested, noisy, yet it finds a way to charm you! The experience was also made better by the fact that I had my gorgeous friend Lily taking us around, she was a brilliant tour guide even though our time spent together was so short! (Next time I will make my trip longer Lily!)