Same, same but different

                                                                       

It’s a wonderful phrase, and one that is often seen on the t-shirts of travellers that have been seduced by everything Thailand has to offer….

Both Gools and I first visited Thailand back in 1999. I went there to work as a tour guide for Intrepid Travel, Gools went on a holiday but we had not yet met…that was still to come, in early 2000’

Since then we have been back at least 10 times, usually as a stopover on the way somewhere else

So 16 years since the first visit and here we are back in Bangkok  and while much is the same as it was in 1999, some things are different!

The people are the same. Always friendly and smiling and very calm.

Bangkok was a bustling big Asian city back then and it still is now.

There is still plenty of traffic, lots of taxis and motorbikes and fume belching buses crawling along at a snail’s pace, but by Asian standards it’s not too noisy as the drivers rarely toot their horns, unlike their counterparts in places like India

But there are some differences, we think it is cleaner than it once was and it is certainly more modern now down around the  Silom, Sukhumvit and Siam areas.

The public transport system is much better as well, especially since the introduction of the BTS skytrain which is a quick, modern and convenient way of moving around the city. There are two lines, the Silom line and the Sukhumvit line that intersect at the Siam station making for easier travel around the shopping district

Then there is the food! Yes, it is the same and honestly that is why we are here!

It is simply amazing!

For those of you who know us, you know we live for two things, travelling and food and we have heard travellers say that if you have not eaten in Bangkok and enjoyed the enormous ranges of food flavours and textures, then you have never really eaten! Well, we are not so sure about that as we think our Kimberley camp kitchen is pretty good too?

Many people tend to think that all Thai food is very spicy and while many dishes are, the variety is so enormous that anybody can find a dish to suit their tastes.

The most authentic, and by far the healthiest food to eat can be found on the street. This may surprise many of you but its true!

 If you are hungry just wander around and find a food cart or open air restaurant, one that usually has tables and chairs spilling out onto the street and if it’s busy, and especially if it’s full of Thai people then give it a go.

This ensures that the food is turning over quickly and therefore should be fresh!
We spent all day wandering around seeking out these sorts of places and found 3 really good ones!

The first was a little outdoor street food area , built under a highway overpass! Yes interesting but really popular with the locals so we couldn’t resist giving it a try

There were plenty of choices and I settled for a spicy bamboo shoot curry and rice, while Gool’s bought some Green chicken curry and rice. It was breakfast time so we both added a fried egg!
Yeah I know not the usual choice for breakfast but when in Rome, do as the Romans do?

Once satisfied we headed of in search of another place we had eaten at once on a previous trip, across the road from MBK shopping centre.

It was a 4 klm walk there, but it took us all morning as there was plenty to do such as checking out the shops along the way, so by the time we arrived, we were very much ready for lunch!

As it turned out so was most of Bangkok, the place was heaving!

Having lived in Thailand and eaten lots of Thai food, I can usually identify most dished, but to be honest, I am not sure what my dish was called this time around. The beauty of these places is that the food is on display so you simply see something you like, point to it and its ready to go. It was a spicy chicken curry with snake beans and absolutely delicious.

In Bangkok, most food vendors speak enough English to be able to discuss whether the dish is spicy or not, so just ask if this is a concern

Gool's was on the hunt for some fresh fruit and the fresh juicy pineapple was just the ticket for her.

Tummy's full, we wandered through the alleyways and back streets and found our way back to our hotel. There were plenty of taxi's and 'tuk tuks' but we were enjoying being out in amongst the people.
We had a bit of a rest then freshened up and went out to finish the day with a chicken and fish ball noodle soup and an icy cold Singha beer. Each of the meals we ate today cost around $1.60 and the beer was $1.50, so super cheap!

It was a brilliant day out!

We can't wait for tomorrow!