My Best Holiday Travel Experience of All

There was a song that was popular in the 80's which fascinated me titled "One Night in Bangkok". It got me interested to one day visit Thailand. That's been a dream of mine, though I thought I would never see it fulfilled. Lo and behold in 1997 I got my glorious chance. It was in December of that year I got to take some time off from the high school I was assisting the Japanese teachers of English through the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program teaching English to Japanese students. Even though the Japanese do not celebrate Christmas they do have a national holiday that falls extremely close to our Christmas Day. December 23^rd is the Emperor Akihito's birthday, so I was able to take time off for this holiday instead.

One of the teachers at my school helped book my flight and hotel stay with a Japanese travel agency. I then armed myself with the wonderful travel guidebook from Lonely Planet on Thailand to learn everything I could before leaving. The day arrived when I left Japan in the afternoon and arrived rather late in the evening in Bangkok. This was on a Thursday night as I arrived at my hotel at the Bangkok Centre right in the heart of the city. The following morning I woke to an incredible breakfast buffet they had for the guests downstairs. It was a buffet style that was Western-style food for the Westerners and Chinese cuisine for the Chinese guests as I later found out. Later on in the morning I decided to talk a walk exploring Bangkok. I came upon the Hualumpong Central Railway station nearby. Once I went inside it was like a world onto its own. There were homeless people everywhere it seemed. I noticed there was a travel office that offered tours throughout Bangkok and other parts of Thailand.

Luckily, the gentleman who waited on me spoke very good English. He offered me some suggestions on what to see. Phuket was mentioned, but I declined since I did not bring a bathing suit. I opted for the Grand Palace, River Boat Cruise to Ayutthaya, the ancient capital, and to the actual bridge on the River Kwai. One thing the travel agent told me is if you don't go to the Grand Palace in Bangkok then you haven't really been to Thailand. A few hours later I was picked up by a van with other tourists from Britain, Australia, Canada, Germany, and elsewhere in Europe. I think I was the only one from the United States. The Grand Palace was the official residence of the Kings of Thailand. It is a series of buildings on this huge complex. The Wat Phra Kaew is the famous gold temple seen in many photos that contains the Buddha's ashes. One thing I've learned when traveling in Asia is to always dress accordingly when you visit temples, shrines, palaces, and memorial halls. There is a strict dress code and they do adhere to it. There were a few tourists in our group dressed more for the beach then visiting such a revered site. They actually had on the premises a room where visitors could borrow appropriate shoes and other clothing.

Early Saturday morning we boarded a very nice boat that took us along the Chao Phraya river, the main tributary throughout Thailand. Later that day we docked to go to the ancient capital and kingdom of Ayutthaya. We saw the ruins of Wat Chaiwatthanaram where this city had been burned and sacked by the Burmese Army in 1767. Afterwards, we got back on the boat heading back to our original destination. The crew aboard this boat treated everyone so special. I was very impressed and touched by this gesture. We had a great lunch. There was this hilarious Aussie who was entertaining everyone with his wonderful charm, something like a Crocodile Dundee. On these tours they always stopped at some shopping center for us to take advantage of the fine Thai silk, crocodile handbags, emerald & sapphire jewelry, etc. This was the best time ever to visit Thailand, because the Thai baht was hit hard by the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997. The baht was very low against the US dollar. I also got to go to a tailor to get a dress and some other outfits made with the silk materials I bought earlier. In a way I felt rich for once in my life.

Sunday was spent all day outside of Bangkok where the famed bridge on the River Kwai is located. There was a famous film titled "Bridge on the River Kwai" that was released in the late 1950's. I had not seen that film, yet I was intrigued to see this well-known site. The bridge that is there now of course is not the original one. We got to take a train ride over it, which was a lot of fun. However, after I got back from my trip to Thailand I did rent the video of the film. A couple of days later this same film was broadcasted on NHK, Japan's answer to PBS and the BBC. On Monday I got to go to the Floating Market, which was a combination tourist attraction and real-life open-air market on the water. We rode in those thin canoes alongside to the various businesses. I will never forget seeing a girl brush her teeth from this very muddy, filthy water.

However, after we got back to my hotel I started feeling very sick. I came down with the flu. Later that evening I was going to go out for a change, but those plans were cancelled. I spent it all day in bed. The following day on Tuesday I had some plans to see a Thai dance show, but I was still sick. It took all of my strength to go to the airport later that evening and fly back to Osaka, Japan. At least I was getting some very well needed rest, because it was exhausting with all the sightseeing I was doing. I can't tell you how happy I was to finally be home in my apartment. What made my trip great was the timing of the Thai baht being so low against the dollar. The shopping was absolutely incredible then. Now their economy is back to normal. Luckily, the weather was tolerable with no rain. It was very warm, but I wasn't sweating all the time. I'd have to say the Thai people are truly friendly, warm, and very accommodating. I loved their food especially.

I managed to make my holiday travel experience so memorable by learning as much as I could before I arrived there. It is a great idea to be prepared, especially if you visit a foreign country. Bangkok has everything geared for the hordes of tourists that visit the city. It was a bit strange going to Thailand around the Christmas holidays and not be inundated with the commercialism you see here. It was actually refreshing. The suggestions I have for travelers who want to go to Thailand at this time of year would be from a website I discovered with all kinds of warnings imposed on travelers from Europe, which is where the bulk of tourists come from who visit Thailand. Otherwise, there is something for everyone who visits Thailand whether you are a shopaholic, enjoying the nightlife, appreciates visiting the ancient sites, or exploring the beautiful countryside and beaches. You won't be disappointed.

SOURCES:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thailand/bangkok

http://www.bangkokcentrehotel.com/INDEX.php