Bangkok

In 2003, I was lucky enough to travel in the far East for 3 weeks, I began the journey in Bangkok, totally by accident as I was supposed to be visiting the Phi Phi islands but had to wait in Bangkok for 3 days for an Indian visa and I'm so glad I did, it is one of the most fantastic places I have visited. The contrast between rich and poor is evident as you travel through the city, in places the hotels and buildings are extravagant and glamorous then 5 minutes down the road people are living in shanty style houses and begging for loose change.

The vibrant atmosphere is by far the best part of Bangkok, the sights, smells and constant noise is exiting and interesting, the streets are filled with markets selling unique products, the smell is a mix of exotic spices and unusual foods. The chaos is unreal, it reminds me of a photograph where if you stood still everything around you would just blur into one. You feel alive in Bangkok, not for someone who prefers peace and quiet but is a place where you could visit again and again and encounter a new experience each time.

For such a chaotic city, the locals are by far the most friendly I have ever met and strangely enough are quietly spoken and polite which is odd providing they live in such a fast paced, loud environment, the traffic is mayhem and crossing the road is no easy feat and the most popular mode of transport is a motorbike or a Tuk Tuk which results in various vehicles flying around with no apparent road system. The heat is intense and the dust is incredible so a lot of locals wear face masks, which is quite bizarre to see, the city is almost surreal and never sleeps, in fact it becomes more alive as dusk falls, no one seems to get tired and they continue about their business with a friendly word and a big smile in the 'city of angels'.