The Outing

Bangkok. Bangers and mash. The city where all the magic happens. The land of smiles. Home to the most beautiful shrines and Buddha statues, sublime street life, spicy food, and even, if you look hard enough, men dressed as the most beautiful women you've ever seen, including real women.

Well Thailand is of course lovely, but the thing that set it apart from any other visit was that somebody special was there, too.

Sister, Kate!

And, what a gorgeous place we were staying in! Let's go for a swim at this hotel, called Avani Riverside. It's called that because it's by the river, of course. Chao Phraya river, and it feels like you might just fall in, from all the way up here in our infinity pool. Beause an infinity pool doesn't have an edge, giving the impression that the water goes on forever. Or, infinity. Clever, no?

Up on the rooftop there was so much to do, do we get another drink, delve deep into a book? Sprawl out under our giant umbrellas as families play with their kids in the pool, take my huge blue hat off? Leave it on?! Oh, the choices!

Thailand. What a beautiful country. There just wasn't enough time to see it all. The sun was in our faces as we dipped our feet in the pool. Another piña colada was slowly melting beside us as we stretched out, relaxing on our wooden beach chairs under the gorgeous sapphire sky.

There were so many wandering nights ahead of us. So many places to explore, temples, Buddhas, floating markets, the Grand Palace, shopping, massages, so much history to envelope and absorb like a sponge. Where, oh where could we ever begin?

Hang on, I just gotta text my friend back about that hilarious cat video she just hashtaged on Insta.

And oh, the beaches! Don't forget the beautiful beaches of Thailand, Phi Phi Island, Krabi, Phuket, Pattaya. The emerald coral reefs under that vast blanket of blue ocean, as we lay in the white sand underneath the palm trees with our eyes closed under the blushing sun. We would listen to the waves crash beside us as we drift off, into a serene, partly alcohol induced coma only to be woken by the sweet smell of mango sticky rice being sold to the people next to us.

I think I can just sleep like that in a normal bed, thank you very much.

But it's Thailand! A top backpacking destination, where all happening things happen! And you're sleeping? Oh no, what were the sisters thinking? What did they actually end up doing all day? I thought travel was about doing something, seeing everything, all the bloody time?

Oh, no, elementary my dear friend. Sometimes you just have to take the time to respond to your friend's hilarious cat videos. Sometimes, you just have nothing else, but to speculate on what to do in Thailand while you're in Thailand. It's ok, that country's not going anywhere, you can always come back.

Maybe, just maybe, you could talk to that lifeless lump of blanket in front of you, in the meantime.

Bailey Sue