It's fair to say I don't want to leave this country. I've spent more time in Thailand (around10 weeks) than any other on my journey so far, and there's still a lot of it I haven't seen and would like to visit.
How do you summarise a country that's full of such diversity but such apparent inconsistencies?
It's a country that claims modesty and apparently avoids extreme views: "save face and take the middle path", "don't sunbathe topless or you'll offend the locals". Yet it promotes prostitution and Go Go girls at every corner and it aggressively hunts you for any, and every type of business transaction possible (the wallet issue again): "Taxi, hello, where you go" and "hello, well cum..." will haunt me for many a month. Monks actively march and protest to make Buddhism the state religion while selling talismans that have swept the country in a religious frenzy. What happened to the middle path, and what happens to all the non-Buddhists? The king takes on an almost 'god-like' status: twice a day, interrupting whatever program - TV or radio, the national anthem is broadcast to the country. Before every cinematic film the audience must stand up and pay their respects. Could you imagine this in England?
I now really understand the meaning of spicy, salty, smelly, sleazy, dirty, beautiful, diverse, incredible, tasty, and amazing. There are really amazing places in Thailand - whether it's the national parks, or the islands and their beaches and diving, or towns full of religious temples and historical sites, or the modern shopping centres and their air conditioning.
Thailand is a confusing place and yet one that you can easily and comfortably slip into. I reckon it has something for almost everyone.
