Tuesday 3 June 2008

Nostalgic BKK

I feel an urge to write on those nights before I leave a city. It is like writing a farewell message to someone and I am starting to get a hang of it.

I know it is absurd to hear how fast my impression of a city changes when I travel. From hate at first sight to getting to like it here, it only takes a day or two. Thank goodness I do not maintain the same perspective when it comes to love.

Bangkok, like I imagine, is grey and congested. Yet in many ways it is similar to home. A couple of times I fell asleep in the car on my way to/from the office and woke up mistaken I was being driven along ECP. Of course, I won't have the luxury to fall asleep if I was really on ECP.

Roaming the busy streets of BKK tonight has brought back memories from a previous trip here, which I have almost forgotten. It was in 2004 when me and 3 friends visited BKK for a weekend shopping trip. I remember the trip as one in which the room rates at Novotel and Pathumwan Princess were too much for us to pay (why was I so poor back then?); when I heard the legend of Jim Thompson being told to me for the first time; and Shoe giggling in bed, telling me she watches BBC to sleep (ha good for her, we are visiting the home of BBC this weekend!)

Years passed. Friends parted and reunited. Stuff brought home from that trip are still in their original packaging shafted under my desk. BKK has changed a lot too, including that narrow road leading to the cheap hotel we stayed in 2004.

Although I don't feel any better about coming here, even now with my hindsight advantage, I am suddenly feeling nostalgic.


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