Postcard From Thailand, Part 1

Sawadeeka 🙏

Let’s start from the beginning. Last year, I remember saying I didn’t want to spend my next birthday in Nigeria. That decision stayed with me. I started researching, reading, watching videos, going down rabbit holes about Thailand, and before I knew it, it stopped being a wish and started feeling like a plan.

After putting in the work, I applied for my visa and fortunately, it was approved.

I hadn’t done my hair or nails, and I didn’t even have a proper travel box. But I knew that in a few days, I’d be on my way to my birthday destination.

I’ll be honest, at some point I thought the trip wasn’t going to happen because of the ongoing war. But a friend who had traveled to Thailand just a few weeks before me reassured me that everything was fine and suggested I go through Ethiopian Airlines, not an ad lol, I just know how people can be.

The Journey

The flight to Thailand was about 15 hours.

Nigeria to Addis Ababa was roughly 5 hours 30 minutes, then I had a 1 hour 30 minute layover. I used that time trying to find my way around the airport and locate my connecting flight to Bangkok. From Addis Ababa to Bangkok was another 7 hours.

I’ve done a 24-hour inter country trip before, so I’m not new to long journeys. Still, I needed to keep myself busy.

I played games, watched movies, listened to music, ate (a lot), and started reading Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I’m not done yet, but I have thoughts.

Ifemelu is actually quite audacious, imagine telling your ex-boyfriend, who is now married, that you’re coming back to Nigeria from America? I don’t even understand why she left the man she was dating. Anyway, I’ll finish the book first before I judge her too much. That was pretty much my flight. I didn’t sleep much.

Time is interesting

This might sound simple, but I still can’t get over the time change. One minute, the sky was literally purple. The next minute, it was 12pm, bright daylight, and an announcement that we were about to land in Bangkok. Bangkok is 6 hours ahead of Nigeria.

I was internally screaming from excitement, the kind where your body is calm but there’s butterflies in your stomach. I even had to hold myself back from clapping when the plane landed.

Bangkok Airport

I kid you not, this is one of the biggest airports I’ve ever seen in my life. I mean, I haven’t traveled that much, but still, this airport is massive. The first thing I did was change money and get a SIM card immediately after landing, best decision so far, no regrets.

Finding my way around wasn’t the easiest. People tried to help, but there was a bit of a language barrier, so it quickly became me and Google Translate against the world. Eventually, I got through immigration smoothly. They were even kind enough to suggest places I could visit.

Bolt worked perfectly, so I ordered a ride to my Airbnb and got there safe and sound.

The place was beautiful, clean, and close to the airport. It’s a bit far from central Bangkok, but if you’re looking for something convenient for a quick stay, De Botan Hotel is a great option and it’s close to the Train Night Market.

Train Night Market

You’d think I’d be exhausted and stay in. Lies.

I dropped my bag and stepped right back out to explore my surroundings and get a few basic things. Also, let me just say this, 7-Eleven is basically a landmark in Thailand. It’s everywhere. If you’re ever lost, just find the nearest 7-Eleven and start from there. The Train Night Market was about a 500m walk from my accommodation. One of the first things I noticed was how fashionable and expressive Thai young people are. I loved it immediately.

I got to the market and the first thing I did was change all my piercings to real silver. I have nine in total, eight on my ears and one on my nose. Great decision, by the way.

Then the food. I was honestly overwhelmed in the best way. There was so much to eat and drink, vendors everywhere, options at every corner. It’s the kind of place where your senses are working overtime. I made one mistake though, I said I wanted my food spicy. Spicy here actually means spicy.

But I enjoyed it. The food was affordable too, anywhere from 50 to 200 baht.

A Lesson in Money

I finally understood why people online say you shouldn’t overpack clothes. I used to think it was funny when travelers came with just a backpack, but after visiting the market, I get it. Let me just say this, if you don’t have financial discipline, Bangkok will humble you.

The Feeling of It All

The aesthetic of Bangkok is completely my vibe. At some point, I felt overwhelmed trying to take photos and videos. There was just so much happening, so much beauty, so much life.

Eventually, I stopped and told myself to just enjoy the moment. Some things don’t translate well through pictures, and honestly, you have to experience this in person.

As a content creator, I didn’t feel out of place at all. There were so many of us from different parts of the world. And as a young African woman, I didn’t feel uncomfortable or out of place. If anything, I was met with admiration, which felt really nice.

Thai People 🇹🇭

One thing I quickly noticed is how respectful and helpful Thai people are. There’s a strong sense of community. At night, you see full families out eating together, young adults hanging out in parks and malls with their friends. It was simple, but so beautiful to watch.

I even learned how to say Sawahdeekah, which means hello.

Thank you for reading and See you in my next postcard ❤️