The NY Times front page story on Friday, May 14, was a little more startling than usual. While reading about a general who got shot in the head during an interview w/ a Times reporter, we checked out the map and realized it was just a few blocks from my fave hostel in Thailand, which I always referred to as my “home base” in SE Asia. It was the area of the city where I felt most comfortable and “at home” during my travels last Fall. Lumpini Park — Yeah, right next to the HSBC bank that I hunted down to re-up my stash every time I passed through Bangkok. I spent my last night in Asia alone on Dec 24 on a shopping spree at the Suan Lum night bazaar right next to the park.

Such a weird feeling to read about something so far away and for once not feel like it’s all happening in an imaginary world.

HSBC building on Lumpini Park, from my photos.

Krung Thep — that’s Bangkok to you, Farang. (Bangkok 8, anyone?) Been waiting a long time to get to this city. And then I couldn’t wait to get out.  Most other backpackers I met here were in transit and if they’d been in BKK for more than 2 days, they weren’t too pleased about it.

The city has its’ charms — amazing street food, temples, etc but it can be draining as a foreigner.  Areas like Khaosan Road are teeming with tourists, so you’re constantly on  guard for schemes. Even simple things like taxis taking longer, circuitous routes because you, Farang, can’t read some of the street names. You bargain for everything, which can be great, but also exhausting. Taxis, tuk tuks, street vendors – bargain, bargain, bargain. It’s a city of hustlers but I’m a Brooklyn girl, so I can appreciate that.

In retrospect, a great city to kick off this trip because I’ve got my New York street smarts down but I needed to get a handle on South East Asia quickly.