Love the Hustle

Posted by Greg

November 8, 2007

To Thailand With Love, 2008

One of the reasons why Bangkok is such an attractive destination for expats moving to the Land of Smiles is that it’s just a short bus ride away from the sandy beaches of Ko Samet, or a short hop to the misty mountains of Chiang Rai. I’ve met many people in my time here who get off the plane and immediately leave to destinations that are less… Bangkok. Even the mighty Lonely Planet guide – while recognizing the unique energy of the capital city – stops just short of telling people to blaze a trail yonder when they land.

And I’m tired of hearing it!

Indeed, I think I’m one of about three people I know who don’t like to leave the city unless I have a really good reason. I might come off as one of those New York snobs who questions why anyone would leave the city, but that’s not the case; I’ve been to over a dozen countries in my life and intend on visiting more. I don’t have big city livin’ in my blood, as I grew up in a town with ten thousand people. So why do I feel such an attraction to – and obligation to defend – my adopted home city?

No doubt Bangkok is too noisy and crowded – no one likes to hear an over-cranked crotch-rocket scream down the road at 1 a.m. or nearly have their head clipped by a bus side-mirror as they walk on the street to avoid the crowded sidewalks.

There’s an organized chaos in the way the city exists that’s as addictive as it is annoying. Most tourists see the main roads – Sukhumvit, Silom and the like – but never explore the back sois and side streets where the real action takes place. Interesting conversations with intensely unique characters often begin with a simple smile. It was eight months before I lost my trepidation and decided to pull up a plastic stool for some street food or paid 3 baht to ride a tiny bus that I could barely stand up in, despite the stares of amused locals. I’m ashamed that I waited so long to ‘live Thai’ because my early time here would have been much more rewarding.

And this city has energy, man! It may be smelly in some parts, ugly in others and hot, steamy, crowded and polluted in the rest, but the longer you live here the easier it is to find the je ne sais quoi that keeps me feeling so alive. There are quiet parks, skyscraper-high restaurants, a surprising amount of cultural activities and food, drinks, dance, friends and fun just waiting to be found. To wit:

As a writer, I’ve been broke – real broke – but have always had three meals a day. The vast selection of food here is a godsend - from $1 bowls of noodles to $80-per-plate imported Australian beef and everything in between – there’s something for every budget (and the noodles might just be as good as the cow). Street food is often the best food, with everyone from a hippie college dropout to a rich CEO having their own favorite corner to sit and eat at. Many visitors are apprehensive about the shabby appearance of the food stalls, but let me remind you – it was 5 years and hundreds of meals before I got sick (which I imagine had as much to do with the beer as it did with the food). I haven’t been sick since. If you can close your eyes, throw a paper airplane and not hit a food stall, you’re simply not in Bangkok.

A city this teeming with life almost becomes a living organism in its own right, seemingly deciding for you what your night will be like. Several months ago, after an evening business meeting, a friend and I found ourselves in the Nana area looking at a crowd of about 150 coal-black African dudes jumping around and yelling at each other, many of them in colorful native dress. As we curiously but cautiously approached the mob (with our button-down shirts and clipboards, mind you), we were greeted with ‘My friend!’ and a giant hug. Turns out that we had stumbled into a Nigerian wake, and this was their way of honoring their comrade. We ended up drinking Guinness from cans until 2 a.m. and had a blast. If you’re in the right place at the right time, your quiet evening out may turn into an adventure you couldn’t have planned if you tried.

At first glance, the transportation system here may seem like a mangled knot of confusing routes, confused drivers and slightly-terrified passengers. But take a closer look – if you know where you need to go and do some Bangkok Transit Math, it’s actually quite efficient. You have to factor in the types of transit – bus, tuk-tuk, taxi, motorcycle taxi, boat, subway, skytrain – and then figure out what route is best, how long you have and what the event is. Do you have to go to a meeting where you have to look fresh (taxi or skytrain), or are you going to a bar where it’s okay if you’re a bit sweaty (motorcycle taxi or tuk-tuk)? Are you short on time and okay with noise? Take the khlong boat. Do you need to cut through traffic but can’t get too ruffled? A motorcycle taxi/skytrain combo is the way to go. Combine any number of the above and you can imagine that – after some experimentation – getting around the city isn’t as bad as you think.

The bottom line is – Bangkok has enough hidden corners, unexplored sois, glitzy restaurants, hole-in-the-wall bars and interesting people to keep anyone busy. It’s a city teeming with life, where the most familiar street or soi can still offer a surprise even if you’ve been down it a hundred times.

Many of my friends say they ‘need’ to get out of the city once in a while, and I guess that does offer its own brand of refreshment. But for me, if you know the right spots, Bangkok can be plenty refreshing on its own. If you’re new here, give Bangkok a shot; you might find yourself staying longer than you planned.

Commisions