This will be quite an embarrassing travel journal, but it needs to come out regardless. Not every story has a happy ending - even if it comes from Thailand (ask your party boys friends).
So, yes let's shine light on what might be my biggest travel f*ck-up in recent years.
After my three day layover in Istanbul which turned out to be quite a socialising experience often - or to be precise everyday - until early morning hours I was getting for this long trip to Japan exhausted. Why Japan you might ask now. It was all about properties - the famous Akiya - Japan's empty homes that are often selling for few thousand dollars...well since I haven't made it to Japan at all I will have to leave it here and focus on the story.
As many might know - Japan is an expensive country and I didn't want to land in exhausted - having to waste resources on accomodation - since my plan was to camp and search for my 'cheapest house in Japan'. Changing flights in New Delhi and landing in Bangkok quite low on batteries - I determined change of plans is needed. The other flight was leaving me about seven hours waiting at Bangkok airport and I just wasn't motivated anymore. New Japanese government took place and immediately made certain visas less available. Tsunami just took place, you name it - I was not supposed to feel like continuing.
And so I said screw it. Let's move to the center and rethink, build a new plan, enjoy Bangkok instead...
Jumping on the city bus heading to the city - I instantly felt like when I was in Guatemala for the first time. One can smell the freedom in the air. Be it the modified Toyota Hilux everywhere (they weld a construction onto it making it a small wan) or small Canadian school bus looking trucks and buses which are identical in Guatemala - I felt good about my decision.
I made sure to download offline map at the airport and book a place in the cheapest hostel on booking.com. I found it easy but what a bloody mistake guys! Do yourself a favour and do not go to such places in Thailand. Or anywhere else to be honest. If it is cheaper than five euros a night you're asking for an adventure. It was like a small airport between Bangladesh and Pakistan with a russian kiosk attached if you get my metaphor... Dirty place full of often even dirtier inhabitants.
I ended up changing hostel three times in Bangkok to find a good one - and than we're talking Easter European prices.
Before I find the right accomodation I was stuck with myself in a limbo - what did I do - where did I end up? Second hostel was at least emptier or all the weird characters, but had bed bugs. I started to think of a plan B and thought to myself, well maybe I can visit Bali instead and did a quick search on local connections and routes. Quickly found out that long bus rides or further airport hopping would be a must. I had my gear for late autumn Japan - not very tropical climate ready. Basically unnecessary luggage to carry around and torture myself with logistics. So under the impression of weird neighbourhood in Bangkok, drunks, bed bugs...I have bough the cheapest flight available back to Europe. And then I finally found a livable hostel.
What a life saver - not only it had comfy bed, it was also very clean as one could expect for almost European pricing. But even more importantly I have met a guy running a ski school in Japan for 15 years and he told me everything about Japan. He was actually generally interested in sharing his story and in two or three days while smoking good old Thai weed on the terrace - I knew more than in two weeks alone in Japan. It made up for my failed trip honestly - a higher power saved me from feeling totally bad about the whole endeavour. Who knows maybe I will still make it to Japan one day.
Meanwhile I was still exploring and enjoying Bangkok. Of which the highlight was obviously the food - and to my surprise I enjoyed Chinese cousine a lot too. That was maybe the motivation to take a boat trip to chinatown, get lost in the neon lights, taste some fruits never knew existed, take selfies with lady boys (no happy end though in case you're wondering hehe) and yeah after a week I was almost acclimatising myself, but it was time to go back to the base which is the Balkans for now and find a new meaning of life after not pursuing rather crazy investment ideas in Japan.
All the best,
Global Local
