Reflections: Why travel

Why travel? One reason, one country

While doing a J1 in the states, spending two weeks working on that tan and intoxicating yourself to oblivion in Ibiza or seeing Europe via the rails, there is one destination with elements of all three, its own uniqueness and much, MUCH more that will blow you away.Thailand.

Forget that stubborn friend of yours who will say “no it’s too far away for a holiday”, “there’s too much too organize”, “it’s too dodgy”, “the flights are too expensive”. With return flights as low as 600+ (www.studentflights.co.uk), the unbelievable cheap expense of living, and the variety of once in a lifetime experiences and places to see, a month in Thailand has something for everyone and more at the cost of an uneventful two week sun holiday in Spain.

Bangkok.

Get ready for the Bangkok culture shock. The moment you step out of the Airport you will be surrounded like a celebrity by eager Thai drivers offering you bus, car and even limousine transport to your chosen Hotel. The best place for your short stay in Bangkok is The Khaosan Palace located on the Khoasan Road. With air conditioned twin rooms at 13 per night, The Khaosan Palace offers the basic essentials and comforts of a hotel room with a swimming pool on the roof and a lengthy view of Bangkok. By day, the Khoasan Road is filled with hundreds of stalls, restaurants and street vendors. By night it’s packed with tourists taking advantage of the cheap drink and numerous pubs and clubs.

Bangkok’s nightlife goes way beyond its publicised sleazy sex image. There is a wide range of entertainment venues, pubs, clubs, bars, cafes and massive high tech disco’s. Phuture, Energy Zone and Taurus offer the ultimate clubbing experience that makes clubs elsewhere seem like Bingo nights in the local. Admission to these clubs ranges from 5 to 10. However do watch out on your walk home for the lady boys prowling the streets, women beware also they have no preference.

The Chatuchak weekend market is a shoppers heaven offering a whopping 8672 stalls selling musical instruments, antiques, crafts, clothing, jewellery and any other type of item known to man at extremely cheap prices. Speaking to an English couple on my travels in Thailand last January they commented -”we were meant to spend only three weeks here before our year in Australia, but we have spent just over two months now traveling around, we love it here, how can you leave a country as