Discover Bangkok – street food, big city vibes and Songkran

Bangkok – the final stop of the journey

After Koh Samui, it was time to return to Bangkok. This became the final stop of the journey and also the place where we would end our long trip through Asia. After all the destinations we had visited, it almost felt strange to be back in a big city again.

Bangkok is a city that truly never seems to stop. The traffic, people, street food stalls, markets and all the buildings mean that there is always something to discover. After our more relaxed days on Koh Samui, the contrast was quite big.

This time we also had an apartment in Bangkok, which made the stay feel a little different from the previous stops on the journey. We did not have to rush between hotels and different accommodations, but could really feel a little more at home.

The apartment became our base during the final days. We could cook sometimes, pack our things and, most importantly, get some time to rest after all the travelling and experiences during the previous months.

At the same time, we naturally still wanted to explore Bangkok. One of the things I like most about the city is the combination of old and new. Modern shopping malls and tall skyscrapers are not far from temples, markets and small local restaurants.

We spent a lot of time out on the streets and tried different types of Thai food. Bangkok really is a paradise for anyone who enjoys street food.

You can almost always find something to eat. Small food stalls sell everything from noodles and rice dishes to grilled meat, fresh fruit and different desserts. We tried different noodle dishes, curries, grilled skewers and classic Thai desserts.

One of my favourite things about Bangkok is that you do not need to plan every meal. Sometimes the best thing you can do is simply walk around and see what looks good. Some of the best meals can actually be found at a small food stall on the street.

Bangkok also has an enormous selection of restaurants and cafés. There is everything from small local restaurants to modern cafés and more exclusive restaurants. For us, it was mainly about trying different types of food and finding our own favourites.

We also visited some of the city's temples and older areas. Bangkok has many impressive buildings and temples that show a completely different side of the city compared with the large shopping areas and skyscrapers.

But what made this particular stay extra special was that we got to experience Songkran.

Songkran is the Thai New Year and is celebrated in April. During the celebrations, large parts of Bangkok turn into enormous water fights where people go out into the streets with water guns, buckets and hoses.

Of course, we had to join in. It is almost impossible to go outside during Songkran without getting wet. After just a few minutes, your clothes are completely soaked and the entire street is filled with people laughing and spraying water at each other.

What was amazing was that it was not only tourists taking part. The local people were just as involved and the entire city felt like one huge celebration.

Apart from the water fights, Songkran is also an important holiday for families and has religious and cultural significance. People visit temples and many take the opportunity to spend time with their families and relatives.

Experiencing Songkran in person therefore became one of the absolute best memories of the entire trip.

Bangkok during Songkran was also completely different from the city we had seen earlier. Some streets were packed with people and music while other parts were considerably quieter.

We walked around with our water guns and tried to stay dry, which of course was completely impossible. Eventually we gave up and decided to simply enjoy the celebrations.

After several months of travelling, Songkran felt like a very fitting way to end the journey. There was so much energy, people, laughter and a feeling that something new was about to begin.

At the same time, it was starting to become time to think about the journey home. The trip had taken us through several countries and we had experienced an incredible number of different environments.

We had travelled through India and experienced places such as Varanasi, Meghalaya, Kerala, Jaipur and Agra with the Taj Mahal. After that, the journey continued to Nepal where we experienced Kathmandu, Chitwan, Lumbini and Pokhara with the trek towards Annapurna Base Camp.

After Nepal, we continued to Laos and travelled through Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Nong Khiaw and Luang Prabang before taking the slowboat onwards towards Thailand.

After that came Chiang Rai, Krabi and Koh Samui before we finally returned to Bangkok.

When you look back at the entire journey, it is almost difficult to understand how many different places we actually managed to visit. We had seen temples, jungles, beaches, mountains, big cities and national parks.

We had also experienced wildlife up close and among other things seen tigers in Chitwan. We had trekked in the Himalayas and reached Annapurna Base Camp. We had travelled by slowboat on the Mekong River and travelled through several different countries.

Bangkok therefore became more than just the final destination. It became the place where all the memories from the journey started coming together.

We spent the final days packing our things, buying some last souvenirs and eating our final Thai meals before the journey home.

It was both nice and a little sad to know that the journey was almost over. After being on the road for so long, you almost get used to always having the next destination to look forward to.

But now there was no new destination left. The next stop would be Sweden.

We left Bangkok and started our journey home to Sweden. After all those months in Asia, it felt special to get on the plane and know that the next time we woke up, we would be back home.

Back in Sweden, the summer holiday was waiting. After a long and intense journey, it was time to settle down, meet family and friends and enjoy the summer back home.

The journey was over, but all the experiences would come home with us. From Angkor Wat and the temples in India to the tigers in Chitwan, the mountains around Annapurna, the slowboat journey on the Mekong and Songkran in Bangkok.

This therefore became much more than just an ordinary holiday. It became a journey through several countries, cultures and environments. And even though the journey was now over, it was difficult not to already start thinking about where the next adventure might take us.

After Bangkok, it was simply time to go home to Sweden and enjoy the summer holiday.