Alone in Bangkok

After Jake's departure I was left scared and alone in Bangkok. As a coping mechanism I went back to my Western roots with a soothing meal of toast, fried eggs, avocado, and real pork bacon.

Then I moved in to my housing which I booked earlier in the day. It was highly functional and on budget, which we always love.

I was staying in a slightly calmer, but no less tourist-heavy, area just off of Khao San road. It was honestly a fun little street.

I spent my first night missing my date night partner. Gone were the days of romantic candlelit beach dinners.

Keeping up my Western food hot streak I received this frighteningly over dressed Caesar salad.

The next morning I tripled down, going for some more eggs, sausage, toast, and pancakes. In my defense my stomach is still recovering from my Chiangmai illness.

In addition to supportive travel partner, Jake played a critical role as water and supplies sherpa while I normally walked around with just my camera case. So with him gone I have been forced to buy my own day pack. Lucky for me, Bangkok is ripe with either counterfeit or stolen Patagonia, North Face, and Cotopaxi gear. I am part of the problem as I happily spent $20 on this likely counterfeit collapsable Patagonia day pack.

Look how stylish I look though. This is how I wander now. I am heavily equipped.

I set out to walk to Chinatown for my last night in Bangkok.

I was immediately intrigued by this restaurant showcasing their dough to noodle freshness. The line waiting to get in was also effective marketing.

The noodles were, as I had hoped, incredible. Great Bangkok send off dinner.

I whipped off back to my accommodation in an LED-lit suped up tuk tuk with a muffler-free roaring engine.

The next morning I started off by testing my recovering stomach with some street cart pad Thai for breakfast.

I then posted up in a cafe eating more caesar salad and some meatballs as I waited to get closer to departure time for my overnight bus to southern Thailand.

Eventually I taxi'd to the bus terminal and situated myself in my front row seat of the top level of a double decker overnight bus. The 16 hour journey flew by. I watched two movies (Gladiator and The Shawshank Redemption), slept surprisingly well and overall had an amazing experience. They even gave us blankets! Overnight transportation is huge for the budget as it gets me from A to B and also counts as a night of lodging.

I woke up to a very pretty sunrise over the rural Thai landscape.

16 hours after I left Bangkok, I arrived in Hat Yai, a small town in southern Thailand. I ate some fried rice before hopping on a five hour minibus from Hat Yai across the border to Malaysia.

Goodbye Thailand, hello Malaysia - my first country to explore entirely on my own. Exciting!